Last month’s autumn excursion found the Combined Probus Club of Whittlesea doubling the population of White Cliffs, New South Wales, upon their arrival.
An educational and historical journey through time, nature, and geology, the 864 km excursion to the famous opal mining township took several days, with two overnight stays at Mildura and Mungo breaking up the extensive travelling.
Members were treated to several popular tourist sites along the way, including the world’s smallest mountain Mt Wycheproof, and the Mungo National Park. Publicity officer and member Michael B Halley noted that scientists had made discoveries of artefacts dating back over 50,000 years in Mungo, making the southwestern New South Wales park ‘one of the oldest places outside Africa to have been occupied by modern humans since ancient times’ – a fact that members will surely be quizzed on in any upcoming trivias.
Upon their arrival in White Cliffs, The Probus Club made a visit to the Red Earth Opal Gallery with owner Graeme Dowton treating the group to a tour of his large underground mine. Mr Halley noted that Mr Downton’s 30+ years of opal-mining experience was evident.
“His enthusiasm searching for opal shone through, and his passion for finding opal pineapple clusters in particular was a highlight.”
The Probus Club began their return journey on day five of the excursion, with another overnight stay in Hay, New South Wales, before continuing on home the following day – though perhaps not quite doubling the population of Whittlesea upon their arrival this time
