We all complain about roads and transport, but progress really has been made over the years. Below is the opening paragraph of an article which was printed in the Bingera Telegraph in 1885. The article was extracted from the publication; Bingara … A Collection of Historical Stories, compiled by Bruce Batterham and published by the Bingara District Historical Society on the Sesquicentenary of the discovery of Bingara district by Allan Cunningham in 1977. It appeared in The Bingara Advocate again on September 19, 2012. It is a great read.
"Bingara Township in 1885
Bingara is situated about 350 miles north of Sydney. The best and usual route being by steamer to Newcastle, thence by rail to Tamworth and the remaining portion of the journey by Cobb & Co’s coaches, over a tolerably good road that passes through the townships of Attunga, Manilla, Barraba and Cobbadah. The journey is generally accomplished in about 40 hours; the steam boat, railway, and coach fares amounting to £4.13s first class and £3.17s.6d second-class fares.
Approaching the town one cannot help being struck with the singular beauty of the landscape, lofty mountains, fertile valleys, running streams and well-cultivated homesteads fill the beholder with admiration…"
The full article appears on The Bingara Advocate’s website: www.bingaraadvocate.com.au
