Things to
see and do
Things to
buzz
July. August 29Temora
Aviation Museum
This facility was created and financed in
1999 by aviator and musician David Lowy,
who aimed to create “an aviation museum
dedicated to aircraft and pilots who had
defended Australia”. Temora’s rich aviation
history, enthusiastic local council, flat
terrain and uncontrolled air space below
20,000 feet made it ideal. It’s located at
Temora Aerodrome, which was the base of
Australia’s largest RAAF Elementary Flying
Training School, during World War II.
aviationmuseum.com.auTemora Air Shows
Up to eight times a year the Aviation
Museum has a flying weekend when many of
its aircraft take to the sky. The shows are
well organised and designed for both
experts and novices. The demonstration
flights program includes great commentary
and pilot interviews. At the end of each
flying day, barriers are taken down and
spectators can walk onto the
tarmac, talk to pilots and
inspect planes. Gates open
at 10am; the shows run
from 10.30am to 4pm.Railway Museum
Located in Camp Street, the Temora
Railway Museum is at the town’s historic,
and still operating, railway station. There is
a Railyard Walk with signage explaining
the railyard’s history, and volunteers
provide visitors with official tours.
A highlight is the story of Boofhead,
a black-and-white fox terrier (depicted in a
statue at the museum) who, in the 1960s,
rode the trains as far as Goulburn and
Lake Cargelligo. The signage
explains: “Boofhead had a
likeable personality and it
didn’t take long for railway
workers and the people of
Temora to develop a strong
affection for him... It was
soon clear that he had a real
passion for train travel and
quickly became known as
‘Temora’s railway dog’.”4 Canola Trail
An initiative shared between the shires
of Coolamon, Junee and Temora,
the Canola Trail is designed to offer a
circular route between the three towns
to highlight their local produce, unique
railway history and natural attractions.
You can find a useful downloadable map
by visiting canolatrail.com.au.This map
resource includes suggested itineraries on
the 151km route, which can be spread
across one, two or three days.(^3) Statue of
Paleface Adios
In Paleface Park on the corner
of Hoskins and Loftus streets, a
statue commemorates legendary harness
racehorse Paleface Adios (aka The Temora
Tornado). Born in 1969, he died in 1989
and won 108 races, helping to make
Temora and the surrounding district a
centre for Australian harness racing.
1
PHOTO CREDITS, FROM TOP: COURTESY DESTINATION NSW; STATE LIBRARY OF NEW SOUTH WALES; TEMORA TOURISM; DESTINATION NSW; DESTINATION NSW
Since 1988 Bruce Elderhas travelled to every town in Australia. He has written more than
10 travel books including the Globetrotter Guides to Australia, Sydney and Queensland;
1015 Things to See and Do in Australia; and Explore Queensland and Explore NSW.
He worked as a full-time travel writer with TheSydney Morning Herald and The Age from
1996 to 2012. Visit aussietowns.com.au
The area is the traditional home
of the Wiradjuri people.
The ‘Temora pastoral run’
was established in 1847 by
John Donald McCansh.
Gold was first found in the
Temora area in 1869.
The main Temora gold rush
commenced in 1879.
In 1880 a town site was chosen,
laid out and proclaimed.
By 1881 the Temora goldfield
was producing half of NSW’s gold.
The town’s population reached
20,000 in the early 1880s. Mostly
miners, they extracted a total of
4000kg from the district.
The railway arrived in 1893 making
Temora a vital wheat terminal.
By the early 1900s, German
farmers who had trekked from
South Australia were settling in
the surrounding area.
Cattle saleyards and a butter
factory opened in 1912.
Temora Aerodrome was established
in 1941 as an RAAF training school.
In 1969 Paleface Adios, one of the
greatest harness-racing horses
ever bred in Australia, was born.
The Temora Aviation Museum was
opened in 2000.
In 2016 the railway station was
revitalised as a museum.
4 Canola Trail
Temora timeline
2
5
Canola Trail