COBAR TO DUBBO

13^th November, 2016

We're heading south trying to escape the heat – at least we hope that will be the case. At Cobar we stop to have a look at what remains of the smelters for the Great Cobar Copper Mine.

Wayne outside the smelters for The Great Cobar Copper Mine

The town has provided a freecamp spot on the southern edge of town at the New Tank recreation and water sports area. It is a popular boating and fishing spot for the locals and the designated freecamp area is at the far end of the lake away from the main recreational activities. We spend a comfortable night here before checking out the Fort Bourke Lookout on our way out of town.

Wayne takes in the view at the Fort Bourke Lookout at Cobar

In the early 1900's the operation of the largest copper mine in the southern hemisphere filled the sky with blazing red light that could be seen from a distance of 45 kilometres. The drop in the demand for copper after World War I saw many of the mines in the area close but some have reopened and are operational once again. Copper is not the only ore being mined here. The miners also discovered gold and with the improvements in technology this valuable commodity is again being extracted from the old sites as well as open cutting. The lookout affords us a birds eye view of the Open Cut Gold Mine and we watch as massive machinery traverse the winding road down the side of the excavation and disappear in the tunnel at the bottom of the open cut.

The treacherous winding roads into the open cut gold mine

From Cobar we head east and check into a caravan park in Dubbo. We are going to spend a few days here checking out the zoo and some historical sites. The following morning we make our way to the Western Plains Zoo. This zoo is an open range zoo which has a 6 klm circuit which you can explore on foot, by bicycle, by electric cart or in your own car. There are Keeper Talks at the enclosures and it is just a matter of timing your visits to each enclosure in time to take advantage of the information given by the keepers. Our first stop is at the Black Spectacled Spider Monkeys. They are housed on an island over which they have free roam and the keepers make their way to the island by boat to feed them.

The spider monkeys wait patiently for the keeper

On another island beside the spider monkeys are the lemurs. The keepers hop out of their boats to feed these cute animals. Well we think they are cute!

Lemurs being fed at Dubbo Zoo

On to the next enclosure for the meerkat talk. We have always liked meerkats and even though they are voracious eaters they never fail to make us smile.

Don't look now but we think you have a meerkat on your shoulder !

Continuing around the circuit brings us to the giraffes. It is only when you get close to a giraffe can you appreciate how tall they are.

Giraffes at their feed station

We've opted for a Behind the Scenes tour so we meet up with our guide who takes us in a minibus to the paddocks and enclosures away from the public circuit. We pass by giraffes

and ostriches

before stopping at the rhino pens where the guide explains the breeding programmes that the zoo is undertaking to try and help save the rhinos from extinction.

Wok and Wayne at the rhino pen

Back under our own steam we take another drive of the circuit and check out the animals and walking tracks that we missed on our first time around - finishing off with watching the gibbons play on their rope bridges and swings on 'Gibbon Island' before calling it a day and heading back to the vans for 'happy hour'.

Wok and Wayne watching the gibbons play on 'Gibbon Island'

It's time to delve into history. This morning we pay a visit to Dundullimal – a run established by the Campbell Brothers in 1836. In 1842 the lease was purchased from the brothers by John Maughan and he begins extensions to the original slab hut and also builds a stable. In 1858 Walter Brocklehurst buys the property and extends the stables. In 1871 Thomas Baird purchases Dundullimal and lives there with his large family until the 1950's. In 1986, after being left to the elements for 36 years, the property is donated to the National Trust. With the help of a bicentennial grant and a group of volunteers the property is restored to its 1850's grandeur and opens to the public in 1988. We wander around the grounds and through the stables before checking out the homestead.

Dundullimal Homestead

The boys have found a great spot to relax

Low verandahs around the homestead

A church was also built on the property in the 1860's but was later moved north to a small village. In 2013 a church built in 1872 was acquired by the National Trust and moved to Dundullimal. It was placed where the original church once stood – beside the 'Killing Tree'. And yes – the tree was used for hangings. But not for hanging people. It was where the carcasses of animals were hung to be butchered for eating.

Church at Dundullimal - Killing Tree on right.

The property sits amidst grass paddocks and we watch as a tractor bales hay behind the church.

Then it is off into Dubbo for lunch before visiting Old Dubbo Gaol in the main street.

Entrance to Dubbo Gaol

  This slice of history is secreted away behind retail buildings on the main street and operated as a gaol from 1847 to 1966. It's not a large site but encompasses all the buildings one would expect to find – from the dark corners of solitary confinement to a gallows.

The hospital block inside the gaol

There are lots of stories about the prisoners, their lives as 'Guests of Her Majesty' and escape attempts. We eventually make our way back to the huge wooden doors at the entrance. The 'gaoler' kindly unlocks them to let us out.

Wayne and Wok make their escape

We had sort of overstayed our welcome and were the last visitors left on the site. Although we thought Old Dubbo Gaol was an interesting place we had planned on hitting the road again in the morning and none of us relished the thought of being incarcerated overnight. Too many strange noises emanate from old places such as this …. you know …. scary noise stuff !!!