Historical Gems in Central NSW

 We have found a couple of gems this past week. Firstly the township of Bourke sitting on the Darling River, was home to the first weir built in, not only on the Darling, (It was the only one on the Darling) but in Australia in 1897. It wasn't until we looked at photos after that we actually realised the banks of the river in this area are actually cobbled.

Les has been practicing his drone shots

Also home to the first "Lift bridge", circa 1884 built in Australia, (It is undergoing some maintenance at the moment - look at the photo of Les on it and you can see why

Eras long gone

Another historical site in Bourke is the original wharf, Port Of Bourke. This home to an original 1923 Crossley Engine that they still fire up at midday each day.

Under the Port

Old Garford Fire Engine

1923 Crossley Engine

Modern art also part of the Bourke landscape, each to their own I suppose.

            

          

As you can see the sun finally came out again and with charge getting into the batteries we moved further South. 

Another first for us, a gravel pit camp, and it was amazing site and managed to get a great fire going.

Thats us from the drone. Even had a lake front view.

Next stop was for lunch and a look around Cobar, another amazing find, especially for Les with all the mining history here. 

Stamp Battery 

Air leg miner

Underground Bogger

Head frame

Mining Memorial to the 117 men and women who have lost their lives in the Cobar Mines

We didn't camp in Cobar but found a bush camp further out of town and yes another roaring fire and a drone shot. 

After this camp the drizzle started again and we thought we may have to get into a caravan park to keep charge, but driving charged them enough so we just had an overnighter in a roaad side stop, shared with a few other vans and a couple of cattle roadtrains. Mooing, kicking and the smell for some of the night, but hey, what can you do.

The next day we detoured into Merriwagga to fill up with water and had another great find.

Home to the "Black Stump Hotel" which claims to have the highest bar in the Southern Hemisphere, so had to have a drink here.

The town itself was neat and tidy, and very welcoming, memorial to the Pioneering Women of Australia and Information boards about the history of the town everywhere

We stayed just down the road from here for the night in another over-night roadside stop but not a truck stop, so a bit quieter than the previous night. 

A few mud puddles bur nothing to worry about.