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New South Wales (Western NSW) |
| Wilcannia | |
| The
next major town after Cobar on the Barrier Highway is WILCANNIA,
260km west. The former “Queen City of the West” was founded in 1864
and towards the nineteenth century was a major port on the Darling River,
from where produce was transported by paddle steamers and barges down the
Darling–Murray river system to Adelaide.
Once the third largest inland port in Australia. Sandstone was quarried during the boom years of the 1880's and several beautiful buildings still remain as a remnant of that era. The court, goal and post office are all of interest as well as the Red Lion Brewery housed in the golf club house. |
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| Droughts,
the advent of the railways and the motor car put an end to the river
trade, and today the ruins of the docks and the old lift-up bridge, along
with a few impressive public buildings – the post office, police
station, courthouse, Catholic convent and Athenaeum Museum (daily
9am–5pm) which houses the tourist centre (tel 08/8091 5909) –
are reminders of the once-prosperous era. Nowadays Wilcannia survives as a
service centre for a far-flung Outback population, with its banks, shops,
motels and service stations. You are welcomed into town by the black, red
and yellow Aboriginal flag attesting to the fact that around eighty
percent of the population are indigenous. There’s an Aboriginal
arts-and-crafts shop (irregular hours) on the same street as the town’s
imposing sandstone buildings. Sadly, alcoholism is a big problem in
Wilcannia, and is the cause of sporadic violence (although not generally
directed towards visitors).
Most visitors don’t stop in Wilcannia for long, but if you need somewhere to stay, try the Wilcannia Motel or Grahams Motel, both situated on the Barrier Highway. If you want to experience Outback life, head 85km southeast of Wilcannia along the unsealed Cobb Highway to Yelta Station, a sheep and cattle property run by Bill and Chris Elliot. The family take only one set of guests at a time, camping or staying in fully equipped shearers’ quarters. You can reach the station by two-wheel drive, unless it’s been raining – in which case the road is generally closed. Heading north or south of Wilcannia you can follow the river along one of Australia’s last great 4WD adventures – The Darling River Run – 829kms of Outback history, heritage and landscape running between Brewarrina and Wentworth. Further information on the Run is available from Bourke Information Centre. You can travel the Darling River upstream northwest of Wilcannia all the way to Bourke, just under 300km, on unsealed roads that closely follow the east and west banks with crossings at the settlements of Tilpa and Louth. Station properties dot the riverfront, including Mount Murchinson Station, on the west side of the river 30km north of Wilcannia, said to have once been managed by the son of Charles Dickens. At TILPA, 130km north of Wilcannia, there’s a classic Outback pub, the 1890s Tilpa Hotel, where you can find meals, accommodation and fuel, and for a $2 donation towards the Royal Flying Doctor Service, you can immortalize your name on the pub’s tin wall. Ninety-three kilometres further on, at LOUTH, Shindy’s Inn sells diesel and petrol and has basic accommodation in cabins. |
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