{"id":3975,"date":"2015-08-15T21:38:48","date_gmt":"2015-08-15T12:08:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.redzaustralia.com\/?p=3975"},"modified":"2020-08-19T20:13:52","modified_gmt":"2020-08-19T10:43:52","slug":"australian-country-towns-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redzaustralia.com\/2015\/08\/australian-country-towns-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Aussie ABC: T is for Towns Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Bedourie<\/a>
Bedourie Landscape, Queensland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ever wondered what’s out beyond the urban areas where nearly 90% of the Australian population live? There’s a LOT of wide open spaces, a LOT of natural attractions \u2013 and a LOT of TOP Aussie Tiny Towns with TERIFFIC Tourist Attractions!<\/p>\n

The Australian Country Towns in the ABC-within-my-bigger-ABC might be small, but there’s all got something to see that you possibly won’t see anywhere else!<\/p>\n

If you haven’t seen them, check out what you’re missing in the first instalment of A-M below \u2013 click on the town name for more information \u2013 \u00a0N-Z is right HERE<\/a><\/strong>!<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The White Bull, Aramac, Queensland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Aramac, Queensland<\/a><\/h4>\n

If not for the distinctive White Bull, stolen with 600 cattle from Bowen Downs station near Aramac \u2013 still a grazing town \u2013 by bushranger and bovine burglar Harry Readford, he might not have been tried after his otherwise historic cattle drive 800 miles south.<\/p>\n

Even so, Harry was acquitted! Aramac was named in typical Aussie fashion for Robert Ramsay MacKenzie who carved his initials ‘R R Mac’ into a tree. Geddit?<\/p>\n

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\"Bedourie<\/a>
Bedourie Oven memorial, Bedourie, Queensland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bedourie, Queensland<\/a><\/h4>\n

It’s not just the awesome natural hot springs bathing pool right next to the campground or the bi-annual camel races. Bedourie \u2013 between Boulia with its pieces of Skylab and Birdsville with its iconic race meet \u2013 has its own unique piece of Australiana to boast about!<\/p>\n

The Bedourie Oven \u2013 a clever contraption for cooking over campfire coals started here and took Australia by storm!<\/p>\n

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\"Charlotte<\/a>
Charlotte Pass from Ski Lift, New South Wales<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Charlotte Pass, New South Wales<\/a><\/h4>\n

Australia’s coldest temperature ever \u2013 minus 23 C \u2013 was recorded at Charlotte Pass, at 1765 m Australia’s highest permanent settlement, in the shadow of Mt Kosciuszko, which at 2228m is Australia’s highest mountain!<\/p>\n

Just off the old road to the summit, Charlotte Pass is within walking\u00a0distance of the top peak in OZ \u2013 how many other towns in the world can boast THAT?<\/p>\n

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Dadswells Bridge, Victoria<\/a><\/h4>\n
\"Big<\/a>
Big Koala, Dadswells Bridge, Victoria, Australia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The tiny Victorian settlement of Dadswells Bridge, at the tip of the Southern Grampians, celebrates Australia’s favourite icon with a vengeance. Sam the BIG Koala had a facelift and make-up job since this dour photo was taken \u2013 now there’s a gift shop, tavern, ice-creamery, caravan park and a REAL Koala Zoo!<\/p>\n

BUT … Big Sam’s concrete embrace gives ‘cuddle a koala’ a whole new meaning!<\/p>\n

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\"Eromanga<\/a>
Eromanga Distance Sign, Queensland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eromanga, Queensland<\/a><\/h4>\n

It’s not Australia’s geographic centre, but via a complicated (and arguable!) calculation, Eromanga is furthest from the ocean \u2013 and ergo, so are the service station, pub, caravan park and so on!<\/p>\n

The excellent museum (furthest from the sea) is just up the road from the opal-studded miners monument (furthest from the water) in the travellers rest stop (furthest from the coast).<\/p>\n

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\"Falls<\/a>
Falls Creek and Ski Lifts, Victoria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Falls Creek, Victoria<\/a><\/h4>\n

It’s not Australia’s highest town (see Charlotte Pass above) nor does it have Australia’s highest body of water (that’s Lake Cootapatamba near Mt Kosciuszko), but alpine ski resort Falls Creek is the next best thing.<\/p>\n

Near Mt Bogong, highest mountain in Victoria, it’s also got Rocky Valley Lake, at 1600m Australia’s highest significant body of water \u2013 and one of its few lakes to be used for both winter and summer sports!<\/p>\n

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\"Gundagai's<\/a>
Gundagai’s Dog on Tuckerbox Memorial, New South Wales<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gundagai, New South Wales<\/a><\/h4>\n

A funny thing happened on the Road to Gundagai, although details vary by account \u2013 but a statue of a dog who, some say, did something nasty in his master’s Tuckerbox could surely only happen in OZ!<\/p>\n

Often referenced in Aussie folklore, Gundagai claims Australia’s oldest bakery (still operating \u2013 YESSSSS!) and a miniature Baroque Italian palace carved, ironically, by Frank Rusconi who also did the honours for the Dog-on-the-Tuckerbox statue’s base!<\/p>\n

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Humpty Doo, Northern Territory<\/a><\/h4>\n
\"Fogg<\/a>
Fogg Dam Wetland via Humpty Doo, Northern Territory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Only 40 km from Darwin, this small town is home to the Adelaide River Floodplain and nearby Fogg Dam, both parts of a world renowned wetland system.<\/p>\n

There’s also the BIG Boxing Crocodile, the well known Humpty Doo Hotel and a Reptile World with 300 kinds of snake! But wouldn’t you want to visit Humpty Doo just for its name?<\/p>\n

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\"Isisford<\/a>
Sign at Entrance to Isisford, Outback Queensland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Isisford, Queensland<\/a><\/h4>\n

It’s no secret how Isisfordians feel about certain state government decisions \u2013 their sentiments are displayed on the town entrance sign.<\/p>\n

But Isisford is better known for the the Mother of all Crocodiles \u2013 a fossil found on a nearby property that is ancestor to all modern crocs. You can decide which attraction is the most scary over a drink at the Clancy of the Overflow Pub!<\/p>\n

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\"Ned<\/a>
Ned Kelly Tribute – Bread Tin Ned – Jerilderie NSW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jerilderie, New South Wales<\/a><\/h4>\n

One of the more bizarre tributes to Aussie legend and outlaw Ned Kelly is a statue made of bread tins at (of course!) the Jerilderie Bakery.<\/p>\n

Ned held up the Post Office and wrote his manifesto (known as the Jerilderie letter) here, but if you like your attractions a little less controversial, cross the road for Steel Wings \u2013 the only two windmills of their kind in the world!<\/p>\n

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\"The<\/a>
The Red Devil at Minlaton, near Koolywurtie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Koolywurtie, South Australia<\/a><\/h4>\n

Raised on a Koolywurtie farm, Captain Harry Butler, a decorated World War 1 Ace pilot and aviator, made the first Southern Hemisphere over-water flight in 1919 across St Vincent’s gulf from Adelaide in his Bristol monoplane, the Red Devil.<\/p>\n

Believed to be the only original plane of this type left in the world, the Red Devil is on permanent display in nearby Minlaton, where there’s also a mural, memorabilia and museum with information about his life.<\/p>\n

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\"Woolmers<\/a>
Woolmers Estate, Longford, Tasmania<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Longford, Tasmania<\/a><\/h4>\n

Two Australian Convict World Heritage listed sites jostling for position, and a town awash with fine examples of Georgian architecture puts Longford firmly on the heritage trail.<\/p>\n

Built by free convict labour, Woolmers and Brickendon Estates offer a fascinating glimpse of Australia’s colonial history. But if all that history’s a bit much, chill out in the Woolmers Rose Garden, with 460 varieties!<\/p>\n

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\"Brumby's<\/a>
Brumby’s Run, Nullarbor Golf Links, Western Australia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Madura, Western Australia<\/a><\/h4>\n

Crossing Australia from West to East (or vice versa) via the Nullarbor takes WAY more than a day. Luckily, the small community of Madura, 1253 km (779 miles) east of Perth has everything travellers need.<\/p>\n

As well as a range of accomodation, fuel, food and a swimming pool, Madura is home of the Walers \u2013 cavalry horses used by the British Army. And it’s also home of Brumby’s Run \u2013 Hole 9 of the Nullarbor Links Golf Course which, at 1365 km is longest in the WORLD!<\/p>\n

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And on that happy note, that’s the end of Part 1 of my Aussie ABC: T is for Tiny Aussie Towns with Terrific Tourist Attractions!<\/p>\n

\"Red<\/a>
Red and the Red Devil, Minlaton near Koolywurtie, South Australia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Have YOU got a favourite Australian country town? Tell all below!!<\/p>\n

And if you want to start visiting Australia’s AWESOME country towns here’s the lowdown on cheap flights<\/a> to get you started!<\/p>\n

Want MORE?<\/h3>\n