Cunnamulla - Charleville

Sunday we left Bourke and headed to Cunnamulla on the Mitchell Hwy, it was frightful the number of kangaroo's dead on this section of Hwy. We have encountered roadkill along the way but not as prolific as this, we had to weave around the carcasses to avoid hitting them, lucky no oncoming traffic as we weaved to the other side of the road at times. It seems that the Dog Fence that has been erected to keep wild dogs off properties is probably a contributing factor, is spans approx 95klms along the hwy. Once we crossed the border into Queensland we saw dozens of emus many were along the roadside others in large numbers in the paddocks.

Somewhere on our travels we picked up a Grub Screw in our front tyre, lucky Baz noticed it and headed to the local tyre place to have it removed first thing Monday morning. Luckily it had not gone right through and could be removed with no ill effect, and we were able to head off to Charleville.

Once again we encounted lots of roadkill on the way to Charleville, we only ever see Kangaroos the Emus and wild goats must be more road wise. We had thought we would stay at the Evening Star Caravan Park which is north of Charleville, until we passed a bush camp along the way that took our fancy. We have spent the last two nights here it is only good if you are self contained, there is a dump point and water for $10 per night. The camp host provides a great happy hour starting at 4.30 and also cooks damper to share, we made use of his coals and cooked a lovely roast beef & vegies in our camp oven.

Today we did a tag a long tour to learn about American Secret Squirrel stuff in World War 11, it was quiet interesting hearing how many Airforce personnel were stationed here in Charleville and the large number of Bombers that were here at the airfield.

Cunnamulla Fella

Emu's

Charleville Bush Camp

Happy Hour Charleville Bush Camp

Camp Oven Cooking

Bourke

In my last post I said it was a pretty & peaceful free camp at the Newey Reserve, forget the peaceful as we had barking dogs constantly ALL night!! We had an early breakfast deciding to head off to Bourke and would shower once we arrived as we could not stand hearing those dogs any longer.

We have been at the Kidman Caravan Park for the last couple of days and have caught up with the washing and even managed to cook a Date Loaf,have also made some veg soup. Yesterday the temperature was a very nice 20 degrees and it was even better today reaching 23 degrees, no wind very pleasant sitting outside the van relaxing, our winter clothes are now stored under the bed.

 As we were travelling to Bourke yesterday we were listening to the local country radio station and they were talking about the Flicks in the Sticks, that was showing La La Land on Saturday night, it was a free film night and the CWA ladies would be selling Curried Sausages. Baz heard Curried Sausages and thought this sounded good, so tonight we headed into town to experience their country hospitality and watch the film on a big screen in the outdoors. The Curried Sausages were a pass but cannot say the same for the film, I don't think Baz & I like romantic musicals, this one was certainly a bit different. As there were only about 25 people there and the exit was up near the screen we stayed & saw it through to the end, thought it may look rude if we left early. Baz now says he only went to please me!

The Jandra on the Darling River

Darling River 

Outdoor Film Night

Cobar

Leaving Hay the next day (Wednesday) we travelled around 230 klm to Lake Cargelligo usually when we stay here we free camp at Frog Hollow right beside the lake, but after the Thunderstorm the previous night it was very wet a sloshy so it was mutually agreed to go to the caravan park. We spent a great happy hour around the fire pit talking to fellow travellers while our spuds cooked in the coals. 

Today we were back on the Kidman Hwy heading to our next stop Cobar. We saw a lot of road kill today mostly bush pigs that had been hit by vehicles, glad it wan't us as I am sure they do a lot of damage. We are free camping tonight at the Newey Reserve camping area, a pretty & peaceful spot that is well maintained by the Cobar Council. This afternoon we went just out of town to the Fort Bourke Hill Lookout, where we were able to view the Open Cut Gold Mine, the pit and entrance to the underground mine, a very impressive sight.

The Pit

Open Cut Mine Cobar

Great Western Hotel Cobar

Newey Reserve Cobar

Hobart-Hay 2017

Saturday 20th May we left home for our annual trip to the Big Island, hopefully to find the warmer weather. We delayed our departure by a week as Baz was unwell, we were very lucky to be able to change our booking on the Spirit and that Baz improved enough to travel.

I spent Saturday morning at the grandsons soccer games while Baz did the final check of the van and car. It was then time to say goodbye to family and head north stopping at Longford for the night, we were able to have a leisurely morning before later heading to the boat. Could not believe our eyes seeing a crocheted wheel cover, especially when it was on an off road vehicle a Lotus Trooper, that was at the caravan park at Longford. (Had a little chuckle!)

QLD visitor to Tasmania

We called over to Ulverstone see our friends Lyn & Dennis as we will not be crossing paths this year in our travels, then it was time to head to Devonport to catch the boat. Thinking we would have plently of time to pack our overnight bag while we were lined up in the cattle grid we were pleasantly surprised to check in and be directed straight onto the boat. It was then a hasty grab of our overnight gear to take on board. Leaving our bag in our cabin it was then down to the lounge to grab a wine and wait for Pauline and Les to board.

Monday we docked in Melbourne at the early hour of 6.30am after a very calm crossing of Bass Straight with only a metre swell, which was nothing just enough to rock you to sleep. We then made our way to the Citilink to head out of Melbourne to our first stop Echuca.  We wanted to check that our hot water was working in the van on 240v because when we were at Longford we had a little trouble, Baz had accidentally drained the cylinder, then hooked up to the power and tripped the hot water. Thankfully all was working and we didn't need to call the mobile caravan repairer. Of course while in Echuca we had to have a Beesting at the Beechworth Bakery.

Baz enjoying a Beesting at Beechworth Bakery Echuca

Our next stop was Deniliquin known locally as Deni, a delightful town situated on the Edward River north of Echuca. It is well known as the Ute Capital of the World hosting the famous Deni Ute Muster a unique Australian rural festival. A couple of attractions in Deniliquin is the Mosaic covered ute which was an arts project completed in 2008, also the Ute on a Pole a bright red WB Kingswood.

Back on the road again we travelled to Hay where we enjoyed a free camp at the Hay Services Club. I had a night off cooking as we went over to the club for a lovely Chinese meal. Later that evening we experienced a severe thunderstorm that was passing across NSW so much electrical activity!

Checking out the padlocks on the walkway

Deniliquin 

Edward River Deniliquin

Deniliquin Ute Capital of the World

Hay Railway Station

Peak Hill, Cobram, Melbourne

Tuesday we left Moree not knowing where we would stop for the night as more rain had been forecast for Central Western NSW and more flooding predicted. As we are on the boat Sunday wanted to make sure we got through before they closed the Newell Hwy. Mid afternoon we called it a day and spent the night at Peak Hill Caravan Park, a great little park for an overnight stop with drive through sites and Leighton pops around about 4pm with a scone jam and cream that Pauline has kindly cooked and shares with the travellers. Would have loved to have had another day there as there is quiet a bit of history to this old gold mining town, and one of the best antique shops.

Wednesday we were on the road by 7.45am a shock to Baz as we don't usually get on the road that early, there had been rain again overnight so after checking Live Traffic we thought it best to try and out run the rising rivers before they closed the Newell then we would have had to do a major  detour. We encounted klms of water across the road in numerous locations especially north of West Wyalong to south of Forbes in the worse effected crossings there would be an escort vehicle to follow making sure you kept to the highest part of the road. One time when we negotiating one of these crossings the vehicle that was in front of us moved to the right about a metre and we saw the rear of the caravan he was towing drop down in a deep pot hole where the road had been washed away, we made sure we didn't following in his tracks. Further down the Newell south of Narrandera we had to detour for a few klms because that section of the Newell was closed, we were lucky to get through as a couple of hours later they had closed the road to vehicles towing trailers and caravans, also small vehicles, only allowing trucks and four wheel drives through.

After a couple of long days on the road we made it to Cobram where once again we stayed at the Willows Caravan Park, a quiet little park that does not get effected by the school holidays also he does not increased his prices, some parks are getting beyond a joke with price hikes over the school holidays. While we were in Cobram we caught up with our friends Bridget and Don whom we had met when we first started travelling to the mainland in our caravan. We went to the Rich Glen Olive farm to replenish our supply of their beautiful flavoured olive oils where we sampled their many varieties of products that they now produce, they have also expanded their cafe and eatery which is a very popular destination.

As we were a couple of days ahead of schedule we thought we may as well go down into Melbourne and have a little retail therapy before heading home, we booked into the Dandenong Big 4 as that is handy to the DFO also good for picking up the M1 taking us straight into Port Melbourne and the ferry terminal. It just happened that our friends Judy and Merv were also staying there along with Alison and Rob who we know from bowls, as both couples tow a Jayco this is a handy park to the Jayco factory that is located just down the road. Saturday night we went to the Dandenong Club with Judy, Merv and their family the football game between the Bulldogs and GWS was being shown on a big screen the atmosphere was certainly intense with it being a close game and majority there barracking for the Bulldogs. 

Sunday we caught the Sprit back to Tassie ending another eventful trip.

One of many water crossings as we travelled the Newell Hwy

Waiting for the Spirit with Judy and Me

Moree

Upon arrival at the Gwydir Caravan Park we were allocated a site in our requested area of the park only to find the ground to be quiet boggy and wet, it ended up being one of the better ones as there were quiet a few sites that have been roped off due to damaged caused by vehicles during the wet days.

 We were expecting more rain yesterday but it did not come to later in the night so we managed to squeeze in a couple of dips in the thermal pool during the day. It rained constantly all night, as the ground was already saturated there are now larger areas of water laying around the park, we did think it was clearing around lunch time today only to get another period of heavy rain.

 As it is not very pleasant to use the thermal pools here at the park today we took the opportunity to visit their other facility that is being developed into an accommodation complex with an indoor 25mtr spa pool with cascading water outlets.

Our water logged site at Moree

Indoor 25 metre spa pool

Enjoying a water massage

Inside the complex other pools have been filled with cement

Yelarbon

Friday we left beautiful blue skies and sunshine on the Gold Coast and headed out through Nerang taking the hwy to Warwick which meant we had to pass over Cunningham's Gap, a good test for the replacement engine in the Paj.  Baz was very satisfied with the way it pulled up the range giving no indication of letting us down, looks like it will get us back to Tassie ok.

The only rain we had was a small shower as we were climbing the range, but as we approached Yelarbon where we had planned to spend the night, we could see low lying areas inundated with water. The area had constant rain for the previous couple of days so the small river near the recreation ground at Yelarbon had broken it's banks with a good flow of water.

Wow! how things change after only 400 klms heading south west, the previous night when we were on the GC we were laying on top of the bed to sleep as the night was warm and humid, the night at Yelarbon we were under the doonah with an extra blanket on top also the gas heater set on the thermostat to come on when it got really cold in the early hours of the morning. It sure is getting harder each year to head south to the cooler states. I think that after eight years of spending our winters in the North we are getting acclimatised and are not handling the cold very well!

After a good nights sleep snuggled up we were on the road heading to Moree by 8.30 am, rain had been forecast for later in the day so hoping to get there and have some time in the thermal pools before it returned. We encountered lots of pot holes and road damaged with road maintenance crews being kept very busy trying to repair the damage from the recent rain. North of Moree there was water over the highway with most vehicles taking care as they drove through it, we would hear on the CB that a few would hit it at high speed not thinking of the consequences to themselves or others.

One of the many swollen river crossings this one at Yelarbon

Yelarbon

An obsolete country store Yelarbon

Main St Yelarbon

Camp area Yelarbon $15 for power & water a good over night stop