Historic | Screen Central

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POW Camp

The Cowra Prisoner of War Camp site is listed as one of the top Heritage siges in NSW. In 1944 over 1000 Japanese POW staged a mass breakout that was the biggest in British and Australian War History. 231 Japanese POW lost their lives and 4 Australians also died during the breakout.

Today a walking trail goes through the camp ruins and a scale model of the camp is on display at the Cowra Visitors Centre. Also at the Visitor Information Centre is the POW theatre which is a nine minute presentation telling the story of the breakout from the perspective of a local resident.

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Aviation Museum – Parkes

The Parkes Aviation Museum is located at the end of Muzycuk Drive at Parkes Airport. It is currently housed in a former RAAF hangar from the airport’s time as a World War Two air force base.Parkes has a long history in aviation, the first aircraft to land at Parkes was a Sopwith Camel piloted by aviation pioneer Sydney Pickles in 1919.

During WW2, Parkes airport became RAAF Base Parkes, accommodating No.1 Air Navigation School, No.2 Wireless Air Gunners School, No.8 Operational Training Unit and after the war No.87 SQN operated from Parkes. Did you know – former PM Gough Whitlam graduated from Parkes as a Flying Officer navigator?

Parkes Aero Club, formed in 1948, still operates from its historic ex-RAAF COMMCEN building.

Parkes has been used as a storage facility for the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) since 1975 and is currently being transformed into an aviation museum in its own right by a range of local and HARS volunteers. Information provided by: https://hars.org.au/

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Peace Precinct, Cowra

Cowra is home to Australia’s World Peace Bell; the Peace Precinct (which includes the Japanese Garden); the Festival of International Understanding; and the Avenue of Trees sponsored by Japanese citizens and families and is the centre of world friendship.

Cowra annually commemorates the Breakout which occurred in the early hours of August 5, 1944.

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Iandra Castle

Iandra Castle was owned by a Mr George Henry Greene who also pioneered the share-farming system in Australia. Mr Greene brought in trades and materials from overseas and built the village of Greenethorpe for his workers.

www.iandracastle.com.au

Ghost Tours & Spooky Stories – Grenfell, NSW

Grenfell’s historic building play the perfect backdrop for spooky stories and ghost tours. The first were held in Oct and were a huge success. If only the building’s walls could talk…

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Blast Furnace – Lithgow

Congratulations to Lithgow on receiving the recent grant to allow an upgrade their blast furnace. Lithgow and this Blast Furnace record the beginning of the iron and steel industry in Australia. The furnace was established in 1886 by William Sandford and operated until 1928 when production was moved to Port Kembla. The site has now been converted into a park around the remains of the pump house and the furnace foundations. There is a pleasant walk around Lake Pillans Wetland adjacent to the park (information courtesy http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/visit/ViewAttractionDetail.aspx?ID=5045094

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Grenfell Railway Station

Iandra Station and Mount Oriel Homestead. Greenthorpe

The property of Iandra was purchased by Mr. Greene in 1878 and consisted of 32,000 ac (13,000 Ha). In 1880 he commenced building his first house, of bricks fired on the property. In 1908 he commenced the conversion of this single storey brick house to a two-storey reinforced concrete building on the same foundations. During this period he built the reinforced concrete stables, water tower with silo beneath, filtration plant, sheds, and 40 houses for the sharefarmers.

Young Shire Council.

Road Bridge. Koorawatha

Impressive old road bridge, currently out of service.

Young Council

Silos. Canowindra

These are buildings located alongside an unused railway line which has the original track controls attached to the control house. Situated next to giant grain silos and grain storage facility.

Cabonne Council