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Follow the Trail of a Fabled Bushranger to Discover the Dramatic Hill-Country and Charming Towns of New South Wales’ Thunderbolts Way

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Follow the Trail of a Fabled Bushranger to Discover the Dramatic Hill-Country and Charming Towns of New South Wales’ Thunderbolts Way Thunder Road Follow the trail of a fabled bushranger to discover the dramatic hill-country and charming towns of New South Wales’ Thunderbolts Way. WORDS Andy Tope 50 Winter 2018 Thunderbolts Way New South Wales New HE PACIFIC HIGHWAY is one of Australia’s River and the surrounding countryside. (Baxter’s Ridge Trail, Mares Run; barringtontopstourism. busiest roads for a good reason. The shortest link Nature and adventure lovers should com.au), a commemoration of the family’s bold achievement in between Sydney and Brisbane, it’s a practical route check out the Barrington Outdoor producing a road that drivers still enjoy today. At 936 metres, along the east coast of New South Wales. However, Adventure Centre (126 Thunderbolts it also offers the finest outlook of the entire route, a panorama T there’s another, prettier route which takes you Way, Gloucester; (02) 6558 2093; of green hills and endless blue sky, making it an ideal place to into the rugged Great Dividing Range, through quaint country boac.com.au) for canoeing, kayaking, stop and take in this beautiful country. towns and along the trail of the longest-roaming bushranger in mountain biking and abseiling day tours. Australian history — Fredrick Ward, aka Captain Thunderbolt. If you prefer more sedentary pursuits, Art and About Known as Thunderbolts Way, this 290-kilometre diversion visit Gloucester Gallery (25 Denison From the lookout, enjoy another 90 kilometres of wide, open links the towns of Gloucester, Walcha and Uralla. If you’re doing Street, Gloucester; 0425 203 877; landscapes before arriving at the tidy, friendly town of Walcha. the drive from Sydney to Brisbane, veer off the Pacific Highway gloucester-gallery.com.au), which Walcha lies at the gateway to the Oxley Wild Rivers National at Twelve Mile Creek — just past Newcastle — into The Bucketts showcases the work of local artists. Park, which has more than 1100 recorded individual plant Way. Follow this road roughly 80 kilometres to Gloucester, species — the most in any national park in New South Wales. ABOVE, where the meandering magic of Thunderbolts Way begins. CLOCKWISE Boarding the Thunderbolt For good food and coffee, dropinto Cafe Graze (21N Derby The next 92 kilometres of Thunderbolts Street, Walcha; (02) 6777 2409), which is popular with locals and FROM TOP LEFT TOP THREE PLACES TO Nature Calls New England Way, from Gloucester to Nowendoc, is visitors alike. Then stroll it off with a local art tour of theOpen SEE ALONG THE WAY Gloucester is one of the most pleasant towns in New South Brewing Co.; perhaps the finest stretch of ‘The Bolt’, Air Gallery, an exhibition featuring more than 40 sculptures DID YOU Carson’s Pioneer Lookout Wales, sitting at the doorstep of Barrington Tops — a UNESCO Gloucester Gallery; with steep hills, meadows, forest-clad created by Australian and international artists installed around Oxley Wild Rivers KNOW? This tribute to the incredible feat of engineering World Heritage listed national park. It’s also set in a charming National Park; food mountains and rows of deciduous trees. town. Pick up information on the town walk so you can visit all Roughly 90 that made the route possible offers magnificent valley at the junction of the Gloucester, Barrington and Avon and a brew at The Much of this section was pioneered of the sculptures at Walcha Visitor Information Centre (29W kilometres north- views over Thunderbolt country. It’s a great Rivers, making it an ideal base for outdoor activities. Alternate Root. by former Gloucester resident Eric Fitzroy Street, Walcha; (02) 6774 2460; walchansw.com.au). west of Gloucester, place to catch a sunset that shouldn’t be missed. Once you’ve arrived in town, head over to Perenti (69 Church OPPOSITE, FROM Carson (1913-1999), who convinced Other curious sights include Antipodean Tynker, in the Barrington McCrossin’s Mill Museum Street, Gloucester; (02) 6558 9219; perenti.com.au) for great TOP Canoe tour authorities to build a road across the Makers in Metal (32W Fitzroy Street, Walcha; 0413 016 806; Tops, DevilArk Uralla’s museum is thorough, of high quality with Barrington (Tomalla Station, and will enlighten and entertain guests with the coffee, healthy lunch options and homemade chutneys and Outdoor Adventure Great Dividing Range and supervised markwalkermotorcycles.com), a gallery of bespoke motorcycles Tomalla; (02) 4340 jams. If you can, time your trip to coincide with the Gloucester the project along with his sons, Max and and steampunk objects, as well as art made of recycled materials. history of the area and Captain Thunderbolt’s Centre; sculpture 8610; devilark.org.au) nefarious adventures. Farmers Market (Billabong Park, Denison Street, Gloucester; in the Walcha Terry. A 32-kilometre section of the road Finally, don’t leave Walcha without visiting the majestic is attempting to (02) 6538 5252; gloucesterfarmersmarket.com.au), held on the Open Air Gallery. was completed in 1961, taking three years Apsley Falls (Lot 7016 Oxley Highway, Walcha; (02) 6777 4700; save Tasmanian Apsley Falls second Saturday of each month, to taste superb local produce. OPENER, FROM to plough through some of the state’s nationalparks.nsw.gov.au), about 20 minutes’ drive east of town. devils from Slicing a dramatic rift through the countryside, LEFT Carson’s extinction via the these falls are some of the most spectacular To get closer to nature, stay in a timber cottage at Barrington Pioneer Lookout; steepest, most unforgiving country. Here you’ll encounter two falls in a spectacular setting, one largest conservation you’ll see. With several walks and barbecue Hideaway (312 Thunderbolts Way, Gloucester; 0413 536 141; Gloucester’s rural Sixty kilometres north of Gloucester plummeting 65 metres into a gorge below. Several walks are breeding program on facilities nearby, Apsley Falls is a must-stop barringtonriverhideaway.com.au) overlooking the Barrington landscape. you’ll findCarson’s Pioneer Lookout accessible from the campground adjacent to the falls. mainland Australia. if you’re driving through. 52 Winter 2018 Winter 2018 53 THE MAKING OF A LEGEND Five minutes It’s little wonder that with Kent Mayo Captain Thunderbolt Director, McCrossin’s picked this region Mill Museum to hide out. The captivating and Tell us a little bit often impenetrable Thunderbolts Way about the museum. landscape provided The McCrossin’s Mill the perfect refuge. Museum, opened Fred Ward was in 1982, is housed born in New South in a 148-year-old Wales, and in 1856 he flour mill which was was sentenced to 10 converted into a years’ hard labour on dynamic, innovative Sydney’s Cockatoo museum and Island for receiving New South Wales New function centre with stolen horses. beautiful gardens. In 1863, he and As well as offering a companion swam an insight into to freedom and fled the town’s history, north to the Hunter it’s also a popular Valley. He ended venue for weddings up in the town of and conferences. Rutherford, where What does the he robbed a man museum include? at gunpoint, calling The ground floor himself Captain features The Death Thunderbolt. of Thunderbolt A series of further artworks, a series robberies in the Local favourite The of nine huge oil New England district Alternate Root cafe. paintings by Phillip soon followed, until Pomroy, while the he was eventually top floor is devoted shot and killed by to the exhibition Constable Walker Thunderbolt, Life in Uralla in 1870. Captain’s Pick and Legend, an array Thunderbolt’s name A little more than 40 kilometres north of Walcha lies Uralla, of the bushranger’s quickly became etched in Australian the nerve centre of Thunderbolt tourism. McCrossin’s Mill weapons, plus other intriguing artefacts. folklore and served Museum (Salisbury Street, Uralla; (02) 6778 3022; uhs.org. Expert as the title for one au) will introduce you to the history of Captain Thunderbolt, Advice Can you share of the country’s with personal items and a series of striking paintings by some little-known finest roads. facts about Captain Phillip Pomroy. This must-see museum, which also showcases “No trip along Thunderbolt? Thunderbolts Way the region’s Chinese influence and gold mining history, was He was popular would be complete converted from an old flour mill. with locals, and without a stop at although there was Uralla boasts plenty of historic buildings, bookstores, good one of Uralla’s many a huge reward on pubs and cafes. Stop in at favourite local haunt The Alternate cafes for lunch or his head, he was Root (48 Bridge Street, Uralla; 0427 783 393). Housed in morning tea. It’s never betrayed to become a must-stop a 110-year-old building, the cafe serves up fresh garden herbs the authorities. He destination on the and vegies along with gluten-free and vegetarian options. had a partner — Northern Tablelands Indigenous woman To fully appreciate Uralla, stay the night at the where you’ll be spoilt Mary Ann Bugg — Bushranger Motor Inn (37 Bridge Street Uralla; (02) 6778 for choice.” and two children, 3777; bushrangermotorinn.com.au). Well priced and centrally Chris Sheppeard, and some saw him Room Illustration Maxim Savva/The located, the motel pays tribute to Australia’s most infamous Group Operations as a Robin Hood- outlaws, with each of the clean, spacious rooms named Manager, Tamworth type figure who after a bushranger. For lovers of locally crafted beer, stop City Toyota; cared for the poor. at the New England Brewing Co. (19 Bridge Street, Uralla; 311-315 Marius After seven years Illustration Street, Tamworth; (02) 6778 4781; newenglandbrewing.com.au) for a full- as a bushranger, (02) 6766 5008; Thunderbolt was flavoured, English-style brown ale. tamworthcitytoyota. shot dead in 1870. com.au.
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