Tuggeranong Probus Club’s trip to Lightning Ridge
A Memorable Journey with Trade Travel By Valerie Sanders, Tour Organiser with Tuggeranong Probus Club
Tour: Sunday 8th - Saturday 14th September, 2024
Members of three Probus Clubs within the ACT joined the Tuggeranong Probus Club in a Trade Travel Tour to Lightning Ridge, exploring country NSW. It was one big happy group and there were many highlights on the journey. We travelled far and wide.
On our way to our first overnight stop we called into Forbes where we visited the awesome (literally) Mc Feeters Motor Museum, some of our members having “photo-shoots” in the magnificent vehicles that were all registered for jaunts along a road of choice. Over 60 exquisite vehicles, ranging from veteran to vintage through to classic and street-rod machines are on display. The museum attracts motor vehicle enthusiasts from every corner of Australia. Like fine art, the vehicles are lovingly preserved and showcased.
Some “hip” members got up close and personal to Elvis in Parkes, while others were content to wonder at the impact the Parkes Radio Telescope Observatory Centre had in our history.
Our visit to Dubbo included the Taronga Western Plains Zoo where we were delighted at the sight of the Rhino calf and its mum, tucked away within the huge rhino. enclosure. We had an entertaining and informed tour of the historical Dubbo Goal where we all shuddered at the stories and sights. Eight fit friends travelled down into the Wellington Caves, after which all of us rambled around the Dubbo Botanical Gardens which had a Japanese theme and was well worth the visit.
Our stopover in Coonamble included the Coo-ee Heritage and Visitor Centre and it was in Cilgandra that we viewed the very spot where the Coo-ee march began, a 515 km march, that left Gilgandra with 25 men on 10 th October, 1915, and arrived in Sydney on 12 th November, 1915 with 263 recruits.
Lightning Ridge is an interesting area, some intriguing tales, perhaps even some millionaires but we would never know, shhhhhh ….. Amigo’s Castle held a fascinating tale and the underground Chambers of the Black Hand held many surprises. A Cactus Garden had us bemused by the age, shapes and textures of the many plants. Who knew that a jade plant could be trained as a high border to a property?
Absolutely none of us (we think, though we won’t ever know) managed to pick up a stray opal lying within the cracking clay and gravel…..
Our dip in the Artesian Spa at Moree had us all sighing in absolute pleasure. Only 20 minutes at a time we felt was not enough. We all felt rejuvenated however, as we reluctantly climbed out of the pool.
So many sights and experiences, too vast to mention, but we all enjoyed the silo art of the areas we visited. Some country towns are still thriving , others are not.
We all had a good time and we saw parts of NSW that were a delight, driving by paddocks of canola in full golden bloom was one such pleasure.
Now, its time to plan for our next trip away in March 2025! We’ll see you there…… Valerie
