Merriwagga, NSW

The pioneer woman's monument and the Black Stump Hotel.

The pioneer woman's monument was created to remember the contribution of women in settling this vast country. The focus is on a drovers wife who sadly was burned to death while her husband was away. When he returned and found her charred body he said it reminded him of a black Stump. This began one of six black stump legends in eastern Australia.

The black Stump hotel has the highest bar in any hotel in tbr southern hemisphere. There are various stories given for the reason for the very high bar. The favourite is that it was made so high to allow horse riders to buy a beer while still astride their mount.

Another yarn says that the owners were instructing the builder on the height. The rather short chap said make it about this high and held his hand to his chest. The builder was very tall and used his own chest for the measure.

Another perhaps more plausible explanation was that it was made so high to stop enebriated patrons from jumping up on or over the bar. Whatever the true story the current owner had stools made to match the height of the bar.Read more