lifestyle – Kerry and Peter's Blog

February 2025

Barham is a town in the western Riverina of NSW, it is located 823klm SW of Sydney and 303klm NW of Melbourne, situated on the Murray river across the river from Koondrook in Victoria.

We camped up on the Murray River on the Victorian side (free camp) -quite nice, just us. Next day found us travelling SW through the centre of Barham towards Griffith (NSW), about 20klms out of Barham funny noises were heard, lucky for us we pulled over – wheel nuts on back right hand side of ute tyre had all been sheared off except one…WOW. A new experience for us, rang RACQ, they put us in contact with a local fellow from NRMA, he was awesome, made sure we contacted all the right people to enable us to receive the entitlements we were due with our RACQ breakdown membership. He towed our KK & took us back to town where we booked into the caravan park, 3 nights, a hire car & all towing fees paid for: wow! The tow truck driver collected Peter from van park that afternoon & they went & picked up our ute, dropped it off at NRMA guys shed then Peter got lift with tow truck driver to Kerang, Vic (thats where the tow trucks apparently come from, none in Barham) & Peter drove the hire car back to caravan park- so an interesting day that ended okay because of some amazing assistance. We picked up the ute in 2 days, dropped the hire car back at Kerang & left Barham the next morning.

While we were camped up in caravan park we did a bit of walking, did the Koondrook Barham Redgum Statue River walk – quite interesting, so much history here but the statues were amazing. The statues, carved by chainsaws, highlight local identities and wildlife significant to the region began in 2002.

not a pretty site…..

1st experience for the ‘old girl’

Paddle steamer – used for tourism

Pioneer woman raised families, cleared land, built fences, tended stock sowed crops & faced many dangers of living on the land alone.

Sir John Monash – chief engineer of the Barham/Koondrook Bridge that officially opened 1904.

Barham/Koondrook bridge

The mighty Murray River

Herbert Keck – 1st citrus grower in the area.

Stuart Appleby – Australian Professional Golfer use to hits balls from paddock to paddock as part of his practice regime.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo – very common in this area.

Sidney Carl Percival Reid – Managing Director of Arbuthnot Sawmills for 44yrs & oversaw the conversion of the mill from steam to electricity

Sir John Gorton – He lived at Kangaroo Lake (located between Kerang & Swan Hill) with his wife working an orchard, in 1968 he became the 19th Prime Minister of Australia in unusual circumstances.

Laughing Kookaburra – found throughout eastern Australian.

The Murray Cod – is renowned as one of Australia’s largest fresh water fish.

The might Murray with its abundance of wildlife especially cockatoo’s.

Paddle Steamer Captains -worked long hours & had an enormous knowledge of the Murray River, for many years Barham & Koondrook were important trading stops.

John Powell – a popular local tragically died in a tree felling accident in the Koondrook State Forest, he was 52 yrs old.

Alexander Arbuthnot – was the founder of the Arbuthnot Sawmill in the late 1800’s, Arbuthnot Sawmill continues to operate on the original site in Koondrook.

The Arbuthnot Sawmill as it is today.

a very busy place at the mill

Australian Pelican is common to this area.

Nurse Elizabeth Rosen – established the ‘Carnarvon’ Private Hospital in Koondrook.

Arthur Molin – migrated to Australia from England in 1912, moved to Koondrook in 1935 & took over the petrol station & added a mechanical business.

Wedge-tailed Eagle – largest raptor in Australia & is the most common of the world’s largest eagles.

Roy “The Professor” Higgins – born in Koondrook at Nurse Rosen’s, Roy had 2312 wins as a jockey including 2 Melbourne Cup wins.

William Nkuppa Sampson – an Aboriginal stockman who grew up on Edward River near Moulamein, wa was involved in the classing & breeding of the Peppin Merino bloodline