Today’s route took us into 3 states and 2 time zones. This trip has barely begun but we’ve already seen so much! (Click the map for the detailed google maps route.)
Balranald
We spent the night in Balranald, and were up early looking for frogs. Specifically the Funky Frog Sculptures that are dotted around the town, reminding everyone about the endangered Southern Bell Frog also known as the Growling Grass Frog which lives in semi-permanent wetlands in southeastern Australia and is known to live in the wetlands of the Balranald Shire. It’s a large handsome frog and is bright green in colour with splotches of gold, bronze and black along its back. Unfortunately, it has disappeared from over 50% of its former range over the past 20 years.
As well as frogs there are some impressive metal sculptures, a painted water tower, and we enjoyed the early morning views of the Murray River. The water tower is relatively plain, with painting around the base with images that reflect the local area and history, painted by school children in 1985. Some of the sculptures are around the visitors’ centre, but many people have quirky artworks in their gardens (and yes, we snuck some pics).
The Australian Inland Botanic Gardens
From Balranald we headed west. The Australian Inland Botanic Gardens, outside Mildura, which showcases a range of Australian natives from both arid & higher rainfall areas as well as exotic plantings grounded in country of origin. We enjoyed a stroll through the “Nature Trail” where we found a scattering of sculptures of native animals.
MILDURA
It was rather hot in Mildura, but we enjoyed a walk around the town looking for murals that are part of the Mildura City Heart’s Mural Art Project. Some of the murals date back to the 1950s or earlier and are somewhat faded, but these “ghost murals” are part of the fabric of the town.
Werrimull
In Werrimull there is a pair of mini silos painted by Jimmy Dvate and Justin Fennelseed in August 2023. They feature local flora and fauna to showcase the rich biodiversity of the region.
PARINGA
The Paringa silos were painted by Jack Fran and Sam Brooks. Each of the 4 silos has a silhouette likeness of a local hero to the region, then within that silhouette their story in images. Detailed storyboards at the site explain the stories and history in some detail. The four people featured are: Charles Francis Chaffey (1859–1938) who played a crucial role in establishing irrigation in Australia; Captain Pearl Wallace was Australia’s first female certified riverboat skipper; George Disher was a popular indigenous local who was described as “not only a local identity. He was a local institution”; and Sister Elaine Balfour-Ogilvy enlisted in the A.I.F. as a Sister in the Australian Imperial Nursing Service. In 1942 she was shot by the Japanese in the tragic event that became known as the Banka Straits Massacre. Images within the silhouettes reference items of local significance – the Murray cod, Paddle steamers, houseboats and more. You can read all the details here.
RENMARK
We spent the next 2 nights in Renmark, at Renmark Holiday Apartments, which I highly recommend. Check back in a few days for the next instalment of this trip.
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