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Tag: Central West

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Age of Fishes Museum

Groenlandaspis Skull

Age of Fishes Museum Canowindra

Driving north from Canberra, our trip took us through the small New South Wales town of Canowindra. Interestingly, the town has a museum dedicated to the Age of Fishes.

Fossils were first found in 1955 when roadworks uncovered a slab of rock with interesting impressions. This was later brought to the attention of the Australian Museum in Sydney. In 1993, a dig uncovered 70 tonnes of fossils containing over 3,000 fish. Dated to the Devonian period, the fossils are over 360 million years old.

The site is significant not only for the number of fish, but that they all died at the same time. It appears that a dry spell caused all of the fish to die, preserving the different species and their relative abundance. This is important because usually with the discovery of single specimens, it’s relation and abundance to other species is difficult to determine.

The Age of Fishes Museum

The skull of a giant armoured fish greets you on entering the museum. The modern museum building displays the best of the recovered fossils. Information boards explain the process of recovering and evaluating them along with their significance.

The condition of many of the fossils are not perfect, reflecting the environment they were preserved in. But this isn’t a museum with perfect exhibits picked from the best available worldwide. It shows what happened locally and the scientific value far outweighs their appearance.

Stored in a huge shed next to the museum, the vast majority of the fossils await future study. One large door was open, so we could see fossils stored inside. The information at the museum indicates that many more remain buried at the dig site possibly for recovery at some time in the future.

We enjoyed our visit here and were pleased that we stopped.

Groenlandaspis Skull Age of Fishes Museum
Groenlandaspis Skull
Museum Display of lobe-finned fish
Museum Display of lobe-finned fish
Fish Fossils Age of Fishes Museum
Some of the Fish Fossils on Disply
Fossil and reconstruction
Fossil and reconstruction
Fish Fossils Age of Fishes Museum
Fish Fossils
Comparison of the size of the fossils
Comparison of the size of the fossils
Storage shed full of fish fossils Age of Fishes Museum
Storage shed full of fish fossils

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Portland Silo Art

Portland Silo Art

Portland Silo Art

Located only 30 minutes north-west of Lithgow in the Central-West of New South Wales, the Portland Silo Art makes a great addition to any tour of the area. Unlike other silos, these are cement bins, rather than grain silos, representing the towns history as a cement producer.

Painted in 2018 by Guido van Helten the bins feature past employees of the cement works. Titled “The Foundations”, it pays tribute to the cement works and people who established the town of Portland.

Access to the site is easy, with plenty of parking available. With no fencing, you are able to walk right up to the silos to see the art up close. This is better than some other silo art we have visited, where a fence keeps you away.

Portland Silo Art
The Foundations
Portland Silo Art
Past Employees on the Old Cement Bins

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Kandos The Town That Built Sydney

Train Sculpture at a Kandos Railway Station

Kandos The Town That Built Sydney

Established in the early 1900s for the NSW Cement, Lime and Coal Co Ltd, Kandos produced cement until the plant’s closure in 2011. Taken from the initials of the founding company directors: Campbell, Angus, Noyes, McDonald, Oakden and Stephen. The first letter was later changed to a K rather than a C at the insistence of the Postmaster General. He thought it was too close to Chandos in South Australia.

Cement produced here was used all over New South Wales, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House and the Central to St James underground railway, leading to the town branding itself “The Town That Built Sydney”.

Located 234 km north-west of Sydney, for a three and a quarter hour trip, or a 64 km, one-hour trip south-east of Mudgee, Kandos is a great place to visit. Not only does the town offer interesting things to do, but nearby is Dunns Swamp in Wollemi National Park.

On entering town, an old railway wagon proudly displays a load of Kandos Cement, making you aware of the town’s heritage.

Some interesting sights include the old railway station and nearby hotel, along with some interesting sculptures nearby. We also found an old underground loading unit sitting on the side of a road near the museum, which was an interesting discovery.

  • Kandos Cement Wagon
    Cement Wagon
  • Old Rail Wagons
    Old Rail Wagons
  • Kandos Town Sign
    Kandos Town Sign
  • Kandos Railway Station
    The Railway Station
  • Train Sculpture at a Kandos Railway Station
    Train Sculpture at a the Railway Station
  • Sculpture at a Kandos Railway Station
    Sculpture at the Railway Station
  • St Laurence’s Anglican Church
  • Railway Hotel
    Railway Hotel
  • Underground Loader
    Underground Loader

Kandos Museum

Specialising in Kandos and the surrounding towns, the museum has a wonderful collection of historical items. A large section is dedicated to the cement works and their impact on the town.

Outside displays provide access to several large displays of cement works equipment, including skips from the aerial ropeway that brought limestone from the quarry to the cement works.

The volunteer staff were exceptional, full of local knowledge and more than happy to answer our questions. They really made the visit even more enjoyable.

Kandos Museum
Kandos Museum

Kandos Cement Works

Walking inside the museum’s entrance, you are greeting by the immaculate 1930 Nash Ambulance. This vehicle is surrounded by cement works artefacts, detailing the workings of the factory that kept Kandos ticking for nearly 100 years.

  • Kandos Cement Works 1930 Nash Ambulance
    Kandos Cement Works 1930 Nash Ambulance
  • The Mine's Old Safety Sign
    The Old Safety Sign
  • Gauges From the Cement Factory
    Gauges From the Cement Factory
  • The Many Used for an Old Cement Bag
    The Many Used for an Old Cement Bag

Local History

The local history of Kandos and surrounding villages makes up a large display in a second room, detailing local life.

  • Local Towns and Villages Sign at the Museum
    Local Towns and Villages Sign at the Museum
  • Gas Powered Fridge
    Gas Powered Fridge
  • Gramophone Collection
    Gramophone Collection
  • Gas Light
    Gas Light
  • Old Telephones and Cinema Sign
    Old Telephones and Cinema Sign
  • Kandos Museum
    Main Museum Display Room
  • Old Farm Tools
    Old Farm Tools

Outside Displays

Large pieces of equipment displayed outside the museum include part of the aerial ropeway, steam engines and crushers provide a glimpse of the limestone quarry’s operation.

  • Old Equipment at the Museum
    Old Equipment at the Museum
  • Mill From the Kandos Cement Factory
    Mill From the Cement Factory
  • Overhead Skip
    Aerial Ropeway Skip

What Did We Think?

Kandos is a great town to visit, with a lot of history crammed into 100 years, as well as the wonderful Wollemi National Park to visit close by.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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