Gundagai
Gundagai is an outback town that time forgot - and for good reason: a bypass was built in 1977 and now no-one seems to go there at all. Which is a pity, as there is plenty to see beyond the "Dog on the Tuckerbox" monument which lies well out of town. However it's probably thanks to the pioneers and bullockies of the tale that Gundagai exists at all, having formed the stock routes that made Gundagai both accessible and attractive for settlement.
The Gundagai Historical Museum recounts in detail how the town was built in 1938 at a crossing over the mighty Murrumbidgee River, and indeed it's might was so great that 14 years later the town was all but swept away by one of the largest natural disasters in Australia's history. A third of the population was killed, and it would have been double that if not for the rescue efforts of 4 brave indigenous men in bark canoes from the Wiradjuri people, who'd warned against settling so close to the river in the first place.
Following this and an even higher flood the next year, Gundagai was relocated much further uphill to it's current location, the steep incline of the hill evidence of the floodwaters power to cut through the landscape.
Tumut Railway Line and Hume Highway
In 1885 the railway connected Gundagai to Cootamundra, which involved the building of a magnificent bridge that spans the 900 metre Murrumbidgee flood plain alongside a wide timber and iron-truss viaduct - the Prince Alfred Bridge, once part of the Hume Highway and one of the longest bridges in Australia.
Both are marvelous examples of engineering - well over a century later both are still standing, although no longer officially in use, as much of the viaduct's wooden surface is warped and rotting (referred to in warning signs as "a managed ruin"), while the trains stopped running in 1983 after almost 100 years of service.
Having walked as far out onto the bridges as you are allowed, you can then turn and trace the steel tracks to the entrance of a cutting partially hidden by trees and bushes. Beyond you will find much of the line remains: the signals, the track, even the cutting is quite clear of obstacles.
The sides of this stone gully are high, and you are totally isolated as you walk through. Not knowing the layout of the town you would be forgiven for thinking you could walk along this secret path for many miles to the next town, but round a corner or two you'll come across a large square water tower, and beyond the fully restored Gundagai railway station, the longest timber railway station in Australia, looking exactly as it did when it first opened for business in 1886.
Niagara Cafe
Back into town you can step back in time amongst the old buildings and shops along the main streets, including the giant stone courthouse - built in 1859 but still looking brand new - and the Niagara Cafe, the interior of which doesn't seemed to have changed one bit since the 1940's (old photos on the wall really do attest to this).
Trip Information
390km from Sydney and 1.5km off the Hume Highway
On the Murrumbidgee - fish for Bream, Murray Cod, Red Fin, Trout and Yellowbelly.
Home of Frank Rusconi's 'Marble Masterpiece' and the 'Dog on the Tuckerbox' monument.
Related websites:
The Niagara Cafe saw Prime Minister John Curtin visit Gundagai in 1942, where he spent an afternoon there eating and conducting war strategy talks with his staff. The Niagara Cafe has one charming problem - electrical trouble, and as a result evening visitors may find themselves, as we did, spending a romantic super in the dark while the family owners locate candles and soothe their concerned grandchildren.
Rodeo
In November Gundagai becomes even more deserted than usual as the local and shire population descends onto the Murrumbidgee flood plains beyond the old bridges for the annual Rodeo. It's a comfortably relaxed occasion - you can mingle with competitors warming up their horses near the entrance, or work your way through the crowd and up the slope to the beer hut.
Looking down on the crowd and the arena with riders lassoing the necks and legs of cows, you'll realise every man, woman and child from the smallest baby to the oldest drunken brawler is in blue denim jeans. Even teenage girls out to attract in short shorts are wearing blue denim short shorts, the occasional goth compromising with black denim trousers at the most. Denim is the order of the day if you want to blend in, along with a decent hat and a can of Melbourne Bitter.
While the view is fine, head down slope - nothing beats sitting on the edge of the fence with a can of beer getting mud blasted over you as horses and bulls thunder by and kick the fence, sending shockwaves of sound up and down the wire. That's exactly where we found ourselves talking to a pair lads, their white cowboy hats stained brown with old blood from cutting off the testicles of bulls earlier that week.
Down there you can watch men throw themselves off horses to wrestle - yes wrestle - young cows to the ground, ride bulls and bucking broncos - truly spectacular though often short lived - and women driving their horses at top speed around barrel courses, horses spiraling in the dust, turning so fast their legs should buckle into the ground.
There's so many reasons to pull off the Hume Highway to Gundagai - catch the Dog on the Tucker Box on your way back out, don't be fooled - you're still 8km along the road to Gundagai!
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