7th to 11th Bingara to manilla (via Tamworth)

      Wednesday 7th


early morning at Bingara
that's the moon!

   

     Left Bingara today, 90km to Narrabri.  Before departing I took this picture of the moon going down over camp, just another one of those moments when I just had to snap a photo.



Knobby mountain behind us
Kaputar range national park

     We travelled over the range passing through Kaputar National Park, great views - as my photo's show.



Looking back the way we came
from top of  Kaputar range



View from Mt Kaputar range

       We stopped overnight at the Narrabri Showground camping area on a powered site for only $14.00. First time we had used the CMCA membership to get a discount of $4.

     Thursday 8th
     Travelling down the Kamilaroi highway through Bogabri and Gunnedah and on to the Oxley highway again, we stopped for short rest at Carroll for an ice cream (morning tea), reaching Tamworth 10am. About 9km east of Tamworth is the small town of Kootingal with camp sites available   -  (NOT)  -   all booked out for the Tamworth Country Music Festival. (which doesn't start for another week yet) Back to Tamworth at the riverside recreational reserve where a  camping area is set up for the festival. Might stay for the entertainment!! only $225.00 for 2 weeks camping.

     Friday 9th
     Tamworth is madness and mayhem, already the motor homes, caravans, camper vans, tents etc etc
are taking over most of the available camping ground there is, jammed in a metre apart!! NOT FOR US!!  we're outta here. Stowed our gear and left Tamworth behind us.
     

rapids below lower weir on Namoi river  Manilla



early morning reflections above upper weir on
Namoi river at Manilla

   






 44km back up Fossickers highway to Manilla, arriving mid morning we filled Dilligaf with fuel and drove to the river gum van park on the bank of the Namoi river, $23.00 a night, very pretty and well looked after, will stay for a couple of nights.


  Saturday 10th


Bank building in Manilla

     Swimming in the Namoi river, the water is warm compared to the Gwydir river at Bingara, the pups have been having a ball swimming and exploring with me. We walked into town, there are many old houses and buildings in Manilla, like this old bank building, very pretty art work on this one.
         Sunday 11th
  On our way to Split Rock Dam, only about 25km. Managed to blow a tyre on the trailer on the way out, so Darn!!, change the wheel and keep gong. When we got there discovered no powered sites at all and the dam is pretty low water wise and not very appealing at all, so made our way through a back road to Barraba, taking this view of the dam and country side on the way.


Split Rock Dam (in the distance)

In Barraba the camps that are supposed to be available are no longer operational.  We parked up for a while to have lunch and a break, deciding to carry on to Bingara and the camping area we left 4 days ago. It's so nice, why not?  On the way through Barraba found this great town clock, not many of these around any more.

Barraba town clock and main street

Barraba historic town court house

     And the court house building was on the same corner.


An hour later we were back where we started,- Bingara -
on the banks of the Gwydir river.

All things being equal we will spend a little time here and I will get back to you when I have something to tell or show.