THE LONG PADDOCK

The Long Paddock covers the Cobb Highway stretching between Moama and Wilcannia.
Long Paddock refers to a stock route or open road along which stock can graze as they are driven to market or any other approved destination.  Today, this route is still used to drive cattle and sheep.

As we travelled this Cobb Hwy we noticed the signs pointing out The Long Paddock ?!?!, so when we reached Mathoura we pulled into the rest area and read the information as to what it all meant.

This remembers the woodsmen that saw down the trees to make their houses out of and love the dog cocking it's leg and the galahs in the tree tops.

The Drover and His Horse. Remembers the hard work they did to drive the stock down the highway and across rivers.

Yes, plenty of sheep stations out this way as well as cattle stations.

I was looking forward to stopping at Deniliquin for a coffee and viewing the artwork there but - the town was busy as and no parking for the likes of us!  On to Hay where I designated this as our night stop at the Hay Services Club (free camp) but found a great park just as we crossed the Murrumbidgee River bridge so pulled into this lovely place for lunch then took a stroll around Bushy Bend Reserve to observe the ARTback Sculptures of the Long Paddock

The collection provides a unique interpretation of the stories and history of the Long Paddock stock route.

This Long Paddock Sculpture is at Black Swamp 

This depicts the problems along the route for all wagon wheels.  Stuck in mud, broken spokes, broken axles, broken rim and so the problems go on!

The blacksmith was a busy person, mending axles, making horse shoes, making chains and everything in between.

These two are depicting the two types of landscape surrounding the town of Hay.  Under the early settlers the natural landscape was transformed from its relatively unproductive state to one of intensive irrigated production.

This side depicts the large rivers that run through Hay and as they flood then recede during the dry weather leaving billabongs and lakes while the rivers are ever changing direction as they flow downstream.

This reminds us of the use of the trees to build canoes to cross the large rivers.

And lastly, the Long Paddock travelling along the countryside - wet or very dry, across the rivers - swollen with flood waters or very little water to quench the thirst of all, men, women and cattle.

We intended to stop at the Information Centre as we always do, but the police and a huge part of all the residents were attending a funeral in the main street of town so we quietly past by and on to the Hay Services Club where we parked for the night.

Had a wonderful time with the locals and travellers here.  Won a bar draw and got a bottle of Sav. Blanc.  Wayne was able to watch the first half of the rugby league as we are now in NSW we do not have to listen/watch the AFL!!

 Ha Ha.  It looks like we were the only ones there but approximately fifty patrons turned up for the Friday night raffles and when the raffles were drawn the place just emptied out within ten minutes.  Only the dye hard gamblers at the pokie machines were there when we trundled off home to our bed.

Saturday 1st April.  We decided to make it to Mount Hope to park for the night so left the Riverina region of NSW and north up the Kidman Highway now to Outback NSW.

I feel so sorry for the farmers up here.  They have had some rain so the paddocks are plowed ready to sow their seed but the wind is blowing their top-soil every where.

Just look at the top soil being blown away!

Mount Hope coming into view amongst the taller trees beside the Kidman Highway

Here we are, plugged into power for only $10.  Hope the local hall doesn't have a party here tonight?!