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Route of the River Gum Tour

A trip into the outback showing fifteen places of interest.
  1. Western River.  In the Government Gazette of the 5th July 1879, Winton was gazetted as a town, with the Western River as part of the boundary.  During floods the river becomes many times wider and floods the lower sections of the town.
  2. Long Waterhole and Rodeo Yards.  Long Waterhole is a man-made waterhole, used during the Outback Festival as the site for the world crayfish derby, when the best of Australia's crayfish race for a A$3,500.00 purse.   The rodeo yards were built in 1978. World Champion Buckjumping rider Ray Herman often practised in these yards.
Mud Map : Route of the River Gum Tour
  1. Mistake Creek.  Scene of the murder of a little boy in the 1800s. The Cragg family bridge at Mistake Creek is named to honour the pioneering Cragg family who lived there until the 1950s.
  2. Western Picnic Race Club.  Started in 1921 after a successful polo and racing day at Wantalanya station.
  3. Red Creek.  Just after Red Creek, note the Gidyea trees, a species of Acacia.  It's a very hard wood, used extensively for rural fence posts and camp fire fuel. Aboriginals use Gidyea trunks to make boomerangs.
  4. 1894 Shearers Strike Memorial.  It was here that 500 shearers camped in 1894 when Winton was under martial law. This was the beginning of the foundation of the Australian Labour Party.
  5. Bladensburg Homestead Turnoff.
  6. Claypans.  Flat areas along these creeks are called claypans. Their surfaces are white, smooth and hard and do not support vegetation, except in the wet season. Rain falling onto the claypans runs into various waterholes. In the early days, cattle drovers herded their cattle over dry country by following storms, knowing that water would be trapped by the claypans.
  7. Engine Hole. A horse shoe shaped waterhole with white gums along the banks.
  8. Little Jump Up.  A jump up is a local term to describe this feature. Stop at the top and look back. It is amazing how far you can see because of the flatness of the country.
  9. Skull Hole.  Following the murder of a teamster near 20 mile, an aboriginal fugitive retreated into the Bladensburg hills. A Sergeant Moran, then in charge of the Winton police station, tracked the murderers and on being attacked dealt punitive measures to his assailants, climaxing in a final episode at what became known as Skull Hole, where the tribe was massacred by black troopers. During the wet season, skull hole is filled by a waterfall. Also in the area are wattle trees, caves, bats and strangely shaped rocks. Kangaroos are often seen in the gullies below Skull Hole.
  10. Bough Shed.  A popular picnic spot on Surprise Creek.
  11. Top Crossing.  A rock creek crossing ideal for swimming. During the rain, water swirls through the area and fills the waterholes until the next wet season. At sunrise or sunset you will see many birds and animals watering.
  12. Opalton Road Junction.  Turn sharp right for Winton or, if you have time, turn left and follow the Opalton Road through the Vindex Range for 12km to Logans Falls. This is very picturesque country but will add an extra hour to your trip.
  13. Winton - Jundah Road Junction.  Turn right onto the bitumen road and head for Winton.
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