WILCANNIA 2019 - New South Wales

[@ChuckyLad]

Grew up between Cobar and willcania (60s and 70s) on a cattle station. Travelled to Broken Hill a lot and always just straight through here. It is safe enough but dead as a door nail. My Grandfather is buried there (was a drover) - Charles Henry Roberts. The "mission" on the Cobar side of the bridge has a long and sordid history. Having said that, these places feel very familiar to me and its juust normal people struggling through life

[@lauriekibblewhite]

It's sad that once bustling communities with a rich history are allowed to fall Into a state of disrepair. Not enough votes out here for governments to invest their support. Thanks for your story. Cheers, Laurie.

[@mnj640]

Struggle is right. Came through Wilcannia,Bourke and a few other towns from Brisbane to Adelaide. Those folks are doing it tough

[@djpsha]

In 1998 me and a friend were backpacking around Australia for a year, working (nursing) as we travelled. When in Sydney we got a call from the agency asking if we'd go to Wilcannia for a couple of months. We'd never heard of the place but agreed to go, despite the agency telling us to ignore anything people say about the place. We travelled all over Australia during that year and for me personally, our time in Wilcannia was the absolute highlight of the year. This was a time when the Internet was only in it's infancy and mobile phones were rare. Happy times.

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Unfortunately, most hegative comments on anything, are based on unsubstantiated hearsay. Individual experiences differ according to who was where at a particular time, and whether they were in a known and proven trouble area. Wilcannia is a town with a long history, and it's architecture is generally superb. I'm pleased that you have happy positive memories of your time there. Cheers, Laurie.

[@ConcertGrande]

this is the way I would like to visit next time Down Under from village to village across your huge country I have the travel books, the maps and the hope to make my dream come true. Following the article in your national newspaper "come back darling" I discover Wilcannia. Thank you! My sincere thoughts from Brittany in France

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Let's hope that things improve quickly so that world travel can resume. Stay safe Brittany and thank you for dropping by. Cheers Laurie.

[@ConcertGrande]

@@lauriekibblewhite Thank you Laurie I will probably continue to travel with you in the meantime! A few years ago I did the Great Ocean Road so your travels give me inspiration but the distances are gigantic so it would take me more than a year to visit your country at length and more ... your videos are well shot and inspire to travelto travel. Sincerely yours

[@CowboyJojosAdventures]

Thank you for the tour we look forward to seeing this town on our road trip later this year.

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Enjoy your travels. Cheers Laurie.

[@mnj640]

Stopped in Wilcannia overnight heading to Adelaide from Brisbane. Drove into a motel there someone told me do not under any circumstance leave anything valuable in the car.

[@lauriekibblewhite]

@mnj640 unfortunately, the case in many places, city included.

[@classicscustomsandhotrodso600]

I went through Wilcannia in 1984 on my way to Newcastle. Hopefully not all the houses have bars on the windows. It wasn’t a pleasant place back then.

[@lauriekibblewhite]

@@classicscustomsandhotrodso600 It's a pity that it has the reputation that it does. It was an important town back in the day, and some of it's architecture is stunning.

[@Mannsy83]

How do you find dealing with locals? I'm from Sydney so am a bit worried they may hate outsiders

[@lauriekibblewhite]

It was a Tuesday afternoon as I recall, and there weren't many locals around. I did my thing and travelled on. Wilcannia does have a reputation, but who knows whether it is deserved or not. I have heard mixed stories from "dodgy" to "it's a wonderful place to stay". I have to say, I'd probably be more worried about Sydneysiders than the majority of people in the bush who are generally warm and friendly. LOL. Thanks for dropping by. Cheers. Laurie

[@gerardmcdonell5333]

@@lauriekibblewhite Wilcannia people are friendly and happy to have visitors come through town,

[@DMSProduktions]

CAN you blame after HOW they were treated in 2020/21?

[@eazyrider6122]

If you ask for a key for the toilet at the roadhouse there. They give you a key with a chain connected to a batton. When my missus asked what its for they told her " You will work it out if you need to use it". Any town where the pub/ Hotel had to be barred up is a shit town. A young kid probably about 6 or 7 years old wiped his hand down the side of my car as i was leaving town at about 50 kph. He was walking up the middle of the road. I personally couldn't care to go back there. And ive lived in some rough minning towns around Australia. I can only imagine if i hanged around there i would have been locked up for some sort of bullshit.

[@lauriekibblewhite]

This is a town that evokes different reactions from different people. There are those such as yourself who have had a similar experience, and others who have had an enjoyable stay. I drove in (for the third time in 14 years), filmed what I saw, and drove on. I was at Whitecliff that morning (for the 2nd time in 14 years) and couldn't believe the difference ... different town, different vibe, different people. Thanks for dropping by. Cheers, Laurie

[@DMSProduktions]

Minning?

[@lauriekibblewhite]

@@DMSProduktions White Cliffs - opals. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6Xcp3uufbKGeas

[@DMSProduktions]

@@lauriekibblewhite LOL! Whoosh!

[@thies7831]

Did you visit on a Sunday ?

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Tuesday afternoon. Whitecliffs was rocking by comparison that morning.

[@thies7831]

@@lauriekibblewhite Great ! That town should boom with retirees. No stress. No traffic problems. Such a serenity ...

[@thies7831]

@@lauriekibblewhite Great ! This town should be buzzing with retirees. No traffic problems. No queues. No stress. That's the vibe ! Such a serenity ... (Tell'm he's dreaming)

[@drdubberruckie2346]

Don't stay too long it's not what it used to be👍

[@thies7831]

@@drdubberruckie2346 This planet is ruled by gravity. Anything that is "being dropped" WILL go down. It does take a bit more effort "HOLDING THINGS UP" and giving them a future. The recent COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney reaching to Broken Hill was another sad testimony of your advise. The 2 infected travelers started out in Nyngan, stopped in Cobar, but the next contact was reported for Broken Hill, about a 4 hours drive later - obviously having skipped Wilcannia ... Beneficial for them on the point of health, although not a pleasant testimony in dire economical times. Prejudices are easy spread, getting hope up and possible jobs is another, tougher, task. Even buying a cup of coffee / tea is a start in the right direction.

[@taukeinaiqoroqoro1602]

Am interested to visit Wilcannia this year 2022

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Let's hope that you are able to do that. Cheers, Laurie

[@johnturner5221]

Hi Laurie. Great reviews. I was working for an exploration company in the 90's at various locations around Broken Hill. We were instructed never to stop anywhere 40 klms either side of Willcania. One of our crews stopped at the Darling River Camping area for the night and had their Toyota FJ55 stolen. Another crew stopped in town and ended up in a very nasty fight with the locals trying to steal their truck. Probably the saddest town in Australia. Great shame. If it was up to me I would convert it into a penitentiary. Keep up the great reviews. At least your camera is in focus all the time. Safe travels.

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Hi John. There have been mixed reviews about Wilcannia's reputation. I can only tell what I saw and experienced. Thanks for commenting. Cheers, Laurie.

[@bambisamba3043]

Can you locking Theo

[@lauriekibblewhite]

?

[@DMSProduktions]

LOL!

[@DMSProduktions]

HOWVER, places like Brewarrina & Walget are not much better!

[@craigoOZ]

Keep telling the truth! Let the city people know what it is really like.

[@mnj640]

You're so right. These towns and people are struggling for survival. Rental and house prices everywhere are forcing the not well off into these towns as well

[@DMSProduktions]

@@craigoOZ Indeed! Been there, saw it myself!

[@markmathews6876]

You can see from the beautiful old architecture that Wilcannia was a thriving town in the days(Reschs beer started here) when River boats were the only connection to the coast , the Sydney money couldn't get the railroad out to Bourke quick enough , it got to Bourke in the late 1890's & by the early 1900's the river was dead & all the wool, stock & copper etc went to Sydney , Melbourne & Adelaide had to suck eggs ,

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Hi Mark. When you see the height of the jetties all along the rivers, one wonders where all the water went ... bleeding the river didn't help I am sure. The architecure is lovely in Wilcannia, of that there can be no argument. I've been through there a few times now - I think I got a really quiet Tuesday when I filmed this. Thank you for commenting. Cheers, Laurie

[@rhettcorbett3346]

Is that a ghost town ? Think is saw about 9 people. We stopped there recently to get fuel. And keep going. Nice FG Falcon in front of Police station. Stick to the main road.

[@clearancemcjagger8350]

Hottest shot hole ever 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Marble Bar gives it a run for hottest town ... 😁

[@jarnosaarinen4583]

More like Willcantyuh!

[@bas4903]

Lots of people doing it tough out there. Bourke isn't much better

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Hi BAS. Yep, but I see that they have revamped their supermarket now - community owned now I think. Cheers, Laurie

[@SuSmallville]

Why don't the Chinese just buy land here and redevelop? lol

[@DMSProduktions]

Sorry, their virus already did ENOUGH damage there!

[@mbaker8754]

Go fast nothing go

[@johngardner545]

We would stop at Wilcania to feul up an get a burger at the servo just as you came over the bridge, i see it's not there anymore. This was in the late 70's on our way to Menindee Lakes fishing an camping, great memories ! Wilcania was always a bit dodgy though but is now DEAD What has happened to the river systems throughout the Murray Darling basin is CATASTROPHICALLY CRIMINAL. One would think the ENVIRONMENTALIST an EXTINCTION REBELLION etc would be all over it, but their full of BULLSHIT, too busy drinking soy latte an signalling their virtues to the World.

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Hi John. The servo/Restaurant is just over the river travelling west into town, just past Reid Street and the old post office. Might be different to what you saw in the 70's. Yep, the river systems and their management are a disgrace IMO. I travelled to Menindee in 2019, and was so disappointed with what I found had happened. Thanks for dropping by and commenting. Cheers, Laurie

[@DMSProduktions]

All sucked in BY a failed hobby farmer who BLAMED his failures on the climate instead of his own incompetence!

[@ChimneyJuice]

The only thing this town provides of worth is a sign out of town.

[@lauriekibblewhite]

Does have some lovely old buildings.