en route to Cobar

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Thursday, 17^thJune 2021 - en route to Cobar



The distance between Hillston and Cobar is 255kms – not a great deal in the grand scheme of things really. The topography changed from flat sparse country to heavily vegetated hills, most of them not tall enough to be called mountains but they were steep at times and stretched out in long climbs. We don’t know why but we both thought we would be travelling along flat roads all the way.



The road itself was extremely good, it being the main freight route through to Bourke and then over the Qld border, so it carried constant traffic. The scrubland either side of the highway was perfect for wild goats – they were everywhere!



There isn’t much between Hillston and Cobar in the way of infrastructure. Every so often we would see the entrance gates to various outback stations. At Mt Hope there is a pub – that is all. We were past the entrance to its associated car park/rest area before we knew it and so it was not possible to safely stop for a drink and a toilet break. A bush pee was looking good!!



But lo, what bitumen oasis do we spy further on? Set in the middle of nowhere Gilgunnia was a welcome relief – in more ways than one. It boasted a very spacious sealed car park and a few travellers were enjoying their morning cup of tea in the sunshine. There was also a long drop toilet housed in an old concrete water tank.



Gilgunnia was once a gold mining area and it was here that we met Charlie. This is his story:



(taken from the story board – designed and created by a Mr. Barry Betts)



My name is Charlie.

My hat is dedicated to the Chinese who worked in the district on stations.

My pick and shovel is dedicated to the miners which worked the Gilgunnia goldfields.

My arms are brake handles from coaches and drays which serviced Gilgunnia fields; these are dedicated to the teamsters.

My legs are the water pipes, which were important in supplying water for the gold stampers.

My body is from a T-model Ford; this heralds the coming of the motor car.

The billy can is a bore casing used in modern day mining.

The wheel on which I stand is progress.



So you are looking at over 100 years of history in me.”





Sadly the billy can has been removed – we can only hope it is still being used to boil a bush tea somewhere in the Outback.

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