Tuesday 29 April 2014

Boggabri, Murrurundi, Uralla



Enjoyed the drive to Boggabri. It is so very flat through here but with hills along either side of this plain. Masses of cotton grown with irrigation dams everywhere. Further south you get in to sorghum as well. There has been enough rain to break the drought and the country is looking green. Surprised to see hay down near Murrurundi and the evenings are very damp - unless they are making silage.



Spent a pleasant 6 days at Boggabri Drovers Campfire. They were expecting 400 vans - ended up with over 600 I am told.  Displays by heavy horses, old machinery, dogs jumping walls, pony club plus stalls, music, damper, scones....


Loved the idea of all the old coal ranges on a trailer that they used for the scones and to boil the kettles.

Some seriously old machinery

- an original static hay baler as old as me! took a long time for a bloke on a pitch fork to feed enough to make a bale!
Interesting Aus designed loaders for hay and sacks on the side of trucks. Sprung loaded to lift the sack up then drop down again.
The dog jumping outfit is a 'rescue' operation for boys at risk - Back on Track;. They use the dogs to help the boys. Fun display with the best dogs getting over an 8' wall.

Have been having trouble with the gas fridge inspite of having it serviced twice in the past 2 months. Had a think about it and decided I may need a new regulator so went back to Narrabri to get one. Installed it and what a difference it made. Had to turn the fridge right down to stop it freezing and the hob cooks twice as fast as it was. I have to wonder why the 'experts ' didnt check the regulator before cleaning the fridge....????
Stopped at Gins Leap - and old family tomb there.

A big new road going in to the mining area - lots of protests around here about some rare trees that are likely to be lost because of it.
Very impressed with the King of the Ranges Challenge. Have great respect for the men and women who competed and the versatility of their horses. They kept on inspite of shockingly cold and wet conditions  on the second day and much mud on the final day.
Back now at a CP at Quiririndi. Lovely town on a hill and a great park. Biggest showers I have come across yet. Stayed a couple of days then on up main highway to Tamworth and over the Moondi hills to Bendemeer. Did think of staying at the Moondi lookout but no very inviting and above the main highway. Camp by a stream behind the showgrounds $5. Only 1 other here but cold so didn’t socialize.
 Went to Woolbrook with the intention of stopping one night then on to Tia falls – but – windy narrow road – Oxley highway, and the camp was small and damp so back out to main road and on to Uralla to the Fossickers camp. Driving up and down a lot of hills. Not much feed anywhere – drought here so nothing for the winter. Reminds me of Taihape country –  rolling and bush, but lots of big boulders. Busy road to Armidale! Lovely spot – will stay a few days. Very quiet. A few here.
Lovely 4 days of maintenance and quiet - changed the oil in gen, washed the van. Chatting to a bloke of WA. Played guitar for a while. Did a bit of prospecting on the beach. A few metal things. ‘Gold’ glittering everywhere. Very fine flakes that disintegrate when rubbed L Polished the ute, made griddle scones. 
Sunday was cloudy and damp. All alone again. Ran the van battery flat playing on computer all day. Only had gen on for a couple of hours! Rained at night, one camper only overnight but such a lovely peaceful spot .








Friday 11 April 2014

Dubbo to Lightening Ridge


Spent 2 nights at a CP in Narromine then on via Dubbo towards Lightening Ridge. Very windy to Dubbo  - lot of van shaking - then 10 km north to Terramungarmine reserve beside the river. Supposed to be a 24 hour stop but nobody takes any notice I am told. Several here so had to park on the road and the camp was full overnight. Couple I met at Nyah last year are here!!!!
Then on through more flat lush land to Coonamble. The land past there is not so lush. The roads leave a bit to be desired – almost as though they sealed over the corrugated dirt in places. Stopped at Wingadee camp – several here and lots of truckies use it for a break.
Must be sunflower crops grown – or transported – wild ones along the road.

On to Walgett. Definitely getting drier now although it is a bit green. Stopped at the Apex park – free camp on the edge of town beside the airport. Chatting to a couple of women - and we realised we had met at Nyah last year – how is that for spooky – 2 lots in 2 camps.


Then on up this yuk highway to Lightning Ridge. Definitely need rain up here. Some skinny sheep grazing the verges and heaps of road-kill. Went to a very new Top tourist park with free wireless internet! Very warm – am dripping!!!! 
Have a heap of tourist options to check out – tours etc. but don’t think I want to try to 410 baths today. Courtesy buses to pub, club. Big racing carnival on over Easter – side shows here setting up, and even a mobile Wendys van in the street. 

Did the Black Hand underground art. Took the stairs down - quite steep but got a ride in the little 2  person shaft lift to come back out. The art is really clever. Met the Pommie ex Navy artist as well, and got the free video. He has a lovely sense of humour. Was wondering what the little black bits along the edge of the floor were in places - then came around the corner to find the Pied Piper of Hamlin. Julia G is below Kevin R who has a knife and she has a rope around her neck pulled by Bob C! The opal earrings I liked were only $1000 so just admired them!

 Then got lost trying to do the rest of the tour – roads going off all over the place and holes in the ground. Certainly not as strict with their access as Coober Pedy! Not as spectacular either as there are trees hiding much of the fields  - Coober Pedy was like a moonscape. Bumpy roads everywhere – am so over that! Interesting use of old car doors as markets for tours. Plenty of really old vehicles to get doors off !

 Back to town for groceries – then got breath tested coming back to the park at 11.30. Nearly didn't stop for the cops as they did a U turn and then came up behind me. I didn't think it was me the lights were blinking for. Maybe it was the WA plates - or me wandering along looking for the CP.

Came across the corrugated iron church - not sure what it is there for - a film I think.
Have been given a DVD of the other attractions  I am not a very good tourist when it means driving over rubbly rough roads - and I find this place a bit depressing. Even the roaside Cactus are dying.

Had a quick look at the castles and the bottle/can house. Very clever but much smaller than they seemed on the CD we are given ( great marketing I have decided).

Back to Walgett for a couple of days then on to Burren Junction to the baths. Meeting friends there. A very popular place it seems. Large areas to camp and good facilities. Shame about the young local hoons who use the baths after dark and leave all their broken bottles around the pool. At least the Shire send a cleaner out daily. Was a very busy time at the pool over Easter - spent 8 days there and a constant change of people. Some for a few days, others just overnight. Lucky we were able to park to make a square with 2 vans and a campervan so had a cosy spot.
















Sunday 6 April 2014

Forbes, Trundle, Tullamore, Albert, Narromine

 Left Condobolin with the intention of going to Forbes then Parkes. Drove along the lovely Lachlan Highway with lush green flats and bushy hills then hit the main drag. Wow  - what a change. So many trucks that once I got to Forbes I did a quick left and headed inland again. There was also talk of severe thunderstorms and heavy rain in the area.

Wandered up to Trundle - roads not really conducive to driving fast as the edges are very broken and the roads not that wide. There was an ABBA thing on over the weekend so kept going to Tullamore showgrounds. No one else there but pleased to have power, water and good facilities. Brief but heavy rain as the thunderstorm passed over me. Did plan on staying a second night as I was not sure if the roads would be flooded but decided to risk it and on up to Albert - Rabbit Trap Hotel. Mmmm - Friday night and a party with loud (but pleasant) music until 12.30 then a few drunks having 'deep and meaningful' conversations outside the cabins beside me! Cottonwool in the ears finally allowed me to get some sleep.
The pub is 'famous' as it is where Jason Owen of The Voice fame is from. I am told there are only 12 residents in town, and his father owns the biggest western fuel distribution place in NSW, and also the pub.  Several aspiring young singers strutting their stuff during the night. The pub caters for kids with a pool table under the veranda, and a playground over the road. Good meal there but maybe should not be there in the weekends. Was going to the golf course but was told with the rain I may not have been able to get in there.
Plenty of grass around, lucerne, big citrus orchard and towards Narromine the cotton looks ready to harvest. Drovers with a mob of cattle along these wide roadsides.


Wednesday 2 April 2014

Condobolin, Bolo Chapel

Lake Banar - covered in stubble.
 From Tullibigeal I carried on to Condobolin. Good road all the way although a few turns to take. Gentle rising land, huge areas of culitvation. Lake Banar has been cropped as well but there has been 10 years of drought in the region - the past two years have been better. Everything looks so green and lush.

Was wondering what the knobbly poles along the road were until I realised they had telephone wires on some of them - must have used the local tree trunks.
Got groceries in Condobolin then out to Gum Bend lake camp. Lovely spot beside the man made lake which  has excellent amenities - hot shower, BBQ, picnic tables. Lots of birds on the lake - maybe not so nice for swimming?

Plenty of people camping here which is not surprising. Lots of mossies though but it is very warm and sticky after recent rain.


The bookies Who I met at Pigs Point and again at Tullibigeal turned up the next day and have parked beside me. They told me about a farm church that was worth visiting. Called into the development centre whick is alos this oinfo centre - sort of. Ineresting place in a large workshop that has been set up like a village street with 'shops' (offices) along each side - Centrelink, Native affairs, Basket weavers, geneaology, craft etc. Was taken on a tour. Got directions from them and headed back towards Tulli. 25km of dirt road but finally got there.

Chatted to the farm manager for a while then up to this lovely round chapel which has accommodation for priests below it. Opened in 2008 it was built by the Swiss who owns the 5000ha organic farm that it sits on.
Lovely small chapel with a very interesting 'sound' effect as you stand on a star in underneath the central dome. It is as though all sound is amplified when you stand there - I dont think it is natural acoustics. Sounds more artificial to me - maybe microphones in the floor or ceiling. Quite weird what ever it is. The Choir of Australia has sung in here.



Thought I would be smart and hum a tune while taking a video of the interior - then did an explanation as well - BUT - still haven't learnt how to video on this camera so have nothing of my amazing voice!!!! Which is probably a good thing but I thought it would be a bit of fun!  Must read the book next time so I remember what to do to take a video!
According to the internet this farm supplies organic wheat to Swiss bread makers. It had 'sister' sites in Uganda as well.
The sheds and yards all look fairly new and everything is very tidy.


The manager told me I could carry on north for 10 km and get back on to another road back in to town so was very pleased not to have to backtrack. I did wonder where I was going but after 1 km found the grid and drove through Delladale Farm - GPS actually recognized the road as I did wonder....


 Final came out on the road to Kiacatoo road and back onto the seal for 42 km back to Condobolin.