Wed, 22nd May, 2024 (morning) Primitive Campground, Collarenebri to Coocoran Opalfield, Lightning Ridge, NSW (exploring Walgett)

Min of 6.6 degrees in the camper. Clear sky.

Packed up and headed across the Barwon River. Another brown river - didn’t help that Steve’s window was dirty too!

Into the little township of Collarenebri, known as Colly to the townspeople. Turned off and drove down to the weir. On the other side is supposed to be a ‘traditional’ fish trap.

Back through ‘town’ and onto the Gwydir Highway and headed to Walgett.

Flat open country with scrubby trees. Saw some prickly pears by the road. Steve said Terry had a metal spear in his shed that had a brass vial on it (looks like an oversized fountain pen). They used it in the Forestry around Mundubbera to put poison into the prickly pears to kill them.

More emus in the paddocks. Beautiful green parrots zooming about. Rolling over low ridges and through more bushland. Bit of colour - bright yellow wildflowers everywhere.

Turned left onto the Castlereagh Highway to continue on to Walgett. Right goes up to Lightning Ridge. Across the Barwon River again.

Turned off before we crossed the Naomi River for a cuppa by the river. Not very picturesque. All these rivers are just brown due to the type of soil.

Sadly there are lots of carp in these rivers too that are a terrible pest. Lots of dead ones discarded here.

There is a walk along the river but it’s a bit boggy to get across to the sign so we skipped that one.

Back up to the road then across the river and into town.

There is only one roundabout and it is where two highways meet. It is also the war memorial.

Drove down to check out a painted silo of musician, Jimmy Little. Great mural. The information is off Wikicamps.

Chatted with another couple who pulled up. They follow the Supercars and will be heading up to the Townsville round in July. They had just come from Lightning Ridge and heading to White Cliffs as his sister has bought a dug-out there. I asked if she had read Di Morrissey’s book, Opal Desert, which I had just finished. It was about opals, Lightning Ridge and mostly set around White Cliffs. She hadn’t read it so I gave it to her, which she thanked me for.

Around to the Information Centre - very helpful. She said the silo artist, Jenny, completed the painting in a few weeks - amazing. There was a photo of her painting one eye. Local chap Jimmy also did the aboriginal artwork around it.

A heap of photos of the area underwater from the 2022 flood. A marker on the wall indicating previous flood levels.

We picked up some more info and read lots of things on the walls in the centre. Along with grazing around here they grow chickpeas, wheat, barley, oats, canola and faba beans. There are lots of big machinery about.

Of course we are here to check out opals around Lightning Ridge area.

Information about other locals like Jimmy Little.

This is artesian bore water country and there are pools in each town. Will have to have a dip.

Walked up the main street. Found the Freedom March park. It is all part of our Australian history now - like we say, some things in the past aren’t nice but we should learn from them not dwell on what should have been but how we can make things better. Unfortunately I think the government has gone over the top now and it’s causing more problems, instead of uniting all Australians.

Great history plaques to tell the history as most of the buildings are gone now.

Another of John Murray’s masterpieces with local artist, Frank Wright adding to it on one side of the building and another on the other side. I love the way he puts a scene in their eyes.

Another mural with a great message.

More history plaques. The Coolibah Tree is still growing.

Back to the truck. There is a walk to do along the river and the thermal baths but we can do that when we come back here on our way south.