It was now day 2 of our trip to Albury, Friday, the 1st day of May 2026. Chris VK5FR and I had a 365 km drive ahead of us from Kyalite to Albury.
Above: our route from Kyalite to Albury. Map c/o Google Maps
That morning we bid farewell to the historic Kyalite Pub. The accommodation was clean and comfortable, and our meal the night before had been excellent, along with some entertainment from one of the local ladies who had clearly consumed too much grog.
Kyalite was originally known as Wakool Crossing and was established in 1848 by Henry Talbett. He established a punt service across the Wakool River. (Wikipedia 2024)
Henry Talbett was born in Ireland in c.1819. In 1841 he arrived in Melbourne in the Colony of Victoria aboard the Alan Kerr. Talbett was a carpenter by trade, and easily found work in Melbourne as it was quickly developing at that time. He then took up a contract cutting timber in the Dandenong Ranges, followed by assisting in the building of the first Keilor Bridge in 1848. When this was completed he purchased a dray and a team of bullocks, and commenced hwaking goods throughout the country districts. This took him as far as Wakool, where he established the punt and subsequently built the hotel.
On the 20th day of August 1860, the Burke and Wills expediton party departed Royal Park in Melbourne with the plan of the crossing of Australia from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north. (Wikipedia 2020)
Above: Commencement of the Burke and Wills expedition. Image c/o Wikipedia
On the 13th day of September 1860, the expedition team arrived at Wakool Crossing. They dined at Henry Talbett’s Hotel that evening, and the following day they crossed the Wakool River on Talbett’s punt. (Wikipedia 2024)
In his journal, George James Landells, the second in command, wrote:
‘While crossing the Wakool Punt Will’s interference with my arrangements in disembarking the camels caused an accident to one of them, and nearly led to its total loss…..” (Nla 2026)
Henry Talbett sold the Wakool Inn to Thomas Spinks. He held the licence until his death in January 1890.
In 1890, the original structure was destroyed in a fire. The hotel was rebuilt and is the structure that you see today. (Wikipedia 2024)
Above: part of an article from the Riverina Recorder, Wed 30 Apr 1890. Image c/o Trove.
The Wakool Crossing Post Office opened on the 1st day if June 1911. It was renamed Kyalite in 1927. (Wikipedia 2024)
In 1928 the railway reached Kyalite. A station was built on the railway line from Kerang, Victoria, across the Murray River to Stoney Crossing, New South Wales. However, the line was not successful, and trains ceased running north of the Murray in 1943. (Wikipedia 2024)
Above: part of an article from the Riverina Recorder, Wed 1 Sept 1926. Image c/o Trove
Across the road from the hotel is a shelter that contains a significant amount of information about Kyalite and the surrounding district. It also contains information about the Burke and Wills expedition.
There is also a commemorative plaque commemorating the 150th anniversary of the crossing of the Wakool River by Burke and Wills.
Chris and I took a few moments to admire the morning view of the Wakool River.
We then left Kyalite, travelling east on Kyalite Road and then Balranald Road towards Moulamein. Along the way we admired the magnificent sunrise.
Along the way we sighted a Wedge Tailed Eagle feasting on some road kill. However, it was rather skittish and each time we got close it would fly off. But I did manage to snap the photograph below of this majestic bird of prey.
After 60 km we reached the town of Moulamein, the oldest town in the Riverina district of New South Wales. It is located between Balranald, Hay, Deniliquin and Swan Hill and is situated at the junction of the Edward River a nd Billabong Creek.
Above: Map showing the location of Moulamein. Map c/o Google Maps
Moulamein is believed to be an Aboriginal word meaning ‘the meeting of the waters.’ In c. 1842, Augustus Morris arrived in the Riverina region, seeking grazing land in association with the entrepreneur and speculator Benjamin Boyd. Morris established pastoral runds on the Edward River, and he explored the countryside around the existing town of Moulamein. It was Morris who was the first European to describe the confluence of the Edward River and Billabong Creek as “The Moulamein”.(Wikipedia 2025)
Above: Benjamin Boyd. Image c/o Wikipedia
Chris and I visited the Mooloomoon Shearing Shed on Hay Street. This 32-stand shearing shed was built in the 1890s.
The shearing shed is located on the banks of the Edward River, which is also known as the Kolety (pronounced kol-etch), the traditional Aboriginal name for the river. The Edward River was discovered in 1840 by European settlers John Webster and James McLaurin whilst droving cattle. They named the river in honour of their employer, Edward Howe. The river is 383 km in length. The river rises at Picnic Point east of Mathoura, which is south of Deniliquin. Its confluence is with the Wakool River. It is joined by six minor tributaries. (Visitnsw.com, 2024) (Wikipedia 2024)
The Mooloomoon site also features riverfront accomodation which I will definitely be coming back to with my wife Marija.
Sitting out the front of the shearing shed is an old steam powered tractor.
You could spend hours inside the old shearing shed. There are numerous information boards and displays which are extremely interesting.
Also on display is some information on the Headless Horseman and the Black Swamp. Marija and I visited this site in Novembeer 2025. For more information have a look at my previous post.
Chris and I then drove into town and went to one of the local cafes for coffee and a cooked breakfast.
Whilst in town we drove down to the location of The Big Tree on the Edward River, but were unable to find it. Nethermind, the view of the river was impressive.
And of course, Moulamein has a Bills horse trough. I have written quite a bit aout and it can be found on my previous post about Ouyen.
In the main street you can view the Red Gum Yabby sculpture completed in 2000.
And there is a sheave wheel from the Swan Hill Liftspan bridge.
We also visited the historic Moulamein courthouse. Sadly, the historic wooden footbridge leading to the courthouse across the river was closed.
The courthouse and police station are the oldest building in Moulamein. Court records in Moulamein commenced in 1845. The Police station was established in 1847. It is believed to be the oldest courthouse in the Riverina.
We also visited theMoulamin water tower which is part of the River Country Art Trail. The Reflections of Moulamein mural has three sections. The first contains Moulamein’s nature and includes a Wedge Tailed Eagle, a Murray Cod and local birds. The second features local life, while the third is in serpia and black and white and includes the Big Tree, the courthouse, and the shearing shed. It is the work of Mongolian born Khosnaran Khurelbaatar @ Heesco.
Chris and I then headed to the Moulamein silos for a Silos On The Air (SiOTA) activation. The silos are located on Tchelery Road on the eastern side of the town.
We parked alongside the silos and operated from the 4WD, running the Icom IC-7000 at 100 watts and the Codan 9350 antenna with the 1.5-metre stainless steel whip.
Above: the activation zone at the Moulamein silo. Image c/o SiOTA website
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK7PJM
- VK1CHW
- VK2CHW
- VK3AUX
- VK5MAZ
- VK2MAB
- VK2LUE
- VK3IMD
- VK3EV
- VK2IO/P (VKFF-2594)
- VK3UP
- VK2LAX
- VK5FB
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-
- VK5LRB
- VK3HAX
- VK3IMD
- VK3TUN/P (VKFF-5382)
References.
- Nla.gov.au. (2026). Making sure you’re not a bot! [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/179818397?searchTerm=burke%20%2B%20wills%20%2B%20wakool%20crossing [Accessed 9 May 2026].
- Visitnsw.com. (2024). Edward River (Kolety). [online] Available at: https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/the-murray/deniliquin/attractions/edward-river-kolety. [Accessed 9 May 2026]
- Wikipedia. (2020). Burke and Wills expedition. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_and_Wills_expedition. [Accessed 9 May 2026]
- Wikipedia Contributors (2024). Edward River. [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_River. [Accessed 9 May 2026]
- Wikipedia Contributors (2024). Kyalite. Wikipedia.
- Wikipedia Contributors (2025). Moulamein. Wikipedia.
VK5PAS 