Catch up time .. 7/7/2023
Crikey.. We have to remember where we have been since last post 🤷♂️ Lucky I take photos 😃
The weather has been very average since leaving home and nothing got better until today … but to recap .. we traveled across from WA with no issues, we made the decision to come across the SA range at Port Augusta via Wilmington, this is a lovely scenic route and gets you away from trucks and cars.
We stopped at the Stone Hut Bakery 😃 we have visited here before but it’s been a few years and a change of owners but we’re delighted to say the quality of their pies are still rated in the top 10!! We bought one each and a coffee but also bought 1/2 dozen take-away’s 😃 they are that nice.
We were heading to Mollongghip which is where friends live, but a town along the route is St Arnaud, here is where a mate lives after moving away from the Geelong region, he has bought a Hotel and associated buildings in the town with the intention of remodeling them and leasing them out. We had a great night out at the ‘other’ working hotel with a lovely meal and lots of laughs and drinks. We can recommend the Fireball .. Cinnamon flavoured Whiskey & Apple Juice.. It was a fun night with Darren & Kerrie 👍
The next day we were at Mollongghip and one word FREEZING ! describes the place but also another word BEAUTIFUL is their home on 2 acres with views of surrounding hills and cattle grazing paddocks. Typical of Victoria nothing is to far away and the same here, Daylesford & Bendigo not far away and Melbourne only an hour and a bit away. We stayed two nights, getting the rig around the back was a bit slippery with the semi frozen grass and where it stopped is where we stayed.. did I mention it’s freezing ? Luckily Rob and I had some bourbon to warm the innards. 🥃🥃 And at night thanks Gosh for a heater in the van. Great catching up Bev, Rob & Chachi for the two nights but the lure of warmer weather and road was calling …
Our 1st night back on the road we stayed at Hay at a free camp next to the Servicemen’s Club .. it was a bit of a piss off when we stopped to find water had entered the van via the Dometic Dust Reduction system on the roof, the bed was soaked in parts and our TV we leave on the mattress was also drenched in water 😫 We’re not a fan of these Dust reduction gizmos 🤯
Drying everything out wasn’t so hard with the Truma Gas heater, previous van had a diesel heater and wasn’t without its issues, so far this heater has performed exceptionally well and can recommend them. The TV didn’t fair so well with damage due to the water, we now watch it with lots of lines across the screen. We’re confident warranty will get us a new one along with solving the water ingress issue.
Next day we drove longer than hoped but eventually stopped at the Tullamore Hotel, here they have a camp spot behind the pub and the reviews gave it a thumbs up 👍 Luckily for us there was a place for our van and a table inside near the fireplace to have a great pub meal.
The roads we took were intentionally the back roads where the traffic was a lot less than the highways but also the roads themselves were very average with pot holes big enough to swallow a wheel ! And the undulations kept us rocking and rolling along .. a great workout for the Rig and pleased to say everything stayed in place inside the van, nothing moved .. not even a book left on the table.
Our night was spent at Narrabri Showgrounds, quite a few other caravan’s here but being cold no one was out and about. The grounds were very wet and muddy but we found a perfect spot and connected onto power & water. I’m still not 100% happy with the DC2DC charging system which uses the car to put power (volts) through to the van via this elecktrickery box & keep the van batteries charged up .. and our solar system needs sunshine which has been missing for weeks.
Today, all charged up, some clothes washing done and a $25 donation to the Showgrounds which is good value but I doubt everyone pays, I’d prefer to see a caretaker collecting the money.
We drove the Narrabri to Bingara road, roughly 80-90klms which is hilly and windy, and very scenic. A couple of trucks, one was a wide load with a pilot kept us concentrating on the very twisty bends. Having visited Bingara many times before we knew where we wanted to go but with the recent floods we chose to go to the free river camps closer to the town instead of 10k further out. Quite a few others doing the same but plenty of area no one was parked to close. A lovely afternoon watching the birds and river and an evening with the Kimble Fire Pit glowing.
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