Moree

All is OK, we are alive and well! I have just been on the lazy side and haven't updated our blog! We arrived here at Moree a week ago, initially  booking in for 5 days then extending to 7 and are now here for another week. We have a nice large site at the Gwydir Caravan Park as you will see from my photo, unlike some of the sites where if you have your awning out you are only a couple of inches away from the next van, sometimes not enough room to extend it right out. The park has been packed out every night as it is a favourite stop over for many Grey Nomads, with its 4 Artesian Thermal Pools which vary in temperature from 34 to 39 degrees and also a cooler 25 metre pool.

We are becoming quiet water logged, as every day we head over to the hot pools first thing in the morning, then again in the afternoon around 4 o'clock prior to Happy Hour, very therapeutic for those aching muscles. Most days I have been brave and managed to swim 10 laps of the pool before slipping quickly into the hotter thermal pool. The weather temperature here is around 21 degrees during the day and a cool night of 8 degrees, so there is plenty of steam rising off the pools of a morning.

Since being here at Moree we have had a couple of games of bowls, enjoyed a big feed of Ribs at the local Tavern, yesterday was a busy day of swimming & bike riding in the morning, a roll up of bowls in the afternoon then a soak in the pools before going out to the Thai Restaurant that was recommended by someone in the pool, lots of information passed on in there! Our friends Fay and Alan entered in a bowls competition and had to play four games of fourteen ends today while we had a very leisurely day here at the park catching up on some reading and soaking in the tubs, oh such a hard life! Tomorrow we may hop on the bikes and ride to the bowls club and go and support them, as it is another big day for them as the tournament is played over four days.

Our plan this year is to stop in places for a longer period of time, so most likely the Blog will not be updated as often, as we do not want to bore you with too much of the same.

Out large site

A bit too squishy for us!

A feed of Ribs!

Early morning soak!

Pilliga

It was only a short trip from Gulargambone to Pilliga 160klms. Stopping on our way at Coonamble just to walk the Main Street and have a coffee break before heading off to the free camp in the middle of nowhere. Pilliga has a pub, cafe and school. The artesian bore baths at Pilliga were constructed for the town water supply and are now a popular therapeutic swimming spot for residents and visitors. Located about 2klms out of town with the free camp spot along side it was good to be able to go and have a soak in the 37 degree pool.
While we were there for the two nights we enjoyed a fellow travellers camp fire and even had a camp oven cook up with roast chicken and veggies, yum yum!

Pilliga artesian bore baths

Sunset Pilliga

Baz enjoying the campfire

Camp oven cooking

Roast chicken and veggies

Pilliga free camp

Gulargambone

We were on the road by 8.30 as our next stop was over 400klms north east at Gulargambone. We had arranged to meet Alan and Fay, friends from Queanbeyan who we met on our first trip in 2008.
After studying the map and deciding to take the direct route travelling by the minor roads which took us through Condobolin, Tullamore then onto Narramine instead of the busy Newell Hwy. The roads were quiet good and hardly any traffic the only down fall was some road works on the section heading to Tullamore, it was just our luck they were watering down a large section. Great car and van looked like we had been to Cape York and back!
Upon arrival at the Gulargambone Caravan Park it was a quick hello and how are you to our friends before setting to work cleaning the car and van before we could relax around the camp fire and enjoy the damper and pizza's that the van park owners cook every night for Happy Hour. Great little park only $20 a night, very easy to pass through this semi deserted town and not stop, but If you happen to be passing through this way can recommend you stop and support Dave and Bernadette they certainly make a great damper. It is also home for the many Galahs!

Happy Hour at Gulargambone

Campsite with friends Alan and Fay

Cobram - Lake Cargelligo

After hitching up the van in light drizzle at Beechworth, it wasn't too far down the hwy before we drove out of the crappy weather and we're once again enjoying a warm autumn day.

We stopped at Rutherglen to enjoy an award winning Parker pie for lunch then travelling further onto Cobram. It was lovely to get our chairs out and sit in the warm sunshine, we had to make the most of it as the weather forecast was not very promising for the next couple of days.

While we were in Cobram we caught up with our friends Bridget and Don enjoying a lovely lunch and dinner at their house. we also had a visit to the bone cruncher (chiropractor) as before leaving home Baz was suffering with a stiff neck and I have had sciatic pain in the butt. It was a new experience for us, Baz is feeling a lot better but I am still a pain in the bum!

Yesterday we left Cobram and travelled to Griffith via the Kidman Hwy where we stopped to have lunch before proceeding on another 130klm on a secondary road rather than travelling the Newell Hwy stopping at a lovely free camp spot beside Lake Cargelligo. We arrived with plans of an overnight stop but have ended up stopping for two, as the weather was going to be kind, giving us a 26 degree day to sit beside the picturesque lake. We took the bikes off the car this morning and went for a leisurely ride part way round the lake and into town, being a Sunday the Main Street was deserted, I think all the locals were gathered at the football ground watching the local team play. This is a place we could quiet happily settle into for a few more days, only we had a I call from some friends from Qheanbeyan who are further north and we would like to meet up with them. Lake Cargelligo will certainly be on our list of places to  revisit.

Lake Cargelligo our 1st night

Lake Cargelligo Main St

Lake Cargelligo 2nd night

Beechworth

The last two days we have spent at the historic gold - mining town of Beechworth.

 Yesterday after only a short journey from Bright which was in light drizzle, we arrived here at the Lake Sambell Caravan Park. Once we had unhitched we set out to explore the town. After stopping in at the Information Centre we were armed with plenty of brochures about the town and the surrounding areas. First off the list was a visit to the Old Court House, you are able to stand in the dock where Ned Kelly stood during his committal hearing. Next it was off to the Beechworth Bakery for a coffee (hot chocolate) and a Beesting. We finished off our day with a short drive out to the Woolshed Falls.

This morning the sun was shining and we thought we would take the bikes off the back of the car and ride around Lake Sambell. It was an enjoyable ride through avenues of Oak Trees in their Autumn glory. Next it was off to the Beechworth Gaol where we joined in a very informative tour and saw the very harsh conditions that the prisoners had to endure.

After all this activity we had worked up an appetite so we thought we would visit the Bridge Road Brewers a craft beer producer. Thought we would sample some of their handcrafted beers with our lunch, but that was a big mistake, Baz and I didn't enjoy any of them, yuk should have had a glass of wine instead!

The last couple of things on our to do list was a visit to Beechworth Honey then we headed off to Yackandanda a pretty little village stepping back in time. The village is home to many artists with galleries and shops brimming with arts, crafts and antiques.On the return trip we stopped at the cemetery where we viewed the Chinese Burning Towers. Many Chinese came to the Beechworth Goldfields and they built these towers to be used in their burial ceremonies.

Have decided that I need to take Baz to SpecSavers as when we were in Bright he found himself in the ladies amenities, wondering why there was no urinal. Only for me to catch him emerging from the ladies amenities here at Beechworth again confused that there was nowhere to hang out!

We also met Bette, an 85 year old lady that is traveling by herself and towing a small pop top. She lives south of Melbourne and is on her way to Wonga Beach which is located north of Cairns, she does this trip every year and will spend 3 months there. What an inspiration to all of us that someone of her age is out there doing what she loves and even talking about buying herself another van a small Jurgens Caravan.

Beechworth

Woolshed Falls

Bike track

Beechworth Gaol 

Beer tasting

Chinese Burning Towers

Bette getting ready to hit the road

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Bright

After a good night's sleep we had a leisurely get away and on the road at 9am, our first stop was at Glenrowan which is the home of the "Big Ned Kelly" statue. The small village of Glenrowan was the scene of the Kelly Gang's last stand against police. Ned was shot and captured here in June 1880, so of course there is a very good Museum with plenty of memorabilia from the Kelly family.

Arriving in Blight we booked into the Top Tourist Caravan Park then decided we would make the journey along the Great Alpine Hwy up to Mr Hotham. Leaving Harrietville we then had a steady slow climb up the mountain for 32klms on a very winding road with a very steep drop and no guard rails. Unfortunately we only managed 22klms as the higher we climbed the weather was deteriorating with rain and low cloud so we made a joint decision to turn around negotiating the road much better on the return trip. Bright and the surrounding countryside is very picturesque with the red and yellow Autumn colours of the trees.

Autumn colours Bright

View of Bright from Huggins Lookout

Views from Mt Hothman

Hobart - Shepparton

How the time has flown since our last trip to the Big Island, we returned home at the end of September to be welcomed by our newest grandson Archer who was eight weeks early. Now it is already May again and we are are packed and ready to start another journey.

Yesterday 17th May we said a teary farewell to Tan, Greg and our four grandsons and must not forget our beloved dog Doug,  just hope there are no mishaps with the chickens this year! We had an uneventful trip north stopping for morning tea at Ross then of course we cannot pass the Raspberry Farm where we enjoyed a very nice lunch. Having time up our sleeve before we need to board the boat we had time to pop over to Ulverstone and catch up with Dennis & Lynne.

Today we arrived in Melbourne with a forecast for 21degs and had disembarked by 6.30am it was then onto the Citilink making our way to the Hume Highway stopping at Seymour to enjoy a good old cuppa and our breakfast. Next stop was in Shepparton where we called to see Jan & Martin before heading 53kl east of Shep to a free camp at Casey's Weir. There are three other campers stopping here for the night it feels quiet a safe environment, hopefully we will not be bothered by passing traffic and get a good nights sleep. (All very quiet so far!)