Destination's Journey

Category: Memorial

  • Gunnedah New South Wales

    Gunnedah New South Wales

    Gunnedah New South Wales

    Town History

    Located on the north west slopes of New South Wales, Gunnedah has a long history of habitation by the Kamilaroi people. The town’s name means Place of White Stones in the Kamilaroi language. Within 45 years

    Colonial settlers arrived in the area in 1833, taking advantage of the Patrick Plain fertile soil to farm sheep.

    Getting There

    Gunnedah was our second overnight stop on our road trip. Only a 90 minute drive from Dubbo, the road was in good condition the whole way. Direct from Sydney, it’s a five hour drive, but there are plenty of interesting stops along the way, the most notable of which is Coonabarabran.

    Attractions

    Gunnedah Town Centre

    The Gunnedah town centre is full of old historic buildings, making a walk though town interesting. While there, look at the buildings’ facades as they are often nicely decorated and show the year the building was built. Over time many buildings have changed owners but the original builder is often still displayed on the facade.

    Old Bank Chambers
    Old Bank Chambers
    Old Shop Fronts Kamilaroi Highway
    Old Shop Fronts Kamilaroi Highway
    Gunnedah Town Hall
    Gunnedah Town Hall
    Old Acropolis Café Building Kamilaroi Highway
    Old Acropolis Café Building Kamilaroi Highway

    Miners’ Memorial

    In the centre of town near Wolseley Park a statue pays tribute to the coal miners who brought wealth to the town. Many miners failed to return home because of the dangerous work and this is a memorial to them.

    Miners' Memorial Wolseley Park Gunnedah
    Miners’ Memorial Wolseley Park

    Red Chief Memorial

    Located in the town centre, adjacent to the NSW Government Offices building in Abbott Street this is first memorial erected in honour of an Aboriginal historical identity.

    Buried probably in late 1700`s. Cumbo Gunnerah was the legendary warrior and wise leader of the Gunn-e-darr people of the Kamilaroi tribe. He was buried, it is thought, in the late 1700’s in a manner befitting an Aboriginal man of great importance, that is in a sitting position, backed by a tree carved with totemic designs in his honour.

    Red Chief Memorial Gunnedah
    Red Chief Memorial

    Silo Art

    A beautiful piece of silo art now brightens one of Gunnedah’s old silos. Featuring Dorothea Mackellar and lines from My Country, it adds to the Mackellar presence in town. For our blog on the silo, click here.

    Gunnedah Maize Mill Silo Depicting Dorothea Mackellar and Lines From My Country
    Gunnedah Maize Mill Silo Depicting Dorothea Mackellar and Lines From My Country

    Gunnedah Water Tank Museum

    The Water Tank Museum contains artefacts from Gunnedah’s past, as well as an amazing mural on the outside, dedicated to the Vietnam War. To see our full blog and more photos click here.

    Gunnedah Water Tower mural
    Water Tower mural: Soldiers of 7RAR waiting to be picked up by Huey Helicopters by Jenny McCracken

    Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Statue

    In addition to the Silo art honouring Dorothea Mackellar, a statue of the poet riding a horse can be found near the Water Tower Museum. Our full blog and photos can be found here.

    Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Statue
    Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Statue

    Pensioners Hill Lookout and Sculptures

    This beautiful sculpture-filled park has great views over town, making it a must visit when you visit. An easy walk from the car park past the sculptures rewards you with magnificent views. Our blog and photos of all the sculptures is here.

    Aboriginal Man Sculpture Gunnedah
    Aboriginal Man Sculpture

    Gunnedah Rural Museum

    This is a fantastic place to visit especially for those interested in rural life in Australia from the late 1800s to late 1900s. We particularly liked the tractor and car collection, as they were extensive and in good condition. The museum also has a model railway out the front for rail enthusiasts. We really enjoyed this laid back huge museum. The full blog of our visit is here.

    Our photos are available for purchase on

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

  • Burrawang Walk Kamay Bay

    Burrawang Walk Kamay Bay

    Burrawang Walk Kamay Bay

    Kamay Visitor Centre

    Before setting out on the Burrawang Walk, drop into the Visitor Centre. Not only are the toilets located here, but it is full of useful information for your visit. The staff were very friendly and helpful, which made the day start on a positive note.

    Burrawang Walk Kamay Bay

    Weaving through the history of the area, the Burrawang Walk takes you through the eyes of the original inhabitants of the area, through to Cook’s landing in 1770 and to its ongoing impact. Starting at the Visitor Centre it was originally called the Monuments Track, because of the monuments in the area. This is an easy track, because it’s only 1.2 km long, and mostly on grass or concrete pathways.

    Interpretive Signs

    Interpretive signs provide an insight into Aboriginal life in the area and the impact white settlement had on them. This is great because until recently, only European heritage was commemorated here.

    • Interpretive Area Burrawand Walk
      Some of the Interpretive Signs
    • Interpretive Sign Burrawand Walk
      Interpretive Sign

    Meeting Place

    The Meeting Place Kamay Botany Bay National Park Burrawand Walk
    The Meeting Place

    Cook’s Landing Place

    A large obelisk and plaque commemorating Cook’s landing place dominate one section of the shore. In 1770, Lieutenant (later Captain) Cook landed here and claimed the continent in the name of the British Crown.

    • Captain Cook's Landing
      Captain Cook’s Landing
    • Plaque at Cook's Landing
      Plaque at Cook’s Landing

    Banks’ Memorial

    Banks inclusion in Cook’s expedition as a scientist led to many discoveries of plants and animals unknown to Europeans. A large memorial to him sits near Cook’s memorial, which recognises his contribution to science.

    Banks Memorial Burrawand Walk
    Banks Memorial

    Solander Memorial

    An interesting memorial and the first one we saw is to Daniel Solander, a Swedish scientist who accompanied Banks on the Cook expedition. He was the first Swede and university trained scientist to set foot in Australia.

    Solander’s documentation of unknown plants led to the area being named Botany Bay, although now it has a dual name, Kamay Bay in recognition of its Aboriginal heritage.

    Overshadowed by Banks while also dying at the young age of 49, he did not develop the reputation he deserved.

    Solander Memorial Kamay Botany Bay National Park Burrawand Walk
    Solander Memorial

    Bronze Sculptures

    Sitting in, or on the water’s edge are three sets of bronze sculptures. These commemorate the 250th anniversary of the meeting of Aboriginal Australians and the crew of HMB Endeavour.

    • Whale Sculpture
      Whale Sculpture
    • Whale Sculpture
      Whale Sculpture
    • Whale Bone Sculpture
      Eyes of the Land and Sea
    • Whale Bone Sculpture
      Whale Bone Sculpture
    • Bronze Canoe Sculpture
      Bronze Canoe Sculpture

    First European’s Grave

    Located on the waterfront, is a plaque marking the grave of Forby Sutherland, the first British subject buried in Australia. Forby died of tuberculosis.

    Forby Sutherland Burial
    Forby Sutherland Burial

    What Did We Think of Burrawang Walk?

    This was a nice, easy walk with lots to see. The numerous information boards were educational, which made it even more interesting. This is a must visit if you are in Sydney, because of the number of memorials and European heritage.

  • Dubbo New South Wales Australia

    Dubbo New South Wales Australia

    Dubbo New South Wales

    Located in the central west of New South Wales, Dubbo was our first main stop during our road trip. A five hour car trip from Sydney, or a three and a half hour trip from our home in Singleton, stops along the way are needed. The first European settlement was established in 1828, but aboriginal history dates back over 40,000 years.

    With so many attractions to visit in the area, we planned a two day stay here, to see as much as we could, without rushing.

    Attractions

    Dubbo Visitors Information Centre

    Our first visit was the Visitors Information Centre, so that we could get a map of a street walk of historical buildings in town. Only available here, it was also a good chance to see if anything else was happening in town, that had not been mentioned online.

    Outside the visitor centre is an information board detailing the dwarf planet Pluto. This forms part of a giant solar system model, centred on the Siding Springs Observatory in Coonabarabran. We passed the position of Neptune at Dunedoo.

    Outside the centre is a medicinal garden growing plats that the Wiradjuri People used. An information board describes the uses of the plants.

    • Pluto Information Board
      Pluto Information Board
    • Medicinal Garden
      Medicinal Garden

    Town Centre

    Following the Dubbo Heritage Trail, we got from the Visitor Information Centre, we found some nice old buildings spread through the centre of town. With 37 buildings and locations, there is a lot to see, but we decided to only find ones that interested us.

    Of interest was the old post office, which was designed by the famous architect James Barnet. Another great building was the Old Bank, which is now a pub and restaurant, where we had dinner.

    • Dubbo Courthouse
      Dubbo Courthouse
    • Colonial Mutual Building Dubbo
      Colonial Mutual Building
    • Old Dubbo Post Office
      Old Dubbo Post Office
    • Westpac Bank Building Dubbo
      Westpac Bank Building
    • St Brigid's Catholic Church Dubbo
      St Brigid’s Catholic Church
    • Catholic Presbytery St Brigid's Dubbo
      Catholic Presbytery St Brigid’s

    Street Art

    Spread all over town, is a variety of street art and sculptures. We noticed them while driving around, but were not aware how many there were.

    • Aboriginal Street Art on the Overpass Near the Visitor Information Centre
      Aboriginal Street Art on the Overpass Near the Visitor Information Centre
    • Aboriginal Street Art on the Overpass Near the Visitor Information Centre
      More Aboriginal Street Art on the Overpass Near the Visitor Information Centre
    • Aboriginal Street Art on the Overpass Near the Visitor Information Centre
      Aboriginal Street Art on the Overpass Near the Visitor Information Centre
    • Cockatoo Art Work at the Visitor Information Centre
      Cockatoo Art Work at the Visitor Information Centre
    • Aboriginal Street Art in the city centre
      Aboriginal Street Art in the city centre
    • Statue of William Ferguson, a Champion of Aboriginal Rights
      Statue of William Ferguson, a Champion of Aboriginal Rights
    • Sheep Silhouettes in the City Centre
      Sheep Silhouettes in the City Centre
    • Rhino Statue at the Entrance to the Airport
      Rhino Statue at the Entrance to the Airport

    Taronga Western Plains Zoo

    Taronga Western Plains Zoo is the most popular tourist attraction in the Dubbo area because of its collection of endangered animals in an open range setting. To view all of the exhibits, we spent a full day at the zoo, walking between enclosures. Your entrance ticket is valid over two days, so you can return the next day if you want to see more. To read our full blog about our visit, click on the link above.

    Black Rhinoceros Dubbo
    Black Rhinoceros

    Old Dubbo Gaol

    Old Dubbo Gaol is one of the locations on the heritage trail and is a popular attraction for many tourists. Maintained in excellent condition and easy to access from the centre of town, it’s a fun place to visit and learn about the gaol’s past. The buildings are all close together, so a visit here only took us an hour. The blog of our visit can be found here.

    Male Prison Building at Old Dubbo Gaol
    Male Prison Building

    Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden

    If you like Japanese gardens, you will love this one. Rated one of the best in Australia, the Shoyoen garden is beautiful to walk around and very relaxing. The other section of the Regional Botanic Garden display’s local flora, so if you want to see some without bushwalking, this is a great place to visit. Our full blog can be found here.

    Dubbo Japanese Gardens Dubbo
    Japanese Gardens

    Old Bank

    The Old Bank Restaurant and Bar is, as the name suggests a converted bank. Bookings are essential, as we were lucky to get a table when we arrived. To read our blog on the Old Bank, click here.

    Main Meal Lamb Rump
    Main Meal Lamb Rump

    Western Plains Cultural Centre

    The Western Plains Cultural Centre is a combined museum and art gallery, showcasing local talent and history. From high school students’ art, international artists, aboriginal artefacts, and old horse drawn carriages, there is something here for everyone.

    Dubbo Wilkins Kennedy and Spence Coach Builders Buggy Dubbo
    Wilkins Kennedy and Spence Coach Builders Buggy

    Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Centre

    The RFDS Visitor Centre is a new, state of the art museum which details the RFDS history. Not only does it have old equipment and two aircraft on display but uses large screens and interactive video to tell its story. We enjoyed our visit and spent longer than we had originally anticipated because it had so much to offer.

    Dubbo de Havilland Fox Moth VH-UQM Replica
    de Havilland Fox Moth VH-UQM Replica

    War Memorials

    As with most towns across Australia, a war memorial commemorates those who were killed fighting for their country. Dubbo is no exception, but’s its Shrine of Remembrance is huge and surrounded by several other memorials. One of these is in memory of a local pilot who earned the Victoria Cross flying a bomber during World War Two. Although he was killed, he saved the lives of five others onboard, while flying the plane home despite being severely wounded.

    • Shrine of Remembrance
      Shrine of Remembrance
    • Memorial to Pilot Officer Rawdon Hume Middleton, who was awarded the Victoria Cross (V.C.) in World War Two.
      Memorial to Pilot Officer Rawdon Hume Middleton, who was awarded the Victoria Cross (V.C.) in World War Two.

    Macquarie River and Emile Serisier Bridge

    Located near the Visitor Centre, the Emile Serisier Bridge caught our attention because of its solid steel work construction. It spans the Macquarie River, so while looking at the bridge, we had a look at the river too.

    A better view is available on the opposite side of the river, where you can walk under the structure.

    • Rail Bridge Over the Macquarie River
      Rail Bridge Over the Macquarie River
    • Rail Bridge Over the Macquarie River
      Rail Bridge Over the Macquarie River
    • The Macquarie River
      The Macquarie River

    Dubbo Observatory

    We booked tickets ahead if time for the observatory, opting for the 10:30PM to 12:30AM visit. This allows visitors to use their own cameras on the telescopes to take photos. Unfortunately, the sky was cloudy so our session was cancelled(with a full refund), so next time we are in Dubbo we will try again.

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

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