Coonamble NSW Australia Featuring the Historical Museum

Some of the local inhabitants think that Coonamble is out in the back of beyond well maybe not all of them; after having been there at least once every nine months or so for a period of hmm 4 years I guess I kind of got that impression myself but after reading up on the place this is not strictly true.

If you wish to be technical and give it the correct name it is really Coonamble and Macquarie Marshes; not that I saw any marshes on any of my visits.

It is a small town with a population of around 3000 or so, interestingly enough Google maps classify it as a city which I found odd.

It’s a service centre to the largest shire in NSW actually which give or take is around 10,000 square kilometres covering the slopes of the Warrumbungle range.

There quite a few famous Horse stud farms there but Wheat Sheep and cattle kept the town going although sheep took over as the mainstay instead of cattle

Coonamble gets its name from an indigenous word Gunambil, three tribes of our indigenous people were thought to be the original inhabitants in this region of NSW.

First European’s in the area were from the party of John Oxley, the river which is mainly dry was named after Lord Castlereagh who at the time was Secretary of State for the colonies.

Even water from the artesian basin is still used by the town and district.

They also have a museum with quite a few exhibits a daughter of a friend I write to helps out there quite a lot I believe, this is purely voluntary of course.

This museum the Coonamble historical museum is the former Police station which was built in 1886 and converted to the museum a good idea I reckon

There is even a Cobb & Co Coach restored and even loaned out for celebrations etc.

There has been a lot of closures in Coonamble I have read

I have no doubt this sort of thing has happened in most of Australian towns as I have seen them in other towns; sadly I never got to see Coonamble’s museum.

Here are a few images of a very few of the exhibits.

First up here is the old Police station

These are the old horse stables

Things did look rather grim in those days I guess but people survived just look at us today.

I hope you enjoyed this brief look at a little of Australia's past I know I did

Most likely you all have similar museums in your own local town so these images may bring back memories for you

My info I got from a book and my friend who lives there so no direct link to a site sadly

Comments most welcome