Today was all about Canowindra. It started off with a long walk through the historical main street, known as bendy street. Many of the older buildings are still there. The town started in the 1850s but was hampered by a lack of a bridge across the Belubula River. Gold was discovered nearby but not here. Ben Halls gang took over the village for three days in 1863. Apparently each April there is a national ballooning festival which attracts international competitors. There would be fabulous views from a balloon.
The backpackers left with their car packed to the hilt. They'd bought it for $100 and then had to put it over the pits and re register it (a familiar story, they were German). Seems to be a few social problems in the town, guess like any community.
In the afternoon we went to the "Age of Fishes" museum. This houses one of the worlds greatest fish fossils deposit, discovered locally in the 1950s. A mass fish kill happened some 360 million years ago in a geological period called Devonian. This was long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth. One specimen an air breathing fish, has been called Canowindra grossi. There is debate as to why so many fish died in such a short time but two possibilities are: a slow drought trapping the fish in shallow water or a natural catastrophe which suddenly drained the water away. So far 3700 fossil fish have been recovered but many more are waiting excavation.
Finally we went for a drive to find the site of the gold discovery at Moorabell and found Blue Jacket Lookout. Needed my blue jacket as it was freezing but the 360 degree view of hills and mountains in every direction made it worth while. And the sunset was OK too.
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| Not the most scenic drive to the lookout |
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| Nice sunset |
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