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We acknowledge the traditional owners of Murrurundi land, the Kamilaroi and Wanaruah people.
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Contents 4
Michael Reid at Murrurundi
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W h y M u r r u r u n d i ?
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How to get there and why you’ll want to stay
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Where to find Michael Reid at Murrurundi
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See and Do
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Shop
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Stay
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Eat and Drink
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Around Murrurundi: North, South, East and West
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When to come
28 Contacts
30 Attributions
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Michael Reid at Murrurundi In 2006, having established successful galleries in Elizabeth Bay, Sydney and Berlin, Michael Reid and Nellie Dawes decided to complete their axis of art in the rural town of Murrurundi in the Upper Hunter region of New South Wales.
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Michael Reid Murrurundi Boyd Street, Murrurundi, Upper Hunter Valley, NSW 2338, Australia
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Why Murrurundi?
Three reasons. Firstly, there are more art and craft galleries and activities per head of population in Murrurundi than in Paris. Paint stains are fashionable; welding scars are a source of pride. Secondly, in Murrurundi you can pat a pony at the pub and almost every vista includes horses, sheep and cattle and even the occasional deer, kangaroo and wallaby. It’s important to take a break from looking at the magnificent views to check you are not about to step in manure. Lastly, Murrurundi offered an historic building and a family connection. Visitors to Murrurundi taking the New England Highway may catch glimpses through towering hedges and lines of London Plane Trees of a two-storey, late Georgian residence. This is Bobadil House, one of the oldest surviving buildings in town, constructed for surveyor Henry Dangar in the 1840s out of local sandstone. Originally named the White Swan Inn and later known as the Woolpack Inn it served as a Cobb and Co stagecoach post. In the early 1900s Bobadil House was converted to a private home for landholder John Sevil, his wife and 11 children. Today it remains in the Sevil family. John Sevil’s great-great-granddaughter, Nellie Dawes, is the current custodian. The restoration of the buildings and the garden has been a labour of love. In the 4.5 hectare garden dormant Agapanthus, Iris, Rosemary and Hibiscus were coaxed to flower again. New plantings of Acanthus,
Periwinkle, Hellebores, Hollyhocks, Violets and Japanese windflowers started to thrive and a thicket of self-seeded Robinia, Alder and Golden Elm trees grew up. As well as love, it also took time. The removal of 80 truckloads of privet and blackberry bushes took two years but revealed sandstone ruins of a convict cell block. Michael and Nellie saw potential to use this to establish a new art gallery to complement their galleries in Sydney and Berlin. A decade later, both gallery and garden are thriving. Leading Australian artists such as Adam Cullen, David Bromley, Noel McKenna, Robert Jacks, Chris Langlois, Paul Ryan, Lucy Vader and Sally Gabori have mounted solo exhibitions there and it also serves as an incubator for emerging artists. The garden acts as an extension of the gallery showcasing various outdoor sculptures including mirror polished stainless steel works by Gregor Kregar that reflect their surroundings and catch the light. It provides the venue for exhibition openings, well-attended education days, and the ever-popular annual December Michael Reid Berlin Beach Club, a knees up held on three consecutive Fridays leading up to Christmas. Daele Healy, 2016
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How to get there and why you’ll want to stay Plenty of the locals have lived here their whole lives - why would you leave? The strong community spirit has only been enhanced by ‘blow ins’, including many artists. A popular tourist activity is window shopping for real estate at Bettington Rural in Mayne Street. Why not buy land and settle?
Easy to reach by road or rail the township of Murrurundi is a small but perfectly formed Lucy Vader landscape; a green oasis in the Upper Hunter nestled amongst hills, with a fascinating history and bright future as a thriving arts centre. After just four hours’ picturesque drive from Sydney, the sight of horses galloping in the green paddocks of studs like Emirates Park, signals that you’re almost there. Or, you can travel an hour south from Tamworth following the New England Highway as it winds down the Liverpool Range.
Come for the scenery, stay for the serenity, retire on the real estate savings.
Artwork above: Lucy Vader, The flexible perspective of perception, 2016 oil on canvas, 140 x 140 cm
Enjoy the landscapes, hospitality and vibrant arts culture and stay up late arguing about art and architecture or just gazing at an open fire. Pack a paintbrush - or at least a spare memory card. Every sunset is a Jason Benjamin (and a farmer tells us that the sunrises are also magnificent).
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Where to f ind Michael Reid at Murrurundi Turn off the New England Highway, go a very short distance down Boyd Street, and park your vehicle on the grass outside the gallery. Walk on in. Open (and close!) the pedestrian gate and follow the gravel path. On arrival you may be greeted by Stoker, Michael and Nellie’s chocolate Labrador and name muse for the Big Brown Dog coffeehouse where you will be rewarded with a special coffee blend.
Artwork (left) Catherine Hickson, Magnolia in Bloom, 2015 Oil on Linen, 100 x 1500 cm
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SEE AND DO Murrurundi’s character was forged in a history of cattle and sheep grazing and hospitality. It’s also famous for its association with bushrangers - Ben Hall spent his childhood here and one of Australia’s most famous poets, Judith Wright, describes the plains over the range as “wild and uncivilised, almost a legendary place; bushrangers had ridden there, hiding in the unexpected hills and valleys….tales of Thunderbolt had haunted the valley with excitement and alarm.” Oil shale rock, discovered in Murrurundi during the late 1800s was mined until the end of World War The ghostly remains of mining industry buildings can be glimpsed on the north side of town. A frontier town, Murrurundi was the last stop for the train in the late 1800s. The only public transport north over the Liverpool Range was offered by the mail and passenger delivery service, Cobb and Co. You can experience the bumpy intimacy of a stagecoach ride for yourself when the Royal Hotel rolls out its horse drawn Cobb and Co. carriage for the King of the Ranges Stockman’s Challenge and Bush Festival held annually in Murrurundi.
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Take a stroll through Murrurundi’s historic centre Many of Murrurundi’s attractions are on Mayne Street on the New England Highway. Take a stroll starting from the service station at the southern end. At Bacco’s Bakery you can pick up a pie or some of their renowned crispbread leaves. It’s an easy walk to the northernmost business, The Old Roadhouse, that stocks bales of hay and other genuine cowgirl accessories. Along the way you’ll pass several excellent cafés and if you wander a few streets away from the highway you’ll find old sandstone churches, convents, gaols and court houses.
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A good place to start exploring Murrurundi’s history is the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) in the middle of town at 113 Mayne St (Tel: 02 6546 6446). Open almost every day it also sells local crafts and produce and is home to the Community Technology Centre which offers WiFi and computer access. Within a short walk of the VIC are the Murrurundi Museum, Pioneer Cottage, RSL Memorial Hall and the sports arenas, Wilson Memorial Oval and Rosedale.
Leith Maguire, Descent, 2015 Ink on Paper, 30 x 42 cm
The Murrurundi Museum is housed in the former Literary Institute (1913). Stocks outside the entrance are a reminder of the town’s first police station erected on this site in 1840 – a time when law-breakers could avoid a fine by opting for a few hours’ humiliation. Run by the Murrurundi and District Historical Society, the Murrurundi Museum is open at weekends from 10am to 1pm. An advance enquiry at the VIC can get you a private tour.
Opposite the museum is the old Methodist Church (1890) built of locally made bricks and the RSAILA Hall (1897) that became the RSL Memorial Hall after World War II. A memorial rose garden was opened in 2012. Volunteers run and maintain the Pioneer Heritage Cottage (1889), a time capsule of pioneer life in a tiny old slab cottage that once, incredibly, housed a family with six children. Originally built on the Alston property at Timor, it was donated by a descendant of one of the six children in 1996, relocated to the current site and restored.
Check with the VIC for opening times and book a free tour with devoted caretaking twins, Carmel and Gwen. Donations towards the cottage’s upkeep are accepted at the nearby wishing well. Further north, on the corner of Mayne Street and Murulla Street is The Royal Hotel (1863) where Cobb & Co. stagecoaches changed horses at the old sandstone stables to the rear until 1867. Opposite the hotel is the Swinging Bridge, a popular spot for wedding photos. Continue up Murulla Street to view the old gaol and courthouse (1860) built on the site of the original 1842 courthouse. The sergeant’s residence was added at the southern end during the 1890s.
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Find your way South to Mount Street to see St Paul’s Anglican Church (1870s), commissioned by the ancestors of Nobelprize winning novelist Patrick White, designed by noted colonial architect John Horbury Hunt and built of local sandstone You can find service times on the church’s Facebook page.
Trainspotters will want to visit Murrurundi railway station (1872) in Victoria Street and view the daily trains in and out of Murrurundi from the high pedestrian overpass or take a scenic train journey to and from Murrurundi. Train services to and from Murrurundi information: nswtrainlink.info
Bushrangers are part of Murrurundi’s history. The first block of land to be purchased in Haydonton (the original name of the southern part of Murrurundi) was purchased by ex-convict Benjamin Hall, father of one of Australia’s best-known bushrangers, Ben Hall. The family’s original slab cottage (1842), where Ben Hall spent much of his early childhood, was located near the corner of Mayne and Adelaide streets. Also on Hall’s original block is ‘Rosebank’ (1889) at the corner of Adelaide and Liverpool streets. You can find the grave of Ben’s mother Eliza Hall (d.1869) in the cemetery behind St Joseph’s Church in Polding Street. In 1860 the original small wooden chapel (1841) was replaced with a sandstone church where services are still held today. The cemetery also contains the tombs of town founders Peter Haydon (d. 1842) and Thomas Haydon (d. 1855). Also in Polding Street is Murrurundi House (1880), a stately twostorey structure built as a convent for the Sisters of Mercy with a former Catholic school next door. Both are now privately owned.
Artwork (above): George Feather Lawrence, Old House, Murrurundi, 1950 Oil on Board, 26 x 34 cm
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Watch sport, swim, play golf, take a hike, have a picnic Watch cricket and Rugby League football (go the Mavericks!) at Wilson Memorial Oval in the centre of town opposite the Visitor Information Centre. Behind the oval are tennis courts, the public swimming pool and Rosedale – the centre of equine activities on many weekends of the year. Drop by to watch pony clubs, barrel-racing or the town’s biggest event, the annual King of the Ranges Stockman’s Challenge. Just a few minutes out of town on Paradise Road you can play a round at Murrurundi Golf Course. It may not do much for your handicap: the putting ‘greens’ are oil sand (you rake them) but there is a tee on a small cliff and if you can get any drive behind it, that ball will soar. What does the score matter when the only spectators are kangaroos and the greens fee is $5? The club house is only open for functions so remember to bring your own refreshments. A few minutes further down the road, have a picnic at Paradise Park. If you are wearing sensible shoes, try the steep walk through the rock formation Eye of the Needle finishing at a dramatic cliff top view of the town – take parasols to pose for “Picnic at Hanging Rock” photos.
Above: Sophie Gralton, Girl in Strident Pink (Imaginary Pony 4), 2015 oil, mixed media on canvas, 104 x 104 cm
Explore the riverbank
Artwork: Catherine Hickson, Blue bottle IV, 2015 oil on board, 35 x 30 cm
Determined trekkers can follow the Pages River, with public land on one side or the other, as it winds through Murrurundi. Upstream it is the source of the town’s water (except during the most severe drought). Sometimes it is a gushing torrent that can flood Mayne Street, sometimes it disappears under the riverbed, not visible but still flowing on to the Hunter River. Keep an eye on where you tread and wear sensible shoes as there may be poisonous snakes around. Top - and safest - spots to view the river are the Café Telegraph, the Swinging Bridge on Murulla Street and Arnolds Bridge on the New England Highway. From there wander over for a closer look at the dozen colourful metal banners erected by the community to celebrate the riverbank in designs of local flora and fauna.
SHOP
Throughout the town, small shops offer handicrafts, clothes, furnishings and homewares with an eclectic range of original creations, upcycled and pre-loved goods. Although not all of them are open every day, most are open at the weekends.
Dooley’s
Stone & Co Vintage Interiors
Jute and Honey Upholstery
60 Mayne St Tel: 02 6546 6105
75-77 Mayne St (near the bridge) stoneandco.com.au Tel: 02 65466874 or 0404 615 348
147 Mayne St (opposite the Royal Hotel) facebook.com/juteandhoney Tel: 0409536644 or 02 6546 6053
Elegant vintage furnishings and homewares. Sole stockists of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.
Upcycled furniture, homewares and décor with a retro country charm.
Boho Banjo
Adawn
69 Mayne St pearlredmoon.com
69 Mayne St Tel: 0438 465 141 facebook.com/Adawnshop
Murrurundi’s general store Dooley’s first opened in 1872 and the current building in 1905. It has a classic grocery range, a bottle shop, assorted gifts and homewares and a café, Top of the Ranges. Open: Monday to Saturday; Sunday mornings.
Michael Reid Murrurundi Boyd Street michaelreidmurrurundi.com.au/shop Tel: 02 6546 6767 In addition to art work exhibited in the gallery there are art supplies, books, homewares, plants from the nursery and accessories - from beard oil to baskets. Goods are also available through the online store Open: Friday to Sunday 11am-5pm
Other shops and services Murrundi has a post office, newsagency, library, hospital, doctor, pharmacy and even a public phone box. There are a number of beauty salons and massage therapists, yoga classes, horse-riding stables, and art and craft workshops.
Wearable art designed and created by textile artist Pearl Moon.
Jewellery, clothes, and homewares.
King’s Collectables
Chicken in the Window
107 Mayne St (the pink house) facebook.com/KingsCollectables Tel: 02 6546 6539
New England Highway chicken-in-the-window.com Tel: 02 6546 627
Quirky and extensive range of collectables from beer steins to novelty salt and pepper shakers. Ask to see the adults-only cupboard.
Jewellery, sculpture and other original, heavy metal, cutting edge artworks plus take away coffee. Follow on Facebook to find out about pop-up live music and other entertainment. facebook.com/ ChickenInTheWindowGalleryStudio
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STAY Willow Tree Inn (15 minutes north of Murrurundi) New England Highway Willow Tree grazewillowtree.com.au Tel: 02 6747 7711
Murrurundi Motel 16-20 Mayne Street murrurundimotel.com.au Tel: 02 6546 6082
Valley View Motel 244 New England Highway valleyviewmotel.com.au Tel: 02 6546 6044
Railway Hotel Corner of Haydon and Adelaide Streets railwayhotelmurrurundi.com.au Tel: 02 6546 6220
White Hart Hotel 46 Mayne Street facebook.com/The-White-Hart-Hotel Tel: 02 6546 6242
Montana Cottage 18 Adelaide Street Tel: 0427 676 782 1880s cottage with three bedrooms. Self -catering. Pets by arrangement.
Runnymeade B&B Garden Studio Karralee Row Tel: 02 6546 6001
Pages River B&B Murrulla St. Tel: 02 6546 6730
Above: Danielle Tooley, Little Hartley, 2015 oil on linen, 46 x 61.5 cm
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EAT & DRINK Big Brown Dog coffeehouse Michael Reid at Murrurundi, Boyd Street michaelreidmurrurundi.com.au/visit-us/coffee/ Tel: 02 65 466 767
Haydon Hall 66 Mayne Street haydonhall.com.au Tel: 02 6456 6969 Gallery, shop and café open Thursday to Sunday 11am to 5pm.
The Big Brown Dog coffeehouse in the scenic garden of the gallery offers a special blend of Nicaragua, Ethiopia and Columbian coffees, combined to form a well-rounded and full brew. There’s also a range of coffee-related products available.
Murrurundi Bowling Club 131 Mayne Street facebook.com/Murrurundi-Bowling-Club Club Tel: 02 6546 6252 Chinese restaurant Tel: 02 6546 6532
Café Telegraph 155 Mayne St Tel: 02 6546 6733 Located in the former 1861 telegraph office this café offers great food and stunning views of the Pages River from its back courtyard. Only open at weekends for breakfast and lunch - you may want to stay for both. Licensed and BYO.
Graze Restaurant and Bistro at the Willow Tree Inn New England Highway Willow Tree grazewillowtree.com.au Tel: 02 6747 7711 Serves meat from its own prized herd. The middle of the restaurant features a viewing tank showing meat hanging to age. Vegetarians are catered for but mention when you book.
Get a drink, a Chinese meal and maybe a game of bowls at the only venue that still houses a one-armed bandit (poker machine).
Bacco’s Bakeries 13 Mayne Street baccos.com.au Tel: 02 6546 6822 Gourmet baked goods including cookies, muesli, pies and the celebrated crispbread ‘leaves’.
Aromas on Mayne 113 Mayne St (next to the Visitors Information Centre) facebook.com/Aromas-on-Mayne Tel: 02 6456 6300. Good spot to sit - inside or out - for breakfast and lunch, and handy to many attractions.
Nellibelle’s Cakes and Bakes 132 Mayne St facebook.com/Nelliebelles-Cakes-and Bakes Tel: 0437 144 555 Charming. A great selection of snacks and meals and open all day.
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The Pubs Murrurundi’s three old hotels - the Royal, the White Hart and the Railway - all have beer gardens and offer hearty pub lunches and dinners most days. It’s an easy tour around town to each of them Remember, one drink per pub is a ‘heritage hotel trail’, two drinks is a ‘pub crawl’.
The Royal Hotel 144 Mayne St royalhotel.net.au Tel: 02 6546 6036,
Railway Hotel Corner Haydon and Adelaide Streets railwayhotelmurrurundi.com.au Tel: 02 6546 6220
White Hart Hotel 46 Mayne Street facebook.com/The-White-Hart-Hotel Tel: 02 6546 6242
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Adam Cullen, one of the many artists to have fallen in love with Murrurundi’s charm
Left: Adam Cullen (1965-2012), Bull, 2010
AROUND MURRURUNDI: NORTH, SOUTH, EAST & WEST
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North
Liverpool Plains - Willow Tree, Quirindi and Wallabadah visitquirindi.com.au A short drive north from Murrurundi takes you to the Liverpool Plains where sunflowers, sorghum, corn and wheat create a colourful mosaic of pastures. Willow Tree is a pretty little village of arts and antique shops on the highway 18 kilometres north of Murrurundi. Staying at the Willow Tree Inn or eating at its restaurant Graze is highly recommended.
Just after Willow Tree is the turn off for Quirindi, home to a number of rural heritage museums including the Australian Railway Monument and Rail Journeys Museum. Take in a 360° view of the Liverpool Plains from the ‘Who’d A Thought It’ Lookout. The sign alone is a photo opportunity. Return to the New England Highway via Wallabadah and visit the First and Second Fleet Memorial Gardens. The storyboards include the names of every person in the fleet and also how many dogs, goats, sheep and cattle were transported. Near Wallabadah is one of the largest undisturbed areas of White Box forest left in Australia, a reminder what the area looked like before European settlement
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South
Wingen, Bickham and Burning Mountain Approaching Murrurundi from the south, near Wingen, is the turn off for Burning Mountain Nature Reserve, site of an underground coal seam that has been on fire for thousands of years. The walk takes about two hours and features amazing views (note: these are not romantic, marriage proposal views - it is hot and smells of sulphur). Revive at the Wingen Hotel, full of character and offering generous pub meals with expansive views from the veranda.
Between Murrurundi and Wingen lies Bickham fondly described by Judith Wright in her family history, Generations of Men: “at harvest the vineyard had swarmed with cheerful workers, cutting the grapes, loading them and bringing them in�.
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East
Blandford, Timor and Wallabadah Rock Travel east to Blandford and admire the ivy-covered St Luke’s Anglican Church (1880) then follow Timor Road for three kilometres taking a left turn into Scotts Creek Road. Head north for a further 16 kilometres to Wallabadah Rock, the plug of an extinct volcano. It covers about 60 hectares and rises 959 metres above sea level. Return to the main road and drive on to Timor to marvel at the Timor Caves, a series of subterranean limestone caverns, native plants such as ‘Black Boys’, fascinating rock formations and an attractive little church (1883) built of pit-sawn timber.
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West
Merriwa merriwa.nsw.au 100 kilometres west of Murrurundi is Merriwa, home of the Festival of the Fleeces held each year in June and several beautiful historic buildings. Nearby are Goulburn River National Park, a haven for native animals, birds and plants, and the Battery Picnic Area with its rock formation of cylindrical columns - like giant pencils - of cooled lava estimated to be around 35 million years old.
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WHEN TO COME Murrurundi and District Arts Council murrurundi.nsw.au The active Murrurundi and District Arts Council encourages and nurtures artistic pursuits. It runs the Murrurundi Art Prize every May, the Murrurundi Photographic Prize every September, and Opera Murrurundi every other November. For those who want to get their hands dirty (or at least stained) they also run art workshops with visiting and local artists.
Working Dog Trials April nswsheepdogworkers.org.au Wilson Memorial Oval, Murrurundi A fascinating battle of the wills between sheep, sheepdogs and trainers that’s been played out in Murrurundi for over 100 years. Surprisingly gripping and suspenseful as a spectator sport. Scone and Upper Hunter Horse Festival May sconehorsefestival.com King of the Ranges Stockman’s Challenge February Rosedale, Murrurundi kingoftheranges.com.au See champions ride bareback cross country, handle stock then change a horse shoe, boil a billy and pack a saddle in this prestigious competition of traditional bush skills. Watch campdraft (a horse and rider working cattle), listen to bush poetry and sample the market’s food. The finals on Sunday include a wild horse catch. Camping available
Eleven days of equine activities that showcase the Upper Hunter horse world. Includes the Horse Parade that closes the New England Highway for half the day.
Scone Cup May sconeraceclub.com.au People come in busloads to the picturesque Scone Race Club and a local half holiday is held in honour of the Scone Cup, the highlight of the carnival.
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Junior Stockman’s Challenge August murrurundi.nsw.au
A flock of sheep in red socks leads the opening parade in this weekend celebration of wool and country life that includes sheep dog trials, bush poetry and a whip cracking competition.
Run by the Murrurundi Pony Club (which also holds monthly events at Rosedale, Murrurundi). Events include a bareback obstacle course, the pack saddle, whip crack, stock handling, hoof maintenance and a cross-country obstacle race.
Aberdeen Highland Games First weekend in July Jefferson Park, Aberdeen aberdeenhighlandgames.com See the parade of marching bands and listen to the Chieftain’s Address that marks the official start of the Aberdeen Highland Games. There’s highland and country dancing, pipe band displays, strong man events with the Tartan Warriors, tug-of-war, egg tosses, three-legged races, and the Kilted Dash. Wear your tartan with pride.
Murrurundi Troop of the 12th Australian Light Horse Australia Day, 26th January Anzac Day, 25th April Beersheba Day, 31st October facebook.com/Murrurundi-Troop-Of-the-12th-Australian-Light-Horse The Murrurundi Troop of the 12th Australian Light Horse mount up regularly for public events including the annual commemoration of the Battle of Beersheba in Palestine on 31 October 1917, the momentous horse charge at the end of World War I.
28 Michael Reid at Murrurundi Boyd Street, Murrurundi, Upper Hunter Valley, New South Wales P.O Box 72 Murrurundi NSW 2338 +61 2 6546 6767 infomurra@michaelreid.com.au michaelreidmurrurundi.com.au Open 11am till 5pm, Friday to Sunday
Useful links: michaelreidmurrurundi.com.au upperhuntercountry.com murrurundi.nsw.au
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M i c h a e l R e i d S e e , D o, H e a r, E a t M u r r u r u n d i Written by Michael Reid Daele Healy Editor Emily Cloney Designer Mairead Gillespie Images courtesy; Jason Mowen Michael Reid Michelle Carpenter Kludas Mandy Archibald Sacha Fernandez Kate Ausburn Harry Rose James Carey visitnsw.com Aberdeen Highland Games Murrurundi Troop of the 12th Australian Light Horse Country Life Magazine
Published as a bespoke guide May 2016 Michael Reid Murrurundi Š
Contact Michael Reid Murrurundi Boyd Street, Murrurundi, Upper Hunter Valley, New South Wales P.O Box 72 Murrurundi NSW 2338 +61 2 6546 6767 infomurra@michaelreid.com.au michaelreidmurrurundi.com.au