550km today through the South Western Slopes Biogeographic region of New South Wales.

Sheep west of Cowra. These guys couldn’t break into the next paddock. There was no battering ram.

Angus with four mates…all called Angus too.

Grenfell main street

Grenfell’s favourite son is Henry Lawson. On meeting this lovely young lady, Henry recited a poem:

When the Ladies come to the Shearing Shed

‘The ladies are coming,’ the super says; To the shearers sweltering there,
And ‘the ladies’ means in the shearing shed : ‘Don’t cut ’em too bad. Don’t swear.’
The ghost of a pause in the shed’s rough heart, And lower is bowed each head ;
And nothing is heard, save a whispered word, And the roar of the shearing-shed.

The tall, shy rouser has lost his wits, And his limbs are all astray ;
He leaves a fleece on the shearing-board; And his broom in the shearer’s way.
There’s a curse in store for that jackaroo; As down by the wall he slants —
And the ringer bends with his legs askew; And wishes he’d ‘patched them pants.’

The Big Gold Pick and Pan at Grenfell. That is getting tooled up! Grenfell is one of the large number of towns in the central west of New South Wales that had its beginnings in gold mining. In 1866, a shepherd discovered a gold bearing quartz outcrop. Within some weeks,the population exploded. The town was proclaimed in 1867 and in two years over 40,000 ounces of gold was produced making it one of the richest gold fields in NSW during this time.

Grenfell silo art – showcasing primary industries and the nearby Weddin Mountains.

Bird Art at Caragabal – a wonderful community project capturing the spirit of the village. The town has a Camp Oven Cookoff and Sheep Race Festivals during the year.

The roadside was lined with masses of paper daisies.

This aeroplane could do with a Red Bull drink. The Douglas DC3 Dakota in the Lions Park at West Wyalong. Built in 1943 in Oklahoma City, the plane was donated to the West Wyalong Lions Club. DC-3s were produced until the end of the war in 1945.

The Royal Hotel at Grong Grong – well we’ve been to Baw Baw, Bli Bli, Boonoo Boonoo, Gin Gin, Millaa Millaa, Obo Obi, Tilba Tilba and Wagga Wagga so we can add Grong Grong to the list. Grong Grong is an Indigenous term meaning “very bad camping ground”. This should really bring in the grey nomads, (cue the music), “As long as it’s free…as long as it’s free…..”

The Big Playable Guitar at Narrandera – at 6m long, it is the largest playable guitar in the world. A person was once charged with damaging a guitar. At the hearing, the judge asked, “First offender?” The accused replied, “No, a Gibson first, then a Fender.”

Fretting about the chord changes.

The Tiger Moth Memorial commemorates the RAAF No. 8 Elementary Flying School established at Narrandera in 1940. Over the next five years during World War II, many pilots commenced their elementary flying training on DH82 Tiger Moth Aircraft.

There are cod botherers down here too! – the Big Murray Cod at Tocumwal near the Murray River. If you follow my blog, big things of these fish are found in several towns in Australia. They cod have been more original.

The Murray River at Tocumwal – we soon cross the river, entering Victoria.

The Big Strawberry at Koonoomoo. Despite the brave front, the strawberry was sad and concerned. Its parents were in a jam.

Welcome to Numurkah – a town long on our list of places to visit.

Numurkah Hotel

The Numurkah Leader newspaper offices.

Country tourism attraction at its finest! The Shepparton Moo-ving Art made from a variety of moo-terials. They are found throughout the town. (Thanks SN)

An early form of mammal – cow from the Moo-rassic period of pre-history.

Cop this! An-udder addition to the Force.

A Moo-tineer

Not B1 or B2 but C2 – “Are you thinking what I’m thinkin?” “I think I am! – It’s Banana milk time!”

Captain Mooo-val – “Your life began the day it nearly ended. We found you with no memoory. We made you one of us, so you could live longer, stronger, superior. You were reborn.”

Strawberries and Cream – this cow has been to Sundae School.

Up there Cowzaly! ….. and a Skateboarding bovine – a cow-tastrophe about to happen.

Overnighting in Shepparton – Shepp to the locals.