18th to 23rd Oct Nowra and Berry

                    
                                              Saturday 18th


Bird life at Nowra

Nowra showgrounds grandstand

         

     We are at Nowra, at the Nowra showground camp ground. It  is very pretty and a large area to walk Dot and Yip. The bird life is neat and the buildings are all very ornate, as this photo of the grandstand shows.

 

     I spent some time at the Farmers Market this morning -  interesting. There are the meat and fish market, fruit and vegie market with all fresh produce. Purchased a few things. Also went to an Aldi store which I haven't been in before, a bit different to the supermarkets I am used to.

                   Sunday 19th


Hanging Rock - at the showground camp area Nowra.
Shoalhaven river - a long way down the cliff

     Driving around in the Jimny with Dot and Yip this morning, sight seeing.

     Visited the Shoalhaven zoo, didn't go in, but a nice setting for a zoo on the bank of the Shoalhaven river. There is a camping area here at the zoo, $10.00 per person per night and $2.00 for power. Really good rate and the camp is right on the Shoalhaven river, BUT!! no dogs allowed. Oh well! the showground camp is nice too!!



 A selection of the views we experienced while at Nowra and the show ground camping area.

Shoalhaven river and road bridge at Nowra

Dot and Yip at Nowra beside the
Shoalhaven river

    

      This photo of our puppies was taken from beside the Nowra golf club (which is behind me), and the Shoalhaven river behind Dot and Yip.

    A great way to spend a day on the golf course with views like this.

     We had a neat look around and a great day.





                        Monday 20th
     A change in the weather, it's misty rain today, not enough to be yukky, but a little damp, I guess we had to have some wet weather eventually. Just had a relax day.

                      Tuesday 21st
     Big move today.  - - -!!!
               About 15km to Berry. At the Berry showground, $24.00 p/n here, a bit cool as the day is rather overcast. Not to worry, I spent the day walking around and checking the village of Berry and walking the dogs around the suburbs.



The hotel at Berry, note the kangaroo in the surf
boat on the roof and the signs to everywhere

                      Wednesday 22nd
     

     The weather has healed and dawned a bright sunny day. A bit cool early but nice by mid morning.


     Walking around the town found some fun things like the surf boats on the roof of the hotel with the Kangaroo leaning in!!, and the sign post with distances to all places around the world from here.

     




Court house building coat of arms

     Another building is the court house, This coat of arms is on the front of the building, very special and nicely done.






Cane bike found in a store in berry on display

     And I found a funny piece of art in the entrance of one of the business'.  Not funny actually, as much, as very clever, a lot of work must have gone into this piece. The shop attendant couldn't tell me anything about it but didn't mind my taking a photo of it, A full size motor bike made of cane like weaving a basket but it's a motor bike.

     I had a fun couple of hours checking out the town, very up market. Lot's of eating places and speciality shops with all you need to decorate your home if you are a bit guppy-like, and clothing shops, very hippy-like. Not for me but interesting anyway. Also all the necessary shops, IGA, baker, butcher and such, all you need, plus.
   
     Berry is a neat little town, known as the town of trees. There are some lovely old trees lining most of the streets, in the business centre, as well as all around the suburbs. Don't know what most of them are, I only enjoyed them, some I have never seen before, flowering trees of all kinds.


2 passenger jets over Berry showground
(maybe Sydney to Melbourne?)

     The Berry showground has been around for some time, they are celebrating the 127th show in January 2015. A facility to be proud of with all  you need to run a very successful show each year. The camp ground takes up a small part of the overall property.

     I looked sky ward this afternoon to see these two jet trails in the sky. The day so clear and sky blue you could almost touch the planes as they passed over head.



                  Thursday 23rd

     Another glorious day.
     Had a show on at the camp today, Dairy cow competition. There were maybe 30 odd dairy cows here putting on their best for the owners, with 10 categories I was told, the competition was fierce, great morning had by all, I think.
     Another relaxing day, preparing to move on tomorrow. Filled Jimny with fuel and Jim loaded him back on the trailer.
     We have enjoyed our stay at Berry. Dot has had a ball  talking with other campers and Yip has taken the suburbs in her stride. She seems to have come to terms with suburbia and all the distractions there are. Sometimes she frets a little when confronted with something really big or noisy, but all in all is coping with domestic life well. Jim is going well, although I don't think Sydney is going to much for either of us it will be nice to catch up with our mates of long ago.
     That's my lot for now, catch you when we have departed Sydney I think, in a few days time.
             Chow for now.




14th to 17th Oct. Albert to Nowra

              Tuesday 14th
     Still pretty cool this morning, have to keep moving.
     Travelled 320 km today, a long one, going through some little towns on the way, such as Trangie, (a small one) Narromine ( a little bigger) Wellington (bigger again) and took a rest at a roadside rest area 32km north of Wellington (another big one). It's raining and darned cold so carried on after a while to Molong, a neat looking town where we stopped at the Molong caravan park for the night with a powered site at $20.50 per night, so that we could have the heater going, Man it's cold!!

               Wednesday 15th


Molong main street with the
old hotel on the right 

     The rain has eased but it is cold again this morning with frost on the grass!! Not so nice walking Dot and Yip this morning and Dot was complaining a little, but Yip didn't seem to care. Nice inside the bus though.


Molong Catholic Church
Beautiful building

     I took a couple of walks during the day and took some neat photo's of the beautiful buildings in town and around. One of the nice things I spied is all the Poplar Trees in town, I haven't seen them in ages and was impressed, as I was with the whole town really, It is a pretty and oh so green town with the Molong river running through, clean and cold.

St Paul's Church at Blayney

               Thursday 16th
      From Molong we passed through Orange, a practise run for the pilot at city street driving for when we get to Sydney, he said it was easy enough!, then on to Blayney where we found another neat church building, this time St Paul's Church,  lovely!



Canola crop on way to Cowra

Going through lots of little towns along the way - Millthorpe was pretty with an avenue of trees over the road we passed along, on to Linhurst, with lovely green pastures along the way and a crop I had never seen before, Canola, a vista of yellow to behold.

     On to Cowra we went with grain crops on the farm land, also stock - sheep and Cattle - the crops being canola, as I mentioned, along with wheat and I'm not sure what else. Nice to see the Poplar trees and weeping willows every where.
    


Boorowa Hotel

     On to Boorowa, stopping for few minutes rest to admire the buildings again such as the Hotel.  Further along in the paddocks I saw a flock of sheep, the ones with black faces but amongst them where a few completely black ones, not a lot of them about and they where easy to spot being  a bit different.




On to Yass over the Hume Highway
nice farmland  here

       As we got nearer to Yass ( our destination for today) the traffic got a bit heavier, must be in the  vicinity of the big smoke (cities). We headed along the Yass Valley road and in to Yass after going over the Hume highway (with all the traffic going to the big city of Canberra), I guess.  We spent the night at the Yass show ground camping area, only $20.00 a night.


Friday 17th
     A cold night in Yass!! heading closer to the coast today to Nowra.
        We travelled through neat places again on our way, one was Fitzroy falls with a large reservoir suitable for a sailing club to be present. We stopped for a short time, the puppies weren't allowed to be there so we went on.


The bridge entering
Kangaroo Valley

     Next was Kangaroo Valley - really pretty little place, looks cold though. The approach bridge was something special,  one lane.
     There was no way we could find a park big enough for the bus, so we kept going.
     We had wound our way down the very steep hill into the valley then we wind our way up the  hill then down again toward Nowra.

      The road was pretty narrow, steep and windy, there were warnings to be aware of passing trucks on the corners, heaps of U-bends. The bus brake pads were smokin' - nearly.      Great views though.

One of the many
U-bends on the hill down
to Nowra

Kangaroo valley to Nowra
view out bus window





Once we got to the bottom we were almost in Nowra, only a little way to go. We found the Information centre and arranged to camp at the Nowra showground camp site for the next 4 nights at $28.00 a night. A bit pricey as the facilities only provide toilets, no showers, but Caravan parks are very expensive and crowded. The show ground is very pretty area over looking the Shoal haven river and not crowded at all.

 

So, that's where we are at the moment. Having a relax 'til early next week when we will make our way to Sydney. That should be fun. See you then with more photo's.

4th to 13th October Cobar to Albert (the heart of N.S.W)

    Saturday 4th

Metal worker at Gilgunnia
rest area

     Heading south still.
          Came across this little rest area at Gilgunnia, 40 km south of Cobar where we stopped for time out, just a quirky thing I found and had to photograph.



The Royal Hotel at
Mount Hope

     We continued to Mount Hope where we spent the night out the back of the Hotel. Nothing here, just the pub and a couple private houses, and some empty places too, (some of them quite neat looking).
     While here, a group of Ulysses bike riders called in for lunch, about 35 of them, which made for a busy time for the couple of attendants in the pub.

                  Sunday 5th
          
     Daylight saving started today in N.S.W. so have adjusted our clocks forward by 1 hour.

Kalinga station homestead and family

    

     We are calling in to stay with some friends at Condobolin today. They have a mixed farm, actually 47 km west of Condobolin, with sheep, cattle and crops, so should be an interesting few days. Have been invited to their grandsons first birthday party this afternoon with a pig on the spit, what an opportunistic time to visit eh?

     Hopefully we will stay a few days catching up with them.



                Thursday 9th


Gum Bend Lake Condobolin

    We had a relaxing time at Kalinga but time to move on.

     Not far today, only into Condobolin to restock, then 3km from town to a man made lake called Gum Bend Lake where there is a free camp.



Dot & Yip on the Lachlan river bank
looking at the Carp in the water

     What a beautiful place. The local people should be very proud of this facility, there are free B.B.Q's, picnic tables, boat ramp and nice green manicured lawn all around the lake, plenty of room for camping and day trips, I believe there may be fish to be caught as well.
     The Lachlan river runs fairly close by too and should be good fishing I reckon. It is full of Carp though, we saw them by this tree in the river, where Dot and Yip where intrigued with the sight of them swimming on the surface of the water, seemingly gasping for air, (they are a declared pest in fresh water ways and should be destroyed if caught while fishing). Dot and Yip managed to have a swim in the river while we where here for 2 days.
     A lovely interlude in our travels.


           Saturday 11th
     Travelled a short distance to Trundle. Camped the night at the local showground.  What a neat town. it was like taking a step back in time. I wandered around taking photos which I have for you to see.


Restored Movie theatre (closed)

Trundle Hotel (longest hotel veranda
in NSW at 87.6mtrs

Trundle Motors (still in business)








Ring neck parrot at Trundle

     The bird life is pretty neat too! I managed to get this photo before it flew away. It is a ring neck parrot, there was a pair of them feeding on the grass seed here.


Another great place we have managed to explore on our trip planner and enjoyed.

                                   Sunday 12th
 
                                    To Albert today.
     
       Drove through Tullamore about 60km from Trundle. This town, with a population of about 500, is very Irish orientated.

Tullamore Hotel

    

     It seems to have everything you need in the way of business' and, as in all outback towns, has the pub. this one is no exception with a beaut' old building form 1919.  The café come museum is very interesting although we didn't spend a lot of time here it looks like another neat little town.
   



     Onwards to Albert!
 Now there ain't much here either!!


The Rabbit Trap Hotel in Albert

   

    The Rabbit Trap Hotel complete with caravan park, has powered sites for $10.00 per night, a fuel depot with the cheapest fuel we have come across for some time, diesel was only 1.50 per litre, a church and private houses.    
     We settled in for couple of nights.






Religious Home in Albert!
(maybe not!!)

     On walking with the puppies around the streets I found that there was, once, maybe three churches here. One is obviously in use, another is just empty and kind of falling to pieces, but then I came across this one which seems to be privately owned and occupied. Just sort of says it all I reckon, what do you think? no offence intended I'm sure.


Double Decker bus outside the
town of Albert

   
     Out beside the main road is this old double decker bus.
      Can't miss the town of Albert with this out the front!!
    It's an old Albion Ventura, the sign on the front of says "Glasgow to Sydney" Not sure if it made it to Sydney as it's about 300km short,  here at Albert.




Rabbit trappers hut at Albert

  

      This is how the rabbit trappers of the time took refuge from the elements. Not particularly comfortable I don't think, but I guess it did the job, some-where to cook a hot meal and roll out the swag for a sleep, the whole building is only about 3mtrs by 3mtrs.


     We had a bit of thunder storm tonight, not much rain, maybe enough to settle the dust for a while would be about all.

    Monday 13th
     Jim washed the bus today and we had a bit of clean-up. The weather has turned a bit shi&ty and it's pretty cold with a nasty wind coming form the Alps or somewhere, so have spent the day inside keeping warm.

    Another day tomorrow, catch you then.











Sept.29th to October 3rd Charleville-Wyandra to Barringun- Cobar in N.S,W

              Monday 29th Sept.


Gladstone hotel in Wyandra
(the one and only one in town)

     Went to Charleville to a fridge place to have the fridge in the bus looked at. They worked on it for an hour or so while I replenished the larder at the local IGA. Hopefully it is all good now.

      Down the road about 100 km to Wyandra, a little town half way between Charleville and Cunnamulla.




Wyandra post & general store

After having refreshments a the local hotel we parked up at the Wyandra post and general store. There is a van park behind it with powered sites for $15.00 per night. A very quaint little place, the store has every thing you could think of, from fish & chips to knick knacks, souvenirs, tools and ice cream, with free movies of the local area each night, putt putt golf and friendly happy hour.
      Tuesday 30th Sept.


Warrego river at Wyandra

     Awoke to lovely morning. Yesterday afternoon I took the pup's down to the Warrego river, only 1km from the park, guess what!! there is water in the river to swim in, and maybe fish too!. The beach, (as the locals call it) is very nice with sand to the waters edge. A part of the river system which not dried out, very nice!!


Cheapy for sale in Wyandra

    
     Found this little gem on a corner block!! Just what is needed for the beginner property investor! (I think not, but - what do I know)

Renovated Rail building at
the old race track

Went out to see the race track which hasn't been used for years, but they have moved the old ticket office from the rail station out to the track and they use it for Gymkhana's and the like. It is very well done.   


             Wednesday 1st October
    Spending another day here, just relaxing. will head south tomorrow.

             Thursday 2nd October
     Heading down the Mitchell highway today to the N.S.W. border town of Barringun, about 200 km for the day. Didn't stop in Cunnamulla except to refuel the bus. We got to Barringun at 12.20pm,(which is on the N.S.W. side of the border) So - another state to explore. There isn't much at the border between Qld and N.S.W. to let a person know they have crossed it. Barringun has a truck/stop-caravan park and a pretty run down hotel.

Tattersalls Hotel NSW/QLD border
at Barringun

Hotel bar & owner Barringun at
QLD/NSW border

The publican is a woman in her mature years who said she had been here since 1977, Wow, that's a long time to be in one place, especially one so isolated. There has probably been heaps of passing traffic to tend to over the years and I bet she could tell some stories.
     We spent the night opposite the hotel parking in a slip lane that had plenty of room.




wild goats south of 
Bourke. Heaps of them all
the way to Cobar

                         Friday 3rd
  
      Moving on down the highway toward Bourke, ( the back of Bourke, you know the one) and on the way the roadside and farm land and scrub has heaps of goats of all colours and sizes, I expect that they are feral goats as there are too many of them to be farmed., although there may be some of them that are stock animals.
     We went all the way to Cobar today passing by Bourke except to refuel Dilligaf and stopped at a butcher to get extra meat and bones for the dogs. 




     Arrived in Cobar and stopped at a truck stop rest area on the intersection to where we are heading tomorrow.

Sign on disused Mine site at Cobar
entrance

     Had been here for a couple of hours when a council worker told us about the free camp at the town reservoir. We moved to there and it was worth it as it is very pretty and the dogs managed to get a swim in the clear cool water. We had a very nice evening.     
     The day was a bit tiring as we travelled a bit further than usual, clocking up about 300km for the day, about twice the usual, but all is good.


     I visited the information centre before we moved to our final camp site and took a photo of the beautiful building, which also houses the museum.

Heritage building housing the museum
and information centre



Dot at the lake reservoir at Cobar
free camp