Day 5 Lightening Ridge to Dubbo

Today was a day of travelling! We left around 8.15 and it was only then that we realised that the campers at the Opal Tourist Park would need to drive to the amenities block!  Here they are on the outskirts of the park.



 Not much to see in this part of the Outback.

Plenty of emus, dad and kids but difficult to get a photo of the family.  Wheat is the main crop.

Some interesting black birds at morning tea, when we stopped in a rest stop.  Check out the longdrop toilet, to operate at night make sure the headlights are on.  Recommend you find a tree!

More bumpy roads and no communications for most of the drive.  

Lunch stop was Gilgandra.  On the side of the road, and next to Hunter Park.  Lovely park, with some very large gum trees lining the walk to the toilets.  A word of warning they were filthy, and the doors had no latches.

We arrived at Dubbo, and while Dennis checked into the Big 4, we three went to the Old Dubbo Gaol, located in the main street opposite Woolworths!  

The Banks of the Macquarie River, the gum trees are huge

Dubbo - wide streets

This might prove interesting, because I have left my 2nd great grandfather's details and all his aliases to see if he ever graced the cells, as there is a good chance he did.  The staff are happy to research their records. 

This gaol is not to be missed, if you are interested the lives of the early Australian settlers.  What horrible conditions they had in the jails in those days.  Some cells were totally in the dark, basically the crimes were often petty as compared to today's crimes.  Using foul language, meant wearing a gag, and spending time in the cell.  Overall it was extremely interesting, meeting some of the inmates, and learning about the gallows.

  

     

Poor guy tells his story, absolute darkness 24/7

 
 

  

 

  

The Prison hospital

 

 John's 5th great grandfather, Robert Jillett was twice reprieved at the gallows!

And Mary's was in a Debtor's Prison!

Tomorrow it is on to Bathurst for 5 nights!