Day 64: Thu 10 Jul 25

Thu 10 Jul 25 - Inverell

Weather: 4 to 14 Deg. Mostly clear with fresh westerly winds to 45km/h

It was a cold morning and it stayed cold all day with the help of a very fresh westerly wind. It was slow to get going this morning, before eventually stepping out for a walk along the river and through town. After breakfast we drove 25 km out of town to the old tin mining town of Tingha on the Northern Tablelands. This small town with a rich history has produced a lot of notable national rugby league players for such a small town, but the main attraction for us today was a visit to the 'Wing Hing Long museum'. One word - fascinating, and the elderly volunteer ladies were amazing. The experience, and our interaction with the ladies was uplifting. Wing Hing Long is a heritage-listed former store and now museum built from 1881 to 1895, and stocked every necessary item for living in the early days mining town, including clothing, food, cooking utensils and implements and even furniture - there isn't much that wasn't available. The staff were Chinese and were provided with living quarters which has remained the same, as have most of the original features of the store. There is simply too much to write about Wing Hing Long, so if interested read about it at one or all of the following links:

Wing_Hing_Long Store

Wing Hing Long 1930 To Present Day

Journey Through Time

Tingha

On the way back into town, we stopped at the Kurrajong memorial, then returned to the van at about 1230pm for lunch. I didn't sit around for long, before driving out to the National Transport Museum for a quick look through a fascinating display of 100's of vintage and classic cars, motorcycles and bicycles. You don't have to be motor enthusiast to appreciate this collection of vehicles - it's very impressive. Again too much to write about, so check it out here: National Transport Museum .

From the Transport Museum I called into the Art Gallery for a quick look at the NAIDOC Week exhibition (no photography), then I re-fueled on the way back to the van in preparation for our departure tomorrow - destination Gunnedah.

Morning Walk - Inverell Scottish memorial with Bicentennial memorial in the background

Morning Walk - Inverell

Morning walk along the river

Tingha Old Butcher Shop

Wing Hing Long Store Museum.

Wing Hing Long Store Museum. Store Room below - living space above

Wing Hing Long Store Museum. Store Room

Wing Hing Long Store Museum - The top three framed works are tapestries of Hong Kong - incredible detail

Wing Hing Long Store Museum - 2 Jan 1966 News Paper

Wing Hing Long Store Museum

Mavis Pratt - the last owner of the store for more than 50 years, before the store was taken over as a museum. Everything on display in the store is as it was left by Mavis when she left in 1998.

Tingha - Wing Hing Long Store Museum

Tingha

Farm Ruins on the way to Tingha

Kurrajong memorial and avenue of trees originally planted on 6 September 1919.

Kurrajongs Memorial - "THE KURRAJONGS'"

The Plaque reads: On 12 January 1916 one hundred and fourteen men left Inverell to fight in World War I. This group christened "The Kurrajongs" after the hardy evergreen native tree dotting the district was the largest single volunteers to leave a country town. The local newspaper of the time referred to the event as "probably the proudest day in Inverell's history". After attracting further recruits from the neighbouring towns of Warialda and Moree, the majority of the "Kurrajongs" were absorbed into the 33rd Battalion then being raised in Armidale. After initial training in Armidale, Rutherford and England, the 33rd Battalion crossed the English Channel in November 1916 and landed in France. Many of the 'Kurrajongs" made the ultimate sacrifice. Look around you. Each Kurrajong tree in this grove is a living memorial to a citizen from the Inverell district who did not return from the Great War of 1914-18.