2014 Variety Bash Magazine WEB2

2 0 14 SA VA R I ET Y B AS H

Tim Adams Times

MR.MICK

2013 OUTRIGHT WINNERSCAR TAA - Tim Adams Airlines

2013 HIGHEST FUNDRAISERSCAR 222 - Precocious Penguins

2013 HIGHEST VIRGIN TEAM MONEY RAISERSCar 175 - Rock Stars

2014 BASH MAGAZINEBash Cars and Crews

Bash RulesBash Hall of Fame

Bash Route and TimelineGrants and Projects

Tribute to Doug Lehmann

9 - 17 AUGUST 2014

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The pick of Clare Valley

R I E S L I N G

C L A R E V A L L E Y

S H I R A Z

C L A R E V A L L E Y

MR.M

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2 0 1 4 S A V A R I E T Y B A S H S Y D N E Y A N D T H E B U S H 3

It is a great honour for me to accept the mantle as caretaker Chair of the 2014 SA Variety Bash in fond memory of our dear friend Doug Lehmann. Doug was the consummate professional Chair and as such had this event prepared to the minute with the event team and his committee and we are duty bound to deliver a brilliant Bash as a tribute to his devotion to this event and Variety as a whole.

There will be a stark difference between this National Bash and the last in 2009 that finished in the heart of the desert in Alice Springs. 2014 sees us conclude in the big smoke - Sydney, the sixth National Variety Bash and I expect it will be a fantastic spectacle as all the vehicles, from all the states, travel in convoy over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to the finish in Moore Park. This will be followed in the evening with a huge, fun, celebrity packed dinner, to celebrate every Bashers contribution to our truly outstanding and unsurpassed childrens charity. I am excited and humbled to Chair my fourth Bash having commenced my first in 1999 although my Bash career started back in 1988 when I had hair and was called Curly for a more obvious reason! Over the past twenty five years South Australian Bashers have raised in excess of $30 million for sick, disadvantaged or special needs children in South Australia, a truly remarkable and outstanding effort. This is the true reward of Bashing; knowing that through your participation and fundraising you have positively changed the life of a child in need. This years Bash, aptly named SYDNEY and the BUSH is an intriguing route, full of interest with enough challenges and has all the hallmarks of Dougs experience on it. We depart Adelaide from Victoria Park travelling to Nanua racecourse on Kimberly Station, just over the border in New South Wales. From there we head to Tolarno Station on the Darling. We continue to follow the Darling, heading up through Wilcannia, to Tilpa for our third night out under the stars. Next we have lunch and overnight in Bourke. From there its off to Opal country staying at Lightning Ridge. We continue on to overnight at Narrabri, Tamworth, Cessnock, with the Bash finishing in Sydney on Sunday 17th of August. As with all Bashes, a huge amount of planning and effort goes on to make the whole event different, interesting and enjoyable. I can assure you that this one is no exception, with some fantastic and varied tracks, spectacular country and a multitude of entertaining antics and games planned along the way, which I am sure will be enjoyed by all.I sincerely thank and acknowledge the property owners, who allow us access to their private tracks and roads. It is very much part of the success of the Bash and very much appreciated by all. Also, the support of all the rural communities, whose huge contribution has certainly been a major influence to the ongoing success of our Bash. Many thanks to you all.Like so many organisations, our Variety Bash would not be the true success that it is without the devoted support of our fantastic

CHAIRMANS MESSAGE

sponsors and from all of us I would like to pass on a massive thank you.OUR PLATINUM SPONSOR: Tim Adams Wines. This is the third year of their sponsorship so to Tim and Pam a huge thank you from all as we are very grateful. They also achieved another milestone, with Tim Adams Airlines (CAR TAA) and their crew being the first Bash team to gain outright back to back wins, well done.OUR GOLD SPONSORS: Toyota Australia ( 25 years ); Vilis ( 18 years ); Peter Cochrane Transport ( 15 years ); Codan Communications ( 13 years ); Kennards Hire ( 5 years ); Beach Energy (2 years ); Advance Robes (previous silver sponsor 14 years) and Ramsey Brothers are new Gold Sponsors on board this year, thank you and welcome. OUR SILVER SPONSORS. Odyssey Carpets (3 years ) and Finsbury Green (2 years ).We are also indebted to Gene Swinstead for his detailed account of the towns and their history that we pass through along the route. This is the tenth year that Gene has given his time and talent to supply such detailed and factual information for you all to share and on behalf of Variety and the Bashers, I thank him for his considerable contribution.As we all know, no one person does it on their own. Therefore, I would like to acknowledge the incredible contribution of all of the hard working people on our Bash Committee. My thanks go to all members, however special acknowledgement must go to Brenton Dansie as Route Director, Wayne Richards, controlling communications in Rad 1, Brenton Ramsey, for fun stops and lots of other things behind the scenes and Des Butler (Rusty Nuts ) for all of the Mobile Workshop organisation. I would also like to make special mention and thanks to Peter Cochrane for all his contribution in Bag 1 and 2, David Teubner and the Medical Teams, John George for supplying OV16 and pilot Chris Meulengraaf and Chemplus Clare for sponsoring OV15 with Michael Matthews and Richard Elkhoury as pilots. Further, I would like to thank Danny Djurasevich, Abas, the Edinburgh Hotel and the boys for their continued catering commitment over the past 15 years. To Megan and Annie and all the office staff who do an incredible job, behind the scenes, thank you. A big welcome to all the Virgin Bashers, fantastic to have you on board and to the experienced Bashers, great to have you back. This will be a special Bash, an emotional Bash, however there was no bigger larrikin in Bash history than Dougie Lehmann and he would demand that above all you enjoyed the camaraderie of your fellow Bashers and had FUN.My last thanks is to you all, on behalf of the thousands of children who will benefit from this Bash.In Dougs memory, I am really looking forward to sharing the SYDNEY and the BUSH BASH with a fantastic bunch of people.Kind regards,2014 SA Variety Bash Caretaker ChairmanPeter Curly Curtis

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Having now completed over 12 months in the role, I have been able to experience a full calendar of our events and functions and I could not be more proud of the collective achievements to date. The sense of camaraderie, generosity of spirit and passion for the cause displayed amongst the Variety family is unmatched in my experience and if anything grows stronger.

I assure you, from the cards, artwork and letters we receive daily from children, parents, carers, and teachers the work you do fundraising is making a positive difference across South Australia to children in need.

The measure of our success is the number of children whose lives are enhanced; from the dance lesson that provides another stepping stone to fulfilling a dream, to a computer that allows electronic voice communication, to a Sunshine Coach that allows new educational experiences, all are equally important.

Take great pride in the knowledge that over the past 12 months over 27, 000 children have benefitted from support provided by Variety -the Childrens Charity. Whilst that is an extraordinary number, the need from relevant children in our community grows daily.

Our core motoring events have continued to set new standards and have delivered record financial results along the way. Our complementary new income streams continue to be developed and we will see these results in the months ahead.

CEOS MESSAGE

We are indeed fortunate to be the official charity partner of the Adelaide Football Club and the Adelaide Thunderbirds as they offer us new avenues to promote our brand and the work of Variety to huge audiences. We are working cooperatively with both organisations on a range of innovative concepts that will hopefully open new commercial and branding opportunities.

Over the past 12 months, I have formed some great friendships within the Variety family and certainly Tim and Pam from Tim Adams Wines are counted in that group. Tim and Pam continue to lead by example as Tim Adams Wines enters its third year as the Bash Platinum sponsor and another Bash car flies under the TAA team banner. We are sincerely grateful for their continued generous support and passion for Variety and this extends to all our renewing and new Bash sponsors.

I must acknowledge the exceptional contribution Doug Lehmann has made to the Variety Bash over the past 25 years as an entrant and Chair. We have lost a great friend and I know there is a real determination amongst the Bash community to make this an extraordinary Bash in honour of Dougie.

I sincerely thank Peter Curly Curtis for stepping into the position of Chair and we are indeed fortunate to have someone of Curlys experience and passion to continue at the helm of our signature event.

The Committee and volunteers must also be recognised for their individual and collective efforts to ensure this event runs seamlessly.We are genuinely excited about the direction Variety South Australia is heading as more children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs will benefit as a result.

To our Bash entrants we are very grateful for your wonderful support, we wish you a safe journey to Sydney and back and I look forward to enjoying the experience of a National Bash with you all.

Kind regardsMark McGill

CAUSE. Variety the Childrens Charity of South Australia is proud to announce that the Adelaide Football Club, through the Crows Foundation, has chosen our scholarship program as their major charity partnership in 2014. Thank you - this is fantastic news for the 27,000 South Australian children we support, every year.

EFFECT. Variety SA is committed to empowering South Australian children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs. By giving practical equipment, programs and experiences, Variety SA helps children in need to overcome whatever obstacles they face, and live life to the fullest.

Donate today at www.variety.org.au/sa/donate

We've got something to Crow about!We've got something to Crow about!


As our most infamous event, The Bash to me epitomizes the spirit of Variety and the people that make it so great.

I really love the fact that being a Variety Basher is actually quite addictive. We are blessed in South Australia to have such a devoted Variety family with over 100 individuals having completed 10 Bashes, a

further 25 having completed at least 15, another 25 having notched up 20 or more and incredibly two people, Don Aston and Des Butler celebrating their 26th Bash this year.

Importantly, its these people who form the welcoming party for our Bash virgins and pass on their knowledge and skills to ensure they enjoy their first experience. This continual regeneration is vital to our flagship event as there are no better promoters of what the Bash is, or means to those involved, than those who participate, be they entrant, MW or official.

The success of the Bash has not come through luck, it has come on the back of extraordinary planning and implementation from a dedicated Chair and committee and professional events team. I congratulate Doug Lehmann on his personal contribution to the Bash and we were all thrilled when Dougs tireless efforts were recently recognised by Variety International with a Presidential Citation, an honour well-deserved. Doug was a much loved leader of the Bash community and he will be sadly missed.

For all the fun we have, the Bash has a serious side and that is the positive effect it has on enriching childrens lives over two decades. With over $30m being raised since its inception, many thousands of children in need in South Australia have had their life changed courtesy of the Variety Bash community and that is something you all should take great pride in.

To that end, I sincerely thank the Bash team as a whole, as every individual plays their part in achieving the success that is the SA Variety Bash. We are indebted to all our sponsors, particularly Platnium sponsors Tim and Pam from Tim Adams Wines for their incredibly generous support only matched by their passion and enthusiasm for our cause which will be on display in Car TAA.

I wish you all a safe journey and I look forward to Bashing to Sydney with you in OV4 to celebrate our 6th National Bash.

All the bestRon Barton

Pam and I are delighted to continue our support of the SA Variety Bash for a third year, as Platinum sponsors of the 2014 event.

Tim Adams Wines and Mr Micks Cellar Door and Kitchen are all part of our family-owned and operated wineries located in the beautiful Clare Valley. Our long-standing commitment to

Variety has seen many cases of Variety Cleanskin wines sold through cellar door and mail order, raising funds for kids and their families in need.

Over the years we have been enthusiastic participants in the 4WD and Bash events, the Variety Vintage Charity Wine Auction and welcomed the opportunity to serve on the board.

All the team of TAA (Tim Adams Airlines theme) thoroughly enjoyed the thrill of flying in the 2013 Bash and are ready for take-off in 2014. Although there is some concern about landing at Sydney Airport as we are more of a country based airline! This year we have new and returning (from 2012) staff members and a new aircraft. We look forward to having more fun along this years track.

Our ongoing involvement with Variety has had a tremendously positive impact, not only on our business but also on ourselves personally, all the while giving back to sick, disadvantaged and special needs children. We highly recommend Variety to companies who are considering sponsorship of, or alignment with a charity, it is a wonderful family and it is an honour to be a part of Variety SA and the SA Variety Bash.

Pam and I would like to thank every participant for coming on board in 2014, and congratulate you on your fundraising efforts.

Cheers, Tim Adams and Pam GoldsackTim Adams WinesMr Mick Cellar Door and Kitchen

CHAIR OF THE BOARD MESSAGE

SPONSORS MESSAGE

2 0 1 4 S A V A R I E T Y B A S H6

1989 Adelaide to Port Lincoln Car 18 Richard Nitschke, Paul Smith, Bert Swart, John Bradley1990 Adelaide to Ceduna Car 31 Hugh Hamilton, Dick Merrigan, Richard Vincent, Dudley Hill1991 Adelaide to Renmark Car 39 Des Butler, Roger Murdoch, Steen Jensen, Darrall Suter1992 Adelaide to Ayers Rock (National Bash) Car 53 Graham Klingberg, Eric Daish, Joe Treszise, Russell Naismith1993 Adelaide to Clare Car 08 Vin Pistola, Kevin Parker, Bob Male, Chris Scorgie 1994 Adelaide to Kangaroo Island Car 59 John Mellors, Keith Hautop, David Meredith 1995 Adelaide to Kadina Car 18 Richard Nitschke, Paul Smith, Rob Clampett, Gary Winkley1996 Adelaide to Darwin (National Bash) Car 76 John Chamberlain, Garry Stewart, Peter Waterman 1997 Adelaide to Tanunda Car 97 Jenny Murdoch, Teena Butler 1998 Adelaide to Victor Harbor Car 318/812 Doug Lehmann, Jack Ferrett, Peter Fairweather, Andy Pywell, Lindsay Stanley,

Lesley Stanley, Jenni ODonnell1999 Adelaide to Kalgoorlie Car 186 - Rod Kersten, Peter Ben Hall, Phil Kilsby, Brian Clarke 2000 Adelaide to Murray Bridge Cars 318/812 - Doug Grumpy Lehmann, Don Doc Bruce, Ian Sleepy McKay, Lesley Happy Stanley,

Lindsay Sneezy Stanley, Peter Dopey Fairweather, Jenny Bashful Owen2001 Adelaide to Gold Coast Cars 02, GO and BSK The Konica Klowns - Lindsay Cato, Mark Morelli, Geoff Davey, Julianne Buckley, Shane Buckley,

Darren Virgo, Knowlton Coudrey, Rosalie Carling and Sharlene Capper2002 Adelaide to Ardrossan Cars 76 and 7.6 Garry Stewart, Rodney Mildred, Greg Nybo, George Belperio, Paul Spencer and Bernie Stack.2003 Adelaide to Byron Bay Car 500 Larry Cavallaro, John Deal and Ron Vis.2004 Adelaide to Berri Car 75 The Greeks Craig Phillips, Andrew Glastonbury and Craig Illman2005 Port Lincoln to Adelaide (National Bash) Car 55 The Bogvitch Sisters Teena Butler, Angela Organ and Helen Conolly2006 Gawler to Goolwa Car 99 The Bush Mechanics Graham Organ, Lynton Pahl, Mark Davy and Greg Schultz2007 Mt Gambier to Tanunda Car 70 Three Little Pigs Doug Lehmann, Steve Meins and Greg Hall2008 Mawson Lakes to Norwood Parade Car 76 Kung-Fu Pandas David Snoad, Wayne Irvine, Alan Robson2009 Adelaide to Alice Springs (National Bash) Car 119 Highland Fling (Scots) - John Riggall, Kym Waters, Steve Mason, Adam Mrotek2010 Murray Bridge to Clare Car 676 Bananas in Pyjamas Frank Pinneri, Craig Paues2011 King William Road to Hahndorf Car 177 Scooby Doo Craig Paues2012 Barossa to Mildura CAR TAA (Tim Adams Airlines), BSTA, KF Tim Adams, Pam Goldsack, Mark Chapman, Fiona Chapman,

Brett Schutz, Shannon Parker, Emily Elkhoury, Richard Elkhoury, 2013 Two Wells to McLaren Vale CAR TAA (Tim Adams Airlines), BSTA, Tim Adams, Pam Goldsack,Kathryn (Buff) Byrne, Emily Elkhoury,

Richard Elkhoury, Shannon Parker, Brett Schutz.

OUTRIGHT WINNERS OVER 25 YEARS OF BASHING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA


It was 1998 when, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the South Australian Bash, the Bash Hall of Fame was established. This recognised those who had completed ten Bash events.

In 2004, the fifteen year category was added. In 2008, the 20 year category began, and in 2013 we added the 25 year category! Variety congratulates all our Hall of Famers what extraordinary dedication and support you have shown we salute you.

Twenty Five year Bashers Don Aston, Des Butler

Twenty year Bashers Teena Butler, Ian Catford, Larry Cavallaro, Peter Cochrane, Steve Cooling, Peter Curtis, Brenton Dansie, Carmine De Ieso, Bob Furbow, Bob Geue, John Gibson, Nigel Giles, Colin Hann, Peter Howell, Doug Lehmann, Michael Lewis, Diane Lintern, Jenny Murdoch, Graham Organ, Graham Reynolds, Ivan Smith, Graham Stevenson, Garry Stewart

Fifteen year BashersDiane Aston, Bronte Ayres, Vicki Baigent, Ian Bidstrup, Frank Clarke, Peter Corkhill, Knowlton Coudrey, Kim Curtis, Trevor Davey, Alf Ho, Karen Johnson, Neil Jones, Cheryl Lewis, John Lewis, Scott McBain, John Mellors, Bob Meyers, Jock Milne, Lynton Pahl, Fiona Paterson, Bob Pilgrim, Bill Rawlins, Liz Travers, Allan Trebilcock, Alistair Walker, Lauryn Weatherall, John Wicks

Ten year BashersSteve Babyszka, Graham Bagnell, John Bannister, Ron Barton, Gary Baxter, Jim Blackborough, Rick Brooks, Les Burdett, Roger Butler, Sharlene Capper, Rocky Carbone, Jim Clark, Geoff Clarke, Trevor Connor, Helen Conolly, Dene Davies, John Davis, John Deal, Phillip Eglinton, Peter Fairweather, John Ferguson, Malcolm Foreman, Dawn Franks, Gavin Frost, John George, Neville Gilbert, Rosalie Gillings, Gavin Gold, Nicole Haack, Peter Hayes, Lyn Hobbs, Peter Holt, Terry Howes, Leonie Hunt, Willie Innes, Dean Innes, Anna Jackman, David Jacobs, Tom Joy, Kevin Kelly, Rob Kersten, Trevor King, Graham Klingberg, John Kniter, Brenton Lewis, Wendy Limbert, Mandy Madgen, Nick Maloney, Mike Mason, Fairy Matters, Tom Matters, Anthony May, Kym McHugh, Phil (Fids) McLeay, Steve Meins, Kym Mensforth, Rodney Mildred, Gordon Milne, Kerry Moore, Leon Morrish, Merv Mortimer, Henry Mould, Roger Murdoch, Wendy Nicholson, Richard Nitschke, Kevin OBrien, Mick OBrien, Deeon Otta, Preston Paterson, Lonny Pendleton, Graham Pollard, Craig Phillips, Tony Pietrafesa, Vic Piscopo, James Pledge, Peter Rankine, Jane Reilly, Tony (Charger) Richards, Wayne Richards, Duncan Richter, Kym Robinson, Yvonne Robinson, Ross Robinson, Joan Rowley, Paul Ryan, Stirling Scherer, Trevor Sims, Adrian Smith, Neil Smith, Paul Smith, Peter Spriggs, Lindsay Stanley, Lesley Stanley, Gaynor Stevens, John Stevens, Darren Sutton, Roy Temple, David Teubner, Mary Thompson, Beth Tincknell, Mike Tincknell, Bruno Varacalli, Shayne Varacalli, Peter Vaughton, David Vincent, Richard Walne, James Way, Ian Weber, Hellen White, Richard Whiting, Dean Wright, Ken Woods, Kathryn Zeitz, Chris Zeitz

Highest Fundraisers $116,976.89Eight year entrants, seven years highest fundraisers and runner up in 2008 and raising an astonishing $1,167,008.43!Car: 222Sue Pearce, Roz Chow and Maylene Loo

Runner Up $102,434.55Car: HOGSGraham Bowring, Mark Bowring, John Day and Noel Swan

Third Highest Fundraisers $85,670.90Car: MAXDavid Vincent, Chris McEgan, Mark Wauer and David Smith

Fourth Highest Fundraisers $78,125.00Car: 66John Gibson, Simon Drew, Peter Hayes and Ben Marshman

Fifth Highest Fundraisers $51,285.28Car: 175Neil Gibbins, Simon McMahon, Craig Young, Tony Lake, Trevor Schache, Shannon Clarke

Sixth Highest Fundraisers $44,838.05Car: 12Sam Giglio, Mick Carbone and Domenic Musitano

Seventh Highest Fundraisers $42,278.94Car: 51Sue Stuart, Kathryn Thorp, Meagan Canny and Carol Dawson

Eighth Highest Fundraisers $41,380.00Car: OV1Doug Lehmann, Greg Hall

Ninth Highest Fundraisers $40,865.00Car: 003Kathryn Casey, Mary Arvanitakis and Jo Giorgio-Ion

Tenth Highest Fundraisers $34,587.85Car: 041Ian Lister, David Bellinger, Scott Davis and Wayne Green

2013 BASH HALL OF FAME

2013 GOLD DOOR PANELISTS

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Outright WinnersCar TAA (Tim Adams Airlines), BSTA, Tim Adams, Pam Goldsack, Kathryn (Buff) Byrne, Brett Schutz, Shannon Parker, Emily Elkhoury, Richard Elkhoury

Highest Money Raisers $116,976.89 Car 222 (Penguins)Sue Pearce, Roz Chow, Maylene Loo

Highest Virgin Team Money Raisers Car 175 (Rock Stars)Neil Gibbins, Simon McMahon, Craig Young, Tony Lake, Trevor Schache, Shannon Clarke,

Best Fun ThemeCar EFM (Gym Junkies)Sally Paech, Robyn Raymond, Sarah Roberts, Meagan Sampson

Best Presented VehicleCar 45 (1970 Ford Fairlane 500 ZD M&Ms)Bob Pilgrim

We Played the Game with Bash BucksCar 59 John Mellors, Steve Cooling

Highest Point Scorers Car TAA, BSTA (Tim Adams Airlines)Tim Adams, Pam Goldsack, Kathryn (Buff) Byrne, Brett Schutz, Shannon Parker, Emily Elkhoury, Richard Elkhoury

Mobile Workshop Hard Luck AwardCar DIVAGerry Manning, Chris Herreen, Jenni McNamara

Stuffed Compass Award Car TAG (Blues Bros)George Hatzipanagiotis, Garry Stewart

Bashers Choice Award Car TAA (Tim Adams Airlines), BSTATim Adams, Pam Goldsack, Kathryn (Buff) Byrne, Brett Schutz, Shannon Parker, Emily Elkhoury, Richard Elkhoury

Best Virgin BashersCar EFM (Gym Junkies )Sally Paech, Robyn Raymond, Sarah Roberts, Meagan Sampson

Best Individual BasherIan Weber (Car JOKR)

Best Supporter of Variety Des & Teena Butler

Chairmans CommendationsCar 59 John Mellors Car PUT Deeon Otto & Mandy Madgen

Chairmans Award for Mobile WorkshopsMW5Geoff Kilford, Scott Thornton, Richard Lloyd

Special Acknowledgement Car KEN Misha Carnell

Twenty Five Year BashersDes Butler, Don Aston

AND THE 2013 VARIETY BASH WINNERS WERE


All vehicles entered in the Bash must have been built before December 1980. Model run-ons are allowed. They must be licensed, insured and roadworthy as prescribed by state laws.

All vehicles must be conventional two wheel drive vehicles with a maximum crew of four people.

Motorcycles, buses, coaches, caravans, skateboards or wheelbarrows are not allowed as a general rule.

Performance modifications are not allowed. A vehicle may be modified for safety purposes (brakes, wheels, suspension, fuel tanks, lights etc) but not for speed (engine, transmission etc).

All vehicles must carry on the front doors the Bash door panels onto which must be fixed the allocated Bash number/letters for that vehicle. The vehicle number/letters must also be clearly visible, using white numbers on the front and rear windows. All cars must also display the sponsors stickers as supplied by the Variety office.

Everyone taking part in the Bash in any way must sign an indemnity form issued by Variety the Childrens Charity.

All entrants must have paid to Variety the Childrens Charity either personally or through donations, the sum nominated on the Entry Form at least one month prior to the start of the event.

At all times all entrants must abide by the rules of the road as prescribed by the State laws and statutes.

Designated Driver of the Day Rule must be abided by.

RulesRules can be changed at any time at the discretion of the Committee without notification.

In the event of disputes or requests, the Committees and/or the Chairmans interpretation of the Rules and Regulations will be final and no discussion will be entered into.

All correspondence will be entered into.

There will be no right of appeal.

All crew must be male OR female and over the age of eighteen (18) years.

BribesA bribe is money donated purely at your discretion and is not compulsory:

you can bribe an Official to gain a grid position.

or for whatever reason your imagination dictates.

Bribing will commence at the start line. If you should be taking the Bash too seriously and found to be not bribing the Officials, your Bash vehicle may incur a loss of points and crew members may be fined. It should be remembered, however, that crew caught bribing the officials may have points deducted or added.

Bash bucks cannot be used to gain brownie points.

CheatingAll Bash entrants are encouraged to cheat, however, if caught cheating you will pay dearly. Bash entrants detected cheating in any way will lose points, normally double the number of points that could have been gained.

The crew who accumulate the most points or Bash Bucks will be awarded a trophy at the end of the Bash.

AttitudePoints may be lost by any Bash entrants taking the event too seriously. Points lost for taking the event too seriously will be at the Officials discretion depending on the seriousness of taking it seriously.

Bash entrants must not complain should they not be winning.

Any Bash entrant caught bragging about their good luck and /or ability should be reported to the committee who will then decide an appropriate fine or action!

ProtestsProtests against mistakes or decisions by the Officials may be decided in favour of the protester, but could lose points accordingly (see Rules).

Frivolous or vexatious protests may or may not incur a loss of points depending on the mood of the organisers at the time. Particularly ingenious protests may actually gain points providing the protest fee is high enough.

ScoringThe Officials decision will be final if theyre interested at the time.

BASH RULES

BASH FUNDRAISING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIAYEAR ADELAIDE TO: VEHICLES BASH CHAIRMAN NET AMOUNT1989 Port Lincoln 57 Jack Waters $368,0001990 Ceduna 75 John Garland $650,0001991 Renmark 81 Geoff Gauvin $557,9371992 Ayers Rock 82 Tom Matters $800,0001993 Clare 80 Peter Cochrane $693,0001994 Kangaroo Island 81 Peter Cochrane $855,0001995 Kadina 75 Peter Cochrane $716,0001996 Darwin 83 Peter Cochrane $1,009,0001997 Tanunda 71 Peter Cochrane $825,0001998 Victor Harbor 80 Peter Cochrane $1,070,0001999 Kalgoorlie 63 Peter Curtis $1,003,0002000 Murray Bridge 68 Peter Curtis $1,051,2492001 Gold Coast 81 Peter Curtis $1,246,0002002 Ardrossan 78 Ross Robinson $1,262,0002003 Byron Bay 79 Ross Robinson $1,480,0002004 Berri 67 Alistair Walker $1,200,0002005 Adelaide 80 Alistair Walker $1,700,0002006 Goolwa 63 Alistair Walker $1,400,0002007 Tanunda 68 Phillip Eglinton $1,703,0002008 Norwood 83 Phillip Eglinton $2,107,0002009 Alice Springs 88 Wayne Richards $1,904,0002010 Clare 61 Wayne Richards $1,662,0002011 Hahndorf 67 Doug Lehmann $1,470,0002012 Mildura 73 Doug Lehmann $1,800,0002013 McLaren Vale 68 Doug Lehmann $1,750,000

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$20,000 per annumThe Variety Caring for Kids program provides essential medical equipment for families at home as well as for South Australian health services including hospitals, intensive care units and specialised medical services. Variety finances the purchase of much needed medical equipment in addition to recreational equipment that can be utilised by children during their recovery.

$1,002,916 per annumThe Variety Freedom Program enables children with physical disabilities to participate in daily activities by providing wheelchairs, customised tricycles, walking frames, standing frames, leg splints, wheelchair lifters and more to help children gain independence and freedom.

Liberty SwingsRemember the feeling of swinging through the air with the wind on your face and the freedom you felt? Every child deserves to have this experience. This normally simple pleasure was never an option for children in wheelchairs until an Australian invention came along, the Liberty Swing. Unless you witness it, you cannot begin to imagine the sheer delight on the faces of the children who ride a Liberty Swing for the first time. Variety champions this wonderful invention with its aim to install Liberty Swings in as many communities as possible.

Sunshine Coaches $304,848Variety - the Childrens Charity brings sunshine to the lives of thousands of children through Sunshine Coaches. Special schools and other organisations have been grateful recipients of a fleet of more than 1,200 coaches travelling Australia, transporting children to their daily activities and other special life experiences.

VARIETY GRANTS

In 2013 Variety SA made available 204 grants to the value of $2.457 million through our programs, benefiting 27,000 children in South Australia:

$1,046,572The Variety Future Kids program helps kids who are disadvantaged or have special needs to fulfil their dreams and reach their full potential; including the provision of specialist computer packages and communication devices as well as providing a range of experiences for children. Variety is also a supporter of special education and disadvantaged schools throughout the state.

Additionally the Variety @ Work program and Ladies of Variety (LOV) provide an array of outings and fun activities throughout the year, including the Childrens Easter Picnic at Carrick Hill, the Suprise Party at Adelaide Convention Centre and the Childrens Christmas Party at Adelaide Showgrounds, along with hundreds of smaller activities for other schools, organisations and individuals.

$83,500The Variety Show of Hearts Scholarships program fosters talent in sport, art, drama, music, academia and self development for children who are sick or disadvantaged and are already showing success in their chosen area of interest.

MAJOR PROJECTSAPPEAL AMOUNT (approx)

Establishment of the Child Health Research Institute (CHRI) $750,000(located at the WCH) - Ongoing supply of equipment at CHRI $1.2 million

Royal Flying Doctor Service - Medically equip new aircraft $1.1 million

Novita Childrens Services $1.43 million Splints program Various equipment

Variety Cochlear Implant Program $349,000

Womens & Childrens Hospital $3.71 million Variety Adolescent Ward Cardiac Surgery Unit High Dependency Unit Equipment for Paediatric Operating Theatres Hydrotherapy Pool CUSA Machine Medical videoconferencing Equipment Orthopaedic Clinic

Respite Housing $975,000 Autism Minda

Flinders Medical Centre $1.7 million Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit & Research Lab Paediatric Outpatients Facility Paediatric Ward upgrade

Life Education Centre Caravans $185,000

Ronald McDonald House $520,000 Accommodation wing Housing facility

Adelaide Dental School $400,000 - Refurbishment of Paediatric Area

Myolectric Prosthesis Program $184,000

Riding for the Disabled $1.57 million

Canteen Teenage Camps $150,000

McGuiness McDermott (Little Heroes) $326,000 MRI machine (WCH)

Sparc Disability Foundation $200,000

Cora Barclay Centre $883,050

SOS Childrens Village $214,000

Can Do For Kids / Townsend House / Townsend School $79,000 Hearing and vision projects Early intervention Toy Library Specialised equipment

Australian Cranio Facial Foundation $83,000 Medical Equipment Dolphin Imaging Equipment

Bone Growth Foundation $20,000 Fit Bone Device

Youth at Risk Personal Development Projects - Operation Flinders $1.12 million - Police Blue Light $463,000 - Time for Kids $610,000 - Cavan Education Centre $82,000 - Youth Opportunities $210,000 - Riverland Youth Ministries $50,000 - SA Tall Ships One & All $540,000

How the money has been spentIn the 2012/13 financial year, a total of 204 appeals were approved totaling $2.458 million to directly benefit over 26,500 children in South Australia.

Total number of Sunshine Coaches donated in SA since inception is 173.

The Liberty Swing is a world-first Australian innovation a swing that allows wheelchair-bound children the opportunity to experience the joy of having a swing in the park. To date, 14 Liberty Swings have been approved.


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Gypsy Oatley Fencing$2,574

Gypsy is 3 years old and has Down Syndrome. Although she is not yet walking independently, she has become increasingly more mobile and interested in exploring her environment. One day Gypsy managed to manoeuvre past the screened front door and down the steps to the front garden adjacent to a busy main roadway. Gypsy has low awareness of her safety and is unaware of putting herself at risk. Her family were the recipients of a Variety grant enabling them to install secure fencing, which they could not have otherwise afforded, and keep their little girl safe from harm.

Jedd SuingWheelchair Accessible Vehicle$26,524

Jedd is 7 years old with cerebral palsy & spastic quadriplegia, experiencing seizures and renal failure. As a result, he has extremely high support needs and requires a large range of equipment. Jedd was rapidly outgrowing his existing car seat and required wheelchair accessible transportation for his regular medical appointments in Adelaide, a seven hour drive from Port Lincoln. Variety SA granted the family a new vehicle to meet their needs. Jedd is an inspiring kid who shows that despite his condition, he is a happy little fella who loves riding in his new car!

David VansilalomMyoelectric Prosthesis, Right Arm$25,566

David is 6 years old and at age 4 he had a tragic accident, resulting in a traumatic amputation of his right hand. He is a bright little boy who loves playing with his brother and friends. Variety SA helped David by assisting his family to purchase a Myoelectric Prosthesis which allows him to perform a greater variety of tasks in his day to day life. Just one look at David and you can see he is a very worthy recipient of his new arm. David is a little legend and Variety SA is super proud to have supported him.

THIS IS WHY WE DO IT!

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9 AUGUST: ADELAIDE / NANUA RACECOURSE10 AUGUST: POONCARIE / TOLARNO STATION11 AUGUST: WILCANNIA / TILPA12 AUGUST: BOURKE / BOURKE13 AUGUST: GLENGARRY / LIGHTNING RIDGE14 AUGUST: MOREE / NARRABRI15 AUGUST: BARRABA / TAMWORTH16 AUGUST: SCONE / CESSNOCK17 AUGUST: SYDNEY

2 0 14 SA VA R I ET Y B AS H

GLENGARRY MOREE

BARRABA

SYDNEY

TAMWORTH

NARRABRI

SCONE

CESSNOCK

BOURKE

TOLARNOSTATION

LIGHTNING RIDGE

WILCANNIATILPA

ADELAIDE

BALAH STATION

NANUA RACECOURSE

POONCARIE

2014 SAVARIETY BASHROUTE MAP


DAY 1LEAVE ADELAIDE FOR MORGAN WITH LUNCH AT BALAH STATION NIGHT STOP AT NANUA RACECOURSE

Day one of the 2014 SA Variety Bash sees you heading off for Morgan on the banks of the mighty Murray River and on to Balah Station for lunch. Few South Australians would not knowof, have not been to, or passed Morgan; a town perched on the right bank of theMurray, just downstream of where it turns from flowing roughly westwards to roughly southwards. It is about 161 kilometres north east of Adelaide, and about 315 kilometres upstream of theMurray Mouth. Morgan is probably better known for the MorganWhyalla pipeline, built during World War II, which snakes its way through the countryside to provide the people of Whyalla with fresh water from the Murray.

Morgan was at the boundary of several ancient and traditional Indigenous owners - theNgarrindjerito the south and Riverland people to the east. The first Europeans to visit were in the expedition of the explorer Charles Sturt, who passed by in a rowboat in 1830. The first Europeans to visit overland, by horseback, in March 1838, were in the expedition ofHill,Oakden, Willis, and Wood who noted a large Indigenous population.

The locality was originally known to Europeans as the North West Bend, or Norwest Bend, or Great South

Bend, due to the acute change in the trend and direction of theMurray. As mentioned above it is where the westward flowing stream of the river turns here to flow southward. The nearby pioneering pastoral station, Northwest Bend Station, established in the 1840s, still bears that name.

The town was proclaimed in 1878, the year therailway linefrom Adelaide viaKapundawas opened. A largewharfwas built, and Morgan became one of the busiestportson the Murray. At its peak, Morgan was the second busiest port in South Australia (behind onlyPort Adelaide) with six trainsa day carrying freight from the Murray to the sea at Port Adelaide. Asroad transportimproved through the early part of the 20th century, river transport declined. The railway to Morgan finally closed in 1969.

Morgan today is well known for its number ofhouseboatmoorings and services. A free road transport ferry service operates 24 hours for river crossings. Just southward (downstream) from Morgan is a riverfront development named Brenda Park, which has flourished sinceWWII, originally as rustic shacks, but now as prestige waterfront holiday homes. Despite these new developments, many historic buildings remain in the town. A number of these buildings have signs showing their former use and appearance. The two hotels, both historic, sit opposite each other, facing the riverfront.

Out of Morgan, Bashers head for Balah Station, this years first lunch stop. Lunch is courtesy of the station owners Sonia and James Irwin. Please take care when driving through the property

by Gene Swinstead

Sydney and The Bush2014 SA Variety Bash

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as you may encounter some of their prize Merino wool sheep as well as kangaroos and emus. Balah dates back to the 1800s when it was an outstation with a crutching shed of a large property owned by the Tennant family. The Lord family (Sonias parents) bought it in 1946. At its peak the property stretched 150km north of Morgan. Sonia and James purchased the property in 1988. Today Balah comprises 50,000 hectares and carries up to 10,000 Merino sheep for wool. The bloodlines originate from the world renowned Collinsville Merinos. Collinsville was established by John Collins in 1889 and was regarded as one of the top Merino breeding properties in Australia for well over 100 years. John Collins selected show rams himself right up to his death, often sitting on his veranda while the stud master ran 150 rams past him so he could select four or six for the show. Most times one of them would win the champion Merino Ram of the Show award.

When entering Balah off the bitumen, you will encounter flat bluebush tracks until you are about halfway through the property where it morphs into sandy Mallee, with black oak and bluebush.

After lunch, Bashers head for Kimberley Station and the Nanua Racecourse to bed down for the night. Kimberley Station was a soldier settler block after World War 1 and in 1922 was bought by Elmy Harold Bright. Originally the family lived in a dugout in the sand hills until the main homestead was built in the

mid-1930s. In the early 1960s Kimberley Station was extended when the family bought the neighbouring property, Terrananya. In 1981 the homestead from Terrananya was transported whole to where it now sits alongside the original homestead. It is now the home of Elmys grandson Chris and wife Jan. The property for much of this time was run as a sheep station but in the past decade through drought and low sheep prices it has now been developed into a goat station. In recent years it has seen changes to fencing, water systems and yards to accommodate the shift in direction.

During World War II, dances were held in the Kimberley Woolshed to raise money for the war effort. At the last dance in 1945 a group of people gathered together and decided to form a race club to continue with the social gatherings. One of those involved was Chriss Father, Ted Bright, who decided to donate land to build the racetrack and facilities. The hall and snack bar were built around the early to mid-1950s. Over the years further improvements have occurred such as shade areas, power for caravan sites and a proper septic toilet system. The biggest improvement was the building of a new freestanding bar in 1996.

Last year the Nanua Race Club celebrated its 60th anniversary. It is no Morphettville, but you will enjoy camping at the track for the night.

DAY 2 POONCARIE NIGHT STOP TOLARNO STATION

Today we take off for Pooncarie which is located in south-west New South Wales on the east side of the Darling River. It is about 120 km north of Wentworth on the Junction of the Darling and the Murray, and about 110km south of the Menindee Lakes, east of Broken Hill.

The town has a population of about 180, has a tele centre, general store and of course a pub. The surrounding area features large sheep and cattle grazing interests with increasing horticultural and mineral sand mining industries. Mining companies have signed agreements with the Barkindji people, the sole registered Indigenous group in the area.

The town really comes to life in October for the annual Pooncarie races, swelling to about 1500 people from all over the country, including Melbourne, Albury and Adelaide. This race meeting has been held for about 100 years.

Tonights overnight stop is Tolarno Station, located 160km south east of Broken Hill on the eastern side of the Darling River, downstream from Menindee. The current station is 250,000 acres, 25 km north to south and 80 km east to west. It holds 10,000 sheep and 150 cattle. It was originally named after the Aboriginal name for that area by William and Ross Reid after they had secured an abandoned water frontage in May, 1855. By 1880 the two brothers had leased 17 runs and combined them into the one main property.

The Reid Brothers operated a fleet of steamers in the 1870s to deliver their own wool clippings direct to Port Victor for shipment to England. In early 1868 Ross Reid married Lucy Reynell, whose family were the founders of the famous Reynella Winery. In preparation for the marriage Ross built a homestead which gave the appearance of a small township.

The construction site included outer offices, stores, stables, blacksmith shop, saddlers shop, cart shed, chaff stores and bachelor quarters. He even extended the vegetable and fruit gardens. Still standing after more than 100 years is the blacksmith shop. The forge and original tools still exist. A school was also built for the children of the families employed on the station and the children of neighbouring


stations. The school was closed in 1917, and was relocated several times before being closed permanently in 1931. All that remains of the school house are the foundation stumps.

In 1878 a new woolshed was built with an iron roof replacing the original bark roof and bush tinkered structure. The shed contained 100 stands, today there are only eight. At the time there were approximately 330,000 sheep on the one million acre property, where shearing would have taken a full 12 months of the year. When the Darling dried up the wool from Tolarno was taken to Pooncarie, the largest port in its heyday, by camels or bullock teams.

Reid had two hotels built on Tolarno Station named the Victoria and Tolarno Hotels, the latter was soon renamed the Cliffs Inn due to some confusion between the station and hotel. The Victoria Hotel was opened in 1877 and operated until 1905. The Cliffs Inn was open from 1870 and closed in 1904. Between 1873 and 1880 four steamers were purchased to transport

the wool clippings, the largest privately owned fleet of steamers on the inland waterways.

Since 1949 the property has been in the McBride family, the current owners are Robert and Linda McBride. During the 1860s to 70s the head count was between 200,000 and 300,000 sheep. Today they only carry 6000 to 8000. In 1894 a small gaol was built to hold men during a shearers strike. On August 26, 1894, a group of shearers set fire to a riverboat, which floated downstream and sank several hours later, after confronting Captain Dickson and his crew over union rights.

The existing homestead is the second built on the property by Benjamin Chaffey between 1892 and 1911. The main house consists of 20 rooms not including the main hallway and is 100 square metres including the veranda. The original colours of the house were sandstone and green. The existing kitchen inside the main house was installed in the 1970s. In 1987 Tolarno received Murray River County Council power.

DAY 3WILCANNIA NIGHT STOP TILPAToday we head off for Wilcannia, a small historic town on the Darling River. The image of Wilcannia that most travellers along the Barrier Highway have is of a town with a lot of Aborigines hanging around in the main street. It is a very racist preconception but one which nearly everyone who has travelled through the town enunciates. It is also fuelled by the bigots of Broken Hill and Cobar who are only too eager to divert travellers to their own centres. Of course the image of the town is unfair and inaccurate. Sadly very few travellers get out of their cars, have a look around this historic town and talk to the local Aborigines, who are, almost without exception, very friendly and only too happy to talk about this delightful township on the banks of the Darling River. After all, many of them are Barkindji people who have been living in this region for 40,000 years.

Located within the Central Darling Shire in north western New South Wales, it was the third largest inland port in the country during the great river boat era of the mid-19th century.

The name Wilcannia is said to be derived from an Aboriginal term for either gap in the bank where floodwaters escape or wild dog. Neither meaning has been linguistically verified. In 1835, explorer Major Thomas Mitchell was the first European to the region, in which he traced the Darling River to what is now Menindee. In June 1866, the township of Wilcannia was proclaimed. In 1871, the population was 264, and grew to 1424 by 1881. During the 1880s, Wilcannia reached its peak, and had a population of 3000 and 13 hotels and its own newspaper.

The surrounding area is very sparsely settled by pastoralists who have large land holdings, used primarily to run sheep. These holdings fall in the Western Division and the majority are

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held as 99-year leases. Wilcannia is located 965 km northwest of Sydney via the Great Western, Mitchell and Barrier Highways. In spite of the distance from the sea, it is only 78 metres above sea-level. Situated on marginal land, it experiences an average rainfall of 252 mm per annum. Common species of trees around the area include River Red Gum, Yellow Box, Oldman Saltbush and Lignum.

The first European in the area was Major Thomas Mitchell who moved down the Darling from Bourke to what is now Menindee in 1835. Mitchell had a major confrontation with the local Aborigines near present-day Wilcannia during which time he killed at least two people. The settlement of the area by Victorian pastoralists began in the 1850s and by January 27,1859 a steamer, the Albury, had made its way up the river and reached the current site of Wilcannia which was known at the time as Mount Murchison Station. Mount Murchison had been named by Mitchell.

In 1879 the Red Lion brewery (it is no longer standing) was built at the northern end of Reid Street. Its great claim to fame was that it was the first brewery which the famous beer baron Edmund Resch built in Australia.

At this time Wilcannia became the third-largest port on the Darling River. In 1887, for example, 222 steamers stopped there. Known as Queen City of the West there was a time when most of the wool from north-western NSW passed through the port. The town was also at the centre of a number of coach routes which traversed Western NSW. Some of the coaches were built here.

The discovery of gold at Mt Browne saw through-traffic and trade increase in the short term but the development of Silverton and Broken Hill saw the centre of trade shift. When the opal fields ofWhite Cliffswere discovered in the 1890s trade increased again as Wilcannia became the central supply depot for the opal miners and the major recipient of their revenue. Eventually, as road and rail traffic killed the steamer trade the towns importance declined. In 1892 Wilcannia was hit with a rabbit plague so severe, that a man was supposedly employed to remove the rabbits from the streets which had been killed by children on their way to school. By the 1920s, with the arrival of reliable road transport, the town began to decline.

After lunch, Bashers head off for their next stopover at Tilpa, the village on the flood plains. The origin of the name Tilpa may be found in the Baarkindji word Thulpa, which means flood waters, for it is within the vicinity of Tilpa that the Darling River floods up to 70km wide in major downpours. In 1876 Arthur David Cotton obtained the first block of land where most of Tilpa, as we know it today, is now situated. He opened a store where the Tilpa Hotel is and part of the earliest building still exists in the private section of the hotel. Later that year James Buckley applied for a block of land and built the Wee Wattah Hotel, where the Tilpa Trading Post now stands. Other hotels already existed along the river, mostly on the eastern side and were associated with the coach run from Bourke to Wilcannia. The Tilpa Hotel is famous for its autographed walls; thousands of signatures cover the walls as people donate $2 each time to the Royal Flying Doctors. (Now theres an idea for fund raising Bashers)!!!

By 1894 David Jones & Co. owned Cottons store. It was then sold to Edmond Perrott who turned it into a hotel which he named the Royal. It still exists. In 1880 a Postal Receiving Office was opened in the store and in 1883 this became an Official Post Office with John Guillier as the postmaster. Once the store became a hotel, objections

were raised to the Post Office being in a pub, and Guillier agreed to build a new Post Office, which was completed in 1896. Both the Post Office and Telephone Exchange had two more relocations before they both closed in 1980. The first police station in Tilpa was built in 1898 but there was an earlier makeshift one on the opposite side of the river. A court of Petty Sessions was established in 1903, but it and the police station were both closed in 1936. Tilpa had a school from 1896, until its closure in 1945. At one stage the teacher, George Turner, was granted permission to start school at 7am and finish at 1pm due to the scorching heat in summer.

A bridge crossing the Darling River was completed in December 1963. Tilpa lays claim to the shortest heritage walk in Australia, with two signs on opposite sides of the main street. Better yet, the Tilpa Cemetery is the only one in Australia, if not the world, to have no one buried in it! In December 2002 over 2500 people from around the globe descended upon the small village for a charity event for the Royal Flying Doctors to see Lee Kernigan in concert. It was one of, if not the biggest event in the towns history.

DAY 4BOURKENIGHT STOP BOURKEOur fourth days adventure takes us to Bourke, famous for the phrase back o Bourke or the middle of no-where. Australian poet Henry Lawson once said If you know Bourke, you know Australia. This town sits on the edge of the outback, miles from anywhere and sprawled along the Darling River. Crime can be a problem here, so keep a close eye on your valuables. In February 2013 it was listed as the most dangerous place in the world, but since then a lot of effort has been put in to clean it up. The location of the current township of Bourke on a bend in theDarling Riveris the traditional country of the Ngemba people. These people were famous for their fish traps in the Darling River at Brewarrina. The name of this tribe should not be confused with the language name of the Weilwan, which is Ngiumba. They often fought amongst themselves, usually inflicting no more than scars from nullas and boomerangs. Serious crimes received the death penalty or banishment. The death penalty was usually carried out with a club, but with the advent of police


and trackers, the use of anatomy was introduced and they were trampled on their liver by the tribe, all males participating.

The first white explorer to encounter the river wasCharles Sturtin 1828 who named it after NSW Governor Ralph Darling. Having struck the region during an intense drought and a low river, Sturt dismissed it as largely uninhabitable and short of any features necessary for establishing renewable industry on the land. It was not until the mid-1800s following a visit by colonial surveyor and explorer SirThomas Mitchellin 1835 that settlement of the area began. Following tensions with the local people Mitchell built a small stockade to protect his men and named it Fort Bourke after then Governor Richard Bourke. This first crude structure became the foundation for a fledgling community with a small number of agricultural and livestock farms being established in the region shortly afterwards. The area truly started to flourish when its location on the Darling River had it recognised as a key trade centre, linking the nearby outback agricultural industries with the east coast trade routes via the Darling River.

Bourke was surveyed for a town in 1869 and soon established itself as the outback trade hub of New South Wales with several transportation industries setting up branches in the town. By the 1880s Bourke would host a Cobb & Co. Coach Terminus, several paddle boat companies running the Darling and a bridge crossing the river which would allow for road transportation into the town and by 1885 Bourke would be accessible by rail, confirming its position as a major inland transport hub. Like many outback Australian townships, Bourke would come to rely on camels for overland transport, and the area supported a large Afghan

community who had been imported to drive the teams of camels. A small Afghan mosque which dates back to the 1900s can still be found within Bourke cemetery today.

As trade moved away from river transport routes, Bourkes hold on the inland trade industry began to relax. Whilst no longer considered a trade centre, Bourke serves instead as a key service centre for the states north western regions. In this semi-arid outback landscape, sheep farming along with some small irrigated cotton crops comprise the primary industry in the area today.

Bourke is considered to represent the edge of the settled agricultural districts and the gateway to theOutbackwhich lies north and west of Bourke. In 1892 young writerHenry Lawsonwas sent to Bourke by Bulletin editorJ.F. Archibaldto get a taste of outback life and to try to curb his heavy drinking. In Lawsons own words I got 5 and a railway ticket from the Bulletin and went to Bourke. Painted, picked up in a shearing shed and swagged it for six months. The experience was to have a profound effect on the 25 year old and his encounter with the harsh realities of bush life inspired much of his subsequent work.

Lawson would later write if you know Bourke you know Australia. In 1992 eight poems, written under a pseudonym and published in the Western Herald, were discovered in the Bourke library archives and confirmed to be Lawsons work. Bush poetsHarry Breaker MorantandWill Ogilviealso spent time in the Bourke region and based much of their work on the experience.

Fred Hollows, the famous eye surgeon, was buried in Bourke after his death in 1993. Fred Hollows had worked in Bourke in the early 1970s and had

asked to be buried there. The Telegraph Hotel, established in 1888 beside theDarling River, has been restored and now operates as the Riverside Motel.

Bourkes traditional owners endured a similar fate to Indigenous people across Australia. Dispossessed of their traditional country and in occasional conflict with white settlers, they battled a loss of land and culture and were hit hard by European disease. While the population of the local Ngemba and Barkindji people around the town of Bourke had dwindled by the late 19th century, many continued to live a traditional lifestyle in the region. Others found employment on local stations working with stock and found their skill as trackers in high demand. A large influx of displaced Aboriginal people from other areas in the 1940s saw Bourkes Indigenous community grow and led to the establishment of a reserve by the Aborigines Protection Board in 1946. The majority of Indigenous settlers were Wangkumara people from the Tibooburra region.

In 1962 local high jumper Percy Hobson became the first Aboriginal athlete to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal for Australia in Perth. The 5ft. 10 in. tall Hobson jumped 13inches above his height to win the event with a leap of 6ft. 11inches. While Hobson was urged by athletics administrators not to broadcast his ancestry, he was celebrated on his return to Bourke and greeted by a brass band playing Hail the Conquering Hero. Cathy Freeman was the next Aboriginal athlete to claim a Commonwealth Gold in Auckland in 1990. In Bourke today there are 21 different recognised Indigenous language groups including Ngemba, Barkindji, Wangkumara and Murrawari.

Bourke became the wartime residence from 1915 to 1918 for German families deported from the Straits Settlements (now Singapore and Malaysia), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Fiji and Hong Kong, as well as some local internees. They were not housed in an enclosed camp as in other locations. Those who could afford it rented small cottages in the town, while others were accommodated in the gaol and later in a disused hotel. The families could move around the town during the day, but there was little for them to do there. The small number of internees meant that camp community activities did not develop as they did elsewhere. In 1918, the internees were moved from Bourke to the newly-built camp at Molonglo, outside Canberra, in the then Federal Capital Territory.

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DAY 5 GLENGARRYNIGHT STOP LIGHTNING RIDGE

Its Opal Day on our fifth days adventure as we head to Glengarry which features the iconic Glengarry Hilton in the heart of the Black Opal mining field, 75 kilometres north of Walgett or 75 kilometres west of Lightning Ridge. The Hilton is a tin shed of a pub, frequented by lots of local characters.The Glengarry Hilton is one of the top 10 Bush Pubs located in the heart of the Black Opal mining field 75 kilometres north of Walgett or 75 kilometres west of Lightning Ridge. It is the oldest pub on the opal fields with a unique history and building. The Hilton is in the centre of this prosperous opal field. Miners built the Pub in 1969. It was an illegal drinking establishment until 1993 when it got its first liquor license. The Hilton has maintained its original building and appearance with some modern influences, making it a tourist attraction bringing pre- booked tourist buses and tourists to the door. The pub is located on an acre of land with a further acre allocated for parking (caravans and trailers). The surrounding mullock dumps gives visitors the chance of finding their own opal as many are overlooked by the miner. You can meet the opal miners while enjoying friendly service and an ice cold beer. You may even be able to buy a lease and mine your own opals!

Underground and open cut mining techniques are used to extract opal from depths ranging from near surface up to 25 metres underground. The host rock is the Cretaceous Griman Creek Formation which is predominantly composed of freshwater clay stones and sandstones. Most of the gem opal from this area is found as seam opal. Seam opal typically occurs as semi-continuous plates or sheets of variable thickness within claystone layers. The thickness of the sheet can range from less than 1mm up to 5cm

or more. Individual pieces can rarely weigh up to a few kilograms. Opalised fossils also occur sporadically. Fossils include bivalve shells, gastropod shells, dinosaur bones & teeth, turtle shell & bones, crustacean gastroliths, plant stems and fruiting bodies, plesiosaur bones & teeth, monotreme bones, etc.

You should enjoy this unique lunch stop, particularly The Hilton!

Fed and refreshed and, maybe a little richer with a pocket full of opals, it is off to Lightning Ridge, a world-renowned centre for black opal mining and other opal gemstones just near the southern border of Queensland. This will be todays night stop. If it is a little bit stormy or there are some black clouds around beware! They say Lightning Ridge originated in the 1870s when passers-by found the bodies of a farmer, his dog and 600 sheep which had been struck by lightning. The area has the largest known deposits of black opal in the world. It is a flourishing tourist town with numerous caravan (camper-trailer) and camping parks, the previously very rustic Diggers Rest pub (which has burned down for

the third time) and a well-appointed bowling club with its eight artificial-grass bowling greens. Temperatures in summer can reach into the high 40s Celsius, but below ground the temperature remains continually at around 22 degrees, year round.

The traditional owners of the land around Lightning Ridge are theYuwaalaraaypeople. After they were displaced by the establishment of colonial pastoral stations, many Yuwaalaraay people stayed on as labourers, but were increasingly dispersed in the early 20th century. Lightning Ridge is an importantpaleontologicalsite, withfossilsdating back to theCretaceousperiod, 110 million years ago. Thesandstonerock once formed the bottom of a shallow inland sea where the remains of aquatic plants and animals were preserved. The site is especially important as a source of fossils of ancientmammalswhich, at that time, were small creatures living in a world dominated bydinosaurs. The fossils are sometimesOpalisedand discovered by opal miners. Important discoveries at Lightning Ridge include the ancestralmonotremesKollikodon ritchieiandSteropodon galmani. (Monotremes are mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young like marsupials and placental mammals).Palaeontologists searching for fossils of dinosaurs and primitive mammals at Lightning Ridge consult with opal miners to see what they have found, or obtain permission to sift through spoil heaps and excavate in opal


mines. Without the help of miners, many fossils, including Steropodon and Kollikodon, would never have been recognised. As well as being beautiful gems, the rare and often valuable fossils from Lightning Ridge have the potential to solve many mysteries about our ancient mammalian ancestors. Deposits at Lightning Ridge yield some of the rarest, most beautiful and precious fossils in the world.

It certainly is an ancient and rare land dating back 110 million years when the supercontinent Gondwana was a wilderness of forests of pines, ferns and palms separated by tracts of shallow sea. Dinosaurs and their relatives dominated this landscape, as well as our rare and tiny mammal ancestors. Near the edge of this ancient continent, fragments of the remains of these animals accumulated in the sands of the inland sea.

Steropodon was a fossil monotreme and is one of the ancestors of the modern platypus and echidnas of Australia and New Guinea. The Cretaceous monotremes were probably similar in size and shape to the modern platypus, although in modern monotremes the well-developed teeth of the fossil forms are absent. Steropodon galmani may have used electroreceptors in its snout to hunt crustaceans in a similar manner to the modern platypus.

Fossils of other animals living at the time of these ancestral egg-layers have also been found at Lightning Ridge. Dinosaurs, including giant long-necked sauropods munched on vegetation along with the 1.5m long Lightning Beast Fulgurotherium Australe. Perhaps these smaller dinosaurs moved in herds like modern antelope, always on the lookout for predators, like the carnivorous theropod Rapator Ornitholestoides, which reached a length of about 6m. Pterosaurs flew in the air and fish, lungfish, crocodiles and marine reptiles, such as long-necked Plesiosaurs lived in the oceans.

DAY 6 MOREENIGHT STOP NARRABRI

Day six sees you heading off on the track to Moree, where you may like to enjoy a hot spring bath at lunchtime. Moree, a large town inMoree Plains Shirein northernNew South Wales,is located on the banks of theMehi Riverin the centre of rich black-soil plains. Morees artesian hot spring baths are famous for their reputed healing qualities.

The Mehi River,previously known as the Gwydir River or Meei River, was renamed Mehi by theGeographical Names Board of New South Wales in 1975 ending years of confusion over the naming of this section. It is a 160 kilometres tributary of the Gwydir River. In 1889 a timber bridge was erected over the Mehi River at Moree. Another bridge was built over the Mehi River in April 1960. A bridge over the Mehi River, west of Moree, was completed in December 1995. A total of four bridges cross the Mehi River in Moree; two of these bridges are low-level and subject to flooding. The area adjoining the river has numerous attractive riverside parks, golf links and reserves. The Mehi River jetty at Moree is a popular spot for water sports.

Moree is a major agricultural centre, noted for its part in the Australian cotton growing industry which was established there in the early 1960s. The town is located at the junction

of theNewell HighwayandGwydir Highwayand can be reached by daily train and air services fromSydney. It is situated in the Shire ofMoree Plains. Like many towns and cities in Australia, Moree shares its name with a much smaller community in Northern Ireland in County Tyrone. Moree is a progressive and pretty town with plans for economic, realty and infrastructural development. TheKamilaroipeople, whose descendants are still in the town, were the early inhabitants of the area. Major SirThomas Mitchellwent to the district at the request of the acting governor after the recapture of escaped convict George Clarke who told of a great river called the Kindur in 1832. Clarke had been living in the area to the south with the Kamilaroi people from 1826-1831. Squatters soon followed in Mitchells wake establishing pastoral runs, among which was Moree (1844), from a Kamilaroi term believed to mean either long waterhole or rising sun.

In 1851 James and Mary Brand arrived and built a general store on the banks of the river in 1852. A post office was added the following year. The family sold up and moved to theHunter Valley in 1857 but James died in 1858 leaving Mary with six children so she returned, opened another business and in 1861 she opened the towns first Inn.

Moree was gazetted as a town in 1862 with land sales proceeding that year. A court of petty sessions was established in 1863 and there was a severe flood in 1864. The following year the town got its first constable and a police station was soon built to house him. The first church (Wesleyan) was built in 1867 when the town had a population of 43. As closer settlement proceeded, agriculture emerged as a thriving industry on the fertile flood plains. Banking began in 1876 and the first local newspaper was set up in 1881, at which time the population was 295.

The town became a municipality in 1890. During 1894 construction of the heritage listed federation-style lands office commenced and ended that year with the completion of the ground floor.

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The second storey was added in 1903. In 1895 theGreat Artesian Basinwhich sits under Moree was tapped to yield over thirteen mega litres of water per day. The bore was sunk to 3000ft (910m) deep in order to provide water for agricultural pursuits but it was proved unsuitable for this purpose because of its salt content. Therailway lineand service from Sydney arrived in 1897.

Wheat cultivation increased after World War II with a flour mill built at Moree in 1951 and the first commercial pecan nut farm was established on the Gwydir Highway east of Moree in 1966. The Trawalla Pecan Nut Farm is the largest pecan nut farm in the southern hemisphere, growing about 75,000 trees. In 1994 the Gwydir Olive Grove Company was established when two Moree families started producing olive oil from olives grown in the area.

Moree was one of the destinations of the famous 1965Freedom Bus Ride, an historic trip through northern NSW led by the lateCharles Perkinsto bring media attention to discrimination againstIndigenous Australians. It broughtracial segregationin rural Australia to the attention of urban Australians, in particular at the Moree public swimming pool as well as pubs and theatres, where Aborigines were refused entry. At the Moree swimming pool, after a confrontation with the council and pool management, it was agreed that Indigenous children could swim in the pool outside school hours.

Floods affected parts of Moree in 1955, 1971, 1976, 2011 and 2012 although much of the populated areas were spared.

After lunch you head off to Narrabri to top off the day and settle down for the night. Narrabri is situated on the Namoi River about 521km northwest of Sydney and is the town and seat of

theNarrabri Shirelocal government areaof theNorth West Slopes, New South Wales. It sits on the junction of theKamilaroi Highwayand theNewell Highway. About 6,000 people live in the town which, as a result of the geography of Narrabri and the surrounding areas, is quite prone to flooding.

It is the centre of a majorcotton-growing industry backed up by wheat growing and beef and lamb production. There is also a productive coal mine north of the city.

Nearby attractions are Mount Kaputar National Park, theAustralia Telescope Compact Arrayat thePaul Wild Observatory(administered by theCSIRO) and a number of agricultural centres, including the Australian Cotton Exhibition Centre.

Just to the south of town is thePilliga Forest, the largest remnant temperate forest inEastern Australia. Narrabri also has The Crossing Theatre, a 1000-seat auditorium and cinema complex.

Before the arrival of the Europeans in the early 19th century, Narrabri was the home of theKamilaroipeople (pronunciation: Gamillaroy) who still constitute a significant part of the local population. Radiating from Narrabri

about 40,000 years ago, their land extended north to Goondiwindi, west to Lightning Ridge and south to Quirindi. Scar trees on the Wee Waa/Narrabri road, bora rings on Mt Kaputar, a sandstone baby washing area, and sandstone rubbings in the Pilliga forest attest to their presence. Narrabri derives its name from an early property in the district called the Narrabry Run. The name Narrabri is Aboriginal in origin and has several possible meanings which include Snake Place, Big Creek or Forked Sticks.

Narrabri was proclaimed a town in 1860. A year later on June 1, 1861, the Narrabri Post Office opened. It seems, apart from a hotel, the Post Office was always quick to be established.Other buildings followed, with the hospital and the first courthouse (186465), the school (1868) and the police station (187879). During the 1880s the gaol and the second courthouse were built.

The area can be dated back between 17 and 21 million years ago when erupting volcanoes created the Nandewar Ranges and the magnificent Mt Kaputar National Park. Erosion of these mountains spawned rich fertile farming country and a strong river system, strengthened by underground artesian waters which created a network along which Narrabri Shire towns grew and prospered.

History credits explorers Sir Thomas Mitchell and Allan Cunningham with the honour of opening the way to the North West plains, the area that is now known as Narrabri Shire. However the notorious George the Barber Clarke, whose epithet refers to his early legitimate trade, was the first white man to seek his fortune in the area. Clarke was convicted of armed robbery, for goods totalling 40 shillings, and shipped from England in 1825. He was sentenced to work on a farm near Singleton, NSW. Soon after his arrival he escaped, painted himself black, took


two Aboriginal wives and wandered the plains naked with the natives, stealing cattle. Upon his recapture in 1831 Clarke related stories of a deep, wide navigable river called the Kindur, which flowed into a vast inland sea. The imaginative tale may have been invented in an attempt to save his life, but it was plausible enough to prompt Sir Thomas Mitchell to press out into a virtually unknown area. The Kindur was never discovered, but when the rivers rise in the great floods the land becomes akin to an inland sea. Mitchells explorations paved the way for the early settlers and wealth came to the area on the sheeps back and the cattles pastures.

Wee Waa, the oldest town in the Namoi Valley, was proclaimed in 1847, followed by Narrabri and Boggabri in 1860. The settlers ventured across the Liverpool plains to the Boggabri, Narrabri and Wee Waa districts, niverniver country, as it was known by Aboriginals. Many stories of hardship and resourcefulness have evolved throughout the history of Narrabri Shire, as indeed they have all over Australia. Pioneer graves beside the Boggabri and Wee Waa roads and a most curiously positioned one beside the Newell Highway, some 25km south of Narrabri, bear out this fact. The latter grave is that of Aboriginal/Chinese stockman William Hanes who died during a flood in the early 1950s. Flood waters made the sandy track to Narrabri impassable so the Coroner granted special permission to bury Hanes on public land. According to legend Hanes horse remained his faithful companion, even in death, never straying far from the gravesite.

Coal mining has begun in the Narrabri area, with the Narrabri North Mine producing a high energy export thermal coal and a low ash, low sulphur, low phosphorus, mid volatile PCI coal. The mine is expected to produce about 850 kilotons of PCI coal in this year. A kt is 1000 tonnes. First development coal was produced in 2011 with full commercial production from the longwall achieved in 2012.

Enjoy your night in Narrabri.

DAY 7 BARRABANIGHT STOP TAMWORTH

Day seven sees Bashers head closer to Sydney, stopping at Barraba for lunch and then on to Tamworth for the night. Only 45km north of Manilla, Barraba is a true hidden gem of the New England North West and part of the well-known Fossickers Way. Folded away on the Manilla River, the Barraba district offers an array of fantastic fishing, water sport locations and recreational areas. Barraba lies 499 metres high in the heart of the Nandewar Range. Visitors can bushwalk or 4WD along the Barraba Track to the summit of the spectacular 1,510 metre high Mount Kaputar, passing through rugged rainforest and spectacular mountain scenery to arrive at the plateau of an extinct volcano.

Barraba is a famous bird watching region and was the first area to produce its own bird routes in Australia. The bird routes utilise old droving roads now known as travelling stock routes and all 14 are signposted. Over 190 species of birds have been seen in the Barraba region, with the endangered Regent Honeyeater the most sought after by twitchers. Barraba is also the home of the endangered Boronia Ruppii, a rare plant species only found in the Barraba district. Its existence is being threatened by goats and asbestos mining. Barraba is also home to some of the most westerly remnant rainforest

in the state. The Horton Falls which cascade 83 metres to the valley floor are a popular tourist site for Barraba.

The Kamilaroi people lived and occupied the Barraba region prior to European settlement. The first white man in area was the explorer and botanist, Allan Cunningham, in 1827. At the same time, he discovered the Manilla River, which he named Buddles Creek. A land holding named Barraba Station was taken up around 1837 or 1838 and the township was mapped in July 1852 by the Assistant Surveyor, J. T. Gorman.

During the 1850s, gold rushes in the region boosted growth with the first Post Office opening on April 1, 1856. It was replaced with a brick post office in 1882. A school followed in 1861. In September 1876, there was an auction of the crown lands in Barraba and the first St Laurences church building was built. The first bank opened in 1878 followed closely by the Commercial Hotel. Three years later the law came to town with the first Court House. Barraba was eventually proclaimed a town on March 20, 1885. More key buildings followed during the 1890s, including the hospital (1891) and the Wesleyan Church (1898). In 1893, the population in Barraba reached 500; this increased to 1,164 in 1921.

A local newspaper, the Barraba Gazette was first published in 1900. The last section of the Barraba railway line from Manilla to Barraba opened on September 21, 1908, with the majority of the line closing on November 25,

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1987. Additional water supply for the town came during 1933 when the Connors Creek dam was constructed.

In 1889, Copper was discovered at Gulf Creek, near Barraba and the first mine was established there in 1892 giving birth to a new village which included a hotel, school and a post office. The Gulf Creek Post Office opened on August 1, 1897 and closed on February 28, 1966. At its peak in 1901, the copper mine was one of the largest in the state. In July of that year, there were around 300 people living in the village.

Asbestos was first mined from 1919 to the 1980s at Woodsreef on a 400 hectare site near Barraba. The Chrysotile Corporation of Australia carried out large-scale mining at the site from 1970 to 1983. The open-cut mine produced approximately 500,000 tonnes of chrysotile, or white asbestos, from 100 million tonnes of mined material. The mine closure left a 75-million tonne waste rock dump covering an area of approximately 117 hectares. A 25-million tonne tailings dump also remains, covering approximately 43 hectares.

After lunch its off to toe-tapping Tamworth, probably most famous for its Country Music Festival in late January; the second biggest country music festival in the world. Tamworth is the major regional centre for the New England region and is known as the First City of Lights, being the first place in Australia to use electric street lights in 1888.

The city is also recognised as the National Equine Capital of Australiabecause of the high volume of equine events held there and the construction of the world classAustralian Equine and Livestock Events Centre, the biggest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

Tamworthstraddles the Peel River in the New England region of New South Wales. Most people have never heard of the Peel River, but it plays an important role as part of the Namoi catchment within the Murray-Darling Basin. The Namoi River is a major waterway which is in turn part of the Barwon Catchment. It descends 578 metres (1896ft) over its 708 kilometre journey.

The Peel River rises on the northern slopes of theLiverpool Range, at the junction of theGreat Dividing RangeandMount Royal Range, dropping 457 metres (1499ft) over itscourseof 210 kilometres before it converges with the Namoi. The Peel River was first discovered in1818byJohn Oxleyand named by Oxley in honour ofSir Robert Peel, a former British Prime Minister. Sir Robert Peel was a British Conservative statesman, who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from December 10, 1834 to April 8, 1835, and also from August 30, 1841 to June 29, 1846.The famous Australian freshwater native fishMurray cod,Maccullochella Peelii, was named after the Peel River

byMajor Mitchell, who sketched and scientifically described and named one of the numerous Murray cod his men caught from the river on his 1838 expedition.

Before European contact, the area was inhabited by theKamilaroi or Gamilaroi tribe,from whose language coined the word budgerigar. They areKoori people who are from the area which extended from aroundSingletonin the Hunter Valley through to the Warrumbungle Mountains in the west and up through the present-day centres of Quirindi, Tamworth, Narrabri,Walgett,Moree,Lightning RidgeandMungindiinNew South Wales, to Nindigullyin south westQueensland. The Kamilaroi is one of the four largest Indigenous nations in Australia. The Kamilaroi language is classified in thePamaNyunganfamily of Australian languages.

TheKamilaroiwere nomadic hunters and gatherers with a band-level social organisation. Important vegetable foods were yams and other roots, as well as aSterculiagrain, which was made into bread. Insect larvae, frogs, and eggs of several different animals were also gathered. Various birds, kangaroos,emus, iguanas, opossums, echidnas and bandicootswere among the important animals hunted. Dingo pups were regarded as a delicacy. Fish were also consumed, as were crayfish, mussels, and shrimp. Men typically hunted, cleaned, and prepared the game for cooking. Women did the actual cooking, in addition to fishing and gathering. Individual Kamilaroi did not eat animals that were their totems.

Thename Kamilaroi derivesfrom the word Kamil or Kumil meaning main soul. The nation was made up of many smaller family groups who had


their own parcels of land to sustain them. One of the great Kings of this tribe was Red Chief who is buried nearGunnedah. The last link with tribal law and custom in Mungindi would be the forbear of the present Cubby family, who was the last known King in the tribe. The Kamilaroi were regarded as fierce warriors and there is ample evidence of inter-tribal warfare.

John Oxleypassed through the Peel Valley in 1818 and described it as it would be impossible to find a finer or more luxuriant country than its waters...No place in this world can afford more advantages to the industrious settler than this extensive vale. In 1831, the firstsheep and cattle stationswere formed, and in the same year theAustralian Agricultural Company(AAC) was granted a lease of 127,000 hectares of land atGoonoo Goonoo, south of the present location of Tamworth, extending to present-day Calala.

In the 1830s, a company town began to develop on the Peels southwest bank, the present site ofWest Tamworth. In 1850, a public town was gazetted on the opposite side of the river from the existing settlement. This town became the main town, called Tamworth afterTamworth, Staffordshire, represented at the time in parliament bySir Robert Peel. The town prospered, and was reached by the railway in 1878.

DAY 8 SCONENIGHT STOP CESSNOCK

Day eight and you head off to Scone for your lunch stop. Scone is known as the horse capital of Australia because of the huge thoroughbred breeding industry throughout the district. Surveyor, Henry Dangar was the first European to travel through the area, prior to passing over the Liverpool Range above Murrurundi in 1824. Scone was named in 1831 after Scone, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, by Jason Kent

Toth, an Australian of Scottish descent. It was gazetted in 1837 and during the early days was renowned for its large pastoral properties including Belltrees and Segenhoe. Early buildings were St Lukes Church and the St Aubins Inn. Scone Shire was merged into the Upper Hunter Shire in 2004, integrating parts of the former Murrurundi and Merriwa shires. Scone was once the site for the annual open-air heavy metal music festival, Metal Stock. The festival took place every year over the Easter long weekend and has featured such home-grown talent as The Furor and Infernal Method as well as some international acts including Profanation and Nervecell. The festival has now moved to Sydney.

The annual Scone Horse Festival is a celebration of Scones cultural links to these magnificent creatures. It is celebrated during May and includes all manner of activities including wine tours, open days across the numerous horse studs in the area, the Scone rodeo, the Scone School Horse Sports competition, the Black Tie Ball, and a parade in Kelly Street. The main event is a horse racing carnival featuring the prestigious Scone Cup, one of the richest country racing days in New South Wales and Australia. Small celebrations are also a key part of the festival and include schools, businesses, public events and sports centres. The Horse Festival is also traditionally linked with such events as the Belltrees poetry competition, the yarns night and many other small annual fundraisers and events.

After lunch you head off for Cessnock which lies between Australias earliest European settlements -Sydney, the Hawkesbury River and Newcastle.

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Lying on the land route between these important settlements it provided early European contact with Indigenous peoplewho had inhabited the Cessnock area for more than 30,000 years. The Darkinjung peoplewere the major inhabitants at the time of European contact, which subsequently proved to be disastrous for the Darkinjung tribe. Many were killed or died as a result of European diseases. Others were forced onto neighbouring tribal territory and killed. The city of Cessnock abounds in Indigenous place names and names with Indigenous association which is indicative of this settlement and includeCongewai,Kurri Kurri,Laguna,NulkabaandWollombi.

Scottish settler John Campbell named Cessnock after his grand-fathers baronial Cessnock Castle in Ayrshire to reflect the aristocratic heritage and ambitions for his estate. Pastoralists began settling the land from the 1820s. From 1850 the township developed as a service centre at the junction of the Great North Road from Sydney to the Hunter Valley. The establishment of theSouth Maitland coalfieldsgenerated extensive land settlement between 1903 and 1923, laying the current pattern of urban development, transport routes


and industrial landscape. The surveying of

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