An 1873 journey from Tamworth to Bingara
HISTORY NOTES – 5 June 2024
Margaret Currell is taking a break for this week and catching up with her own family history!
This weekend – the long weekend – promises to have a great line-up of stalls on Saturday 8th June for the Historical Society Markets! Bring your coat to keep out the cold wind so you can enjoy the stalls including cakes and biscuits, herbs, jams and pickles, pottery and plants, candles, handmade toys and dolls, honey and gift wares, poultry and eggs, and materials and books. I understand our fine musicians from the Edward Street Trio will be performing for our entertainment as well. A first – I think – for the markets – will be live poultry for sale!
We are coming up to the Kings Birthday Weekend. We have seen photos from other towns of extravagant celebrations for Queen Victoria’s birthday in the 19th century, but we couldn’t find any records for Barraba. Does anyone know of any?
We have again come across one man’s story of travelling from Tamworth to Bingara by coach (and all his life-threatening adventures) in 1873. Perhaps a little comparison – At present, the Countrylink Coach travels Inverell - Bingara – Tamworth and return six days a week. The Tamworth – Bingara trip takes about two hours – a pretty comfortable journey on the Fossicker’s Way.
In 1873, as recorded in the “Australian Town & Country Journal” Saturday 15 February 1873, it was an epic journey and somewhat less comfortable. Some quotes from this lengthy article :
"All ABOARD" the good coach " Terror " (Chaffey's Royal Mail), was the salute one morning last week, about 3 o'clock (3 am), the moon shining in all its brilliancy ….
….. The next apology for a township we next reached was Barraba, sixty miles from Tamworth, where we arrived at about 2.30 p.m., which, considering the roughness of the roads, the horrid wheel ruts, some of them two and three feet in depth, the boulders, &c, was not bad travelling…….
……We did not remain long at Cobbedah, having to reach if possible, the next accommodation place for a relay of horses before dark, some twelve miles further. This was accomplished, but the evening closing in with almost impenetrable darkness it was thought, advisable to camp until the rising of the moon before penetrating the bush any more. We did so after partaking of “billy" or two of bush tea and some damper, then despite the heavy dew falling managed to wile away the time until midnight, when preparations were made for another start…..
…. When we reached Bingera or Hall's Creek (the next morning), a feeling came over me of gratitude to the Great Creator that we were near to a place -place I say - where soap and water, damper and onions, tea, and fresh fish was to be found…….
The journey Tamworth to Bingara in 1873 by coach took over twenty-four hours – and it appears, according to this correspondent, the passengers were lucky to survive! We will leave the details of the obstacles they had to overcome to a later “History Notes”.