Coonabarabran New South Wales Australia

Coonabarabran Clock Tower

Coonabarabran

We used Coonabarabran as a base for exploring the local area.  You will need to be aware that on the way there, you will have to slow down in several sections of the road due to cattle grazing on the sides.  There are also lots of kangaroos.  We stayed one night in town and the days either side in the surrounding countryside.

Coonabarabran Location
Coonabarabran Location

On the drive there, we stopped for lunch at Coolah which is a great little town with very friendly residents. There are several cafes and pubs to choose from for lunch or quick snacks.

Coolah Valley Hotel
Coolah Valley Hotel

Once in Coonabarabran we visited the places listed below.  To read the full story for each, please click on the link.

Visitor Information Centre

In town  we looked at the visitor information centre. The staff there were very friendly and suggested some of the places we ended up visiting. In the centre there is a display of local aboriginal artifacts as well as a skeleton of a diprotodon; a type of giant extinct marsupial, and some great history of the fires that went through the town.  The town is busy with a lot of traffic going through it.

Diprotodon Skull at the Visitors' Centre Coonabarabran
Diprotodon Skull at the Visitors’ Centre

Coonabarabran

In town had a look at the town clock in the centre of the main street.

Coonabarabran Clock Tower
Coonabarabran Clock Tower

Nearby is a sundial, which is easy to get to, as parking is good.  The sundial was presented to the shire for the 35th anniversary of the Anglo Australian Telescope.

Sphere Sundial Coonabarabran
Sphere Sundial Coonabarabran

The scenery around the town is great, ranging from forests to grazing properties and mountains.

Scenic View Coonabarabran
Scenic View
Scenic View Near Coonabarabran
Scenic View

As you drive around, take a look at the post boxes on the side of the road.  They are very interesting, varying from astronomical themes to Science fiction.

Mailbox Coonabarabran
Mailbox

Baradine and the Pilliga Forest

Baradine in the Pilliga has the Pilliga Forest Discovery Centre where you can learn about the forest that surrounds the town. The staff were very helpful and gave us directions to the Sculptures in the Scrub, which are nearby. The road into Baradine and to the Sculptures was all dirt road and in places was very rough. When you travel be aware of this and travel to conditions and check the road condition beforehand.

Pilliga Forest Discovery Centre Baradine
Pilliga Forest Discovery Centre Baradine

We noticed this great building driving through Baradine. It is a memorial hall to the Servicemen of World War One. The inscription is latin – faithful unto death.

Baradine & District Soldiers Memorial Hall near Coonabarabran
Baradine & District Soldiers Memorial Hall

Drought

On the trip home, we were reminded of the impact from the drought when we came across cattle grazing on the side of the road, as this is the only feed left for them.

Cattle Grazing on the Road Coonabarabran
Cattle Grazing on the Road

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

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