Travellers heading north to outback Queensland or the Northern Territory along the Kidman Way will come across Carrathool Shire. With its diversity of wide open spaces and intensive horticultural activities, national parks, rivers, abundant wildlife, towns and villages, the Shire of Carrathool will certainly kick start every traveller’s outback experience.
Located in the Western Riverina of New South Wales due north of Melbourne, the Shire lies midway between Sydney and Adelaide.
The spectacular Kidman Way, running 800 kilometres from Jerilderie in the south to the Queensland border, passes through the centre of the Shire. It is intersected by the Mid Western Highway at Goolgowi where Council Chambers are located.
The area was first settled in the mid 1880s by squatters who established dry land farming.Where once only wool, wheat and beef were produced, the advent of irrigation and use of river and underground water sources has seen rice, grapes, olives, cotton, potatoes, corn, melons, tomatoes and orchards established.
Hillston, the Shire’s largest town, sits on the banks of the picturesque Lachlan River. Both the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee Rivers flow through the Shire, providing the ideal setting for that quiet fishing weekend or holiday.
A visit to the Hillston Historical Museum, by appointment, will take visitors back to pioneer days. A unique feature is a house built in 1897 that has been relocated to the Museum and furnished in the period style.
Most people in outback Australia know the tale of the ‘Black Stump’. Carrathool’s village of Merriwagga boasts to have been the place where the legend began. If you don’t already know the legend, why not discover it for yourself?
“The Willandra National Park, an ideal day trip from Hillston, is part of the former famous merino stud ‘Big Willandra’,” said Hank van Apeldoorn, Council’s Tourism and Economic Development Officer.“It offers visitors an insight into the history of the wool industry and of station life of 100 years ago. Its semi arid surroundings host a large variety of flora and fauna that make for magnificent natural surroundings.”
The Park provides camping facilities, shared accommodation, as well as private cottages.
Throughout the Shire, there is a variety of places to stay, attractions to visit and holiday activities. Whether you drive north or south on the Kidman Way, stop over in Carrathool Shire and experience this part of outback Australia first hand.
For further information on the Shire of Carrathool visit www.carrathool.nsw.gov.au or contact Hank van Apeldoorn on (02) 6965 1306.
