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About The Milparinka Heritage and Tourism Association Inc.

The Milparinka Heritage and Tourism Association Inc. is comprised of a very small number of local people who are dedicated to the preservation of our region's history and culture.

The following information may take a while to read through, but we urge you to do so. We are immensely proud of the achievements of just a handful of people. We also urge you to come out and see us sometime.

Our primary focus is on Milparinka, where we have successfully completed a number of projects in recent months. Our success is largely due to the superb help that we have had from the NSW Department of Corrective Services, and Australian Conservation Volunteers, but especially the NSW Department of State and Regional Development. Without this support we would be unable to undertake our work. We thank you all.

That does not mean to say that we ignore the wonderful features of the rest of the Corner Country, and our neighbours to the east, (Wanaaring and Bourke), south-east (White Cliffs), west (Innamincka) or north ( Thargomindah). This website contains information about all those communities and regions.

Beginning in 2000 our first project was the completion of this website, an ongoing project to which new information will be added as often as practicable.

It took until November 2002 to complete the next stage of our "Milparinka Makeover", but we are now proud to be able to say that visitors to our community will now be welcomed by the following:

The most significant will be the opening of the Police Barracks as a Visitor Information Centre and souvenir shop. The barracks was built in 1882, and amongst other things features original baltic pine ceilings. We are very grateful to Vacik Distributors for making the building available to us.

More recently, the Australian Government through the Regional Partnerships Program, has made a significant contribution to our association to enable us to begin the restoration of the buildings on the Police Barracks precinct.

Still on the police barrack's precinct, we have begun work to establish a native plant enterprise, growing indigenous plants for seed or flowers, and adding to the economic base of our association. We have already gained funding for this project from the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal, and volunteers from Conservation Volunteers Australia were recently in Milparinka to help with the work. The project will be managed by the regional Farm Forestry Project coordinator.

A heritage walking trail. Milparinka is alive with history, if you know where to look. We selected eight significant locations around Milparinka and marked them with identification stands. We published a "mud map" and reference leaflet for visitors to take with them as they move along the trail. Funding for the leaflet was provided through the NSW Townlife Development Program. The map is available from the Barrack's Visitor Centre, alongside the Courthouse Local History Centre, or the Milparinka Hotel.

On November 5, 2002 we opened the Milparinka Courthouse as a local history centre. Some funding was made available by the Western Catchment Management Committee, and the Department of Land and Water Conservation. Other funds were donated. Your donation on entry to the building will help to maintain and grow the displays.

Our application for funding to help with the establishment of a park of indigenous plants was successful. Tree planting began on July 8th 2002, with several volunteers from Australian Conservation Volunteers cheerfully digging irrigation trenches and planting trees, shrubs and ground covers. More work is scheduled, including the construction of a shelter. In time we hope that the area will not only beautify Milparinka, but will be a place for visitors to rest, and learn about our local flora.

In October we were were awarded a regional environment award for the project.

For more on this story visit Harry Blore Memorial Park

We have won further funding through Enviro funding to assist our community with more regeneration works.

Public toilets were desperately needed in Milparinka, and with assistance from the Roads and Traffic Authority and Minister Scully, the problem was solved. The Baker Family, formerly of Milparinka and Theldarpa Station, generously provided us with access to a block of land between the Hotel and the Courthouse where we located the toilets and planted some more trees.

We also constructed an opened fronted shed on the site into which we are going to place articles from the region's pastoral industry.

The local cemetery is the final resting place of many people whose lives helped to forge the region we call home. Some local families have completed work to preserve their history, but more was needed to be done. Wesfarmers-Landmark kindly donated materials to the value of $ 500.00 to assist with the reconstruction of the perimeter fence with other funding coming from the Department of Land and Water Conservation.

The fence was constructed by the Department of Corrective Services, together with protective fencing for the mosaic around the old school site, and the underground tank adjacent to Baker's Store. All sites form part of our Heritage Trail.

. On Easter Sunday, 2003 we held a Festival in Milparinka, a cultural event the like of which has never been staged in Milparinka before. It proved to be a great success, and plans are being made for next year...and the years after.

. Plans are underway for a tri-state inland tour involving Milparinka as a stop over, but also Menindee, Innamincka, Birdsville and Boullia. More information will be available on this at a later stage. If you are interested please feel free to contact us at info@outbacknsw.com.au.

For more information about any of the above please contact us at admin@outbacknsw.com.au

Ruth Sandow