NORTHERN NSW

We left a cold but sunny Tenterfield and headed towards Lismore. Although we have travelled the road previously, the twists and turns as we pass through this mountainous part of the Great Dividing Range still manage to provide us with a certain amount of angst. We are happy to reach the bottom and although there are still plenty of climbing, winding roads in this part of northern NSW, that part of the Bruxner Hwy is behind us as we stop by the Richmond River in Casino for lunch.

 Leaving Tenterfield

Bridge over Clarence River at Tabulam 

As we headed towards Lismore we came upon a huge protest campsite. They were protesting against Coal Seam Gas drilling. They have had a win recently in NSW. "Go you good things."

 Scenery heading towards Lismore

Protest Camp

 Bridge at Lismore

We stopped at Alstonville (magic little town) in the hinterland near Ballina before leaving for Tweed Heads to organise the storage of our possessions. Time for the Chookpen to undergo its first bit of servicing, also. 

 Not quite "view from the loo" but the lake and bird sanctuary at the end of the street where we are staying at Tweeds Heads is pretty good. Weather is also pretty good, no more freezing days and nights.

 

Stopping at Tweed Heads  until everything organised so next update may be mid June when we head off again.

CENTRAL WEST NSW & NEW ENGLAND AREA

 

What a wonderful week or so we have had since moving on from Trangie. The cotton and grain fields(which we neglected to take photos) were amazing. Passing through Warren, Gilgandra, Coonabarabran to Gunnedah. Gunnedah was a really nice country town and we decided to stay for 4 days (football reception was good too). After leaving Gunnedah we headed to the New England Area of NSW through the country music capital of Tamworth(forgot the camera, missed photo opportunity with Slim Dusty, forgot phone camera as well) to Armidale and further on via Guyra, Glen Innes and Tenterfield. Freezing mornings & nights but the days have been crystal clear. We have come in on the tail end but the autumn colours are spectacular. Currently stopped in Tenterfield at the showgrounds. Ashton's Circus is playing 50 metres from the Chookpen.

 

Free camp Sandy Creek(nr Trangie) sunset

 

 Warrumbungle Ranges, road to Coonabarabran

 Campsite - Hickory Falls

View from Penshioner Hill over Gunnedah townsite and further eastwards(Moonbi Range)

Bendeneer camp behind rodeo grounds

 

  Bendeneer

 View from the loo

 

  New England Hwy scenes

 

 Uralla Fossickers camp. No gemstones but plenty of possum poo discovered over the Chookpen next morning.

 View from the loo Mother of Ducks Lagoon, Guyra(not quite sure what hole it was). Next time Kel will have a hit. Bea not quite up for it this time.

 View from the loo Tenterfield. Gone from golf balls to clowns.

Late Autumn colours Tenterfield

 

 

Life's great...............from the Chookpen.

CENTRAL WEST NSW

  We left Echuca and headed for Hay in NSW. Passed through Denilquin on the way. Another lovely town situated on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. We have never seen anything so flat as the Hay Plains. It was like the Nullabor again.( Sorry, no photos, flat camera battery, remember.) Camped at Sandy Point at Hay for the night. The weather has gone from very cold to bitterly cold.

 

  Sandy Point

 

 

 Rested up and headed further north into NSW.

 We made it to Lake Cargelligo. (View from the loo below)

 

 

 It is absolutely freezing and we are learning that Perth winter clothes just don't cut it over here.

 It was time to bring out the "big guns", hence the magnificent hat previously only worn in the Tasmanian wilderness.

 Frogs Hollow, camp spot next to the Lake.

 Horses viewed from kitchen window.

 Birds feasting on the lake.

 

Headed further into NSW. Passed through Condoblin, Parkes and stopped at Peak Hill.

 

Diverted along to Trangie for some more nostalgia. Tall tales of past family holidays were told of this place and Kel just had to check it out.  

 

 Can you believe it, the Big Boiling Billy.

BORDER CROSSINGS & THE MIGHTY MURRAY

We left Lyrup and headed East towards Mildura. Beautiful countryside. Oranges were fantastic.

 

Welcome to VIC.

 

Mildura was a big town so we decided to cross the Murray river into NSW and stopped right next to the river at Buronga

 View at Buronga

 

 

 After resting up for a couple of days we decided to head further along the river crossing back into VIC. We were told about a campsite behind the Harness Club at Nyah. We liked it so much that we stayed for 4 days. Wildlife woke us every morning and on one morning walk a kangaroo jumped right across our path.........once again we failed to have our camera. We are loving bush camping.

 

Riverbank at Nyah, 50 metres from the Chookpen

 Birds on racing track early morning, feeding after rain.

 Its getting bloody cold too.

 

Left Nyah and it was time for some nostalgia. The map said Wedderburn and Kel just  had to head there. No birds found this time,(you had to be there). A lovely town ,however, and its grown from memory. Hope you are reading this, Reg. Didn't strike gold this time either.

 

As mentioned above, you had to be there.

 

 Spent the night at Wedderburn Caravan Park and headed towards Echuca. Echuca was a fantastic place but it poured all day with rain. We decided to camp the night and head back in the morning. The clouds broke to a lovely sunny day but it was cold. We still loved it and will have to go back another time. Only managed 1 photo, the camera's battery went flat. Missed some wonderful photo opportunities as we set off for Denilquin NSW and further onwards to Hay NSW. It's only as we are writing that we realised that our phones take photos. It's wonderful being tech savvy.(NOT)

Old Echuca Port

 

Going to spend a few days in Hay to catch up on washing and cooking.

From the Chookpen...................Kel, Kim & Bea