On The Road Again

After spending last week in a rainy and cold caravan park in Nowra, experiencing the south east coast’s third or fourth low pressure system, that month, it was great to have sunny clear skies to head off last Sunday.

As you know we have spent the last few months visiting Sue’s mum Shirl, who has been sick since February. She has had three close calls where the doctors advised us to expect the worst but she has bravely fought on and has now been settled into a nursing home at Bomaderry . Sue spent the last week seeing her every day organizing clothes, labels and trying to help get her as comfortable as possible. Her health is still very poor and it was hard to leave her but if Sue stayed with her mum much longer I would have had to put her in the psych ward as well. Shirl was ok about us resuming our travels and wished us well but I expect we will be called back at some time in the not to distant future. She has her “friend” Barry who bravely visits her most days and that keeps her happy.

Following a good night at Gai Beswick’s 50th we left Miranda about 9.30 am towards that day’s destination of Mudgee. We stayed nice and warm in the car over the Blue Mts (7 degrees in Katoomba). Going down Victoria Pass in the slow truck lane always makes me feel great that we have now left the city behind. The countryside towards Mudgee was beautiful and green with lots of full dams, a total change from when we traveled the same route in May last year. We had rain overnight and a cold night in Mudgee but the van was nice and warm. Next morning headed off through Gulgong, Duneedoo and Mendooran to Gilgandra for the night in a great park with massage heads in the showers. Note: The Rotary Caravan Park in Gilgandra is recommended. Another cold night with a beautiful star filled clear sky. The next day we traveled into big sky country with flat but green plains in every direction meeting the blue sky dotted with occasional fluffy clouds. It is currently a beautiful part of the country to be traveling through. Our destination that night was Lighting Ridge and when we stopped for lunch at Walgett the “tracky dacs” went into the cupboard to be replaced by shorts as it was 27 degrees. Been in shorts ever since, although a jumper is still handy at night. We have not needed the caravan heater since Gilgandra. Lightning Ridge was packed with NSW school holiday makers as well as the usual winter visitors. Lots of people come here for the winter and try their luck in the opal fields.

Wednesday saw us continuing along the Castlereagh Hwy, heading into Queensland but undecided as to where to go, either St George 200 klms, Surat 300 klms or a long day of 400 klms to Mitchell. Surat would mean “free camping” with no power which was not good on State of Origin night. We arrived at St George about 1.30 pm and filled up and asked the garage attendant about the direct road from there to Mitchell which he informed us was the only way to go as it was all sealed now. So we took his advice and headed north west. This road is 200 klm bordered by nothing but red dirt and low scrub the whole way. Most of the road was good except for the older sections which were narrow with broken edges, but the only road train we met was fortunately on a new section. This part of Queensland was much browner than the countryside we saw in NSW, they obviously have not had as much rain but they still have their huge cotton farm dams full of water that should be flowing down the Darling. It has been great to see the Castlereagh, Barwon and Namoi rivers flowing, as well as the many smaller creeks we cross. We have seen lots of live emus and dead kangaroos along the way.

We arrived at Mitchell which is on the Warrego Hwy a main route from Brisbane (600 klm) to the west and north west of Queensland. Mitchell is a small country town, although it does have 4 pubs and an artesian spa amongst its attractions. The council run caravan park offers a BOGOF deal whereby if you pay for two nights at $18 a night (cheap) you get two nights free. So it is full of pensioner grey nomads who like a bargain and can stay somewhere with power and hot showers for only $9 a night. Of course it keeps them in the town spending money. We were planning to stay two night as the washing is due, but hang it we might stay for a free day, got to watch the dollars now. The park is full every night at this time of year and they have a big open fire at night surrounded by bush poets and lots of grey nomads with their wine casks. The laundry notice board advises us of a sing-a-long at the camp fire tonight from 5pm to 6.30pm. Sue wants to go so we will have to have a late tea tonight!!! Oh My!!!!

Trivia Question, What’s my name:
To find out who is reading this and to provide information for success at future trivia nights:

a son of Mitchell is honored as the shortest serving Australian Prime Minister as he held the position for only 6 days. Who is he ???
Keep any eye in the comments for the answer.

That’s all for now, we are heading towards Longreach tomorrow or the next day and we will write again. By the way, many of you will be happy to know I’ve had a hair cut and gone back to number 4 again.

Love, Chris, Sue & Olly


View from our site at Shellharbour in "Low Pressure System" June.



Green as far as the eye can see in western NSW.



Emu racing between St George and Mitchell.



Grey Nomads lined up in the Major Mitchell Caravan Park, we're second from the left.