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Off to the sun with GMcG and FOff to the sun with GMcG and F
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  • TravelerOff to the sun with GMcG and F

    Peterborough

    June 16, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Took a while to get started. Ian was supposed to pick up Tom following his toe amputation. Turns out no Doctor has seen him and he may not get discharged until tomorrow. So decision was made to set off. Greg and Fiona were meeting us in Peterborough. We finally arrived just before 5pm. We were staying just outside Peterborough in a large RV site. Red dirt, and no toilets. Greg had brought a collapsible fire pit. And we had a great fire. We also had a slow cooked stew that fiona had made. My turn tomorrow night.Read more

  • TravelerOff to the sun with GMcG and F

    Second day in Peterborough

    June 17, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    The sun is shining but its cold. An early morning march to the nearest toilet block...a good 20mins. Frankie came too. We found a good off lead park, but unfortunately didn't have a ball! There was also a single gage railway which looks like fun for the kids in the summer...not opened at the moment. The down side to the day, for both vans: our van has no power, therefore no water. Greg and Fiona also have no power, due to leaving their heated blanket on overnight. They have a generator and solar panels, which they used to power up. Our batteries just seem to be done. We located a battery in the town, but Ian has manipulated the wiring, and with the solar panels on the roof this may save us from buying having to buy one......
    We walked into town and bought dinner. My turn to cook. And some dog bones. Ate my first home grown fig tonight. Very nice!    Read more

  • TravelerOff to the sun with GMcG and F
    Day 1

    Heading to Cockburn

    June 18, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    A busy morning! Major rush to the loo again (1/2 mile away) with Frankie in tow. Stopped in the dog park on the return journey, so Frankie was happy. The battery has failed, so no hot water or power. I had to ask Fiona if I could have some hot water to wash the dishes. Ian and Greg went into town to try and buy a new battery from Dusty. Initially this was a no....but about an hour later, Dusty rang to say he had it. We finished packing up and headed, with van in tow, into Peterborough to pick up the new battery. Then we were on the road in convoy, to Cockburn. The pub (called Coburn) had a warm fire, allowed dogs in, and had a friendly publican called Ian! The town had created a community society, which offered cheap camp sites with toilets and hot showers for $25. There was another Cafe just 500m or so down the road from the pub, called the Border Gate, which was in NSW. Greg remembers having his photograph taken with one leg in SA, and the other in NSW.Read more

  • TravelerOff to the sun with GMcG and F
    Day 2

    Broken Hill day 4

    June 19, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Frankie and I walked the circuit again, into NSW and back into SA before packing up. The showers were basic but lovely and hot. Today we stopped in Brokenhill Outback Resort. From one extreme to another! This place was 5 Star and at $45 a night it was money well spent. We had a lovely large grassy site with power and water. Fiona and Greg were next door. I plugged everything that needed charging in, and relaxed. There was a large community bonfire lit after dark, and people gathered round. One woman was a little confronting - no one should travel with a dog in their caravan! They should be working dogs!!
    Ian got talking to Ken, who was working at the miners memorial in BH. We said we might see him tomorrow. Tonight we had meatballs and pasta- made last week. We are staying here for 3 nights    Read more

  • TravelerOff to the sun with GMcG and F
    Day 3

    Tourist day D5

    June 20, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Today was tourist day in Brokenhill. The first stop was just up the road from our resort, at the reservoirs. We were lucky to get the chance to talk to an employee. The Dam was full, but he said that the water was no longer used, because another dam in Silverton required less chemical treatment. So for economic and political reasons, this massive body of water goes unused. Ironic considering where the dam is situated. We passed the bowling club as we went up to the Miners Memorial.
    The miners Memorial was getting a major makeover. No sign of Ken. The memorial lists all the miners deaths over the last 200 years or so. A very moving experience.
    Frankie managed the wire grid walkway no problem. A quick call into the bowling club for ground inspection, and to organise a game tomorrow. Then off to Silverton for lunch at the pub. Silverton time is NSW time-1/2 hr forward while BH time is SA Time. Confusing! Mad Max is being filmed at the moment, outside Silverton.
    Drinks by the fire again after dinner.    Read more

  • TravelerOff to the sun with GMcG and F
    Day 4

    Bowls at Broken Hill

    June 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    We had bought a portable washing line yesterday for $70. We have never needed one before... but this caravan park is so fancy it doesn't have washing lines! So after the rest had left for their bowls game, I did a wash to make the most of the sunny day.
    Two problems :1.... only one working machine, and how to stop my line from falling over in the wind! Ian solved this problem by attaching by an arm of the line to the awning. Machine wise...I just had to wait! I also made pea and ham soup in the slow cooker. It was cooking for 5 hours, but the peas were still hard.
    Pizza that night at the pub was good, and we got some nice glasses to remember BH.    Read more

  • TravelerOff to the sun with GMcG and F
    Day 5

    Menindee lakes

    June 22, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We are heading to the Lakes at Menindee. They have been described as being 117% full, by the 'Weather Man' who was talking to Ian and Greg outside the shopping complex in Broken Hill. (He also said to make the most of the sunshine because the weather was going to change.)
    However today the sun was shining, and the lakes were as full as anyone can remember. The water is coming from the record rainfall in Queensland earlier in the year, and which is now flowing down the Darling River.
    We stayed in a great free camp, with toilets!!!Unfortunately the toilets were blocked.
    Fiona got talking to a council employee who was closing the toilet, by taping it off, and he assured her that the toilets would be emptied this evening, and should be ready for use after that.
    Sure enough, the toilet unblocker man, worked hard shovelling the 'brown gold' (his description) and succeeded in unblocking all but one of the four toilets. We camped down beside a fantastic vista of moving water jumping fish, and birds....kookaburras, cranes, plovers and hawks hovering overhead. Ian and I walked to the far side of the road to watch the sunset. Frankie ran into the lake, up the hill and repeat!
    We walked past a water flow control area which sucks water from the main lake under the road, and spurts it out on our side. The Pelicans circled the area where the water gurgled through, competing with the fishermen on the banks for the best catch    Read more

  • TravelerOff to the sun with GMcG and F
    Day 6

    Memories

    June 23, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We took two cars and travelled to places that Greg remembered from his childhood.
    We went to Copi Hollow, a small hamlet by the lake, with a caravan park. We travelled along a very rutted dirt road, and arrived (after several kilometres of uncomfortable driving) to find that a bitumen road lead into the town from further down the main road! We could have avoided the shaking!
    After Fiona asked directions from the roadside grasscutter, we went to a great lookout site over the main Menindee lake. It was huge, and difficult to see the far side. Another great place was the main weir, within walking distance from our campsite. This was an area which controlled the level of the main lake by feeding overflow into our lake. The flow was furious and the level of the lake was visibly demonstrated by the submerged road- the start visible on one side of the lake, but mostly submerged and only a few meters visible on the opposite side.
    We stopped for lunch at Menindee pub. Ian and I had a steak sandwich...it came with chips and was huge.
    I couldn't eat any tea that night!    Read more

  • TravelerOff to the sun with GMcG and F
    11
    Day 7

    Wilcannia

    June 24, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Toilets at our camp are fixed.... too late for me yesterday.... had to use the loo for number two! Was very sorry for that, but what could I do!!
    We stopped in Broken Hill for provisions, to replenish water and use the dump point. These were situated opposite the information centre.
    Beside the dump site was an enclosed park, suitable for dogs, so I took Frankie in and let him run free.
    I had no ball with me, but that was okay just running around. He was as happy as I've seen him in days. After being tethered to the caravan, he was off running, exploring, and having a ball.
    We left the lakes and headed for a free camp near Wilcannia. We couldn't find any appealing enough to stay. They were all basically bitumen parks at the side of busy main roads... not nice!
    So we kept going until Wilcannia. Ian and I have stayed there before, and it was a pleasant little council run place- cheap and cheerful! Also free washing machines!
    When we were last here 4 years ago, the caravan park, which is on the banks of the Darling River, was completely dry. A few puddles of green foul looking water was all that could be seen.
    The water allowance given to the surrounding cotton growers means little or no water in the Darling... unless, like at the moment floods in Queensland cause the water to flow again. And at the moment the river was full, and there is much beauty in its majesty.
    Wilcannia used to be a thriving port. The third largest port in NSW. Now, a lot of the grand buildings still survive, but no grandure. At night the aboriginal community rule the roost, although a new Chief of Police has brought things under control. However, there is little to no commerce here now. No reason for being!
    Anyway, for $25 powered sites, we, with about 15 other caravans stayed hooked up, ready to pull out in the morning.    Read more

  • TravelerOff to the sun with GMcG and F
    Day 8

    Just like Pro Hart

    June 25, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today was a long driving day, originally the plan had been to stop at a free camp 80km outside Wilcannia, however those camps were terrible.
    So we headed to a free camp outside Coban 70km from Bourk. For the first time i heard of 'Back of Bourk' meaning middle of nowhere. It was a smashing camp with a huge camping area. Lots of evidence of goats around. We passed so many along the road.
    Tonight we sat among the gum trees and the red earth, in the back of Bourk    Read more

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