Riley DArcy and Taine about to board The EmmyLou Echuca Vic
So we hit the road early in Roma and headed staight to the sale yards for a couple of hours before heading on to St George. Stopped and had lunch by the river then found our way to the council caravan park. Not real flash but we were only stopping off overnight and we had power to run our airconditioning. It was still very very hot in this area.
From St George we headed south through Surat stopping at a Cobb & Co museum which although small is very well done.
Surat Cobb & Co Museum QLD
From there we passed into NSW again posing for the family photo
Lightning Ridge an opal mining town was our first port of call in NSW. Kym and i have been there before - in 1993 on our way up to live in QLD. We wanted to show the kids and they really enjoyed it. It is not an underground town like Coober Pedy and although it is still very very hot they live in tin shanty houses on the mines and just in the normal brick houses in town. We did a town and mine tour and got to noodle for opal in the heaps dumped by some of the miners. No luck in doing that though.
Riley and Kym also went to visit an underground carving gallery. The mine didnt produce much opal but the guy enjoyed carving so he created 100s of different pictures in the mine walls. He carves them then he paints in the details.
After a couple of nights in Lightning Ridge we headed East to Mooree to the hot springs. They were lovely but the caravan park was tooooo expensive even if the springs were right there on your door step. They have now got four pools at various temperatures - 35,36,37 and 39 degree as well as having a very big swimming pool that is about 27 degrees. We only stayed the one night as it was one of the most if not the most expensive parks we have stayed in on the whole trip - over $58.00 per night. ($40 is average)
From there we passed through Narrabri and Coonabarabran before heading into the Warrenbungle National Park for a couple of nights. Like all national parks, to really see them you have to walk and climb. In our case it was climb straight up for about 1.5 hours, get to the top , only to be greeted by a dust storm that limited visability to about a third of what it usually is. We could imagine however that it would be beautiful on a clear day!!! The next day of course was perfect but there was no way we were heading up again. We were all stiff and sore as it was stairs all the way to the top and they kill your calves.
Taine and the 'view' at the top of the walk (1000 steps) Warrenbungle National Park NSW
Resting at the top to the climb in Warrenbungle National Park NSW
In country NSW there are many towns to visit so we did a bit of a zig zag taking in Dubbo, Orange, Parkes then Forbes. All of them were lovely but Orange and Forbes were my favourite.
Dubbo is famous for the Western Plains Zoo. We have been before but the kids were only very little last time so we thought we would go again. It was only ok and for the cost was a little over rated. I think the city zoos have caught up as far as natural habitats and displays are concerned and it doesnt offer any really unique animals that you cant see in other places. The playground with the flying fox was the highlight for the kids so that isnt a good result really!!!
They did get to feed the giraffes and they did enjoy that.
In Orange we went to the movies and saw the movie New Moon and all enjoyed it. Its not really my cup of tea the whole vampire thing but going together was fun. While in Orange i also searched out the movie "The Dish" . It is an Australian movie about the Landing on the Moon in 1969 and the role of the Parkes Radio Telescope in transmitting the pictures and sounds from the landing. The kids werent really that keen to watch it but i made them anyway telling them it was made by the same people that made The Castle - which they loved. We didnt tell them that we were going to see it the next day so they got a big surprise when rising out of the sheep paddock was The Dish. They were that excited and really into it and interested in all the displays in the museum. We have watched a few movies relating to where we are going like Australia, Crocodile Dundee, Man From Snowy River and The Dish and it does help stir their interest.
THE DISH - Parkes NSW
Parkes led us to Forbes and an overnight camp right in town on the 'lake". Some towns really make an effort to get travellers to stay and spend $$ and Forbes is one of them. By offering nice free camping people spend their money in town on other things including sightseeing. Kym and the kids spent a great couple of hours in McFeeters Classic car museum and loved it while i sat in the car and read my book all on my own with out ANYONE around....wonderful.
1966 Valiant Ute
Model T Ford
That night we bush camped again as the weather had cooled down making it comfortable to be without power (airconditioning) right on the banks of the Lachlan River just outside of Cowra. Although you cant have campfires now we still love being able to camp along rivers etc. Earlier in the day we had visited the Cowra visitors centre and watched the re enactment of the Japanese Prisioners breakout and visited the war graves and the site of the POW camp.
Kym and DArcy and Marnie and Taine bushcamping of the Lachlan River - near Cowra NSW
So next we went down to Young the Cherry capital of Australia - apparently - and apparently we arrived right at cherry picking time and on the weekend of the Cherry Festival!!! Who knew. Apparently we should have know as it is such a famous event according to the lady in the visitors centre and getting a caravan site was tricky but Kym talked our way in and we had a good couple of days there. When we arrived we noticed that we had a flat - actually very very very flat tyre on the van (we didnt even notice it while we were driving) Kym stayed and changed that while we looked around the markets. DArcy went in the Cherry Pie eating contest but ate too politely and slowly to win that! I was surprised that he entered as he doesnt like apple or apricot pie so i didnt think he would like cherry pies. I then found out that Riley paid him $1.00 yes one dollar to enter!!!!!!!! He is so cheap. Later in the afternoon we went back into town and watched the Cherry Festival Parade and all enjoyed that too.
Cootamundra to Junee and then onto Wagga Wagga - my names so nice you can say it twice.
Cootamundra is the birthplace of Donald Bradman
And in Junee you can visit the Licorice factory and play Vertical Licorice
Bowling - try chocolate and drink coffee. Kym was in heaven!
Bowling - try chocolate and drink coffee. Kym was in heaven!You throw the lump of licorice up through the top hole, the lump rolls down and knocks over the pins. Highest score wins!
Taine with the lump of Licorice.
Happy Hour in the middle of the Murrumbidgee River near Wagga Wagga NSW - hard life but someone has to do it.
Just East of Wagga Wagga about 20km is a little settlement called Oura Beach right on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. It was another bush camp and fantastic. Although we were not right on the water it was only 5 metres away and in the late afternoon we took our chairs down and put then on an island in the river having rock throwing contests and drinking our afternoon drink. The water is beautiful and crystal clear as it runs down from the snowy country. It was great to drink straight from the river.
Unbelievable as we headed south west from Wagga the weather changed and from summer dress to hoodies in one day. By the time we arrived in Deniliquin it was raining and even cold and for only the second time on the trip we had to set up in the rain! The last time was in the SW of Western Australian back in February!!!!!! Not happy Jan :)
Watching a dvd warm inside while it rains outside - Deniliquin NSW.
Now Orange in NSW was cool, as was Deniliquin but you can always count on Victoria to be bloody cold and raining. For the past two days the sun has come out between the light showers of rain and at night it is chilly. Our quilts are out again as are the long sleeve tops! Echuca is right on the Victorian and NSW boarder with the River Murray as the boarder with Moama. It is just beautiful here and there is so much to see and do. As usual we have had to pick and choose what we do so today we went out and visited the Golden Cow dairy farm and watched a milking demonstration and the kids had a ball with all the other baby animals on the farm. There was another travelling family there with three kids so the six of them had a great hour or so playing together. After milkshakes all around - and 39 flavours to choose from we headed back to the Port of Echuca to go on a Paddle Steamer cruise up the Murrary. It was a nice cruise and an hour was just the right length of time for the kids as they were having a good time still even as we came in to dock. It rained off and on but is was no problem and you would never hear anyone complain about rain in this area that is for sure! We visited and test the produce at the Fudge Shop and the Lollie Shop and we are sure you could spend two weeks eating your way around town as there are cafes and resturants everywhere catering for all the tourist that come to visit.
It really is a beautiful town and one you could spend heaps of time and money visiting all the different museums and old world penny arcades and attractions.
The Murray River - Echuca Victoria.
Marnie and Riley at the Lions Park is Echuca Vic.
Colourful Cows at the Goldern Cow Tongola Victoria near Echuca.
Feeding the Calves at the Goldern Cow
Kym on the EmmyLou - Echuca Victoria
.
.Marnie on the EmmyLou Echuca Victoria
So time is flying and Adelaide is just around the corner. I think based on our very flexible plans, that we will be back in Adelaide early next week a few days before planned. The kids are ready although they are still having a very good time and Kym and I know how busy it will be when we get home. We still havent bought a house so if we dont find anything suitable in the next couple of weeks we may rent for 6 - 12 months settle down and find the perfect place.
Travelling well and happily.
Love and Kisses
Themitchellsonthemove. xxxx
