Off The Track 4x4 4WD 4WDing Camping Travel in Australia
  • About Us
    • Our Bucket List >
      • Travel Map
      • BIG THINGS
    • Who we support
    • Essential Oils
  • OUR VEHICLES
    • Project Leia
    • 150 Series Prado
    • Cub Brumby
    • 90 Series Prado (now sold)
  • OUR TRIPS
    • Extended Holidays >
      • Fraser Island (21 Dec 2019 - 3 Jan 2020)
      • Big Red Bash (12 -26 July 2019)
      • Coffin Bay & Flinders Ranges (26 Dec 2018 - 4 Jan 2019)
      • Cape York (11 July 2018 - 4 August 2018)
      • Urunga (26 Dec 2017 - 2 Jan 2018)
      • Fraser Island (30 Sept - 6 Oct 2017)
      • Moreton Island (24-27 April 2017)
      • Fraser Island (14-22 April 2017)
      • Urunga (December 2016 - January 2017)
      • Western Australia (July/August 2016) >
        • Map
        • Itinerary
        • Photos
      • Cameron Corner - New Years Eve 2014 >
        • Map
        • Blog - Cameron Corner NYE 2014
      • Fraser Island (April 2015)
      • Fraser Island (April 2014)
      • Cape York & Northern Territory Honeymoon (August - October 2013) >
        • Blog - Cape York & Beyond
        • Map
        • Itinerary
        • Photos
      • Fraser Island (April 2012)
      • Fraser Island (April 2011)
      • Burke & Wills 150th Anniversary (Aug 2010)
      • Cairns - Cooktown (Jan 2006)
    • Short Holidays >
      • Ulladulla Bushfire Relief (20-22 March 2020)
      • Percy's Place (26.01.18-28.01.18)
      • Platypus Flat, Nymboi-Binderay National Park (15/16.11.14)
      • Snow Trip (2007)
    • Day Trips >
      • Southern Highlands (19.07.2020)
      • Glen Davis (05.07.2020)
      • Scheyville National Park (28.06.2020)
      • Bowral (13.06.2020)
      • Lithgow Snow Day (10.08.19)
      • Lithgow & Surrounds (29.02.2020)
    • 4WD Days >
      • Morisset (20.06.20)
      • Watagans (31.05.20)
      • Stockton Beach (14.03.20)
      • Lithgow with Liam (27.10.19)
      • Jellore State Forest with liam (29.09.19)
      • Jellore State Forest (21.09.19)
      • GDT Day (18.08.19)
      • Morisset (15.06.19)
      • Lithgow (10.02.19)
      • Ward 21, Morisset (10.11.18)
      • Ward 21, Morisset Hospital & Watagan Plane Wreck (01.04.18)
      • Lithgow (09.09.2017)
      • Stockton Beach & Watagans (08.07.2017 - 09.07.2017))
      • Stockton Beach (02.04.2016)
      • Watagans (28.12.2015)
      • Lithgow (01.11.2015)
      • Lithgow (19.07.2015)
      • Barrington Tops (16-17.05.2015)
      • Lithgow (25.01.2015)
      • Ourimbah State Forest (28.09.14)
      • Stockton Beach (various)
      • Wheeny Creek, Colo (01.06.14)
      • South Coast Trip (Jan 2012)
      • Toronto Day Trip (Nov 2008)
  • Our Blog
  • Our Shop
  • Media
    • Cub Campers
    • 4WD TV Shoot
    • Online Media
  • Planning
    • Recommended Services & Products >
      • Discounts
    • What to Pack
    • Kids Corner
    • First Aid
    • Planning & Helpful Hints
    • Camp Cooking >
      • How to prepare your Camp Oven
      • Recipes
    • Our Travel Guides
  • Contact Us
    • Social Media
    • Follow us on Spot ...

Bourke to Lightning Ridge

3/1/2015

0 Comments

 
This morning we headed down to the bakery to grab some breakfast and then off to explore Bourke.

Firstly we went to the Bourke Wharf, the Port O' Bourke and the location of the old Bourke wharves. A three story replica wharf now stands just slightly down stream form the originals.   We also saw the Old Crossley Engine which is just near the carpark to the wharf.

Next was the lock at the Bourke Weir.  This was built in 1897 and was the first built on a river anywhere along the Murray or Darling River systems.   This lock and weir is also apparently the only one of its kind built on the Darling River.

We then headed off to see the PV Jandra.  The PV Jandra is a replica of the original 1894 steam paddleboat that pulled a barge behind as it went from station to station along the Darling River to collect wool bales.  This replica was built locally by the Mansell family in 2000. 
Bourke Weir
Bourke Wharf
PV Jandra Paddleboat
Black Cockatoos
Our final visit was to the Bourke Cemetery.  This is the resting-place for 1991 Australian of the Year Professor Fred Hollows.  The cemetery also has several graves of Afghans associated with the camel trade that ceased in the 1920's.

We had visited Fred's grave on our last visit to Bourke and we wanted to take everyone else there to view it aswell as it is such a beautiful place.  Fred Hollows was a world renowned eye doctor helping people in Australia and overseas, in particular in outback areas.  Fred was 63 when he died at his home in Randwick on 10.02.1993.  After an official state funeral at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, he was buried, according to his wishes, in the red dirt of Bourke.

Fred's grave is surrounded by native trees and boulders from nearby Mt Oxley are laid out in the shape of an eye – part of a sculpture created by local Indigenous artists, international sculptors and Bourke residents that includes a carved standing stone transported from Wilcannia.

Fred was buried with his glasses, a bottle of whisky, letters from some of his children, sawdust from his workshop, his pipe and a tin of tobacco. His coffin was draped with a pall that was hand painted by the people of Enngonia.

The notice board at the grave states that "the sculpture captures Fred’s love of the outdoors and climbing, and its polished surface brings to mind the tiny intraocular lenses that Fred was so determined to bring to the developing world. The Hollows family is happy for visitors to touch and feel the rock, to climb on it or sit peacefully and contemplate life." 

The plaque states "The key he used to undo locks was vision for the poor".  Such an amazing place and such a beautiful tribute and setting for a loved man who did so much for so many people.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2015
    December 2014

    Categories

    All
    Bourke
    Broken Hill
    Cameron Corner
    Dubbo
    Lightning Ridge
    Nye
    Outback
    Outback NSW
    Silverton
    Tibooburra
    White Cliffs

    RSS Feed

...... Making memories one track at a time
  • About Us
    • Our Bucket List >
      • Travel Map
      • BIG THINGS
    • Who we support
    • Essential Oils
  • OUR VEHICLES
    • Project Leia
    • 150 Series Prado
    • Cub Brumby
    • 90 Series Prado (now sold)
  • OUR TRIPS
    • Extended Holidays >
      • Fraser Island (21 Dec 2019 - 3 Jan 2020)
      • Big Red Bash (12 -26 July 2019)
      • Coffin Bay & Flinders Ranges (26 Dec 2018 - 4 Jan 2019)
      • Cape York (11 July 2018 - 4 August 2018)
      • Urunga (26 Dec 2017 - 2 Jan 2018)
      • Fraser Island (30 Sept - 6 Oct 2017)
      • Moreton Island (24-27 April 2017)
      • Fraser Island (14-22 April 2017)
      • Urunga (December 2016 - January 2017)
      • Western Australia (July/August 2016) >
        • Map
        • Itinerary
        • Photos
      • Cameron Corner - New Years Eve 2014 >
        • Map
        • Blog - Cameron Corner NYE 2014
      • Fraser Island (April 2015)
      • Fraser Island (April 2014)
      • Cape York & Northern Territory Honeymoon (August - October 2013) >
        • Blog - Cape York & Beyond
        • Map
        • Itinerary
        • Photos
      • Fraser Island (April 2012)
      • Fraser Island (April 2011)
      • Burke & Wills 150th Anniversary (Aug 2010)
      • Cairns - Cooktown (Jan 2006)
    • Short Holidays >
      • Ulladulla Bushfire Relief (20-22 March 2020)
      • Percy's Place (26.01.18-28.01.18)
      • Platypus Flat, Nymboi-Binderay National Park (15/16.11.14)
      • Snow Trip (2007)
    • Day Trips >
      • Southern Highlands (19.07.2020)
      • Glen Davis (05.07.2020)
      • Scheyville National Park (28.06.2020)
      • Bowral (13.06.2020)
      • Lithgow Snow Day (10.08.19)
      • Lithgow & Surrounds (29.02.2020)
    • 4WD Days >
      • Morisset (20.06.20)
      • Watagans (31.05.20)
      • Stockton Beach (14.03.20)
      • Lithgow with Liam (27.10.19)
      • Jellore State Forest with liam (29.09.19)
      • Jellore State Forest (21.09.19)
      • GDT Day (18.08.19)
      • Morisset (15.06.19)
      • Lithgow (10.02.19)
      • Ward 21, Morisset (10.11.18)
      • Ward 21, Morisset Hospital & Watagan Plane Wreck (01.04.18)
      • Lithgow (09.09.2017)
      • Stockton Beach & Watagans (08.07.2017 - 09.07.2017))
      • Stockton Beach (02.04.2016)
      • Watagans (28.12.2015)
      • Lithgow (01.11.2015)
      • Lithgow (19.07.2015)
      • Barrington Tops (16-17.05.2015)
      • Lithgow (25.01.2015)
      • Ourimbah State Forest (28.09.14)
      • Stockton Beach (various)
      • Wheeny Creek, Colo (01.06.14)
      • South Coast Trip (Jan 2012)
      • Toronto Day Trip (Nov 2008)
  • Our Blog
  • Our Shop
  • Media
    • Cub Campers
    • 4WD TV Shoot
    • Online Media
  • Planning
    • Recommended Services & Products >
      • Discounts
    • What to Pack
    • Kids Corner
    • First Aid
    • Planning & Helpful Hints
    • Camp Cooking >
      • How to prepare your Camp Oven
      • Recipes
    • Our Travel Guides
  • Contact Us
    • Social Media
    • Follow us on Spot ...