Conargo - very cold Conargo!

Conargo is a small rural town in the Riverina area of NSW and was our last overnight stay, before we crossed the border into Victoria.  Located near Jerilderie and Deniliquin, and located on the beautiful Billabong Creek.   It is most famous for its pub.  The pub is best known as it sells the most bumper stickers of any pub in Australia.  Of course we had to go in and have a drink - Lots of historical memorabilia around the walls, which makes for interesting reading, and if you had a drink for every article you read, you wouldn't remember what you read anyway - lol.  Lots of history surrounding the wool and sheep industry on which the area succeeds.

Conargo Pub

Believed to date back to 1877 or there about.  The population is supposed to be about 180, but looking around the town that is a little hard to believe.  We took advantage of the free camp at the back of the sport and recreation ground.  Not a bad camp. but fairly basic.

Out along the road you see a sign to Deadmans Plains - this is in fact, the Hay Plains.  Many's the time we have driven across those plains when we were younger and lived in Loxton.

Deadmans' Plain

So worth the visit at sunset - the colors and hues are just amazing and I could have stayed out there for hours.

The following morning we woke to a huge frost and the grounds were awash with ice and fog - the bus looked great in amongst it all.

Big Red in the Fog and Frost

Great excuse to get out with the camera though - as it is always a good photographic opportunity.

Over Looking the Oval At Conargo

The Sun Rising Behind The Fog

Tree Through The Fog

Dew and Ice on a Weed

Being so cold, Barry was anxious to hit the road, so it was an early start for us.  Started the bus up. turned the demister on and up out of one of the vents, runs a little mouse - he just stops and looks around - only to scamper off down the side and just disappeared - I am sure we must have caught him well and truly by now.  The  mice have just been terrible and we have traps and bait every where - have to be fairly sure where we put our feet in the bus in case we tread on a trap.

Headed for Deniliquen and over the border into Victoria today, and will be looking for a camp somewhere around there - so stay tuned for the next installment.

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BigRedBusTouringCo.com: Naradhan Woolshed- Rankin Springs Road

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Naradhan Woolshed- Rankin Springs Road

After leaving Lake Cargellico, headed for Griffith, we headed out along the Rankin Springs Road.  On previous visits through the area, we had always noticed a beautiful old wool shed along the side of the road.  On this visit we had called into the tourist information centre in town and happened upon a brochure highighting the woolshed, know as Naradhan.  

Of course, Barry loves the history of these sheds and takes any opportunity to have a look see.  I love the photographic atmosphere created, by the light, smells and beautiful timber work throughout the buildings.

This time we had the time to spend and rang to make an appointment to have a tour through the shed.

The owners  Tom and Lan Templeton, were only too happy to spend the time and show us through, giving us an in depth history.  The shed has been in the Templeton family since its very early days.

The shed was built in 1888, by a man who was considered to be the most famous of the woolshed builders of the Riverina - William McFadzean.  Shortly after, it passed into the hands of Thomas Templeton, great grandfather of the preent owner, and was used as a depot shed for all the surrounding farms, until well into the 1930's.

The shed was made from cypress pine and built in a "T" formation.  In the early days of blade shearing it appears to have been a 28 stand shed, then in 1903, over head equipment was installed, powered by an oil fired single cylinder engine and the number of stands reduced to 14.  These days it has been reduced right down to an electric 3 stand, with the owners only running a small amount of sheep.

Naradhan Woolshed

With the assistance of a Heritage grant in 1996, the external facade was fully restored.  New cypress was reclad and it was fitted with new windows and doors.  The original shed had no guttering which is believed to have helped accelerate the decay of the building and so with the restoration, guttering was fitted to the total roof area.

It is hoped in the near future that some of the internal fixtures will also be able to be restored.

The "T" Formation of the woolshed

The light falling through the slats of the shed

One Of The 3 Electric Stands

The Stands

Internal Pens

Wool Bales

If ever you have the opportunity to visit this wonderful old shed - it would be well worth your while and you would be made most welcome by your hosts Tom and Lan