14: Mount York 2014

A bit mores to be said about Gooloogong and surrounding areas before I pack up to leave today.   The shire is known to be called  
'The food bowl of Australia'  and during WW2 the Australian Women's Land Army worked the land, replacing the men who were sent overseas from 1942 to 1945. Ending with 2,382 permanent female members and 1,039 auxiliary members, starting with only 300 woman in 1942. These women held our country together during the hardest times.

The country is so beautiful, I was taking my time driving toward Cowra, everywhere I look its so green.

A local told me the weather had not been kind to them this summer, the whole area was brown and parched, until now. Some rain fell not to long ago, what a difference a shower makes!

Cowra Prisoner of War Camp 1944

The largest prisoner of war breakout in modern military history occurred. 1104 Japanese prisoners launched a mass escaped with crude weapons, throwing themselves onto barbed wire fences and into the firing line of machine guns with only blankets, coats and baseball mitts to protect them.

Australian soldiers were stabbed and bludgeoned to death during the attack.

235 Japanese soldiers and 3 Australians soldiers died on the faithful morning.

334 Japanese war prisoners escaped into the Cowra country side.

This new tower replicates the original guard house.

 

View of the landscape where part of the camp once stood, although the area was much larger than what is fenced today. My local friend says the parameter was shaped like a 50 cent coin and the distant tree line in the left of the picture was one part of the boundary. 

 

 Now driving toward Lithgow

 

After climbing Victoria Pass, wow!!! what a drive up the mountain from the valley below towing the caravan, phew!!! but the Xtrail did very well, I turned left to Mount York.
Camping areas are available, I see 3 tents and one caravan. I did consider camping for the night but as I'd already advised family of my arrival in a few hours it was not to be this time.

The view is spectacular, here looking N.E.

 

 

 I'd like to walk part of the track but not on my own. Looks pretty scary down there.

I remember attending an Abseiling course nearby mmm...about 15 years ago, not on the escarpment where the real dare devils hang but nearby on an outcrop of rock with about a 20 meter drop, that was scary enough for our group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

13: Forbes and Eugowra 2014

Left the caravan at Gooloogong this morning and headed off to do a loop of Forbes and Eugowra, about a 100k round trip. Following part of the Lachlan River that starts its long trek near Gunning and joins with the Murrumbidgee River between Hay and Balranald.

Lake Forbes is a natural lake very near the town with a 4.8kl walking / cycling track with abundant bird life.

Spotted these drums (musical) in a shop, is this how the drums are Scooted....around ?   hahahaha

The old railway station is now the Information Centre.  
Ned Kelly's sister Kate is buried near Ben Hall also, Captain Cooks great Niece is buried in the same cemetery.

I'm told the best time to visit the area is in September/October for the colourful blossoms and roses.

Onto Eugowra via Escort Way.  A small town with big murals, this one below depicts the Bail up of the Gold Escort from Forbes by Gardiner and his gang. The gold has never been found, they say its hidden somewhere in the Weddin mountains.

                                     The Gang named here

Escort Rock, where the hold up took place. There are old markings of coach wheel ruts that can still be seen in the granite on the old road. 

                          An imagined gang portrait         "Bail up! Bail up!"

Arrived back at the caravan in Gooloogong about 2pm. It was a hot day and I ended my drive with a severe headache so I stretched out on a blanket under the breezy trees.  Tonight I'll try photographing startrails.

 

 

 

 

 

12: Gooloogong 2014

A rainy night, thunder claps and a bit of wind and summer has disappeared.  After hearing gun shots the previous morning, learning it was the beginning of Victoria's duck hunting season and this morning being overcast and cold I packed up and heading north. But for some reason the GPS took me back into Victoria and toward Wadonga instead of north to Culcairn.

 

Heading up the Hume then onto Olympic Way, I had decided to try for Wilks Park at Wagga Wagga, another free camp spot beside the Murrumbidgee River with a good walk into town from there.



Not quite a full moon but a beauty anyway.



I stayed one night and continued on after doing some business in town.  I am amazed at the variety of shops in Wagga Wagga.



Bypassed Junee to Temora then onto Bramedman to the camp by the mineral pools, camp by donation but states $10 per night.
I was impressed with the pool, green grass, large pool but a rough as anything camp area and no one was around, not a sole....so off I went.
 


Bypassing West Wyalong toward Marsden on Goldfields Way, another bum steer by GPS, taking me via Forbes, I back tracked a bit then turned onto the Great Western to Grenfell. 

Just me......the road.......and big sky's.

 

Found a lovely camp at Gooloogong with hot showers and power for a donation, not that I need power. There are 4 other campers here and a lovely pub is across the road.  I might spurge on dinner tomorrow night if I'm still here.  



There is a memorial of people passed in the park. I was struck by this one, of no relation of course, but very interesting. I'll stop in at Mount York to see Cox's road and possibly take a look at Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth's tree stump at Katoomba on the way down see the kids.

 

 

 

 

 

11: Few days off the road 2014





 





I thought we were camped on the Murray river but after speaking to a local fellow, he set me straight.  This is a subsidiary creek that flows into the Murray.  Never the less, a bloody big creek, its a perfect place to recoup for a few days as we have been pushing it for the last 10 because of the time factor.

 

Slingshot set off for another of her daughters' place south of Sydney at about 8.30 this morning, her plan is to travel over 300ks today and arrive at Gunning about 2 this afternoon.  A long trip for her but there is a free hot shower waiting when she arrives, then its a matter of possibly 2 hours on Friday and she is where she wants to be.

 





Now here is Ruby checking out the 'Bloody Big Creek'

  











 

What a great night for sleeping soundly, snuggled up under the doona.

 

After Slingshot left I spied campers leaving further up from me so made a quick pack up and moved into their spot, its now location! location! with views of steadily flowing water.

 

 

I was fully set up in my new spot, sorting my washing and looking forward to a few days here. And what a beautiful day it turned out to be with few people about, just some noise occasionally from trucks crossing the bridge and kind of chasing the sun with the solar panels.  

 



The local fellow tells me to expect rain on Saturday but it will be still warm.  I should possibly head north then.  No fun camping in the rain.

 

Ran out of Gas this morning, gosh!!!! the Icecream !!!Swap and go at the local garage cost $36.  When I was in town, I see many jeep vehicles arriving and found they were going to the Corowa jeep festival so I called 'John the Jeep man' to thank him for his help the other day while I had phone access, he is on his return home to Queensland for family business. 

 

 

 

10: Howlong 2014

Funny that! Slingshot couldn't find her kettle after arriving at Greens Lake. We both remember her checking around her van before leaving the last camp but apparently we had blinkers on.

A peaceful camp with pelicans, ducks and amphibious 4 wheel drives.

Rain fell and wind blew till around 1am, I wasn't happy the van was rocking and rolling a bit, I didn't have the stabilizers down, a bad lazy habit of mine. 

A couple of campers came around for a chat before nightfall and we are told the lakes level is down a bit.
This is John's set up, he offered assistance by giving us directions to Corowa, some good camp spots and left us with his calling card just in case we got into trouble or lost. John travels the country side in search of army jeeps and the like, his card says "Show us your Green Bits" and "Love my Jeep" he is x army as you might guess. I will contact him at some stage, I think he would be a fund of information regarding camping destinations and so forth.

 

 

The morning sees us heading toward Corawa with a few deviation in the journey due to not trusting the GPS.  This is one way to see a little bit of country, finding single lane roads that stretch passed farming lands and hoping nothing comes our way in the opposite direction.

Through Shepparton and on to Jarrawonga where we stopped at the information centre to find out what the historic interest signs were intended for, Burke and Wills or Stuart? would you believe I forgot to ask that question and bought a Boomerang instead. My Craig would have loved the aboriginal woman who worked their, demonstrate how to use the boomerang on wild running kids, so funny.
Finally deciding on Howlong for the night, a free camp beside a river just outside of town.  This is Slingshots last night with me.

 

 

9: Greens Lake 2014

We parted company this morning at macca's before traveling through Ballarat. Slingshot was going into Daylesford to visit her Daughter and spend a few hours with her grandchildren. 
The plan was to meet at 3.30 at Bendigo and continue on to the Echuca on the Murray River.

I, would take a drive around Ballarat before heading off to find someone to cut off part of the handle above the toe ball, to allow me to open the rear car door. Its difficult to lean and rummage around over the back seats to find and drag things out. Found a steal place right next door to a petrol garage I was about fill up at, at the opposite end of town. Charged me $10 for the 5 minute job and I left with a smile on my dial.... 

I drove through Daylesford, where Slingshot was visiting, a really pretty town, then toward Castlemain but just before reaching there I seen an interesting book shop and quickly pulled over. Every book half price and I found a couple of real Australian history gems. 

 

This odd looking piece of machinery towing a car, passed me while I had stopped to take photos of a windmill and water tank.

Reaching Bendigo, a lovely large town, much nicer than Ballarat. I passed the very large Bendigo Bank building and settled back to wait for Slingshot in the city park. A pretty spot with many variety of duck that Ruby would love to chase. 
Slingshot had had a problem by leaving her bag at her daughters place and not realizing until she had reached the book shop I had text her about and there, did a U turn back to Daylesford for the 30 minute drive to retrieve it.  Texting between us to keep in touch, I continued out of Bendigo about another 20ks to escape the noisy traffic.

Slingshot caught up with me about 4.30 and after a quick discussion, we decided to give Echuca a miss as time is short for Slingshot needs to be back in Sydney by Friday.
After her misfortune with her bag Slingshot wanting to get as many kilometers between her and Daylesford and head in an easterly direction to pick up the Murray River. It was turning into a long day for her and when she seen that we passed a sign to Greens Lake, another free camp I had spoken of from 'The Grey Nomad' website we turned around and drove in for the night. 

 

 

8: Smythsdale 2014

 

So we headed out for Princetown around 10am, the Princetown road was a picturesque, enjoyable drive and Colac was the next town to stop for a cuppa. 

Nuisance rain fell, its a shame it wasn't heavier for the country, being really dry after the long heat wave but I suppose they were grateful for what did fall.

We are now traveling through the Golden Plains Shire. Sometimes ending up on laneways only wide enough for one car.  Now this is the way to get off the beaten track, just take the wrong turn and the GPS will find a narrow road for you.

 

Arrived at Smythesdale, a donation camp site. For our nights camp and lovely hot shower we left $10 each in the supplied envelope that was left at the roadhouse on departing. Very light rain fell during the night and morning.

 

 



7: Warrnambool 2014

Its Sunday, a good nights sleep till the party across the oval got a little loud around 2am, I was thankful for my trusty earplugs again. I thought it unusual that Slingshot wasn't disturbed it at all, maybe I'm just too sensitive to noise? 

The day started out beautifully, blue sky and sunshine, we headed off together in the Xtrail to drive the rest of the Great Ocean Road which ends at Alansford, then picking up the Princes Hwy to Warrnambool and return, stopping off when ever along the way. This way we didn't have to drag the caravans along and forever try to look for large parking bays.

We set off around 11am and arrived back at 5pm.

Oh my god!!!!! my first sight of the Apostles.....breath taking!!!!!

To see them with your own eyes, certainly has the wow!!! factor

The place was alive with tourists and I mean that literately, so many cultures and languages in one place, a league of nations here, there and everywhere to see this desolate, isolated part of Aus. 

I think that darned long weekend caught up with us.....

I heard a family group count 9 Apostles, this one looks a lot like Rapunzel's castle "Rapunzel Rapunzel let down you golden hair"



 

The London Bridge, Slingshot's family member had crossed the bridge only a few weeks before the middle part fell away into the ocean.

The Arch, spectacularly beautiful watching the water cascade back into the sea over the lower ledges. Looked like many little water falls.

I think this is Port Campbell, a beautiful spot for a southern holiday. The next town along is Peterborough and then Warrnambool, that turned out to be an unexpectedly large town, I was really surprised by it.  And being lost there for the most part, but delighted to find cheap petrol at $1.47

 

It was a picture perfect day and we could not want for a better experience.  Kicked the feet up with a cuppa in hand when we arrived home, it had turned out to be a hot day and we still had our plan to return to the Apostles, only 6ks up the road, for sunset photos at 7.30. 

I took 123 photos of the sunset, jostling for a position and spreading my elbows for space, just to delete the majority of them, well that is; when I learn to change Raw to Jpeg, for some reason I cant view photos in normal screen just now.

Tomorrow we are packing up after a leisurely morning and heading out on Princetown Road toward Ballarat.