Located in Beresfield, New South Wales, Mortels Sheepskin Factory not only sells you their products, but teaches how they are made and the history of sheepskin in Australia. Unfortunately shut during our visit, we were unable to view the factory, but we did tour the museum and see the giant Ugg boots.
Mortels Sheepskin Factory Museum
The museum is free to enter, so while there go in for a look. Although it’s small, the displays and information boards explain the history of sheepskin in Australia. Exhibits from wool presses to World War One soldier’s jackets make it worth the visit.
Sheepskin Jacket From World War One
Inside the Museum
Inside the Museum
Giant Ugg Boots
Entering Thornton, you can’t miss the giant Ugg boots. Originally painted as regular sheepskin, but now upgraded with aboriginal artwork, they look amazing.
If you are into seeing all of the “big” things in Australia, this is a must see.
The Big Ugg Boots
The Big Ugg Boots
Shop and Café
Of course, a visit here must include a visit to the shop, so that you can sample and maybe buy some of the excellent items for sale. Everything sheepskin, from Ugg boots and coats, car seats covers and blankets.
There’s also a café so when you need to recharge after learning all about sheepskin there’s one on hand.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
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
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
Colonial Mutual Building
Old Dubbo Post Office
Westpac Bank Building
St Brigid’s Catholic Church
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
More 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
Aboriginal Street Art in the city centre
Statue of William Ferguson, a Champion of Aboriginal Rights
Sheep Silhouettes in the City Centre
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
Located at the junction of the Golden and Castlereagh Highways, Dunedoo has joined the list of town with grain silo art. This is an interesting choice of subject, because the jockey, Hugh Bowman is from Dunedoo. Bowman won 33 of Winx’s 44 races (she won a total of 38 of the 44 races). Also featured is trainer Chris Waller.
The other side of the silo features local wildlife, making great use of the silo. The mural was painted by Peter Mortimore and his wife Carolyn who grew up in Dunedoo, adding a further local connection.
Parking is available adjacent to the silo off the main street.
Winx and her Jockey Hugh Bowman Along with Trainer Chris Waller
Local Wildlife on the Dunedoo Silo
Sculpture Park
A sculpture park composed of metal birds is next to the silo. These birds are found locally, with each sculpture also having an information plaque on the bird. This was a good place to stretch our legs after a two and a half hour car ride.
Kookaburra Sculpture at Dunedoo
Black Swan Sculpture at Dunedoo
White Faced Heron Sculpture at Dunedoo
Barn Owl Sculpture at Dunedoo
Wedge Tailed Eagle Sculpture at Dunedoo
Dunedoo History
Dunedoo’s history from the original inhabitants to the arrival of the railway is displayed on information boards. Located near the car park, there is also a train mural on the back of the toilet building.
Wiradjuri Information Board
Railway Mural at Dunedoo
White Swan Café
Opposite the silo and sculptures, the White Swan Café offers meals and drinks, while offering take away if you don’t want to dine in. While inside, have a look at the decorations, which are from the 1950s.
Inside the White Swan Café
Inside the White Swan Café
Astronomy
An unusual and unexpected display was an information board for the planet Neptune. Centred on Coonabarabran, this is part of a virtual solar system, demonstrating how far away the other planets are.
The Planet Neptune Sign at Dunedoo
Dunedoo was a great place to stop and stretch our legs while admiring some art and grabbing a snack.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
