On our way to Coonamble when we hit the crossroads, B55 Castlereagh Highway to Coonamble a really rough road before we arrive in Coonamble. We were going to camp at the Showgrounds but it’s closed due to a rodeo in town this weekend, we should volunteer Des, so we stop at the information centre for more details. I got a mobile number but the grounds they were preparing for campers was that black soil and Des was sceptical if it rains so I found a camp just out of town, Nakadoo is a free farm stay just out of town. We stayed long enough to see the rain out and sat around the fire pit chattering with fellow campers.
Des and I cracked up watching these Ducks follow each other all in a row, now you don’t get to see that very often.
A great free farm stay just out of town with all types of animals roaming the grounds.
Someone’s happy in her little part of the world as she takes watched over her chicks below.
I opened the gate and they all rushed me expecting food and they didn’t look to happy with my empty hands.
At first I thought she was having a baby but at a closer look her utter was hugely enlarged.
A Ute in the paddock makes for a great photo.
The Ducks Waddle
The painted silo features Australia Pink and Grey Galahs, fence posts to signify the rural aspect of Coonamble, plus the sun, moon and the southern cross.
Sons of the Soil Hotel
A hotel, was built in this site as early as 1879. It was then renamed the Occidental and, in 1889, Tattersalls. It was burnt down in 1929 and the current building was constructed in 1930 for the huge sum of £13,500, it became the Sons of the Soil hotel in 1984.
The Bus’, a depiction of three young children astride one horse on their way to school.
Cartoons of various local characters (and, of course, their nicknames) have been placed on walls around town. As you wander around you will come across Fluffy, Singo,
Magpie, Darla and others.
The original Commercial Hotel was built in 1877 and was destroyed by fire in 1908, this hotel was rebuilt on the same site in 1913, Note the Cobb & Co look out tower.
20230610 Des and I have been looking for a rodeo where we can stand around the rails and look through and Coonamble has just that. We booked into the caravan then walked to the rodeo to check it out. The Coonamble Rodeo and Campdraft has been running since 1955, and is the largest event held in the Southern Hemisphere. Cowboys and cowgirls take to the arena to compete for over $30,000 of prizes in steer wrestling, calf roping, barrel racing and the best of all, the Saddle Bronc, Bareback and Bull rides.
The Coonamble Rodeo sign was built in 1984.
We gazed through the rale and watched with excitement as the bull riders are released from the gates and the rider holds on like hell hoping to reach their time before jumping from the bull, if they can.
Even kids aged between 11 to 14 give it a go and amazingly do very well but its quite eerie watching them.
These kids are never on their own they have three guys who are never far behind them, there job is to protect them if the bull turns, one guy quickly layed over one boy as a bull turned on them.
This spiffy looking trucks is set up inside selling Western Gear.
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Later in the afternoon we returned to our camp to rug up some more and thank god I did as it got freezing, we saw it out and left for home shivering all the way, well Des did because he doesn’t know how to rug up like me, I’m surprised he didn’t wear thongs. The first Rodeo ever recorded in Coonamble was run in conjunction with the annual P & A Show in 1934. It consisted of one event – a steer ride, one-off events such as these were held each year with all proceeds going to charity. In 1946 the Coonamble Rodeo Association was formed and Rodeo’s were held in the middle of a hard dirt paddock where stock often got away and was “lost” for days, then in 1955 timber yards were built and the first official rodeo was held. The current steelyards were built in 1985 for the Australian Rodeo Championships, today the Rodeo & Campdraft attracts crowds of up to 6000.
20150809 The town of Moora came from the Aboriginal name 'Moora' which means blowfly and is situated in one of the most interesting wildflower areas of the state and is the largest town between Geraldton and Perth, well! all I can say is, all the other towns must be bloody small. The rolling hills on the way to Moora are a blaze with the vivid yellow flowers of canola and are just breath taken and apparently it smells like cabbage. Canola is grown for its seed which is crushed for the oil used in margarine, cooking oil, and a few more. The properties of the oil fits with the current view that human health is better served by increasing the intake of mono and poly unsaturated fats in place of saturated fats The Drovers Inn was built in 1909 and stands on the intersection of the town. The historical buildings are what gives this town it's charm. The New Norcia Benedictine Community is the official title of the group of Roman Catholic monks who have
20190825 About 12ks before Charleville there’s a Rock Pool that was once a quarry and in the summer months a great place to take a dip and cool off but now it’s a great place to camp while sitting around a fire with good friends enjoying and cold ale and what better reason but to catch up with Dick. We joined Dick for a run into town for supplies and stopped to check out the Tower Mural, featuring the youths of Charleville intertwined through sports, painted in a 3D style around a tall, narrow 30-metre-high tower. Our camp for the next few days with Dick’s music blasting out the camp and yes, we had to turn it down because it was keeping a baby awake, next time I’m putting up a sign “NO KIDS ALOUD”. The boys go in search of wood and drags back a large log, now that’s the way to do it Dick. Sit on the log Dick, so I can get a photo, ya sure that will never happen, spoil sport. Gee! somebody looks pleased with himself; anyone would think he cooked it, I guess it
20210421 We woke to a 1 degree bloody freezing morning, thank god we have a diesel heater, we meet a couple who came in late yesterday afternoon who didn't have a heater at all, stuff that. Des decided to go back to Glen Innes and find the Australian Standing Rocks, as they are called, not Stonehenge as I thought so I set google map for the site and within 10 minutes good old Google guided us in the correct direction. The Stones were created in 1991/92 and the stones commemorate all Celtic people who helped pioneer Australia. The Stones acknowledge the contribution to Australian culture made by people from the Celtic nations of Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, Wales, the Isle of Man, Brittany, Asturias and Galicia. Look! is that a little leprechaun roaming the grounds .😏 The Ancient Celts were farming people who lived across Europe and the British Isles around 2600 years ago and raised stones as calendars to mark the change of seasons to help indicate when they should sow and harvest.
We gazed through the rale and watched with excitement as the bull riders are released from the gates and the rider holds on like hell hoping to reach their time before jumping from the bull, if they can.
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