Today has been a wet and rainy day. It’s the weather that i thought we were getting yesterday. As a result, our outdoor activities have been somewhat curtailed but we still found some interesting places.
Just before we crossed the bridge to go to the NSW town of Barooga we came across Thompsons Beach. It is the largest inland beach in the Southern Hemisphere and is set in a beautiful location on the Murray River. It’s a very popular spot with towering river red gums and a broad white sandy beach. It has electric barbecues, a playground, and hosts plenty of activities like swimming, trail walking, beach cricket, volleyball, canoeing and fishing. You can even dine at the popular beach cafe (when it is open).
We then decided to head downstream along the river to the town of Tocumwal which has some very interesting places nearby. It’s a popular holiday town with lots of accommodation options and attractive to people who want to fish for the famous Murray Cod; play on the town’s 36-hole golf course; swim, water ski, canoe or kayak up and down the meandering river or go bushwalking and birdwatching.
The Terminus Hotel is an impressive country pub although it is currently non operational and looking for a new lessee.
One of the main attractions is the local Aviation Museum. It is located at the large aerodrome that was built in WW2. The town became importance during the war years when the aerodrome was commissioned by the US Army Air Corps and constructed as the McIntyre Field heavy bomber base in preparation for a possible Japanese invasion of Australia.
The complex was the largest in the Commonwealth at that time. It had 450 buildings spread over 25 square miles with 114 km of roads interconnecting it all. There were four runways, each nearly 2 km in length. The demand for tarmac alone consumed the output of BHP for three months. The project cost £2 million and was completed within four months, with planes using the airstrip within five weeks. American forces moved to Tocumwal but only briefly as the situation in the Pacific improved and they then moved north to Queensland. The aerodrome then became the RAAF Station Headquarters for training Liberator bomber aircrews.
The museum houses many photos and memorabilia from those days along with around ten historic aircraft.
The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) Winjeel was a three-seat training aircraft designed and manufactured in Australia. This specific aircraft served in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as a basic trainer between 1955 and 1975.
The Cessna O-1 Bird Dog was a military liaison and observation aircraft. It was extensively used by the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Marines for missions such as artillery spotting, front-line communications, and medical evacuation, particularly during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
The exhibits feature a detailed model of the B-24 Liberator, the American heavy bomber used extensively during World War II. Tocumwal was a significant base for B-24 operations in the Pacific theatre.
We picked up some sandwiches for lunch and thought that we would head to the town beach and find a quiet spot with a view to eat them. What we didn’t know was that this beach was one of 25 tranquil beach sites in the area and is a favourite overnight camping spots. We eventually found a parking spot between two RVs with.a view over the river.
Before leaving Tocumwal, we made a quick visit to the local cemetery where seventteen war graves are placed in a lovely section maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
It was still raining gently so decided to drive up to the town of Finley and fill in some time. As we drove to the north, the rain became heavier.
The old railway area in the town is quite significant as an example of a rare and highly intact pioneer railway station, complete with yards, that shows the history and design of the first pioneer branch lines in NSW. The site is historically significant because of the way that it opened up the agricultural regions of NSW to commerce and communication in the late 19th century.
We leave here for home tomorrow, happy after our few days of relaxation and exploring.
