Spending time with Brooks n Alli

Leaving Beaudesert with the new exhaust completed, we turned right and went to Tambourine Mountain. Another winding road, but great view at the top although a bit tight with Timmy behind us. We will probably go back with just the car.

We arrived at Brooks and Alli's on the 18th whilst they were at work.....what is that word, something we will have to do soon enough, unless we won lotto. Timmy fitted on the front lawn, but not down the side of the house.....as we could fit, but not open the door Haha!

Both are looking well, but the mum-to-be looks radiant, and counting down 3 weeks of work left.
On the weekend we all went for a drive to the Eumundi markets - good - large - although the fruit n vege wasn't too excitiing. On the return we went to Glass house mountains. Brooks and Len went to explore prawning with a throw net, both need practise. No prawns, but a meal of Chilli Mud crabs.
Alli's sister Stacey is getting married this weekend, so we wont see them till the wedding.....stay tuned for photos.

Crossed the border, now in Beaudesert Qld

We left Guyra and headed to Tenterfield......poor old car and Tim, NSW roads are so poor, understandable in floodways but the rest it's repaired and then repaired pot hole after pothole. After arriving in Beaudesert they said we will find out that Qld roads are no better. After leaving Tenterfield it was a left at Tabulam and across the river on a unique bridge

The view was very pleasant

We arrived at a little town, Urbenville. We stayed at the rest area $10 a night - it was a wooded area, pine trees, cloudy and drizzling. We watched some episodes of True Blood......and then later we watched "the King's speech", as I couldn't cope with True Blood after dark. (Yes, I know chicken)

Today, on the road again only 80 kms (and it feels like we have gone back a year). Drove along the roads through the state forest via,Woodenbong and then to Mount Lindesay and what a breath taking view....tall trees, Mount Lindesay, rain forest, pleasure to the eyes, but concentration plus on the roads, hairpin bends 35 kms squiggly snakes, sharp 90 degree bends.

Arrived and set up in the caravan park at Beaudesert. The car is booked in tomorrow for the new exhaust.....a new 3" system mmmm.....going to sound good!



Tucker Box to Guyra via Orange and Dubbo

Leaving the "Dog" we head along the road scenery undulating and there was a sign pick your own figs and plums. Alas someone hadn't taken down their signs, but we found the Grog Shed at Wombat. We bought some goodies, fig jam, fig and ginger jam, a roast capsicuim sauce and some Cherry wine. ( I thought yuk, but was nicely surprised), but good to taste, to go in casseroles and used with deserts and even a little nip and night time to warm the cockles of your heart.

Orange was great scenery and they call it "the city of colours", with the autumn tones we can see why

Dubbo is just another city and we got stung by the caravan park re rates - the book says it is $25 per night, but on no $35 per night coz of the school holidays!! We'll check next time before checking in. Craft shop was closed, there were all the big shops, restocked, so back on the road.
We leave Dubbo and head to Scone scenery is great and stay at Burning Mountain for the night (named after an aboriginal dreamtime story). A good free camp, even flushing toilets. Len wasn't feel to well (it was my turn, a couple of days before). Lenny had a nap and I went for a walk up Burning Mountain, but as it was late in the day and a 4km walk I didn't reach the top, but went about a km and then returned, cool tranquil and good for the soul. Did I mention I remembered to put the memory card in the camera, now.....I can share some pics :)

Next day on the road again and off to Tamworth. It is amazing how you have preconceived ideas of a place and we both had expected Tamworth to be flat, but no, hilly and quite pretty. Ah yes, it has the big golden guitar and no I didn't take a photo....as I thought there are lots of golden guitar photos out there! Scenery just goes on and on - very pleasant the view from Moonbi lookout

We drove through to Guyra which is a nice spot on the New England Hwy. It had been a long drive, so a special treat, we went to the pub for tea (only place in town). As we left the cute little caravan park at Guyra, our view of the evening sunset. This caravan park is the highest altitude caravan park in Australia or so they say!

As we drove into Guyra yesterday we saw the sign "market Saturday"....yippee, I don't know why I get very excited only to be let down again. Lots of craft, but very cutesy!! and no fresh fruit and veges. I should be pleased, just gotta get my act together and get my swing tags on the scarves and we'll have something to sell,  Oh well.....still smiling and have cooked a big pot of soup as the temperatures are very crisp. We had a -1 in Orange and here it is about 5 overnight. This will be a bit of winter this year  - as we head to Brisbane and then Cairns, we're sure there will be no winter. Still happy, otherwise, we will be told "Suck it up Princess!"

Dog on theTucker Box, Gundagai

Dog on the Tucker Box is 7km out of town, so we decided to visit on the way Cootamundra. Silly me I thought it would be just on the side of the Highway with a area to view, but how wrong I was. It was a big bay, probably 5 times the size of a truck bay. It had dog on a Tucker box, cafe, restaurant, crafts......etc. The actual statue was the size of a dog, but it was mounted on a concrete platform, sitting in the middle of a pond. Lots of people looking and taking photos, I did take a photo from a distance with everyone around, however it is like the others in the camera, and not on the memory card (stay tuned, hopefully).
The scenery changes on the road to Cootamunda, Young and then stay the night just before Cowra.

We have been everywhere man!.....that's what it feels like.

Happy Easter everyone.
With Easter arriving we hadn't planned our trip to well thru Victoria, to be in Beaudesert for a new exhaust system by the 16th April. So it was across the Murray river into NSW from Robinvale, to Hay via Balranald (this is thru the Hay Plains) it is named so because, you guessed it the long flat plains. Hay was part of the area flooded, with the big rains from Qld through NSW. The water across the roads had subsided, but the edges of the road were plentiful and lucky we didn't to stop roadside for anything. Spent 2 nights in Hay.....nothing remarkable about the place, oh except the size and abundance of mozzies. We survived, by finishing all chores and showers before 5pm.
Next day it was off to Gundagai via Wagga Wagga and Narrendera. Gundagai was the start of the elevation, I would post a photo from the lookout, but it is in the camera's memory and not the memory card.....so I can't share, until I work out how to and if I can copy it.
The next day it is on the road again, but this time for a day trip to Albury/Wodonga and there was a market at Albury. On the road early, with expectation in the air we drive down the Hume Hwy. One thing to mention about the roads especially in NSW and the little of Vic we did they are SHIT (excuse the language), but it is a reality. We are sure no money was spent on infrastructure when Labor were in state gov. Anyway on the road for our 235 km trip to the long awaited market. We find the market with the help of "the bitch in the box" or "Her Maj", depending on how well she conducts herself with the instructions and locking in a gps signal before she starts working.
Gold coin donation to enter the Rotary Market, but boohoo.....it was like a gigantic garage sale everyone getting rid of their rubbish. Very little, fresh veges. Oh there were donuts, being made before your eyes and any flavour sugar topping you could think of, but like everything here it wasn't for us. A browse Albury and then Wodonga......we think Albury is a bit more exciting, they at least had a few coffee shops open Easter Sunday to have a cuppa before our return 235 km trip. We shared the driving Len to and me from. (Len must have been calm enough with me driving as he had a nap.

On the Murray banks in Victoria, fishing in the Murray in New South Wales

“On the road again....” this time Mildura calling. We found a small caravan park in Gol Gol, Mildura and booked in for a couple of days. There were motor bikes everywhere as the Ulysses Club were there for their AGM. (4,000 bikes!) We were invited to a sausage sizzle at the park on the Thursday night to welcome the bikers and others in the park. Just before we went to the camp kitchen, the heavens open, just opened. (19mm in the gauge next morning). I wasn’t travelling too well a Migraine was trying to knock me out! Met some really nice people and made welcome. As it turned out to be lucky as my raffle ticket came in – my prize a bottle of Andrew Peace, Chardonnay. Then it was early to bed.

Camp 6  book has become invaluable, especially now we can put the gps coordinates in to find the camp sites. Address locations weren’t working that well and lots of the roads don’t have names.

We are now and have been for a few days on the banks of Murray in Victoria......but when Lens fishing in the river he is in New South Wales.  There are 2 problems in the area – no fish and very little phone coverage which is intermittent, very bad phone calls and not enough to power the internet. On the road, tomorrow to Robinvale.

Robinvale been here, down that and moving out tomorrow. It was a nice spot on the Murray all the waterskiers moved in for Easter and the school hols packed our supplies, but have decided to go to NSW, along the western side of the Great Dividing Range due to the Easter break as we need to be in Brissie As we sit here in the twlight, this is the view mmmmmm peaceful, out with the camera and share.

South Australia is drawing to a close

We made our way thru to Waikerie and camped on the river Murray and what a treat we spent a couple of days here and then went across to Morgan. Imagine our surprise when we got to the river, a stop sign .....and a barge on the other side of the river and it was coming back to pick us up.

The barge/ferry runs 24hours a day (there is a phone if not there at night time). We stayed the night in the caravan park and met up with a dear friend Heather whose is caravanning on her own thru Oz.

Next we were on to Berri and Renmark and found a great place at Plushs Bend, although we went over a creek crossing – flowing but 2” deep, a few people there, but we found a great spot on the bank of the Murray – views, tranquillity and mossies. Next day we went for a drive to go to into Berri to find out where to get the car serviced. Ooops we got to the crossing and it was about 10” deep, so time for an about face and get Tim out of there. We did and stayed in Berri Caravan Park for a couple of days. The view was over the Murray river and each day we could watch the river rise and cover up the jetties. Car serviced, so back on the road again. On the way out of town we call in to our previous camping spot to see where the water is up to.  “Road Closed” and gates closed......we did make the correct decision.

Next: Along the Murray, Victoria calling