NIK `N` OFF: September 2013 - Wells Crossing - Texas

The planets aligned and the stars shone down on us as we finally had things work out the way we had hoped. Leaving Kenilworth we headed down to Nambour to have the TV's wineguard control box replaced, it has only been 3 years since it stopped working but we have had the Oyster satellite dish so it hasn't really bothered us but having the sat dish serviced and things checked over it was a no brainer to find out the aerial wasn't working as it should so get it fixed i say ....... A simple job for SIM and 30 minutes later we were heading to Kunda Park, this time not to Bushtracker but South East Stainless to get a aluminum box fitted to the draw-bar of the van. This was Vickie's present as she saw the same boxes on some new vans at Kenilworth and thought we required one to put our generator and Jerry cans in. Who was i to argue, ? a far smarter idea than jewellery or other knick knacks, so have it fitted we did.

Scenic Views,

I must admit it was well made and certainly tidied up a few things, it got the generator out from under the storage area of the van and made things like the sullage hoses and rubber mat easier to stow but expensive ?..... yes. But these days we work on the theory that we deserve to have the smaller items we want, we don't normally waste money and if at the end of the day the result is a positive one then all is good, the van resale has just jumped a couple of grand ............. :-)

1st night after Kenilworth was spent at Cruize Park out from Kilcoy, we have stayed here a couple of times previously for an overnighter and this was to be no different. The local Shire has made some changes and it all was positive in the eye of beautification but the area where travelers could stay had been reduced. We positioned ourselves off the bitumen a suitable distance away from a motor home, i mucked around with the new box sorting out how things would fit and it was an early night with dinner and bed.

Tree Hugger

Tree Leaner

Views

Kilcoy onwards .. we traveled the roads previously traveled but took a detour at Nobby where we stayed near the rail track opposite the historic Nobby pub, a very quiet railway as we only had one train go through late in the evening. The hotel is well worth a look, its fame to claim lays in that Arthur Steele-Rudd wrote his novels and later radio series On Our Selection at the hotel. There was plenty of memorabilia inside the hotel, plenty of photo's and news clippings along with the usual bits and pieces hanging from the ceiling, like many pubs similar it had character and worthy of a meal and beer or two.

A photo of a magazine article

The story behind Nobbys

Inside Rudds Pub

Rudds Pub - Nobby Qld

We stayed the next two nights at Texas, No it wasn't a quick trip to the USA but Texas Qld which borders NSW, the Dumaresq river flows past the town and the Shire provides a lovely camping area just a kilometer or two out of town, every single traveler needs to congratulate the shires that have the foresight to allow travelers free stops as the amount of money spent to many of the local businesses is money they would not necessarily have, we can say that the $100+ we spent in the town would not have got to the local IGA, hardware store and local cafe if the camping area was not provided.

Texas Guinea Fowl

We had a lovely two days stay, chatted to a few other travelers but were ready to leave and find a quieter spot on the rivers as we headed South, we have been through here a couple of years back and knew about a camp at Wells Crossing 7klm out of Ashford. Nothing much had changed, the old drop pit toilet was no longer there but it was of no concern to us as we wouldn't have used it. The river looked healthy and flowing strong and only one other camper in the area it was good enough for us to pull up and stay a night.

Wells Crossing

Locals way of climbing a tree

A donation to the camp was a bottle of basil infused olive oil that we found over powering in its flavour and a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses with a missing screw ......... How generous are we? well the oil tasted crap to us and the Sunnies were Thailand look-a-likes so it was no big loss ........ but hey someone may find the use for them.
With just a 130klm to drive the next day we arrived at Bingara - here we were again for the 3rd or 4th time in the past 5 years ....... Bingara has a connection, its where my Mother and her 2nd husband Neil spent their last years, Neil died 1st and when Mum passed away my brothers scattered her ashes on top of the Batterham Lookout where Mum had scattered Neils a few years before, strange the way life works but we have been back to Bingara more times since my Mother died than when she was alive, we always stay along the Gwyder River which is one of the most beautiful scenic river camps we have stayed. Of course a stop wouldn't be complete without a drive up to the lookout and a hello to Mum and Neil .....

Gwyder River Bingara NSW

Camp on the Gwyder

Beautiful River Camp

Blue Skys, Tree's and a Hammock

We plan on staying here a week before catching up with some fellow Bushtracker friends Rick and Julie who hail from Armidale, together we will make our way to Alice Springs for the Annual Bushtracker Muster via the Strezlecki and Oodnadatta tracks. Hopefully it will be an enjoyable experience with many rivers and water holes to enjoy.