How delightful to be on the road and driving along the mighty Murray river taking in the flat blonde wheat fields and magestic huge tall river gums. Sheep dot the fields and the occasional vineyard. We are thoroughly enoying just being out the countryside again. Driving through Mulwala we took in the devastion of the mini cyclone here a few weeks ago. Amazing! It appears to be just a narrow corridor alongside the road, but there is still a big cleanup of trees and caravans and roof tops to be done. We left our lovely campsite at the historic Federation town of Rutherglen this morning after another very chilly night of just 2 degrees. We are warm and snug inside the camper though so it doesn't worry us. The sound of kookaburras and currawongs in the trees each morning is such a treat. What better alarm clock could one wish for? Our next stop is at Darlington Point on the Murrumbidge river just 30km south of Griffith in the Riverina district. We are camped beside the river once again with a postcard view from our camper. The weather is milder here, sunny during the day and night time temp only 10 degrees. The river affords a washing day for us and then a wander through the wooded redgum National Park. We take the opportunity to have a chicken curry camp oven dinner tonight while timber is abundant. Tomorrow we will head further north to reach our destination of Caloundra by next Wednesday.
Rain dropped on our way to Lake Cargelligo today, but not enough to break the drought all the farmers are talking about out here. It is desperately dry and we can see why the farmers are crying out for rain. Fields of wheat, grapes, oranges and sheep colour our drive through the Murrumbidgee region. We really feel we are out in country Australia. Lake Cargelligo is a sleepy little town once famous for its gold, but rather depressing as we drive down the deserted main street. We are camped at Frogs Hollow, not as bad as it sounds and a very picturesque spot right on Lake Cargelligo, where prolific birdlife abounds. There is only one other camper here with us tonight, so nice and quiet, providing the highway traffic doesn't echo.
We had the thickest fog this morning, our camper canvas took hours to dry out, but that wasnt a problem, it was so picturesque here, we couldn't complain. The weather is too good to waste, we are back in shorts and singlet tops again, so we decided dto stay another day at Lake Cargelligo, just relaxing beside the waters edge, reading and watching the birdlife and a wander into town.
On the road again today, (Friday10th) driving up through Condobolin, stopping at Ootha to see the Utes in the Paddock exhibition. Twenty Utes have been painted and decorated by various artists and on display - very clever interpretations. We stopped at Eumungerie just 37km north of Dubbo for the night in the local recreation parK at a cost of $5 which includes a shower. This tiny town is very quaint, only 18 children attend the local school it is so small, so we wandered over to the only pub in town for a drink before our chicken schnitzel dinner cooked on the open fire. One of the locals, Leo de Krooy, as in the de Krooy Brothers 1970s band came by to welcome us to the town, he is an instrument repairer now, ex raio announcer and town organiser. Aparently he was married to Little Patty. The people you meet! Heaven only knows how much call there is for guitars, banjos and violins to be repaired in this tiny village. He assured us the locals were friendly here and we shouldn't be bothered by hoons on this Friday night. Ian ended up supervising a ditch they were digging here in the park - couldn't help himself!
Saturday was a huge day of travel over the Qld border up through Gilgandra, Coonabarabran, Narrabri, Moree and Goondawindi eventually stopping in the Recreation Park at Clifton, just out of Toowoomba after 6 hrs of driving and 450km. Wheat and cotton country decorated our day and glorious weather. I am working my way through many crochet squares as we drive. It was dark when we arrived so took a protected spot with a view for the morning sunrise. Indian Beef curry and papadams for dinner with a quiet wine before early bedtime.
Tomorrow there is a polocross match here. Should be interesting to pass the afternoon.