From Tamworth, Bel and I headed two hours north west to Narrabri. We picked up a coffee in Gunedah – from a very aptly named cafe!
Tamworth was very dry and in desperate need of rain, but as you approach Narrabri there seems to be a lot more water about and grass beside the road The big thing you notice is the cotton farming, including the huge cotton bales.
They are massive and line the road. We also passed semitrailers carrying the bales – they can only fit about 8 at a time!
We arrived in Narrabri late morning and set up camp and then head off to explore town. First stop was the local pub for lunch and then a loop of the town.
It’s a very pretty town that is the hub for the local farming community – with cotton being the main crop.
It’s also very proud of being named Australia’s sportiest town based upon the number of athletes they have had represent Australia. They have a memorial listing them all – including people like Jamie Lyon and Steve Elkington.
In the afternoon we drove out to the Australia Telescope, which is an array of telescopes that forms one of the largest radio telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere.
There’s a self guided tour and video that was pretty interesting, but also very outdated – made in 1992 with lots of reference to the computer chips of the time.
On Tuesday we headed to Mt Kaputar national park – a volcanic range that juts out of the plains about an hours drive from Narrabri. It’s a steep and narrow drive to the peak, but well worth it with spectacular views across the region.
First stop was Doug Sky lookout.
And then on to the peak of Mt Kaputar.
Next stop was Dawson’s Spring where we did a short nature walk and met some locals.
We then headed off to Sawn Rock, about an hour and a half drive to the other side of the national park. After a picnic lunch we took the short walk to the viewing platform where one of the best examples of volcanic organ piping is on display. The Rock is shaped like layers of perfectly formed crystals, looking very similar to organ pipes – hence the name.
And then it was back to camp to plan our next stop and have a roasted rack of lamb for dinner.
