Road tripping to Broken Hill
16 Oct 2017
As a runner up in the 2016 Probus National Photographic Competition and the happy recipient of $500 worth of accommodation vouchers at Golden Chain Motels, my partner Ken Larbalestier and I thoroughly enjoyed our road trip to Broken Hill.
The both of us thought long and hard how we would use our vouchers. We had two choices: as overnight accommodation on our way to visit our son in Queensland, or go somewhere for a holiday.
We chose the latter.
Dubbo, our first stop, is truly a great place to visit. The zoo is a must-see. We stopped overnight to really enjoy the town.
Our next stop Bourke offered lots to see and do, with a trip on a replica paddle steamer on the Darling River. We also enjoyed a visit to The Back of Bourke Outback Museum, which was very interesting.
Cobar, our next overnight stop, is such an interesting mining town.
The next morning we were onto Wilcannia, our halfway town. It is a place rich in history – some good, some bad. We had a lovely experience there and it was heartening to see positive changes happening in the town. We were especially pleased to hear that the beautiful sandstone historic Courthouse and Council Chambers have become part of the local Historical Society's tourist trail. If you’re into coffee and homemade cake, definitely visit Miss Barrett's Coffee House. We found enormous pleasure sitting and relaxing while enjoying the old-world comforts of this charming cottage.
Then, finally, onto Broken Hill. Our last stop made for a very interesting and enjoyable way to end a journey. There is definitely lots to see and do in the area, and the sandstone statues at sunset are in particular not to be missed. There’s also the Pro Hart and Jack Absalom Galleries, the magnificent artistic panorama, the Miners Memorial and much, much more.
If you want to venture out, try heading a few miles out of Broken Hill to Silverton. The home of the Mad Max movie set, donkeys and horses roam into town, and you’ll find some great galleries to explore, not to mention the perfect pub for refreshments. Ken and I would both urge you to check out the Mundi Mundi Plains view, and if you want to experience what it was like being a silver miner in the 1800s, do an underground tour of the Daydream Mine.
If you’re after a beautiful sunset, head Menindee Lakes. It’s truly the best way to cap off your day.
While we didn’t want to leave, eventually we had to head home. We chose to go by way of Mildura, where the Darling and Murray Rivers meet. Here we did a great day tour of Mungo Lakes National Park, where the oldest human remains have been found, and then went on to Hay, where we popped into the Shearers’ Hall of Fame.
Our trip was fantastic. Seeing emus trotting down the road beside us had my camera working overtime, as did the beautiful scenery.
Ken and I again thank Probus and Golden Chain Motels for this great photo competition and wonderful adventure opportunity.
Entries are now open for the 2017-2018 National Australian Probus Photographic Competition! This year’s amazing prizes include a trip for two through Mediterranean on board the Aegean Odyssey. Values at The prize is valued at $25,000 and includes return airfares for two from Australia to Europe and transfers to and from the ship.
Visit https://www.probussouthpacific.org/pages/members_offers_competitions to find out how to enter and see more incredible prizes.
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