ACCOMMODATION MURCHISON WA

Wooleen Station is a working cattle station in the outback of Western Australia dedicated to landscape regeneration and conservation. Your hosts, the Pollock family, will make your stay comfortable, educational and enjoyable in the National Trust listed homestead or the self-contained rammed earth guest houses. Wooleen offers eco tours with David out into the rangelands and the tours include: flora and fauna, early pioneering history, aboriginal culture, sustainable land management use, ecology and the peace and quiet of the ancient landscape. Enjoy a sunset tour to the oldest lands in the world, self drive trails, walk trails, mountain bike trails or even bushwalking to experience this wonderful station. The homestead includes thoughtfully appointed bedrooms, home-style cooking, and a cellar full of Western Australian wines, billiard room, library, swimming pool and an oasis of a garden. The property includes national trust listed woolshed, blacksmith shop and homestead as well as the 'Bower Bird Museum'. Wooleen is a place to relax, unwind and enjoy your holiday. They look forward to your visit.

Murchison is where you meet outback Australia - a land of wide open desert landscapes inviting you to experience life on working cattle stations the size of small countries and encounter wildlife in abundance. It's also your eastern gateway to the largest rock on Earth, Mount Augustus. Situated on the Murchison River, the small outback settlement of Murchison is a three and a half hour drive northeast of Geraldton. As the only settlement in the 'Shire with no Town', it's the hub of all local activity, home to the shire's sports club, museum, roadhouse and caravan park. With Murchison as your base, you can take a leisurely daytrip driving 20 minutes north to the striking rock formations of Errabiddy Bluff for a picnic or a challenging climb. Venture a little further to Bilung Pool and Wooramel River Gorges to picnic and take in the magnificent river views. Or head south to Ballinyoo Bridge, the second concrete bridge to be constructed in Western Australia and a popular watering spot for wildlife. For those seeking adventure, this is the gateway to the 11.5 hour trail to Mount Augustus National Park and the world's largest rock. Twice the size of Uluru, with a 860 metre high summit and 49 kilometre scenic base trail (four wheel drive only), it's an awesome sight and an extraordinary climb. Viewed from Emu Hill Lookout at sunrise or sunset, you can get snap happy as the colours change from cool greens and blues to golden glows. To complete your outback experience, why not stay a night or three at a working cattle station. Or base yourself in the settlement at the roadhouse, caravan park or camping grounds. If you're visiting after winter rains, you're in for a treat as the surrounding desert plains are carpeted in a sea of colourful blooms, from everlastings to acacias....

The Murchison Museum showcases the varied local history of Murchison and District. Murchison is the oldest European settlement on the lower Goulburn Valley. Its recorded history began in 1838 when the first of many pastoralists Hawden and Bonney, traversed the site on their epic cattle droving journey to Adelaide. Prior to this, the land had been occupied for ages by the Ngurai-illum tribe of Aboriginals. A reliable river punt crossing, then the first town bridge built in 1871 ensured the future growth of the town. Construction of the Trust pumping site near the town in 1885 and later the Goulburn Weir saw the beginning of irrigation. Many civic-minded residents worked to build a vibrant community in the ensuing years and many of its son's left for active service in the World Wars. During World War II the town serviced nearby prison camps. Murchison gained notoriety in 1969 when an ancient meteorite now known as the Murchison Meteorite, fell on the town. Many substantial facilities for sporting and cultural pursuits have been developed in the town through the years due to the efforts of dedicated and community minded residents....

During World War II, 4000 Italian, German and Japanese Prisoners of War were detained at Murchison. Those who died at Murchison were buried in the local cemetery but floods in 1956 did major damage to the graves. The Italian families in the municipality were persuaded by Luigi Gigliotti to pay for the building of a mausoleum - the Ossario. Luigi also convinced authorities to bury all the Italian Prisoners of War and detainees who died in Australian prison camps in the mausoleum. The Ossario is the home of mass celebrations each year around the time of Remembrance Day. The mausoleum, completed in 1961, is in Italian style. It is built of Castlemaine stone with Roman roof tiles, a campanile and an altar of Italian marble. Each year, on Remembrance Day, mass is celebrated before a large gathering. There is also an Italian war memorial and chapel. Elsewhere in the cemetery is the grave of King Charles Tattambo, the leader of the Goulburn tribe at the time of white arrival. He died in 1866. His son (the next leader) and widow were buried adjacent in 1874....

Heritage listed Thornebridge was built in 1868 as a Commercial Travellers Inn. Today she has been transformed into historic luxury accommodation with an unrivalled opulent restoration back to a bygone Victorian era, lavishly furnished with Victorian antiques and adorned with magnificent period lighting. The building commands centre stage nestled behind a magnificent heritage listed Plane tree on eight acres of river flats adjoining the Goulburn River with beautiful Victorian gardens. Each queen room offers luxury, space, privacy, quality linen, fluffy soft mattresses and will transform you into a forgotten time that you will not experience anywhere else. Thornebridge is ideal for that special occasion, an escape for the weekend, a weekend away with that special group of friends or family or just an excuse to get away. Situated just 90 minutes drive north of Melbourne it is the ideal place to relax and enjoy a monument to a lavish extraordinary period....