On saying our goodbyes to the Winton Wanderers, we set off to Beechworth where a visit to Beechworth Honey was in order. On sampling only a few honeys, we both settled on the Ironbark Honey. We had travelled with drizzling rain since Winton and stopped down at Lake Sambell and enjoyed lunch inside DABUS. After lunch we headed to the Information Centre to obtain information on 'The Snowy Valleys Way".

We pull up out the front of the Info Centre and we hear someone call out 'Aunty Relle', it was Laura (Lorelle's neice) who was just about to start her last Ned Kelly Walkabout Tour, as a guide. After a quick chat and getting the info we required, we arrived at the next destination, Yackandanda. Here we did a walk of the town, both commenting on how cold it was.

The Snowy Valleys Way for us starts at Beechworth and winds around the foothills of the Snowy Mountains to Gundagai, along 300km of the most breathtaking scenic road.

As we had decided we wanted a few days on the Murray River to wind down, we detoured at Bullioh and travelled through a slow, hilly and windy road across Mount Granya State Park heading towards Walwa. On the way to Walwa two deer were sighted beside the roadside. Stopping a couple of nights at Gadds Bend Reserve and Neils Bend near Walwa we just chilled out, at Neils Bend it rained all day.

Moving onto Corryong, here we stopped, to explore Jack Riley's gravesite and 'The Man from Snowy River Museum'. Alan discovered 'the 'ol Couriers building' and was rapted to see an old 'Heidelberg Platen Printing Machine' which he had done his printing apprentership on.

At Towong, we crossed the Murray into New South Wales and drove through a stunning picturesque valley before arriving at Tooma where the road ascended up a steep range. At the top of the range we stopped at the Southern Cloud lookout.

"The Lookout commemorates the pilot, co-pilot and all six passengers who were lost when the aircraft crashed, and also acknowledges the changes made to Australian aviation laws due to the accident. The Tooma Road lookout offers panoramic views of the Maragle Valley and pinpoints the exact crash site of the Southern Cloud.

The crash of the Southern Cloud on 21 March 1931 was Australia's first commercial air disaster. The Southern Cloud, crashed on a flight from Sydney to Melbourne in 1931, killing the two crew and six passengers on board. Although its wreckage was not discovered for 27 years, the disappearance of the Southern Cloud prompted an investigating committee to advise that all passenger aircraft should be equipped with two-way radios.

In addition, ground radio stations should be established to communicate with the planes and to monitor progress towards their destinations."

Our stop for the night was at Henry Angel Flat, just 8km out of Tumbarumba. It was pouring and freezing outside, so another night was enjoyed inside with the diesel heater……did we say how much we are loving this newest addition to DABUS. Not only were we enjoying the warmth, we discovered a mouse was also enjoying the warm conditions as he had found his way into DABUS.

The night was painful, with neither of us getting much sleep, due to the noises the little b***** was making and the routes he travelled throughout DABUS. The weather in the morning was -3.5 degrees, so no wonder our companion wanted to join us.

At Tumbarumba, our mission was to get rid of our travel companion, so off we went to the Hardware store to obtain mouse traps and sticky traps. Traps strategically placed throughout, we set off to Laurel Hill. Asending up to Laurel Hill, snow had recently falling and we were both in awe of the spectacular sight of the pine trees and snow. Prior to lunch we set off to do the Sugar Pine Walk

"Owned and managed by Forestry Corporation of NSW, the Sugar Pine Walk in Bago State Forest is a must-see for any visitor to the Tumbarumba area. Take the short, easy grade stroll amongst a dense stand of enormous sugar pines planted in 1928, the largest and tallest of all known pines. Dappled light, pine needle carpet and the straight lines of towering pines - just beautiful! The walk is located on the edge of Kopsens Road, around half a kilometre from the Batlow-Tumbarumba Road at Laurel Hill

We were extremely lucky to experience this walk with snow and snow falling from these massive pines.

Arriving back at DABUS, we decided to have lunch before moving on. The cutlery drawer was opened, only to see the tail of our travelling companion, disappear over the back of the drawer. b*****, next time.

Driving into Batlow, we are amazed at the apple growing region. The town has a lot of old closed up shops, an old processing plant but with a new processing plant. We enjoyed a window of sunshine when we set up camp at the towns' free camp, before moving back into DABUS. As we sit and have finally had some decent Internet, we are getting this blog up and running.

With joy, Alan opened up the cutlery drawer, cutlery now covered with a chopping board and old tea towel, to discover the travelling companion well and truly stuck on the sticky pad, purchased this morning. 'No more movement at the station'………with glee, the varmint got turfed out the door and a celebration was to be had. Hopefully a good night sleep tonight and none of his relatives come to join us, we will be happy travellers.

Update: we had another mouse on yet the second sticky trap……. Hopefully no more.

Before leaving Batlow, we stopped and bought 2kg of local Pink Lady apples.

We are both impressed and surprised with how lush green the valleys have been. Driving into Tumet Lorelle decided she wanted to see 'The Broom Factory".

Al said fine as long as you don't walk out with a broom…. 'We don't need a broom' he said.

The Tumut Broom Factory is the last original Millet Broom Factory in Australia. The Factory is located in Tumut, a small town in the Snowy Mountains. Handmade millet brooms have been made at the factory the same way since 1946, and can be found Australia wide. Owners Geoff and Rob invite you to drop in to the Factory and experience the magic of the broom making tradition. Visitors to the factory will be able to view the broom manufacturing process firsthand and purchase their own millet broom at the end.

We enjoyed watching these millet brooms being made by hand. It was explained that the millet use to be grown locally, but unfortunately now not a viable crop, so all their millet is now imported. They make a caravan broom, so guess what….. Alan walked out with a new caravan broom. Bargain at only $25. Tumut"s main industry is logging and saw milling.

After a walk around Gundagai, discovering the township, we stopped the night at the Pump House Reserve, beside Morleys Creek. It's finally pleasant enough to have a campfire. Waking to a very foggy day, it was a late start before heading to check out "The Dog on the Tuckerbox"

The legend of the Dog began in the 1850s with a poem Bullocky Bill by an otherwise unknown author 'Bowyang Yorke', about the partnership of the bullockies who opened up the land to settlers, and the dogs who accompanied them and guarded their possessions.

As we farewell Gandagai, we also have finished the stunning tourist drive 'Snowy Valleys Way'. This is a highly recommended tourist drive and we are glad that it was a route we had chosen.