Sophie Conlon
Glencoe Central Primary School was one of several visited on a re-enactment of a 100 year old mail run.
Organised by Rob’s Carriages, the mail run travelled from Mil-Lel to Penola stopping at schools along the way.
On day two of the four day trip, April 9, the carriage- pulled by five horses- stopped at Glencoe Central.
There, Rob’s Carriages owner Rob Fairchild spoke about the history of the Cobb and Co, why he was completing the mail run, and gave students and staff the opportunity to ride in the carriage.
Students were amazed to learn that 100 years ago it would take five days to get to Adelaide and that a trip could cost more than a months wages.
Year 6 students Ryley, Hunter, Tayla, Yehobin all said the visit was interesting.
“We got to see how it was to ride back then,” Yehobin said.
“I liked climbing up the steps on the side of the carriage,” Ryley said.
“The ride was very fun, it was funny when the horse did a poop.”
Tayla said getting to experience a ride in the carriage made her feel like she had time travelled to the “old times”.
All the students agreed, while a short lap of the oval was fun, a five day trip to Adelaide would be boring.
The mail run was not all for show, with the group picking up specially made postcards from each school and posting them back to students when they arrived in Penola.
Mr Fairchild said the postcards and stamps had been especially designed for the event by the Mount Gambier Philatelic Society.
“The stamp you have on your postcard is a very special stamp, it has a photo of this coach and the horses on it,” he said.
Hunter said “knowing that the sticker things are pretty rare is pretty cool”.
Glencoe Central principal Frazer Scanlon said having Rob’s Carriages visit the school was a great way to teach students about how transport used to work.
“Also for them to have the opportunity to meet Rob and his team for them to understand a little bit more about the horses themselves, and how transport has changed over time,” he said.
“We felt it was really valuable for the kids to experience this opportunity.”
