The Punt

The picturesque Macquarie River flows between the two Archer properties of Woolmers and Brickendon and it quite often floods. The present vehicle bridge is a fairly recent innovation and in earlier times the river sometimes presented a difficult barrier.

A punt was originally used to take goods and people accross from one property to the other. the puntman was quite an important man and a gothic style puntman's cottage once existed close to Wolmers Lane and just above stream of the existing modern bridge. The puntman was kept busy ferrying men and equipment, grain and wool as well as livestock.

The Archers at Woolmers and Brickendon often helped each other out, though both properties were remarkably self sufficient. Even though the two properties are within sight of each other, one could not simply pop over for the odd forgotten item or to convey a message. Someone had to take the punt over the river and then actually walk all the way there, taking at least half and hour each way.

Now a new foot-bridge will be built downstream from where the punt originally made regular crossings. This will be part of a new walkway which is to be constructed so that people can once again walk - just as convicts did all those years ago - from one property to the other, adding a wonderful new dimension for visitors!