WEST of Griffith, at the edge of the great Australian outback, you’ll find the beautiful pastoral plains of Carrathool Shire, the town of Hillston and the villages of Carrathool, Merriwagga, Goolgowi and Rankin Springs.
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Winter is the perfect time to pay a visit to this part of the Riverina to check out some of the natural beauty and outback characters that call Carrathool Shire home.
At Hillston, you’ll find the uniquely named Red Dust and Paddy Melons Gallery and Visitors Centre, which showcases the paintings, sculpture and craft work of the Hillston Creative Arts Council, most of which is inspired by local flora, fauna and scenery.
There are also artworks around the town, painted by members of the Creative Arts Council that depict local landmarks and streetscapes. On the side wall of Rose’s IGA Supermarket, you’ll find a sepia mural depicting the main street in the late 1800s and in front of the Ex-Servicemen’s Club there’s a hand-painted map of the district.
Nearby in Merriwagga, you’ll find the Black Stump Hotel where legend has it the bar is the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere.
The oak bar was built in 1926 and reaches almost 1.3 metres tall. It is said to have been designed to allow patrons to order and enjoy a beer without having to dismount from their horses. The Black Stump Memorial is another local talking point, where visitors can discover the gruesome tale that gave Black Stump Country its name.
Carrathool Shire is also home to Willandra National Park where you can cycle, walk or drive through the various wildlife habitats of the Western Rivers region.
The area’s rich pastoral history can be discovered at Willandra Homestead, Woolshed and Ram Shed which are located within the Park.
Then there’s Corynnia Station, luxury accommodation and experiences on a 17,000 acre working sheep and cropping property around 100km from Hillston.
The homestead block at Corynnia consists of beautiful gardens, the five-star main lodge and luxury cottages.