Premier transport company Cobb & Co became a true pioneer of Australian travel in a time when passage through the country was notoriously uncomfortable.
Australia’s most iconic coach service was started in the gold rush years in Victoria by young American Freeman Cobb.
Along with John Peck, James Swanton and John Lamber, he had recognised the need for passenger transportation between colonies and mining towns, and further inland to the outback.
The first Cobb & Co route was the short trip between Melbourne and Port Melbourne in 1853. At the time, coach travel was essential but passengers were often struck down with motion sickness and injuries from the bumpy ride.
But Cobb & Co’s coaches were superior, imported from America where they were designed for travel in the Midwest, which had similar conditions to Australia’s rugged terrain.
With regular and reliable services, specially bred horses suited to pulling a fully laden coach at gallop (the coaches carried up to 17 people and luggage), and fixed stops at changing stations to rest and swap horses, Cobb & Co became the preferred and luxurious method of travel.
Changing stations were usually privately run by a family or couple who would provide refreshments for passengers and overnight accommodation; some were more established pubs and inns that prospered from Cobb & Co services.
By 1861 the company had expanded into New South Wales and Queensland after new director James Rutherford secured a valuable contract for the delivery of mail.
But with these profitable mail runs and regular routes came another danger: bushrangers who would wait for the coaches on isolated roads.
Australian artist Tom Roberts’s 1895 painting Bailed up was inspired by one of these incidents, when coach driver ‘Silent Bob Bates’ was held up by local bushranger Captain Thunderbolt in the 1860s.
At its peak, Cobb & Co’s coaches were travelling an astounding 45,000 kilometres each week and harnessing up to 6000 horses. But after 70 years of operation, the last horse-drawn Cobb & Co service ran in 1924, when train travel superseded the need for coaches.
Despite its demise, this iconic transport company was forever immortalised in Australian folklore, charmingly penned in folk singer Lionel Long’s The Ballad of Cobb & Co.: “The driver’s whips are cracking and the horses’ hooves are dragging. As across the red and dusty trail they race. There’s a distant light a burning and the passengers are yearning, for the comfort of a warm and kindly place."
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Megan Arkinstall is a freelance travel writer who you’ll often find at the beach, bushwalking or boating with her young family. She loves reliving travel memories through writing, whether that be sipping limoncello in a sun-drenched courtyard of Monterosso or swimming with green turtles in the aquamarine waters of Tropical North Queensland.
Discover what makes this country town the perfect place to slow down, switch off and recharge.
At first glance, the country town of Moree may look like just another charming highway town, with heritage buildings, a leafy town centre and classic pubs the locals love. However, this regional New South Wales town is Australia’s Artesian Spa Capital, a wellness hub with a rich Indigenous cultural history and a growing reputation as a destination for slow travel.
Moree is ideally located at the crossroads of the Gwydir and Newell highways (and is also easily reached by train and air), making it a refreshing destination, or stop, on any road trip. And these eight experiences show why.
1. Taste Moree on a Plate
Taste the best of regional produce and culinary talent. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Time your trip for Mother’s Day weekend in May, and you’ll find yourself in the middle of the popular annual food and wine festival, Moree on a Plate, celebrating regional produce and culinary talent from the region’s fertile plains.
Browse the stalls and sample olives, pecans, citrus fruits, honey, boutique wines and handmade condiments. You can also enjoy live cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, a local barbecue competition, plein-air art, live music and a dedicated children’s activity area.
2. Experience artesian waters
Chill out in Moree’s famous artesian waters.
Moree’s famous artesian waters have attracted visitors for over 130 years. First discovered by accident in 1895, this mineral-rich, naturally heated water is drawn from deep within the Great Artesian Basin. Soak and slow down in the recently renovated pools at the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre, where you can choose between the active pool with massaging water jets or the passive pool for a more relaxing experience.
For a longer soak, stay at one of the many motels within walking distance of the aquatic centre. Or book a stay with its own artesian pools.
Gwydir Thermal Pools Motel & Caravan Park has five on-site thermal pools and a broad range of accommodation, while the Phoenix Resort offers both indoor spas and outdoor thermal pools as well as recently upgraded self-contained apartments and motel rooms. Meanwhile, the Artesian Spa Motel is set on five acres of landscaped gardens and features swimming and thermal pools, including an indoor artesian spa and an on-site restaurant.
3. Enjoy an arty experience
Step inside the gorgeous Bank Art Museum Moree. (Credit: Destination NSW)
To connect with Moree’s artistic side, head to Bank Art Museum Moree (BAMM), an independent contemporary art gallery housed in a beautifully preserved, Federation-era bank dating back to 1910. Inside, a nationally significant collection celebrates the art and culture of the Gamilaroi/Kamilaroi people and other First Nations artists alongside regional Australian art, while changing exhibitions offer something new.
Follow the Moree Art Mural Trail through the CBD, and you’ll pass large-scale murals and small galleries reflecting stories of the town’s people, history and culture. While you’re exploring this open-air gallery, look out for the eclectic mix of Art Deco and early 20th-century architecture, including the Moree Courthouse and the striking Capitol Theatre facade.
4. Discover cotton country
Learn more about Moree’s cotton industry. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Surrounded by the black-soil plains of the Gwydir Valley, Moree is at the centre of one of Australia’s major cotton-growing areas. Visit between March and May, and you’ll see fields covered in the distinctive fluffy white cotton bolls being harvested by huge machinery.
Trace the cotton from paddock to fabric on the Cotton Farm and Gin tour, running from April to September. You’ll visit a cotton farm and a working cotton gin up close, where you’ll see the cotton fibres separated from the seeds. Tours run weekly and include transfers.
5. Explore the Moree Plains
Head out of town to explore the plains.
Outside of the city centre, Moree is surrounded by charming rural villages dotted around the plains. The quiet village of Boomi, around 90 kilometres north-west of Moree, offers historic early 20th-century architecture, its own artesian thermal waters at the Boomi Artesian Baths and vast outback skies.
Further west, the pioneer border town of Mungindi straddles the Barwon River between New South Wales and Queensland. Follow the 2.5-kilometre sculpture trail to take in the outdoor public art, and you’ll cross the state border twice.
6. Relax by the water
Spot the locals at Gwydir Wetlands.
Just a short drive away, the peaceful Tareelaroi Weir Recreation Area makes the most of the meandering Gwydir River. Set up camp along the riverside and enjoy picnicking, fishing and swimming.
A little further afield, the Gwydir Wetlands are home to 75 recorded waterbird species, including brolgas, magpie geese, egrets, spoonbills, ibis and black-necked storks, also known as jabirus. Watchers can settle into the hide at Waterbird Lagoon, or follow a short walking trail through the wetlands, keeping an eye out for rare species.
7. Immerse in local Indigenous culture
Learn about the history of the Gamilaroi People.
Moree lies on the traditional lands of the Gamilaroi People, whose connection to the land stretches back thousands of years. Today, visitors can learn about this history at Terry Hie Hie Aboriginal Area, which includes the 3.5 kilometre Yana-y Warruwi Walking Track.
Back in town, the Open Space Aboriginal Art Trail allows you to enjoy the Mehi River with a free, self-guided public art trail of work from local Indigenous artists and their personal connection to Country. Finish with a visit to the remarkable Dhiiyaan Aboriginal Centre, where more than 110,000 family genealogies are recorded. Browse artefacts, art and over 15,000 photographs. There are also changing exhibitions of historical photographs and local art.
8. Local cafe culture
Get amongst’s Moree’s vibrant cafe scene. (Credit: Destination NSW)
From relaxed country cafes to stylish modern eateries, Moree’s CBD has a surprisingly vibrant foodie scene. There are plenty of spots to choose from for a freshly brewed coffee, long lunch or tasty dinner, featuring menus showcasing local produce and loads of country charm.
If you’d rather dine in the great outdoors, grab a takeaway coffee or a picnic and head to leafy Jellicoe Park, a riverside oasis just a short walk from the centre of town. Pick a spot under the trees, enjoy the park’s art installations and keep watch for waterbirds along the river.
