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.