GUNNEDAH Gunnedah is the ‘capitol’ of this part of NSW. The commercial pulling power of this relatively small town is quite profound. Gunnedah will be encounted when traveling the Newcastle to Narrabri hgy. Most travellers will miss this great town, because few travel specifically to Narrabri; but do travel to Gunnedah. When visiting you can’t help but delight in the place. The area now occupied by the town was settled by Europeans in 1833 or 1834, who were sheep farmers. With settlement in the area focused on wool production, Gunnedah was initially known as 'The Woolshed' until taking its name from the local Indigenous people who called themselves the Gunn-e-darr, the most famous of whom was Cumbo Gunnerah. Dorothea Mackellar wrote her famous poem My Country (popularly known as I Love a Sunburnt Country) about her family's farm near Gunnedah. This is remembered by the annual Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards for school students held in Gunnedah. The Gunnedah area is noted for its abundance of native wildlife, including kangaroos, echidnas and koalas. Koalas can often be found in trees within the town, as well as in the surrounding countryside with the help of signs placed by the local tourist centre. The many pubs in Gunnedah are century plus. The Imperial though has a ‘union/rebel devoted wall. This is a must visit for those that have an interest in the Ballarat uprising led by Peter Lalor. The Catholic Church is the standout. But all are formidable. There are two museums. Both quite fantastic. The Gunnedah War Memorial is low key, given the size of the town. No other was observed. Firstly the traveler must make the effort to visit. Allow a few days to enjoy. Heritage diary