Nyngan

Located in the Orana Region of central New South Wales, Nyngan is the home of the Big Bogan, a helicopter memorial and several interesting museums. This was our second stop on a road trip out west and our first overnight stop.

Like many outback towns. there is a nice sign welcoming you to town, along with a rest stop. Here, you will find a “small” Big Bogan, but don’t be put off by its size, because the real one is in the town centre.

Driving around town we noticed some street art, as well as some nice buildings, especially the town hall.

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Nyngan Museum

Our first stop was at the Railway Station which is now the town museum and also acts as a tourist information centre. Passenger trains no longer stop here, although the line is still used for freight, so the platform is blocked off to stop people wandering onto the tracks.

The museum’s displays cover all of Nyngan’s history, from pre-colonial to recent, including World War One and railway heritage.

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Shearing Shed

Located across the rail line from the museum, the Shearing Shed captures the history of the wool industry that once dominated Australia. The original pulleys that powered the shears are still in place, making a great and authentic backdrop to the museum. Covering the walls are photos of past shearers, competition winners and champion sheep. We found this all very interesting, even more so when the volunteer working there turned out to be an old shearer. He told us all about life as a shearer and what the items on display were used for.

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The Displays

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Shearing

A photo on the wall shows how the shed used to look when operating. Many others showed champion sheep like Gothic and Dudley from Mullengudgery Stud.

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Helicopter Flood Memorial

A stunning sight in the middle of town is a helicopter displayed on a pole Not something you expect to see on the main street, but relevant to Nyngan, because of the role they played during a flood.

In April 1990, unusually heavy rains caused major flooding in the town, despite a massive effort by local people to raise the levee walls using sandbags. With the town almost completely flooded, all the residents had to be evacuated by helicopter from the railway station, the highest point of the town, which was not flooded. Air Force helicopters, TV news helicopters and private helicopters all co-operated in the airlift.

Nyngan Coach House

Sitting next to the Big Bogan, the Coach House is hard to miss. A large car park makes access easy, so you don’t have to park on the street. The two coaches on display are under cover but behind wire mesh. This doesn’t restrict viewing, because the mesh is wide spaced and allows the carriages to be seen from three sides.

Make sure you plan to see them before 5:00PM, because the roller doors are shut and locked to protect the displays overnight.

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The Big Bogan

Adjacent to the Coach House, the Big Bogan is another “Big” thing we came across during this trip. Another one to cross of the list if you’re into seeing them all. For those who don’t know, a bogan is a derogatory word for an uncouth, unsophisticated person (like the American ‘trailer trash’).

The local shire council (The Bogan Shire) has made the most of having their name used this way and used it to attract tourists with the Big Bogan.

Early Settler Memorial

On the edge of town, a memorial pays tribute to the early European settlers in the area, who established the agricultural industry. It features a grazier, with his sheep dog and a flock of sheep.

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To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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