29th April 2018–Clermont

Distance: 258 km
Fuel: 57 L

Was woken up at 1.40am by some of the park residents returning from their Saturday night frolic, not a problem, it was Saturday night and I went straight back to sleep.

Set off at about 8.30am which seems to be my ‘usual’ time. Only 250km today, because Charters Towers or even the roadhouse at Belyando Crossing is just too much driving to do comfortably in one day.

Stopped at one lookout on the way to view the Staircase Ranges – could see why they are so named but frankly it is not particularly spectacular.

Next stop was Springsure and the Virgin Rock. Have actually stopped here several times before.

Called into Emerald for fuel.

I have been to Clermont a few times but previously stayed at a local motel, there seems to be only one caravan park but there appeared to be plenty of space though it filled up more as the afternoon went on.

After setting up the camper (I had to reverse into place for the first time this trip) went for a drive to see what Clermont has to offer. Apart from mining the town is famous for the 1916 flood when many people were killed and the whole town was subsequently relocated to higher ground.

Reminders of the 1916 flood are well signposted.

28th April 2018–Rolleston

Distance: 314 km

Foggy again this morning.

Rather an uneventful drive only stopped a couple of times on the way.

A traffic jam!

The country was very brown yet here and there in the midst of the brown were full dams.

Rolleston is a very small town with one fuel stop and two pubs. It is Saturday so even the workers have gone home.

Once I had unhitched I took the opportunity to get my laundry done; the machine here was only $4 and it was dry within a couple of hours so I am good for nearly a week again.

Will get fuel in Emerald tomorrow – at Rolleston it is one stop for everything.

Like a lot of small towns businesses have closed.

27th April 2018–Monto

Distance: 326 km
Fuel: 36 L

Woke up this morning to a blanket of fog however the sun soon burned it away.

Dalby Pioneer Museum

Opposite the caravan park there is the Dalby Pioneer Museum. I have generally stopped visiting country heritage museums because it is rather like visiting my grandmother’s house. This one looked a little bit different – it was many buildings on a large block and the advertising sign outside was intriguing.

They had a telephone exchange, fossils, a vast bottle collection, agricultural machinery, computers, adding machines, typewriters, record players, trucks, even the first and the last white painted Qld fire engines. They didn’t just have one or two of things they had dozens. It opened at 8am and I only left at 9.45 because I had to vacate the caravan site by 10am. Well worth a visit.

On the Road

Off again through the back roads – they are rough roads with few places to stop except in the towns on the way.

If you don’t stop at a town called Mundubbera where do you stop? Was able to park in the town centre by taking up two spaces and had a look around. The town obviously has a talented artist(s) because his/her murals were everywhere.

Unfortunately I changed a setting on my camera by mistake so the photos look odd Sad smile

Another 100 km to Monto where I decided to stay a night. Found the local caravan park and dropped off the camper before going into town for fuel, milk and other essentials. A massive main street with parking in the centre of the road as well as each side (room to turn a Bullock Team in?). Plenty of spaces to park and little traffic.

Rain is badly needed in this area, just before I made dinner about 5 drops of rain fell.

Fuel consumption rocketed today; the speed limit is 100kph which is fine towing the trailer. For a while today I was doing 113kph and it took me a while to notice – My excuse is that it was an open road and no traffic so I must have accidentally re-set the cruise control or something equally daft.

26th April 2018–Dalby

Distance: 344 km
Fuel: 34 L

The road from Warialda to Texas must be one of the worst in the state. It wasn’t that it was potholed or broken up it was just bumpy. I have driven on better dirt roads.

I am now in Foreign Parts.

Didn’t stop in Texas it is not that long since I stayed here. >>Click here for more about Texas<< >>And Here<<

I did stop at Inglewood for a break, a steak and kidney pie and a coffee at the bakery. The coffee was made in a machine but was surprisingly good. The machine ground the beans and treated the milk (not powdered) to produce a very respectable, hot cup of coffee with little waiting. Another job lost to automation.

The road improved but one of the problems of using back roads rather than the main highways is the lack of rest areas. The next stop was a small town called Cecil Plains only about 50km from Dalby.

Cotton harvesting seemed in full swing with massive bales waiting to be transported. Sometimes the road verges appear white with cotton but perhaps the bales are better because there was a lot less waste than I have seen on previous trips.

Dalby was unfortunately a bit of a nightmare with major roadworks happening along the length of the town. I got fuel on the way because the idea of driving back did not appeal to me. Funnily enough it was the cheapest fuel of the trip.

The caravan park was on off the main road but still affected by these roadworks – I am not kidding, the roadworks went for kms and affected the whole town. I suspect they will be great when they are finished but a major bottleneck at the moment.

The landscape is dominated by silos of all shapes and sizes.

25th April 2018–Warialda

Anzac Day

Distance: 354 km
Fuel: 37 L

Stopped in Tamworth for food and a toilet break! Maccas was the only place open.

Then in Manilla to watch two up in the main street – unfortunately I forgot to take photos. Tried to do the same in Barraba and Bingara but they had detours in place which took me too far out to walk back. Every little town and settlement had some event at the local club or war memorial as I drove past.

At Warialda the council run caravan park was on the highway so easy to find. There was no office just a number to ring; I was told to pick a site and he would be along early evening. Small caravan park but plenty of room.

Found the local IGA was open and nearby bought fuel then drove around town but while it looked a nice enough town there was nothing outstanding about it.

Next door to the caravan park is the sports ground. I presume the local footie team is called the ‘Wombats’ (well, I think it is a wombat)

24th Apr 2018 – Muswellbrook

Distance: 373 km
Fuel: 34 L

Left home at 8.30am. Drove through the hell that is Sydney traffic between the M7 and the Newcastle Freeway. Eventually arriving in Muswellbrook about 1pm.

This is very much coal country, Passed the Liddel and Bayswater Power Stations (when Tallawarra closed I was offered a job at the latter). If I hadn’t been so tired I would have driven a bit further on.

Anyway found the Riverside Caravan Park and booked in.

Cheap enough – $15 for a powered site. Riverside is a bit of a stretch, while it is on the banks of the Hunter River those banks are about 20 metres straight down. I don’t think it really caters for the passing tourist trade but more providing cabins for the local mine workers. I think there are only about four caravan sites.

The railway line runs close by so it might be noisy tonight.

I bought fuel after setting up then went for a walk to stretch my legs. There is a Chinese restaurant, two pubs and the Workers Club a short walk away. So I won’t go hungry.

At dusk I was having a cup of tea when I saw hundreds of birds flying nearby, I thought it was strange to see birds flying as it got dark so I had a closer look. It was hundreds of bats getting ready to look for food.

Went to the club for dinner to try their $12 Schnitzel special – it was ok.

Don’t worry I am not going to be posting pictures of everything I eat!

19th March–Boorowa

Distance: 247 km
Fuel: 29 L

The temperature dropped sharply during the night. That is not to say it was cold but by morning it was no longer a heatwave but still pleasant enough wearing a T shirt.

Today’s journey was through well travelled territory – Young, Cowra, Canowindra, Forbes etc are all interesting towns in their own right but it was not that long ago that I visited.

Click here to have a look at last years’ visit to the area.

Made a brief stop at the Parkes Radio Telescope just for old times sake.

The scenery became more undulating as I neared Boorowa – probably why they describe themselves as “Hilltops”.

Boorowa Caravan Park was well sign posted, I was instructed to find a site and someone would see me later. I chose one with a reasonable amount of shade.

With the much cooler weather it was easier to walk about the town and explore than on the previous few days.

Did you notice the clock hands are missing from the Town Clock on the War Memorial?

!8th March 2018–Peak Hill

Distance: 334 km
Fuel: 31 L

Change of mind

It had been my intention to stay at Narromine tonight but as I drove it was obvious that I was going to arrive far too early – ie before noon – so I decided to press on an extra 55km to Peak Hill.

Nevertire is somewhere I never tire of stopping just to stretch my legs (and photograph the sign).

According to BOM the temperature in Peak Hill is going to be 40’C but as I drove not only did the temperature rise but also did the wind. It was a hot dry wind, I doubt the humidity was over 15% but the wind didn’t relent once. where ever there was a bare paddock there was a dust cloud visible for miles. I drove with my sidelights on the whole way. I am hoping that as the wind was behind me it resulted in better fuel consumption.

Peak Hills was hot… After checking in – when I was given a handout of local attractions – my set up was very quick because the park even provided a TV connector. The site was shady but it was the wind that was hot so the shade didn’t provide much relief; anyway it was time to look around.

Another day, another gold mine…

The first port of call had to be the Peak Hill Gold Experience only a couple of blocks from the caravan park.

Then I drove out to the Bogan River Weir a few kms out of town.

I had a look at the local attractions including St Josephs Church designed and built by its first priest.

By now the day had reached its predicted 40’C so it was time to seek air conditioned comfort and where better than the local Ex Services Club where I spent an enjoyable couple of hours. I decided against waiting there until the dining room opened at 6pm as there was the danger that by then I would be incapable of ordering a meal so I returned to the caravan park to start writing this (and recharge my phone).

The meal at the club was not bad I had a Char Kuey Teow, if I had a complaint it was that it wasn’t spicy enough.

16th March 2018–Hillston

Distance: 254 km
Fuel: 29 L

Another leisurely start… I was awake at 7am ready for a shower but from then on it was slow progress having a breakfast of my usual cereal and coffee before taking down the TV aerial and packing up the camper.

Just after 9am I was on the road heading up the Kidman Hwy toward Hillston. Soon I was in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) where the first stop was Coleambally to have a look at the massive old dragline that was imported from America in the 1930s to dig the irrigation channels in the Riverina. Had a brief drive round town but nothing too exciting about it, just a typical small Australian town. (pop 600)

Onward and northward; by-passing Griffith where Tom Tom knew a shortcut and soon back on the highway toward Hillston.

A short detour to visit Merriwagga – I have been going to visit this town for 50 years. A school mate worked here for a few years as part of the ‘Big Brother’ scheme straight from school. The town has slowly declined over the years to the point where it is now a pub a few houses, massive grain storage and not much else. I had to have a beer at the tallest bar in the southern hemisphere didn’t I?

Naturally there is the obligatory placard making something out of nothing. Smile

Arrived in Hillston at about 1pm and easily found the caravan park. I saw the owner as I arrived, she told me to help myself to a site and she would see me later as she had cleaning to do!

Once I was set up I drove back into town (half a km away) for fuel and a bite to eat. The tourist bureau didn’t have much info about walks or tours other than to warn me about snakes because there is no doctor in town so I just wandered about looking at the Lachlan River and Lake Woorabinda (created by pumping water from the river).

During my walk I noticed the Hillston Ex Serviceman and Citizens Club almost next door to the caravan park so I called in for a couple of beers and the air conditioning.

When I finally returned to the caravan park the owner was in her office and I was immediately offered a 10% discount for being a pensioner. Can’t complain about that!

23rd November – Eden to Batemans Bay

Distance: 212Km
Fuel: 34L

Only about 200km to Batemans Bay so didn’t leave the Eden camp until nearly 10am. Really leisurely drive northwards, had intended to stop on the way but the few rest areas seemed rather desolate with little shade.

Found a caravan park off Caseys Beach near Batehaven just south of Batemans Bay proper and set up the camper. Poor TV reception here, they are in a slight depression, so I didn’t bother to get out the aerial especially as we are only staying one night.

It was 1.30pm by the time we unhitched the car and we were pretty hungry so drove down the road to the shopping centre at Batehaven and bought the inevitable seaside fish and chips (and gravy) which we ate on the waterfront.

To be honest we saw a Thai restaurant on the way past but after turning round could not find it again, Sad smile or at least not until after we had bought the fish and chips.

By the time we finished eating the sky had darkened and thunder could be heard in the distance, back at the park just made a cup of tea before the rain started. There was thunder and small hail for about 20 minutes then light rain for another half an hour.

By 6pm the sky had lightened and we were able to make tea, a toasted sandwich and spend time outside before it got dark.