Merriwa
Merriwa is know throughout the Hunter Region for its annual Festival of the Fleeces. Once a year the town celebrates its association with the wool industry by parading sheep wearing red socks down the Main Street. This is a unique event and sheep in socks are worth seeing.
Festival of the Fleeces
The festival has grown so that the Main Street is lined with stalls selling local produce and crafts. There are displays of sheep shearing and sheep dogs. One of the side streets held a car show.
Festival of the Fleeces
Things to See in Merriwa
Merriwa Historical Society Museum and Visitor Centre located on the main street houses some interesting artifacts from Merriwa’s sheep shearing past as well as selling local arts and crafts. Outside is a small slab hut and a three dimensional mural.
Merriwa Visitors’ Centre 
3D Sculpture Visitors’ Centre
Being an old town Merriwa has several great old buildings to look at. The main street has some nice buildings, most of which have been re-purposed in recent years. The local churches are nice examples of heritage building and make good photos.
The war memorial is on the main street through town and includes a 40mm Bofors anti aircraft gun nearby.
Merriwa Catholic Church 
Merriwa War Memorial
When travelling through we always stop at the Merriwa Bakery for pies and coffee. This little shop is always busy, so you know the food must be good. There is seating inside, out front or in the back courtyard.
Opposite the swimming pool is a bottle museum. It was not open when we were there, but would be interesting to look through.
Also outside the pool is a Brittania Steam Engine, used to power shearing equipment at Charles Blaxland’s Cullingral station.
Brittania Steam Engine
Merriwa Silo
Merriwa has painted their grain silo with beautiful mural reflecting the area’s character. It shows sheep in red socks as well as the canola crop in flower. As you drive through town you can’t miss it.
Other Attractions in the Area
Canola Crops in Flower
In September, the canola crops planted west of Merriwa provide a beautiful golden landscape as you drive towards Dubbo. The vast fields of yellow flowers look surreal as you drive by.
Canola Crops in Flower Near Merriwa 
Canola Crops in Flower Near Merriwa
Battery Rock
Not far outside town is a Battery Rock rest area. There is an excellent example of columnar basalt here that is very easy to access and walk over.
Geological Sites of NSW describe the formation as “an amazing example of polygonal basalt columns also known as columnar jointing. The columns are nearly horizontal (not like those at Bald Hill Falls which are vertical). Around 35 million years old the basalt lava erupted at a temperature estimated to be about 1,200 degrees. The jointing is caused by shrinkage as the lava slowly cools; normally columns like these are vertical as the lava cools from top to bottom when the flow of lava is horizontal. In this case the flow must have been nearly vertical and the flow has cooled from the outside face causing the jointing to form inwards from the outer face in a near horizontal plane.”
Battery Rock Columnar Basalt 
Columnar Basalt at Battery Rock 
Columnar Basalt at Battery Rock 
Battery Rock Rest Area
The Drip
Our visit to The Drip in the Goulburn River National Park was a pleasant walk along the well maintained tracks. The bush and river views as you walk in are great with many opportunities for photographs.
The end of the track is at The Drip, where water drips (hence the name) off the cliff making an environment for ferns and mosses.
The Drip Goulburn River National Park 
Walk to The Drip Goulburn River National Park 
Walk to The Drip Goulburn River National Park
Gungal
Driving from Newcastle, you will pass through the locality of Gungal and its cute little Catholic Church, dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. The church is obvious from the highway and parking outside is easy.
St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Gungal
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.