Baradine to Currabubula

Where’s Currabubula you ask?  We wondered that too, until we looked it up on the map and thought we had better visit.  However, it took us a couple of days to get there.

We packed up at Baradine on the Monday and got away at a reasonable hour.  Our destination for the day was Gunnedah, all of about 150kms away.  A huge day.  Our Queensland friends headed in the same direction, but turned off at Mullaley to head north.  It was nice to have spent some time with them, not that I was there very much.

It’s always nice to see the vast expanse of the Liverpool Plains.

Once we had set up in the Showground it was time to have a bit of a wander around town and most importantly go shopping for short sleeved tops.  Neither of us had packed enough summer clothes, as the weather was predicted to reach the mid to high 20s C later in the week.  Not what you expect this early in the year.

We loved the bright, happy mural just off the main street.

The painted silo, featuring Dorothea McKellar, is one of Mick’s favourites.

We thought it would be nice to go up to the Pensioner’s Hill Lookout to watch the sun set.  However, it turns out that the sun sets further around from where you see.  Not to worry, we still had a lovely wander around.

A new feature since our last visit is a painted water tank.  This was an uncovered tank to provide water to the steam trains.  The proximity to this water was one of the main reasons that the unemployed set up their shanty town on the hill during the 1930s depression.  The mural features some of the residents and an image of the last hut to be demolished in the 1970s.

We loved the eagle sculpture, soaring high over the town.

Then we enjoyed seeing the colours change as the sun set.  We were the only people there, so very peaceful.

Finally, the eagle once more.

The distance we travelled the next day was even shorter, being just over 100kms.

Our first place to visit was Tamworth, which we reached mid morning.  Firstly, we went for a wander up and down Peel Street.

Then a wander through the Bicentennial Park.

Before long, it was time to go over to a cafe to have lunch with Jennifer and Kevin. 

It was lovely to catch up with them.

And to see Jennifer’s Arboretum quilt up close.  It really is a beauty.

From there it was time to head to Currabubula.  We first heard of the village when Jennifer mentioned going to lunch at the pub there.  We then looked it up, to discover it is half way between Tamworth and Werris Creek.  You can camp at the Recreation Grounds for a donation and the Pub only has Coopers Beer on tap.  Mick happens to like Coopers.  That all looked like a good reason to visit.

We had a lazy afternoon and then walked up to the pub, just before dark.  I loved the font of the signage on the local hall.

The pub is by far the biggest building in the village.  The area was a bit larger than we expected.  Next to the pub is the Post Office/General Store/Takeaway Shop/Service Station - all in one.  There is also a school and a nice park.

Mick was happy to see all that Coopers on tap.

He partook in a Dark Ale, which he enjoyed very much.

As it was a Tuesday, we thought it would be very quiet and probably close fairly early.  How wrong we were.  It turns out that on the first Tuesday of the month, which it was, they have a Trivia Night.  Excellent, we could join in on that.  We had never been to Pub Trivia before, but would give it a whirl.  We had a lot of fun and came 4th.  Not too shabby, when we were the only team of just two.  It ended up being a night to remember, and the pizza we had was tasty too.

All in all, a nice start to the next leg of our travels.