Another cold and bleak morning greeted us in Nyngan. The result was that we did not get moving very early but waited, in hope, that the day may warm a bit more. The top temperature for the day was around 11.9 degrees.
Later in the morning, we decided to go for a little drive to the Information Centre but after waiting there was no sign of any operator but we managed to get a few pamphlets telling us what is around the area.
Our first stop was the “Mid-State Shearing Shed”. The building was originally the Goods Shed belonging to the Railway which has been reconditioned by volunteers with a limited amount of help from the Council. It is worth a visit to see the various items of memorabilia relating to the wool industry. Numerous photos of shearers, wool transport operators and some wool growers. There is a beautiful display of items used in shearing that included handpieces and overhead gear from all eras, wool presses, scales to weight he wool bales as well as numerous other items that could be either found in the woolshed or huts or kitchen for the shearers.
While there, I came across several retired shearers and after chatting with them, discovered that the family of one of them used to shear sheep for my father at Nevertire. They also enlightened me on the whereabouts of numerous identities that originated around the western areas of NSW.
This museum has a toilet block built and maintained by the volunteers that operate the facility. It is spotlessly clean compared to the Council mismanaged toilet block in the main street, which was really disgusting.
Before lunch, we then visited the Nyngan Museum, located in the old Railway Station. In this museum there is a wonderful display especially of the April 1990 Flood Event that caused so much pain and disruption to the residents of Nyngan. The people tried, in vain, to stem the inundation of the town by filling and laying 260,000 sandbags onto the levee bank. The following days saw almost the entire population of 2500 was evacuated and airlifted out to Dubbo. The damage was in excess of $50 million. The only visible sign of the flood is various markers showing the height of the water and a levee bank that is 1 metre higher than 1990. Nyngan was fully restored.
The museum also had displays of other items from the past including the manual telephone switchboard, various items relating to Council and the copper mining in the area.
Outside in the park is an Iroquois Helicopter donated by the Australian Government in recognition to the remarkable organisational feat of evacuating the population during the flood. This was among the types of helicopter used.
We had lunch in a very popular and old style cafe, “Arnold’s Takeaway”. It has more than reasonable coffee and the meals we had were very acceptable and a location to call into if passing through Nyngan. There was a lot of people either sitting at tables or ordering take away items.
We went for a stroll along the main street which is not much more than 2 blocks. Sadly, like many small western towns, many of the shops are closed and gone. I can remember when I was a child that all of these shops were occupied. The Newsagency is owned by a man who came to the town as a bank manager and decided to buy the business and remain in the town. Then we did a drive around the town viewing the oval, racecourse and golf course along with the various homes.
Then we went and visited a Craft business on the Highway. A lot of interesting items in there from quilting, jams and condiments, books, art, etc.
Finally, a quick visit to IGA for some items and then returned to the Riverside caravan park.
Later, as has happened each day, at least a taste of red wine. We have to keep up our anti-oxidants!