May 8 and 9 Cobar.

We hit red dust quickly in our travels. The front of the car is covered in bugs and we are in the outback.

We enjoyed our time in Cobar, deciding quickly that we needed two nights to explore.

The thing that I was looking forward to seeing at Cobar was the sound chapel, and it did not disappoint. An old water tank has been converted into a beautiful monument to history and sound. Music is played inside on a 24 hour loop. Standing inside the chapel listening to the music in the vastness of the outback was quite magical.

Cobar is a mining town and we were quiet awed by the open cut mine we visited. It was hard to know what to make of it really. We watched a massive truck descend down the mine road and into the hole at the bottom. It was staggering to think that such a huge truck could be swallowed up under the ground. What a scar this mine has left on the land as the mining company searches for precious metals.

The town has paid homage to its history; the miners who fought in various wars (they were particularly helpful for building tunnels), the miners who have died just doing their jobs and the families who have been left to live on after the death of their husband/father/provider. There is a beautiful memorial to the 157 men who have died in the local mines. It is sad and very moving. Cobar was an interesting place to visit, adding another piece to our understanding of our country.