July 2020

Agquip” cancelled, plenty of Sturt Desert Pea.

Submitted by Admin on Mon, 20/Jul/2020 - 8:54am

Good morning everyone,

Well how much can things change in just one week. And we really have no idea what the next week will bring.

Please be so very careful wherever you are travelling. Still support the local businesses, and have a look round the places. We can do that and still be safe and respect other people, we ourselves are ‘on the roam’ at the moment and enjoying catching up with family but being ever so careful.

At this stage there are no cases of covid in the Far West Area Health District, and we hope it stays that way. And in case you didn’t hear, “Agquip” has been cancelled, and maybe more to come I guess. However as I mentioned last week, things are still happening out here in the west. Plenty to see, and I heard only today, if you look in the right places you can find heaps of Sturt’s desert pea. One such place is between Broken Hill and Menindee.

Well I’m out of ‘the chair of knowledge’ at the moment, so my apologies for anything I’ve forgotten to put out for you, and we will catch up again next week and goodness knows what the situation will be by then.

Have a great week and progress cautiously.   Cheers,   Bill Elliott.  Wilcannia Community Tourism Association.

Good rain, dirt roads out, RFDS Base open

Submitted by Admin on Mon, 13/Jul/2020 - 9:16am

Good morning all,

Big excitement at the moment! Our Wilcannia Tourism website stats broke through the 1000 hits last week! How good is that! 1000 visits in 7 days.

Good rain around in the last few days, which is a blessing for the country but a bit of a hiccup for our travellers. Almost all of the dirt roads are out for the moment, but from what I can gather everyone is quite content to just sit back and wait for the sun to shine, why not.

Now a few things to report this time round, the RFDS Base in Broken Hill is open again and while distancing still applies you can still go out and have an enjoyable hour or 2 looking at all their displays. Also, the Art Gallery in The Hill is back open, again under the same rules, so pop in anytime and enjoy yourselves. Then make the decision to wander out to Silverton or Mt. Gipps for a quiet few drinks and a top meal.

The border into Queensland as you know is no longer a barrier so you can head up to the Cameron Corner and help them get going again as well.

Did you hear the Deni Ute Muster has been postponed till next year. To be expected I guess but wait and see it will be bigger and better than ever by then.

Our friends down south of the border are making us feel quite uneasy aren’t they. And of course that means we have to be more vigilant than ever, make absolutely sure you all stick to the golden rules, particularly the self distancing must apply at all times. In our outback towns at the moment we are seeing numbers that we have never came across before out in this area. It’s great to see them passing through and keeping our businesses going so strong, and as long as we all stick to the rules all should be good.

I mentioned last week that things are getting under way up at Bourke, as also in many of the other towns. Here in Wilcannia our ‘Cooee for Coffee’ trailer is in full swing opposite Baker Park, and the M & J Kitchen is full strength up at the Golf Club for lunch, dinner and take away. We have our new brochures out too in the last few days so grab one here in town or stop by at Emmdale or Topar and Virginia or Jo will look after you.

Have had a lot of phone calls from people in the coastal area looking to come out in that spring period, so it seems our travelling numbers will continue while ever there is no hiccup from down south.

Many caravans in towns, Wilcannia Golf Club open ...

Submitted by Admin on Mon, 06/Jul/2020 - 7:58am

G’day to you all,

I’m sending this earlier, transmission is slower with the cold weather -.

So, how’s it all going? Mostly all run off your feet from what I can gather. Had a comment last night that a long time local resident of Ivanhoe has never seen so many caravans in the town. It seems common to all our towns out here, and as I have said before, they just want to talk to people and be made feel welcome. Thanks for your remarks Sam in Cobar! I had to laugh. By the way, when in Cobar the Visitor Centre gang are now in Linsley St. Photo Attached, so go in and have a yarn to them.

Was speaking to Mavis up there at Tibooburra yesterday, they are not sure if the Annual Tibooburra Gymkhana will be on, but she will keep us posted. She went on to say there are more caravans up there than you can poke a stick at.

Now the big news is that the Silver City highway is now completely sealed. No 1 or 2 km. patch left to get bogged in! Sealed all the way. However don’t get carried away and forget to call in to Packsaddle and Milparinka, they’re wanting to welcome you. last time I was at Milparinka there was I car and 3 light aircraft parked by the pub! All of us having an ale!!

Back on our home front, the Golf club is open again for business here in Wilcannia with bar service and the restaurant operating 6 days a week, both subject to ‘covid rules’. So if you are stopping overnight at our van parks or motels, pop up for a drink and a meal. Courtesy bus operating to take you home. And if you’re running out of reading material, slip round to De at the Wilcannia Motel, she’s got heaps of all sorts of books you can swap, borrow, or just take a loan of.