Day 172 - Moonbi to Coonabarabran

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After we had checked out the view from the lookout at Moonbi (see yesterdays blog) we headed off to Tamworth where we stopped for coffee.

We looked for a supermarket to do some shopping but could only find an Aldi in the town centre, so we took the Oxley Highway westwards and came across a small woolies in West Tamworth where Georgi shopped.

From there it was to Gunnedah where we couldn't find a petrol station so, after lunch, we decided to keep going and to fill up at Coonabarabran where we planned to stop for the night. During lunch (on the side of the road) we spied a cute parrot and Georgi grabbed a photo. We have since identified the parrot as a Red-rumped parrot.

The road from Gunnedah to Coonabarabran is quite hilly (and very busy with trucks) and it was while we were driving towards Coonabarabran that a huge truck passed us very closely and there was a noise. Up the road further we stopped to investigate and the aerial bracket had snapped in half, leaving the aerial dangling by the lead! What a nuisance! Eventually, Georgi worked out that we could feed the lead in through the side door and we felt that would have to suffice until we could get the bracket replaced. We made it in to Coonabarabran with just a few litres left in the tank!

Coonabarabran is near the Warrumbungle Ranges (and Siding Springs) where the largest telescope in Australia is situated. It seems that Coonabarabran is directly underneath the best part of the Milky Way for exploring. The public are not allowed to use the telescope at Siding Springs, but there are a number of individuals that offer astro tours, (similar to what we did with Greg Quick in Broome).

At Coonabarabran we visited Peter Starr at Warrumbungle Observatory for a tour which was good. Peter attached our camera to the largest telescope he had and took a photograph of the Swan Nebula. We were lucky to experience a big electrical storm that evening without any rain dumping on us.

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Photos

Swan Nebula
About 5,000 light years away..... in the constellation Sagittarius. Taken at Warrumbungle Observatory (near Coonabarabran).

Red Rumped Parrot
Taken at Gunnedah while we were having lunch.