Catriona Rowntree visits country town Walgett, NSW, a special place in her heart
Welcome to what they call big sky country Australia, and the wonderful town of Walgett.
Catriona Rowntree takes time out to talk to the locals for a bit of a different story on a town that holds a special place in her heart.
Location:
Walgett, NSW
Info:
Blend & Co Cafe Ph 0448 031 739
Stones Throw https://stones-throw.square.site
Artesian Bore Baths www.walgett.nsw.gov.au
Open April - October
Info correct at 17.10.26
Highlights:
Walgett is a remote town in northern New South Wales, 650 kms from Sydney, and about an hour from its nearest neighbour, Lightning Ridge.
Walgett is an agriculture hub for wool, wheat and cotton. The proud rural community includes vast farming properties which help to feed and clothe the nation.
Catriona’s cousin, Cameron, is a fourth generation farmer, and he says Walgett is a resilient boom or bust town – always only six months away from a flood or a drought.
From humble beginnings in 1885, the friendly township has grown and changed over the years.
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The welcome addition of cafes has given local residents, mothers groups and visitors somewhere to catch up during the day.
At Blend & Co, the community enjoys good old country hospitality for breakfast,lunch and great coffee. The lovely modern cafe, Stones Throw, is also a gift store and is well worth stopping by for a tasty meal and a browse of their latest homewares.
For rest and relaxation, a soak in the public Walgett bore bath has the healing properties of magnesium, sulphur and calcium. The water comes from deep within the Great Artesian Basin and is approximately two million years old!
Natural pressure sends the water to the surface through an artesian bore with a temperature that hovers around 40 degrees celsius!
Walgett takes its name from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘the meeting of two rivers’, the Namoi and the Barwon.
The rivers are the lifeblood of the area and also provide recreational swimming, fishing and kayaking.
Catriona says visiting the outback community was a good reminder of the challenges farmers face, and how important they are to the rest of the nation.
