Discover Coolamon: A Journey Through Scenic NSW

Coolamon

After we left Narrandera, we changed our direction and drove towards Coolamon. We did not stay at Coolamon, but did stop at the town for most of the day. What a stunning town with the friendliest people. We even had a local gentleman stop to talk to us and told us what to visit and the history of the town. Turns out he was born there and lived there all his life. It was such a lovely introduction to Coolamon.

The Up To Date Store

The original site bought in 1883, and the land passed through several hands. At some stage there was originally a whether-board building which was trading as The Up to Date Store. It sold again in 1908, and a new building built in 1909, the one that you see today. When built it was divided into several different departments, there was nothing that could be bought or sold in the store.

In 1932 the final lessee ceased his lease and moved to a more central location in town. The Mutton Family left the building vacant and used it as a storage area until 1987 when after 80 years of ownership they sold the building.

Finally in 1996 the Coolamon Shire Council bought the store and is now run purely by volunteers, these volunteers have such passion and knowledge of the store and their town. I wish I could remember the volunteer’s name on duty, he had a wealth of knowledge, we were surprised by how much time we spent in the store. Amazingly, the store is still in its original condition. The volunteer told us that when the council took it over, they were pleasantly surprised by its wonderful condition. There is also a massive storeroom underneath, but this was not available for viewing.

Lanson Ball – Style Cash Railway System

Is the only known Ball-Style Cash Railway System in the world that is still in its original location. It was primarily built to keep the money and staff safe from Bushrangers. Bushrangers were commonly known as armed robbers and outlaws who lived in the Australian Bush between the 1780s and the early 1900s. Another story is the owners did not trust the staff, so they put the money in the ball and sent it to the bookkeeper who provided a receipt and the change for the customer and then locked the money away. I guess we will never really know what it was used for. But I do imagine it was a blend of the two scenarios.

The Lamson Ball is the predecessor to the later cash carriers like the spring loaded “flying fox” and pneumatic systems that are still in use today.

The Mavis Furner Collection of crocheted garments

Mavis was a committed and active member of the community of Coolamon. Her passion was crocheting, and those garments were so intricate and just stunning. She could not understand the passion the community had in preserving her garments. So, she bequeathed her collection to her trustees for the benefit of the people of Coolamon. I was so intrigued in the outfits and work that went into them.

The Coolamon Fire Museum

Managed by Chris Berry with his very own collection of fire station memorabilia. What a lifetime collection he has. Chris is such an enthusiastic, passionate collector. He was remarkably interesting to talk to telling us all about his time as a firefighter and about his collection. It is a credit to the community and NSW Fire.

Coolamon Cheese Company

Get yourself in here and do a tasting of the cheese, chutneys, and everything else they offer. Peter English will happily talk to you passionately about their cheese and will welcome you in his store with open arms. Funny thing was, when he asked where we were from, he knew our town and had spent a lot of time in it. Such a small world.

After leaving Coolamon we followed the Canola Way. We were a bit too early to see it in full bloom, but it was still impressive. Canola is grown extensively in Australia and particularly in this region and is a photographer’s delight. Filled up with cheese and dips for our afternoon snacks, we headed off to Junee.

Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club

Duration: 1 night

Location: 75 Broadway Street, Junee

Distance: 101km from Narrandera

Cost: Free

The Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club offers free 72-hour camping on their land next to the building. You can park anywhere on the grass/dirt area but not in the car park. Apparently if it has been raining it is advisable to check that you will not get bogged before entering. It is for self-contained vehicles only and no amenities are provided but you are welcome to use the toilets in the club during operating hours. We made ourselves known to the bar staff and had a drink in the club rooms. They were renovating the kitchen during our visit, so we enjoyed a meal at the Junee Hotel.

Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory

yum is all we can say. For $4.00 you get a tour of the factory and all the chocolate and liquorice you can eat. We were in heaven! The chocolate coated ginger and the spelt licorice is to die for and our favourite picks.

The factory was originally built as a flour mill and had been abandoned for about 30 years before the owners bought it. First, they just made licorice, after all, the main ingredient of licorice is flour, ironic! And, because they are organic farmers growing wheat and spelt why not make spelt licorice. After a while they decided to experiment in chocolate which they have exported over from Belgium, only the best of course. What I loved about their chocolate and licorice was that it was not overly sweet, so just made it perfect for us. And yes, we bought lots.

They have a licensed restaurant, live music, and alfresco dining. They even have gin tastings; can it get any better! The best thing about their produce, is that they are certified organic. Now we have lots of snacks on board to keep us going for the rest of our trip!

Silo Art & Lightshow – Grenfell

After we left Junee, we wanted to see some other towns, so we started following the Olympic Highway and we headed for Cootamundra and all the unique towns along the way. After going through Young, we turned onto Henry Lawson Way to see the silo art at Grenfell, which allowed for a rest stop and some photos. It made for a delightful trip and some beautiful scenery.

The Henry Lawson Way is such a pretty drive, there is something to look at or admire all the way along. As we arrived in Grenfell, we saw some silo art which was so grand that we had to stop. To be honest I did not realise they do a light show in the evening. So, I am quite disappointed we did not stay the night.

The artwork is a compilation of images that depict the farming industry and landscape of the Weddin Shire. We unfortunately arrived too late in the day and the sun was in the wrong position for good photos.

The silos constructed in 1925 are still a functional worksite. The artwork commissioned by Melbourne artist Heesco Khosnaran in 2018, was mesmerising to see and one region that we will return to so we can do some more exploring in the Weddin Mountain region.

Wheogo Park Rest Area, Forbes

Duration: 1 night

Location: Junction St, Forbes

Distance: 222km from Junee

Cost: Free

Wheogo Park is found on Lake Forbes which is a natural lagoon off the Lachlan River and has a designated rest area for a maximum stay of 48 hours. It is a popular place and is quite hard to find a suitable spot if you get there late in the day. We were quite fortunate to get a good spot with a view of the lake. You must be fully self contained and be able to hold your grey water. There is a dump point and water tap. With about a 10-minute walk you will get to the Lions Park where there are flushing toilets if needed.

The park features 10km’s of walking and cycling tracks and lots of photography opportunities. If you cross the bridge, you can walk into the pretty town. The Lions Park would be a great park to keep the kids entertained.

Facilities:

• Dump Point
• Water Tap
• Toilets and Playground – about a 10-minute walk away

CSIRO’S Parkes Observatory (The Dish)

After leaving Forbes we decided we wanted to visit CSIRO’s Parkes Observatory, they made a movie about it called “The Dish.” We have driven past the turn off many times and decided this trip we make the effort to visit, so pleased we did. When we arrived, the dish was pointing right up. Depending on weather conditions they will move the dish into position. We were lucky enough to see that and were amazed at how the whole thing moves. The dish is about 20km north of Parkes, but worth the trip out.

The telescope is a 64-meter diameter parabolic dish used for radio astronomy. It is run by the CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science Centre. It also runs the Australia Telescope Compact Array near Narrabri and another one in Coonabarabran.

It was built in 1961 and only its basic structure has remained unchanged. Everything else has been upgraded over the years.

Fun facts:

• The Telescope is now ten thousand times more sensitive than when first commissioned in 1961
• The moving parts of the telescope weigh 1000 tonnes
• The telescope only receives signals from space, never sends them
• It takes 5 minutes to maximum tilt and 15 minutes for a 360o rotation
• The dish itself weighs 300 tonnes
• The telescope is used by 300 people each year. About 40% of those users are from overseas

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Keep following as we head further north. We visit the Western Plains Zoo and get caught in some big heavy rain storms.