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Coolamon Fire Museum

For more than three decades, Chris Berry (the current Museum Manager) pieced together a formidable collection of firefighting memorabilia.

The now retired firefighter and engine keeper, with 22 years of experience under his belt, started his collection upon discovering a brass firefighting helmet whilst he was fitting out a retired firefighter’s kitchen.

Originally, Chris’s vision was to house 2,000 plus artefacts in a museum; the old Coolamon Fire Station being the perfect fit!

The Coolamon Fire Museum officially opened on 5 October 2015 and is now used to tell the stories of brave firefighters, and educate visitors about the equipment they used and the conditions they worked under.  Items come from all over Australia and the world, including Peru and Africa, and include old breathing apparatus from the 1800s, over 100 fire helmets (from the 1830's to today) and mannequins dressed in full firefighting uniforms. There is also a photo display showcasing Coolamon's early firefighting history.

And Chris’ favourite piece is the old Coolamon Fire Station bell which 40 years ago was taken down and, after a two year search, found in a local garage. It is now restored to its original position.

“It is the final piece, it finishes the museum and brings back childhood memories for many locals,” Mr Berry said.

The Museum and Visitor Information Centre opening hours are 10am - 4pm seven days per week

For a guided tour or group booking, please liaise with Chris on the number below.

Free Admission. Donations Welcome. 

Address: 
Cnr Cowabbie Street and Loughnan Street, Coolamon

Opening Hours: 
10am to 4pm - 7 days a week  

Contact: 
Museum Manager, Chris Berry on 0419 090 504 (during open hours)

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The Up to Date Store Precinct

Designed and built to serve the people of the Coolamon district, the Up-to-date Store resonates with the memories of the community.

The Store was divided into several different departments which included grocery, ironmongery, crockery, drapery, mercery, millinery, haberdashery, clothing and footwear. In fact, it is true that anything and everything, from a plough to a piano could be purchased from the Up-to-date Store.

The Store remains as a visual reminder of the ingenuity and skill of local architects, builders and the retail traders and their staff. It also remains as a focus for the collective memories of the people who, over the years, have called Coolamon ‘home’. The Up-to-Date Store’s social and historical significance was acknowledged with its listing on the State Heritage Register in 2006.

Details

Free admission. Donations Welcome. 

Opening Hours:
Monday - Closed
Tuesday to Friday - 10.00am - 4.00pm
Saturday and Sunday - 10.00am - 2.00pm

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Coolamon Cheese Co.

Founded by passionate and highly skilled artisan cheese makers, and supported by the progressive local community and Shire Council.

Coolamon Cheese Co. creates an innovative range of handcrafted cheeses, that are a sensual delight. Set in the architecturally stunning heritage Co-op building, which has been transformed to showcase a world of cheese. The handcrafted approach and single source local milk are the foundations of the range. Premium ingredients allow award winning cheese maker Jenn Nestor to create unique Australian cheese. Jenn is highly skilled in the art and science of crafting artisanal cheeses, including soft white mould cheeses, blue vein cheeses, and a range of Australian native flavoured cheeses.

You can pick up cheeses made onsite from local Riverina milk, local artisan products and local produce.  

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87 Cowabbie Street Coolamon
02 6927 3757
info@coolamoncheese.com.au
www.coolamoncheese.com.au

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The Coolamon RSL Museum

The award winning Coolamon RSL Memorial Museum is situated in the RSL Hall, Loughnan Street, Coolamon. The museum houses an extensive collection of military items from Pre-Federation to the present day.

The museum project is an initiative of the Coolamon Sub Branch of the Returned and Services League with the aim of preserving for the Coolamon community, a collection which specifically preserves the local military history of the Coolamon District.

Free admission. 

The RSL Museum is located within the Up-to-Date Store Cultural Precinct. 

Opening Hours:
Monday - Closed
Tuesday to Friday - 10.00am - 4.00pm
Saturday and Sunday - 10.00am - 2.00pm

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Bike and Walking Trails

 

Spend the day walking or riding your bike on the trails. There are tracks to suit all ages and levels. A great way to explore Coolamon Shire.

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Kindra Forest Trail:

This popular singletrack trail is perfect for all riders. Located in Coolamon’s Kindra State Forest which is minutes from Coolamon’s main street. Includes 10km of trails that wind through Kindra forest. Accessed via Lewis Street North and parking is available (additional parking is available at the Coolamon Sport and Recreation Club with a short walk/ride to the entrance)

You can choose from 3 loop trails. The shortest is just 1.65km, or try a longer 5.07km or the complete course of 9.95km loop. The 10km trail is made up of three consecutive segments. The first of these is Twister, a 5km segment that lives up to its name and includes some optional fun sections of jumps and berms. Following Twister, just 200m along the firetrail is the easiest segment called The Flats. A 3km meandering trail through open forest on flat ground, perfect for a relaxing cruise through the forest. Next is The Bumps. It is the shortest at just 1.65km, but it is a challenging uphill climb for beginners. It can be avoided by choosing the easier ride up the firetrail back to the start.

Breezing along you’ll immerse yourself in forest sights and sounds of trees and a variety of birds. If you hear rustling look out for kangaroos and goannas that also call this area home.

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Coolamon Urban Trail:

Coolamon Urban Trail, marked with blue and white signs, is a combination of unsealed roads, compacted road base, natural ground, sealed water crossings urban street and cycleway paths. This trail is an 8km trail around Coolamon, starting from the Clock Tower at the corner of Cowabbie and Mann Streets. Parking is available close by.

The trail mainly passes around the outskirts of town through natural woodland, existing streets, paths and roads with the option for a detour into Kindra Forest trails or Gilgai Trails to Ganmain for some extra kilometres. This trail is a great way to see and explore Coolamon.

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Gilgai Trail:

Gilgai Trails utilise existing paths and streets in urban areas of both Coolamon and Ganmain and is joined by a compacted gravel road base trail 2.1m wide. It’s a 16km trail one way trip. If you’re after a longer distance, it’s a 32km return trip. You can start either in Coolamon or  Ganmain and make your way along the trail. The trail is predominantly on flat terrain with some slight undulations and passes though natural countryside and woodland parallel to the rail line. It is marked with red and white signs.

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local heritage

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Coolamon:

"Coolamon" is an Aboriginal name meaning "dish or vessel for holding food or water". A plan showing the northern boundary of Coolemon (Coolamon) Holes Run in 1870 shows a cluster of numerous water holes which he referred to as Coolamon Holes. This was the Indigenous name given to the holes and the origin of the name as applied today. The name being finalised and the extent of the village and suburban boundaries fixed, the village of Coolamon was gazetted on 3rd October, 1881.

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Marrar:

Like so many small towns in NSW Marrar Town had its beginning with the coming of the railway in 1881. A few tents and tin shacks were home for the navvies as they toiled with picks, shovels and hammers to keep the two ribbons of steel moving ever westward. To the rough diamond teamsters, with their horses and bullocks, home was under the big iron tyred wagons. When the weather turned wet, tarpaulins were used to keep out the rain and provide a dry place to do the cooking.

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Ganmain:

Ganmain had its origin for the European Settlers with the arrival of James Devlin between 1835 and 1838. However the name was part of the area long before this and was the name given to the Aboriginal tribal lands occupied by the Wiradjuri Tribe. Many well known names in the area today originate from the Aboriginal language.

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Ardlethan:

The village of Ardlethan was given official status by proclamation in the Government Gazette of February 5, 1908, and the first sale of allotments took place on April 14 of the same year.

Regular rail services began with the official opening of the line on November 18, 1908 about eight months after the gazettal of the village and the sale of first allotments.

By this time, Ariah Street was already taking shape. Ardlethan has not always been known as such. Then the first buildings appeared around the Warri Well the locality was referred to as Warri, after the nearby station. However, with the construction of the railway the platform was designated Rosebank by the railway authorities.

Then with the gazettal of the official village as Ardlethan, the railways also adopted the name, and the Postal Department made the change about the same time.

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Beckom:

The survey for the village of Beckom was made by Surveyor E Herborn at the railway station on March 8, 1908. The station, goods shed, trucking yards and tank were already operating at the time. The village and suburban boundaries of Beckom were proclaimed on September 22, 1909.

Beckom is located in the parish of Ariah, county of Bourke. The first sale of allotments took place at Beckom on December 10, 1909.

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Learn more about the heritage of Coolamon Shire by downloading 'United by One Vision'