Cooee Marchers 1915

Gilgandra NSW 2827 (Pop 3 000)

Picture: Coo-ee marchers of 1915

Gilgandra is a pretty Central West township on the Castlereagh River 476 km n-w of Sydney. It sits at the junction of the Newell, Oxley & Castlereagh Hwys and is the gateway to the spectacular Warrumbungle Mountains. Original inhabitants were the Wiradjuri Aborigines who named the area meaning ‘long waterhole’. White settlement began in 1860s with the railway arriving in 1889. Today Gilgandra is publicised as the 'Home of the Coo-ees' referring to the occasion in 1915 when 35 local men decided to set off from Gilgandra on the first recruiting march of World War I. Having received no support from the Army the men walked 500 km to Sydney in six weeks, proclaiming their arrival in a town with the bushman's cry for help, 'coo-ee!'. They received much publicity along the way and arrived in Sydney, 263 strong. Coo-ee Festival (Oct).

Tourist Attractions & Info:
Gilgandra Observatory, cnr Wamboin & Willie Sts Newtonian reflector and refractor telescopes, a sundial & rock displays. Open (7pm-10pm) Mon-Sat and (8.30pm-10pm) daylight saving. Gilgandra Coo-ee Heritage Centre, Newell Hwy Open (9am-7pm) 7 days. A memorabilia museum celebrating the 1915 Coo-ee March and other pioneer and Aboriginal artifacts. Rural Museum, Coo-ee Memorial Park, Newell Hwy Open weekends and features a large variety of antique and pioneering farm equipment. Hitchen House Museum, Miller St former home of the Hitchen Bros who initiated the Coo-ee March with displays from both World Wars and Vietnam.

Nearby:
Gilgandra Flora Reserve (14 kms n-e) 8.5 ha of lovely bushland particularly between Sept-Nov when wildflowers in bloom. Always open and admission free. Warren (85 km west) located on the Macquarie River, popular for fishing, birdwatching and swimming. Warrumbungle NP (80 km n-e) featuring one of Australia’s greatest walks, the Grand High Tops track. Bushwalking, rock climbing and abundant wildlife together with spectacular scenery make this a must to visit.

Accommodation:
Gilgandra has 10 motels, 4 hotels, 2 B&Bs and 2 caravan parks. Visitor Information Centre: Coo-ee Heritage Centre, Newell Hwy. Tel (02) 6847 2045 or 1800 681 065.

Airport:
Dubbo Airport (DBO) Cooreena Rd, off Mitchell Hwy. Tel (02) 6801 4560. (65 km south). 

Hospital:
Gilgandra District Hospital, Chelmsford Ave. Tel (02) 6847 2366.