Wollongong

22nd September 2024

Distance: 383 Km

Fuel: 39 L

Home Again

Set off early at 7.20am, straight after a shower and breakfast.

A totally uneventful drive, did not stop once and was home just after 11am. The scenery before getting onto the Hume was lovely.

Even the Hume highway co-operated, it was busy but not exceptionally so. Funny thing, as I went further north the sky clouded over and it got darker until it seemed like late afternoon rather than mid morning.

When I arrived home, being Sunday, the traffic was not heavy so I was able to reverse the camper into the car port straight away and start the business of unpacking (but most unpacking will be finished during the coming week).

Statistics

Distance Travelled: 2979 Km
Fuel Used: 307 Litres
Total Fuel Cost: $583
Total Accommodation Cost: $264

Thoughts

It was a very pleasant trip, I enjoyed getting away for a short while. The nights were cold but daytime temperatures were just right, I was warm in the camper during the night, My little 500 watt heater was very handy first thing in the morning and occasionally in the evening.

It didn’t rain at all during the trip so I didn’t get to test my new homemade rain proofing awning for the camper.

The idea is that the door can still be left open for ventilation if it rains at night. The fans I installed are OK but I would prefer the door open however I am happy if it doesn’t rain at all while I am travelling.

I did try my new car awning and while it is not the greatest, it does the job. I have a minor adjustment to make to the set up – all to do with how the guy ropes attach – it would be good if they clipped on somehow.

Did try my water pump for transferring drinking water from the 10 litre container to the electric jug and the 5 litre container, it worked well. Syphoning is OK but this is better, especially as the Aux battery is right there.

Well, that’s it for this trip…

Cowra

21st September 2024

Distance: 266 Km

Fuel: 28 L

It is the last day of my away break. Not far to go today only as far as Cowra.

Didn’t leave until after 9am, I seemed to have the facilities all to myself and it was a lovely sunny morning so I got out the solar panels to ensure the camper battery was fully charged before leaving. That is almost getting to be a ritual now.

A completely uneventful drive, absolutely no rest areas as it was mostly B roads so I just kept going.

I arrived at the Cowra Caravan Park a few minutes after noon only to discover that their check in is 2pm and the office didn’t open until 1pm so I just parked and read my book until someone turned up. To be honest he seemed quite put out by my arrival being so early. I don’t care, I could have happily waited until 2pm, It was warm but not too hot and I was enjoying my book.

Was at this park a few months ago, again on my way home, so I received a $4 discount which was OK.

After setting up drove back into Cowra to get fuel, while I was there I stopped briefly at the Peace Bell before going to KFC for a takeaway Zinger Burger – it was the worse one I have ever had, not sure if it was under cooked or the world’s only chicken gristle but I threw most of it away. The only problem with this park is that it is several km outside town.

Finished my book and started another just before it got dark and I retreated into the camper.

Trangie

20th September 2024

Distance: 365 Km

Fuel: 41 L

Again no rush to get away this morning however was still up at 6am for my shower but read my book after setting out my solar panel to charge the camper’s battery. I used to have a charger to top up the battery but since changing to an AGM battery I just wait until the sun has charged it each morning.

Made a silly start when I left at about 9am, set off east toward Brewarrina instead of south toward Nyngan, must have driven 20km before I realised my mistake and returned to Bourke to get on the correct highway. Sad smile

Apart from that it was, like yesterday, an easy drive following the same highway all the way. I did stop a couple of times, on one occasion dragging out the butane stove and kettle to make a cup of coffee. Also had to top up the windscreen washer which ran out, that has never happened to me before on a trip.

Noticed several flocks of goats grazing by the side of the road though they scurried off when they heard the car coming.

Arrived in Trangie about 1pm, the caravan park office was unattended so I rang his mobile, he told me he was in Dubbo and would be at least an hour so just set myself up on any site. This park seems OK but I don’t think it gets much casual trade, it seems to be mostly locals living in the cabins, there is another caravan park in town.

Once unhitched I drove into the town proper and filled up with fuel at one of those self service servos where you pay with a credit card first then they refund the difference. I have got used to them now, especially common in small towns.

After this I parked in the main street and wandered about, like most small towns on a week day you could fire a cannon down the main street and not hit anyone. Bought some postcards to send, then looked for a coffee but when I entered the only coffee shop the girl told me that they had sold out and were closing (?).

There were a couple of murals, one with a timeline of the town’s history

Went back to the caravan park for my dinner (though I was tempted by the RSL Club’s restaurant), read my book until it got dark when I climbed into the camper and watched some TV.

Bourke

19th September 2024

Distance: 364 Km

Fuel: 68 L

Was up at 6am this morning, it was cool but not too bad – that Antarctic blast seems to be behind us now, once the sun is up the day warms up rapidly.

Am basically on the way home following a route I have travelled many times before – most recently in May.

Set off just after 8am for an uneventful drive to Cunnamulla where I filled up with fuel. Just as I was entering the town an Emu with her chicks strolled across the road.

Some time after 10am stopped at a rest area where I got my stove out to make a cup of tea.

I wondered why there were so many birds flying about in an agitated state. It was only when I looked up and realised the shelters were their home, the roof full of mud nests.

It was a pretty straightforward journey, I arrived in Bourke about 1pm and soon found the Mitchel Caravan Park.

Decided not to venture out of the park except for fuel.

Wyandra

18th September 2024

Distance: 287 Km

It was cold last night, according to BOM it was zero degrees though my camper stayed several degrees higher than that. I was lovely and warm in bed but I turned on my little electric heater before I got up just to take the chill out of the air. The sun soon warmed the place up and just after 7am was back to a T shirt.

Went for a walk along the river bank and back to the caravan park via a dirt road just for the exercise, no rush this morning only a three hour drive to Wyandra.

Passed the site of the Angellala Bridge explosion but didn’t stop this time.

Stopped about half way at a nice rest area and used my little stove to make some coffee and have a sandwich. Surprisingly I had it all to myself. As I left a passenger train came along the track beside the road, I wouldn’t be surprised if Queensland has more rural passenger services than NSW. I over took the train a little way further on.

I arrived at Wyandra about 1pm and checked in, I knew I had been here before but I could not remember it until I drove up. It’s a General Store/Post Office type of place in a very small town. The small caravan park is behind, they only charge $20 for a powered site and while the sites are fine the facilities are clean if rudimentary but good value.

I drove down to the sign posted “The Beach” just for a look.

If I have a complaint about the caravan park it is that there is little shade so I set up my new awning for the first time. It was a bit of a farce but eventually worked out how it went, it is a bit crude but as it cost under $200 including a side wall I can’t complain. If I use it a lot I will replace it with a better one but it did the job I bought it for – Didn’t try the sidewall.

The facilities are basic but clean and functional.

There is no fuel here but will buy fuel in Cunnamulla tomorrow on my way to Bourke.

Around Mitchell

17th September 2024

Distance: 96 Km

Fuel: 57 L

Was up at my usual time. After a shower decided to wash my dirty clothes as the day promised to be quite warm. In fact by 9am the day was already warm despite the night being near freezing.

Drove the 7km to Arrest Creek where the Kenniff brothers were arrested are killing two policemen. They are claimed to be the last Australian Bushrangers.

On the way back noticed a single bushranger in the same style as the sculpture at Arrest Creek.

Next drove to the camp site of Thomas Mitchell the surveyor trying to find an overland route to the Gulf of Carpentaria. It was actually about 35 km outside town along a mostly single lane road with a couple of kilometres of dirt road to the actual site.

Filled up with fuel for tomorrow once back in town, then called into the local bakery for their s lunch special of a “pork and gravy roll with chips”. I quite enjoyed it.

Mitchell is a nice little town though the number of vacant shops along the main street show that it is not experiencing the best of times.

The river reached a record level in 2012 flooding the town.

Mitchell

16th September 2024

Distance: 461 Km

The blustery winds that I feared would keep me awake last night subsided by 8pm so while it was a cold night it was a quiet night. I made a hot water bottle because it was so cold. It is not that my bed is too cold but the hot water bottle warms it up quickly.

This morning had my shower at 6am and my porridge just after 7am, it doesn’t take long to pack up so I was on the road by a few minutes after 8am.

I had planned to stop several times on the way but some times plans just don’t work out, for example in St George every vacant spot seemed to have a caravan parked in it.

Did stop at Thallon for a decent break and chance to look at their Silo Mural.

The road between St George is a “B” road and rest areas are few and far between, it wasn’t a bad road for probably three quarters of its length but toward the Mitchell end there were a lot of single lane sections where passing traffic has to put near side wheels in the dirt.

The Major Mitchell Caravan Park was easy to find on the outskirts of town and I soon had my spot, initially she offered me a ensuite site which I knocked back, it retrospect I should have taken it as it was only $5 more than an ordinary site.

Once set up I wandered down to the river.

As it was still only mid afternoon drove into town, noticed a tyre place so went in and asked if they could balance the front wheels today as it happened they could so I left the car and walked down to the spa centre for coffee and cake. These hot spas are common over the Great Artesian Basin.

Back at the caravan park tried to plan my next move, was somewhat shocked to find that parks in Cunnamulla are charging $61 a night, I think that is ridiculous so am still not sure where to go next.

I read my book for a while before making myself some dinner, might watch a movie tonight, still haven’t bothered to set up the aerial so TV News is out.

Moree

15th September 2024

Distance: 390 Km

Fuel: 32 L

It was a cold night, it got down to about 4°, something I am not used to even though my bed was perfectly warm, I warmed the place up with my little heater, it is only 400 watts but it soon heats up such a small space. Had a beautiful hot shower before making hot porridge for breakfast.

Didn’t rush to get away and left after 8.30, in retrospect should have left earlier and had more breaks.

A fairly long drive, stopped a few times including a longer stop in Coonabarabran just to get some exercise – not much traffic, it is Sunday.

Arrived in Moree about 2.30pm and found the caravan park, it even has a hot spa – Moree gets hot water from the Great Artesian Basin, it’s supposed to be full of healthy minerals. The park is on the banks of a river where, I am told, the fishing is good.

Apart from getting fuel and wandering down to the Railway Station I didn’t really go anywhere, the weather is cold and windy, I doubt the temperature today got to 20°. I sat in the car to drink a cup of coffee it was so cold. According to BOM this is a burst of cold air straight from Antarctica.

The wind is buffeting the camper about, it might wake me up tonight. I don’t sleep so well for the first couple of nights anyway, getting used to the “strange” bed.

Gulgong

14th September 2024

Distance: 376 Km
Fuel: 41L

No Plans

Have set off with no destination in mind other than a short visit to Queensland and warm weather. I just felt like a few days travelling away from home.

Set Off

Left Wollongong about 8.30, having decided that there shouldn’t be too much traffic on the F6 as it is a Saturday. Up Mount Ousley, Picton Road and headed north on the Hume Highway.

I think I have seen more police today than I have seen in my entire life. There was a gaggle of them on two occasions parked on the centre reservation. I say a gaggle there must have been a dozen cars at each. Further north I saw a similar crowd, perhaps not quite as many but by only a few. On both occasions they seemed more interested in the southbound lanes. Later I saw several police cars and a dozen police motor bikes escorting what could have been a motorcycle rally of over a hundred bikes (that’s a guess)

Apart from that the journey was uneventful. Driving through the Blue Mountains was the usual hell on wheels but there were no delays just heavy traffic.

At Lithgow I turned north and thereafter traffic was fine, just the occasional car or truck.

Gulgong

Arrived in Gulgong about 2pm, fond the caravan park and soon had myself set up.

When I stayed here before the park was pretty run down and seemed to cater for local workers but now it is full of cabins and new facilities.

Drove into Gulgong town centre to see if anything had changed since my last visit. Nope, it looks exactly the same, the only difference was that the Chinese restaurant where I ate had changed into a Thai restaurant.