THURSDAY 6 - FRIDAY 7.06.2013: Stopped in Armidale to take care of the basics and then headed for Bendemeer, a small village that Patti McClenaghan suggested we visit. Bendemeer is on the Macdonald River between Tamworth and Armidale.The first European to travel from Tamworth across the Moonbi Ranges was Edward Gostwyck Cory who took up a run at what is now Uralla around 1832 or 1833. Others followed in his wake and a run was taken up in the Bendemeer area in 1834 by a stockman named McDonald on behalf of Richard Wiseman. Those who climbed the Moonbis began to rest at the riverside where they watered their stock before crossing the river that came to bare McDonald's name. A village developed around this crossing point. When the postal service was extended to Walcha in 1851 the local office was initially known as McDonald River though it was changed to Bendemeer in 1853. Bushranger 'Thunderbolt', alias Fred Ward, held up the northern mail at Bendemeer in 1864. In 1866 the population was recorded as being 150. Had lunch at the Bendemeer Hotel and met a chap that made a point of telling us that we could stay at the Showground, but to ignore the 24 hour signs. We did and spent two relaxing days by the river.
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