Change of Direction

17th November 2025

Distance: 322 km

Fuel: 39 L

Goolgawi to Ivanhoe

Was browsing maps and possible routes yesterday evening when I discovered that last year the road from Ivanhoe to Wilcannia was finally sealed its entire length. I think this means a change of plan. Instead of returning south I shall be heading north at least until the Barrier Highway when I will turn east toward Cobar.

This wind has played havoc with my fuel economy I am using at least a litre per 100km more than I normally do towing my camper (which is also approximately a litre/100km more than when not towing).

Anyway today was cold and overcast when I woke up, it got down to 10° overnight, surely not normal for weather as we near summer? So glad I threw my cardigan in just in case.

The Hay Plain was as flat and apparently empty as always. I didn’t even see the odd Emu just lots of sheep and cattle. Generally it was quite overcast but occasionally the sun broke through

Took the opportunity to fill up with fuel in Hay (even though I only needed some 14 litres) before turning north because I knew that it was 40c a litre dearer in Ivanhoe.

Got slightly better fuel economy driving north but very little traffic, just road trains of stock heading south.

It was very dry. This dam wasn’t even muddy at the bottom.

Found the Caravan park easily but the servo looked deserted however I rung the number on the sign and it turns out the servo is a bit further on, drove up there paid for a night and filled up with fuel while I was there ($2.33/litre!). Returned to the caravan park and set up.

Wandered out for a look at the town, at the other end of town is the RSL Club, went in for a beer and discovered that they do meals after 6pm. Lovely couple of girls behind the counter. I suspect they are backpackers on an extended work visa, not sure where from as I didn’t recognise their language (it wasn’t French, German or Spanish Winking smile ).

The town even had a sculpture, though I couldn’t make out what it was about.

Opposite the caravan park is the Pub though on closer inspection it is shut and for sale.

I must admit I do like the fact that no matter where you go there are call boxes and the calls are free.

That evening returned to the club, I thought the meals were a very reasonable price, I had Salt and Pepper Squid though was tempted by the steak or the fish. Last couple of bars I have been in had neither Tooheys New or Carlton Draught on tap so tried Carlton Dry which turns out to be quite nice.

Returned to my camper quite late, watched another episode of “Riot Women on my TV before sleep.

Hay, Hay, It’s Wednesday.

1st May 2024

Distance: 318 Km

Fuel: 34L

Temora to Hay

Woke at 6.30am and went for a shower. The temperature must have been in single figures because it was cold but a hot shower soon warmed me up and I kept warm by donning one of my feather puffer jackets until the sun made its presence felt.

Left Temora at 9am, heading for Hay, again a well trodden route but not so far to travel today. Pretty easy journey with little traffic, I think I was overtaken twice and I over took one caravan.

As I said it was cool, I had the heater on in the car for the first couple of hours though the sun was out and it was a very pleasant day, didn’t use the A/C at all. Filled up with fuel at Narrandera where it was under $2 a litre.

Apart from the fuel stop only stopped once more at a rest stop around lunch time to stretch my legs and have a sandwich. The sides of the road looked like it had snowed, obviously the cotton harvest was in full swing with the sides of the road covered in cotton from the trucks transporting it

Arrived at the Hay Caravan Park about 2pm and took a powered site – when I was here last September a powered site was $29 now it is $39 – prices everywhere have gone mad.

After setting up and making a cup of tea drove to Hay township (about 3km away) for fuel and a look around. Hay must have been very prosperous at one time, so many its older, grander buildings were once owned by banks (not that it isn’t a thriving town now).

Hay is built on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River.

That evening I ate my remaining pork pie for my lunch.

Back to the ‘Gong…

22nd September 2023

Distance: 702 Km

Fuel: 76 Litres

Home Again

A long but relatively easy drive home. Most of it taking place on the Hume Highway (the main highway between Sydney and Melbourne)

One stop at Gundagai for lunch and a toilet break, otherwise plain sailing on familiar roads.

Trip Statistics

It seems hard to believe that just over a year ago fuel was hovering about $1.10 a litre, on this trip the price of diesel always started with a 2 and on one occasion a 3!

Distance Travelled: 6537 Km

Fuel used: 721 Litres

Total cost of fuel: $1727

Average cost: $2.39 per litre

Fuel consumption: 11 Litres per 100km

Cheapest fuel: $2.11/L

Most expensive: $3.03/L

Total Caravan site cost (all powered sites): $706

The fuel consumption figure is a little higher than usual, I think the first several days of gusty winds had a lot to do with it, as well as driving a bit faster to keep up with our younger travel companions.

Apart from fuel all the costs have all gone up, only one caravan park on the trip cost less than $30 per night for a powered site with all the rest charging in the mid $30 per night range. The exception ,as expected, was Yulara and Kings Canyon, the former was $52 per night the latter $62 per night, their sites were large and gravel with a heavy duty canvas area for sitting and cooking, The tent camping area, which was separate from the caravan sites, had grass sites.

The motel/hotel accommodation was very expensive at the Ayers Rock Resort, it ranged from $300 per night to over $900 per night with a minimum stay of 2 nights.

Port Augusta to Hay

21st September 2023

Distance: 846 Km

Fuel: 94 Litres

The Marathon continues…

Apart from a couple of stops, one for fuel at Renmark and another at Lake Benanee near the town of Euston it was a day of serious driving.

Lake Benanee was actually a very nice spot to stop and when we were there some caravans were already setting themselves up for a night of free camping. The council had even provided a toilet.

We, however, had more driving to do.

We had started driving at just after 8am and checked into Hay Caravan Park at about 5.45, just before it got dark. It was a long day. We also changed time zone, back to Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).

Hay to Wentworth

7th September 2023

Distance: 349 Km

Fuel: 36 Litres

On the Banks of the Murray River

I don’t know why I chose the caravan park at Wentworth, if anything it is a bit out of our way but I haven’t stayed there before and it cost no more than the others in the region, so there you go.

As usual set off at about 9.30 am. This is not an exciting ride, we are crossing the Hay Plain, it exactly that, plain and featureless, why the road even has bends in it I don’t know, it could have been driven straight across the plain. You can see trucks coming from miles away.

We only made one one stop on the way when it started to rain, I put my new rain protection plan into play (don’t ask).

At Mildura filled up with fuel because the skies looked black ahead, turned out to be a good move because shortly it poured with rain and didn’t stop until we have been at the caravan park for over an hour.

The Fort Courage Caravan Park is owned by the local fishing club and is right on the banks of the Murray River. Unfortunately the La Nina foods has taken a toll of their fishing infrastructure.

But it was still a lovely place to stay

Andrew contacted me during the afternoon to say he was on his way to Mildura too, we have made arrangements to meet at a rest area on the Sturt Highway in Victoria in the morning. He will stay at a free camp place similarly right on the banks of the Murray

After the rain disappeared it gave way to a sunny afternoon, unfortunately it was also still quite windy and therefore quite chilly but the caravan park and the river side is a nice place to wander about.

Cootamundra to Hay

6th September 2023

Distance: 332 Km

Fuel: 36.7 Litres

A Cold Morning!

Woke to a very cold morning in Cootamundra, the dew had frozen on everything. You can see it here on the table.

After a quick shower, a coffee to warm me up and some cereal, settled down in my warmest clothes soaking up the morning sun. Once the ice had melted took the opportunity to clean the bugs off the windscreen, make sandwiches and prepare to leave, there was no rush – it was 9.30 before we got away.

An easy journey the first part on country roads with little traffic before joining the Sturt highway where there was more traffic including B Doubles, Semis and the occasional road train but nothing you’d call heavy traffic. The wind is having an effect on fuel economy, am probably using just over 11 litres per 100 km.

Because it was a relatively short journey only stopped after midday for a chance to stretch the legs and have a bite to eat at a quite well appointed rest area, some local councils/shires create very nice facilities for motorists often in the middle of “nowhere”. Not a great fan of long drop (composting) toilets but what else can they do?

Arrived at the caravan park at about half past one and immediately after setting up drove a couple of km down the road for fuel. It wasn’t anything like as cold as yesterday.

The only complaint about this caravan park is that it is right next to the highway so there is a fair bit of traffic noise but personally I didn’t find that a problem and it is very well run.

Narrandera to Balranald

24th May 2021

Distance: 316 Km
Fuel: 35L

Not that far to go this morning so it was a leisurely packing up, Katie needed petrol so after leaving the camp site I waited while she went into town to fill up.

No chance of getting lost today once we were on the road to Hay, there is only one road west. The landscape soon flattened out until there was no hill in sight in any direction as we drove across the Hay Plain.

Hay itself is actually a little way off the highway and somewhere I have never visited but today we stopped there for lunch, just a cup of coffee and a sandwich at the local cafe.

Finally westward across unrelenting flatness toward Balranald where we arrived at about 2pm, checked in to the caravan Park before getting fuel ready for a long drive tomorrow.

Our campsite was on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River and plenty large enough for the two of us, we could have fitted another vehicle in the space we had available.

Katie cooked a lovely meal which I enjoyed with a beer. It was surprisingly warm today and will only get down to 15’C tonight, a big change from the single figure night time temps we have been having lately (they return again tomorrow).

Had a bit of a worry booking a site for tomorrow in Broken Hill, two parks had no vacancies for o couple of nights but luckily we were able to get a site at the third. It seems important to book ahead even in winter, something I have never had to do before.