Destination's Journey

Tag: museum

  • Nyngan and the Big Bogan

    Nyngan and the Big Bogan

    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.

    • Welcome To Nyngan
      Welcome To Nyngan
    • Old Level Crossing Gates at the Heritage Garden
      Old Level Crossing Gates at the Heritage Garden
    • Centenary Fountain
      Centenary Fountain
    • Nyngan Town Hall
      Nyngan Town Hall
    • Street Art at the Museum Car Park
      Street Art at the Museum Car Park
    • Street Art at the Museum Car Park
      Street Art at the Museum Car Park
    • Nyngan Main Street at Night
      Nyngan Main Street at Night

    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.

    • Nyngan Museum
      View of the Nyngan Museum From the Rail Overpass
    • Nyngan Museum Railway Platform
      Nyngan Museum Railway Platform
    • Old Waiting Room at the Railway Station
      Old Waiting Room at the Railway Station
    • Old Switch Board
      Old Switch Board
    • World War One Honour Roll
      Kitchen Display
    • World War One Honour Roll
      Old Kitchen Display
    • World War One Honour Roll
      World War One Honour Roll
    • Wilcox and Gibbs 1871 Sewing Machine
      Wilcox and Gibbs 1871 Sewing Machine

    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.

    • Railway Overpass Connecting to the Museum
      Railway Overpass Connecting to the Museum
    • Entrance to the Shearing Shed
      Entrance to the Shearing Shed

    The Displays

    • The Old Kitchen
      The Old Kitchen
    • Old Shearing Machinery
      Old Shearing Machinery
    • Photos of the Shearing Industry
      Photos of the Shearing Industry
    • Inside the Shed
      Inside the Shed

    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.

    • How the Shearing Shed Used to Look
      How the Shearing Shed Used to Look
    • Champion Sheep Gothic From Mullengudgery Stud
      Champion Sheep Gothic From Mullengudgery Stud
    • Champion Sheep Dudley From Mullengudgery Stud
      Champion Sheep Dudley From Mullengudgery Stud

    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.

    Bell UH-1 Iroquois Helicopter Nyngan
    Bell UH-1 Iroquois Helicopter

    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.

    • Cob & Co. Royal Mail Stage Coach
      Cob & Co. Royal Mail Stage Coach
    • Cob & Co. Royal Mail Stage Coach
      Cob & Co. Royal Mail Stage Coach
    • Cob & Co. Royal Mail Stage Coach
      Rear of the Cob & Co. Royal Mail Stage Coach
    • Cob & Co. Royal Mail Stage Coach
      Cob & Co. Royal Mail Stage Coach
    • Wagon at the Nyngan Coach House
      Wagon at the Nyngan Coach House

    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.

    The Big Bogan Nyngan
    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.

    • Early Settler Memorial Nyngan
      Early Settler Memorial
    • Early Settler Memorial Nyngan
      Early Settler Memorial

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

    Our photos are available for purchase on

  • Hill End Historical Gold Mining Town

    Hill End Historical Gold Mining Town

    Hill End

    A gold rush in the 1870s turned Hill End from a small rural village into one of the largest inland towns in New South Wales. When the boom finished, the town reverted back to a small village, however unlike other boom / bust towns many of the historic buildings remain. Now heritage listed, the town offers an insight into life in the 1870s, because of its preserved buildings and artefacts.

    Located 75km south of Mudgee or 270km north-west of Sydney, Hill End is a great place to relax and enjoy some history. We enjoyed it here because of the many different things to can see and do. Not only are there buildings from the gold rush, but several interesting walks and museums.

    Hill End Heritage Centre

    Located in a 1950s Rural Fire Service shed next to the General Store, the Heritage Centre offers a self-guided tour of displays that detail the history of the town. The centre contains some excellent photos of life during the gold rush, as well as a model showing the town at its largest. Artefacts and a fire engine make this a great first stop to learn about Hill End.

    • Hill End The Old Rural Fire Service Shed Now the Heritage Centre
      The Old Rural Fire Service Shed Now the Heritage Centre
    • Hill End 1942 Ford Blitz Fire Truck
      1942 Ford Blitz Fire Truck
    • Model of the Hill End Town
      Model of the Hill End Town
    • Hill End Gold Smelting Pots
      Gold Smelting Pots
    • Water Bottle
      Water Bottle
    • Hill End Old Photo of a Miner's Cottage
      Old Photo of a Miner’s Cottage
    • Hill End Shops on the Main Street as They Used To Be
      Shops on the Main Street as They Used To Be

    Hill End Historic Buildings

    The heritage listed town contains many buildings dating from the 1870s gold rush period. Unlike other towns from this period, where old buildings were removed, many of Hill End’s buildings remain intact, giving a view back in time.

    We walked through town on the afternoon we arrived and again the next morning, before other people were around. This let us enjoy the area both with and without other people around.

    While wandering around, we found an old rusty car a petrol pumps, adding to the old feel of the town.

    • The Road Into Hill End
      The Road Into Hill End
    • St Paul's Presbyterian Church Hill End
      St Paul’s Presbyterian Church
    • Hosies Store
      Hosies Store
    • Old Building at Hill End
      Old Building at Hill End
    • Beyers Cottage Hill End
      Beyers Cottage Hill End
    • Robert Northey's General Grocer and Produce Store Hill End
      Robert Northey’s General Grocer and Produce Store Hill End
    • Sacred Heart Catholic Church Hill End
      Sacred Heart Catholic Church
    • Great Western Store
      Great Western Store
    • Old Petrol Pumps Hill End
      Old Petrol Pumps
    • Rusty Car Wreck Hill End
      Rusty Car Wreck
    • Hill End War Memorial Machine Gun
      Hill End War Memorial Machine Gun

    History Hill Museum

    Only a ten-minute drive from town, the History Hill Museum contains a huge collection of artefacts from the 1870s gold rush, which include a stamper battery crusher and a replica gold mine.

    The collection includes everyday items used by people providing a great insight into ordinary life in the late nineteenth century. There is also what must be one of the largest collections of weighing scales anywhere. Scales formed an important part of the gold mining industry, ensuring that correct payment was made for gold mined.

    The Chinese contribution to the area is highlighted, illustrating the diversity of people attracted to the area to mine gold.

    Collections of fire arms, locks, porcelain and bottles add to the huge numbers of displays, that go well beyond the normal rocks and mining equipment that mining museums usually have.

    Another great attraction at History Hill is the replica gold mine, which you walk through at your own pace. Being able to walk through a mine, even if a replica gives you a great idea of what mining was like here. The exit is fun, with seven lots of ladders to climb to the surface. Of course, if you don’t want to climb the ladders, you can return to the entrance instead. We really liked this!

    • Not the Entry
      Not the Entry
    • Pad Locks
      Pad Locks
    • Hand Guns
      Hand Guns
    • Collection of Scales
      Collection of Scales
    • Tools in the Blacksmiths Shop
      Tools in the Blacksmiths Shop
    • Gold Weighing Scales
      Gold Weighing Scales
    • Shackles
      Shackles
    • Poison Bottle Collection
      Poison Bottle Collection
    • Bottle Collection
      Bottle Collection
    • China Collection
      China Collection
    • Stamping Crusher
      Stamping Crusher
    • Entry to the Son of Hope Mine
      Entry to the Son of Hope Mine
    • Ladders Leading Out of the Mine
      Ladders Leading Out of the Mine
    • Tunnel Inside the Mine
      Tunnel Inside the Mine
    • Tunnel Inside the Mine
      Tunnel Inside the Mine

    Golden Gully Walking Track

    The eroded banks of Golden Gully are unstable, so take care when walking, rock falls and wall collapses are common. Worked and re-worked by miners workings have become exposed due to erosion, making the landscape seem unreal. Staying to the centre of the gully, away from the walls, we were able to admire the landscape in safety.

    Erosions has formed several interesting arches that reach across the gully, as well as several small tunnels running into the banks. These areas are very unstable, so use caution when looking at them.

    • Golden Gully Walking Track Hill End
      Golden Gully Walking Track Hill End
    • The Arch on the Golden Gully Walking Track
      The Arch on the Golden Gully Walking Track
    • Under the Arch on the Golden Gully Walking Track
      Under the Arch on the Golden Gully Walking Track
    • The Arch on the Return Trip
      The Arch on the Return Trip
    • Small Tunnel
      Small Tunnel
    • Small Tunnel on the Golden Gully Walking Track Hill End
      Small Tunnel on the Golden Gully Walking Track Hill End

    Valentine Mine

    Located a short drive from town, Valentines Mine, the headframe shows where the shaft drops 53 metres into the hill. Next to the shaft is an old stamper battery used to crush the ore removed from the mine.

    Access along a dirt track was incredibly rough, although we only had a two-wheel drive vehicle. Recent rain had damaged the track and had it been any worse, we would not have driven it. However, once graded and repaired, the road will be good to drive on. Alternately, you can park your car and walk up to the mine shaft area.

    • Valentines Mine Shaft
      Valentines Mine Shaft
    • Valentines Mine Stamping Battery
      Stamping Battery at Valentines Mine
    • Valentines Mine Stamping Battery Head
      Valentines Mine Stamping Battery Head

    Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits

    A short drive past the Valentines Mine turn-off, a small car park marks the entrance to the roasting pits. Here, quartz roasting pits were established in 1855 and have become a significant insight into our nation’s beginnings and how the gold rush transformed the country.

    The roasting pits are an interesting snapshot into quartz mining processes, where the ore was processed before crushing.

    • Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
      Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
    • Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
      Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
    • Ruined Building Near the Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
      Ruined Building Near the Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
    • Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
      Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
    • Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
      Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits

    What did We Think?

    Hill End was a great place to visit, not only for the historic buildings, but also for several great walks and interesting museums. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here, and would do it again.

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

    Our photos are available for purchase on

  • Australian Museum Sydney

    Australian Museum Sydney

    Australian Museum

    Located near Hyde Park in the centre of Sydney, the Australian Museum is a wonderful place to spend a few hours wandering around the amazing displays. Designed by colonial architect Mortimer Lewis, the current building opening in 1857, although the museum’s collection dates back to 1827.

    An extensive refurbishment in 2021 has resulted in updated and refreshed exhibits, bringing the museum into the 21st century.

    Getting There

    The Domain carpark is the closest secure parking spot to the museum, being only a ten-minute walk away.

    Using Sydney’s public transport system is easy, with the Museum, St James and Town Hall train stations all within a ten-minute walk of the museum. Bus stops along Elizabeth Street, next to Hyde Park are another great option to get there.

    What to See

    Ground Level

    200 Treasures

    Located on the ground floor the 200 Treasures represent people and objects, that tell stories about Australia and the world.

    The displays range from Zulu shields and Pacific Island sculptures, to a skeleton man on a skeleton horse.

    • Skeleton Man on a Horse Australian Museum Sydney
      Skeleton Man on a Horse
    • Zulu Shields in Treasures of the Museum Australian Museum Sydney
      Zulu Shields in Treasures of the Museum
    • Australian Museum Sydney
      Australian Museum Sydney
    First Nations

    The First Nations display is part of the recent Museum refurbishment, giving an excellent overview of indigenous Australians before colonisation.

    We loved the range of boomerangs, shields and spears on display, along with their descriptions on information panels.

    • Australian Museum Sydney
    • Australian Museum Sydney
    • Australian Museum Sydney
    Wild Planet

    In Wild Planet, animals from Australia and around the world are on display. Two huge elephant skeletons show the size of these animals. Overhead, an even bigger sperm whale skeleton looks down from the ceiling.

    Over 400 animals are displayed here, including extinct and endangered species. This was a great place to learn about the animals and their habitats. Not only do the displays details the animals, but also explain how they are impacted by human activity.

    • Cassowary
      Cassowary
    • Giraffe and Zebra
      Giraffe and Zebra
    • Giraffe
      Giraffe
    • Adult and Juvenile Elephant Skeletons
      Adult and Juvenile Elephant Skeletons

    Level 2

    Birds of Australia

    Australian birds have a whole section to themselves because of their vast numbers and beauty. The displays vary from the giant emu and Cassowary to seabirds and colourful parrots. The parrot display shows the huge range of colours to be found in these birds.

    These displays are a great opportunity for people who don’t leave the city to see the colour of the outback.

    • King Parrot
      King Parrot
    Surviving Australia

    Specialising in the creatures of Australia, this section takes you from ancient megafauna to modern spiders and snakes.

    A model of an ancient diprotodon let you see how massive these giant wombat-like creatures were. Nearby the extinct Thylacine, or Tasmanian Tiger exhibit explains how the mammal went extinct on mainland Australia. The introduction of the dingo outcompeted them for food, driving them to extinction. Surviving until the 1930s in Tasmania, hunting by farmers caused them to die out there too.

    An excellent stop for tourists or locals who want to see some of Australia’s more dangerous animals. Displays of dangerous snakes, spiders and saltwater crocodile allow you to see them up close, but in complete safety.

    • Diprotodon
      Diprotodon
    • Thylacine or Tasmanian Tiger
      Thylacine or Tasmanian Tiger
    Pacific Spirit

    Pacific Spirit celebrates the culture of the Pacific Islands. Wonderful exhibits showcase the unique culture of these people, with masks, headgear, ceremonial poles and jewellery.

    Dinosaurs

    Having loved dinosaurs since being a kid this was one of my favourite exhibits. From T-Rex and velociraptors, there are many dinosaurs on display. One of Australia’s first discovered specimens is on display, muttaburrasaurus. Prior to its discovery in Queensland (near the town of Muttaburra!), very few dinosaur traces were found in Australia.

    • Muttaburrasaurus
      Muttaburrasaurus
    • Muttaburrasaurus Skeleton
      Muttaburrasaurus Skeleton

    The Hobbit Homo Floresiencis

    The discovery of homo floresiencis on the Indonesian Island of Flores caused a huge stir in the world of archaeology, because of its diminutive stature. Controversy about its place in the human family tree still rages in the scientific community. The museum has a small case displaying the hobbit as it has been called. This is not an easy display to find, because it is hidden away under a staircase, going up from the Wild Planet gallery.

    Homo Floresiensis Australian Museum Sydney
    Homo Floresiensis

    Mineralogy

    The mineralogy collection is the oldest rock and mineral collection in Australia, and the mineral component is the largest of any Australian collection. The meteorite collection is the oldest and second largest in the country. With nearly 80,000 specimens, only a few can be on display, however, these are some of the best available.

    Mineral Collection Australian Museum Sydney
    Australian Christmas Beetles Australian Museum Sydney
    Australian Christmas Beetles
    Circle Stone Money Australian Museum Sydney
    Circle Stone Money

    Refreshments

    Two eating areas provide a chance to re-fuel while at the museum. A family friendly kiosk on level 2 is great for a quick snack or light meal. The roof-top restaurant has views over Hyde Park and Sydney Harbour while you dine.

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