Wasn't feeling too flash this morning so took it slow on the pack-up (& used more power). Did almost 400 k's today & found my headache was gone. Setup camp in almost exact spot used on 1st night. Great fire & hoping it will not be too cold. Plan tomorrow is to checkout Picnic Point which is south of Deniliquin. Remember it from when I was a wee laddie but never sure where it was located. Likely to overnight there & reach Melbourne on Saturday ...

Another cold night - thank god for the bottle! Traveled the lesser highways until Dubbo & the Newell. Visited the Visitor Centre at the Parkes Radio Telescope. Always wanted to see it but hadn't! Watched 3-D video of someone climbing all over it. My FreeCamps book is way out-of-date & stuffed me up around Parkes. Pressed on to Forbes & paid $27 for a powered site (same for unpowered)! Worked out well 'cos I had a little 2-speed heater on full-b...

It was so cold in the morning! Restarted the fire to create a small oasis of warmth. It was eerie how the birds gathered around the campsite - magpies, currawongs, bower birds & kookas. They just gathered - like a scene from Hitchcocks 'The Birds'! Reached Tamworth - In fact a little further as I searched for a campsite. Tomorrow I should reach the Newell & then my objective will be to get home ASAP.

My plan was to get to the Newell by as interesting a way as I could find & the drive to Tenterfield via Mt Lindsay was excellent. Actually camped 30km short of Tenterfield at Bald Rock NP. I was the only camper there which was not surprising given an overnight temp of zero made sleeping difficult.

Having an extra day in Bourke is one of life's little luxuries. Waved bye to S&Y & went back to my crossword. Went for a paddle on the PV JANDRA on the Darling which is retreating from major flood levels. The commentary on board was excellent. Back to camp just before the heavens opened up. Hopefully it will now clear up so it is a dry tent to pack in the morning! Highlight was definitely the boat ride.