Tibooburra

Amazingly, in anticipation of finding an Inland Sea, the explorer Charles Sturt carried a massive, whaling boat with his Third Expedition - a replica is on display in Tibooburra. His outfit comprised of: 1 whaling boat and boat carriage, 11 horses, 30 bullocks, 1 horse dray, 1 spring cart, 3 drays, 200 sheep, 2 sheep dogs, 4 kangaroo dogs.



Tibooburra also has some lovely signs at the town entrance.

We started the day with a visit to the pubs in town. The Family Hotel had a cold publican, but decidedly frisky murals which let all the private parts hang out. 

A friendly sheepdog bounded up for a cuddle. The other pub had a bearded drinker statue forever enjoying a coldie.

Next, we jarred our fillings on the corrugation of the gibber plains and dry creeks of Sturt National Park. Like a video game, we dodge various dangers on the road: road train, emus and goats crossing in front of us.

Close to the Mount Wood Homestead was a fascinating Outdoor Pastoral Museum with a faithfully recreated whim showing how the farm worked.

The Whim was drawn by horses or camels in the late 1800s and was a very efficient method of raising water from wells up to 300 feet deep. 

We also saw a walking beam engine for drawing water too. The fleeces were cleaned using the dam in the Mount Wood woolscour complex, including cleaning machinery and a partly excavated drying ground. We were impressed with all the hard work and ingenuity that went into working this gritty, sunburnt country.