Maroochydore to Narrandera and another year.

Maroochy Primary School -Texas
Boxing Day looking to get to Narrandera before next year.  Left at 6am stopped a couple of times for coffee or lunch then for the day at Texas, Les Myers Res, about 450 km that's enough.  Camped by the river. Nice facilities, bbqs, water tank, shelter and well kept grass.

Texas - Hickey Falls
Clear sky light breeze, cool. Nice to sleep where its not humid and the air is crisp. Drove to Warialda and refueled. Stopped at Bingara for coffee and Narrabri for lunch. Bingara is a really nice looking historic town, interesting to walk around. Stopped after about 430km at Hickey Falls rest area before Tooraweenah.

Hickey Falls - Mirrool
Started the day with a 3km walk before heading off. Breakfast at a rest stop then lunch and shopping at Forbes. Provisioning at woollies before heading off. Stopped for fuel at West Wyalong and made Mirrool by 3pm.  Damn the pub is shut today!

Mirrool Hotel - Narrandera
Clear sky, still, crisp.  Started the day with a short walk around town, up and down every street 1.2km.
Arrived at Narrandera about 9am did some provisioning then home. Spent most of the day mowing grass then went for a swim in the channel to clean off and cool down.

Narrandera
Clear sky, still, crisp. Had to put on track pants, it was cold, nice. Finished the mowing had lunch and headed down the lake. Had a ski, skip started from the bank first time, had drinks on the balcony with Shane, Doug, and the two Debs before heading home to fish with Brad, Kelly and the Birch family, nice day in all.  New Years Eve.  Did Dora's 8000km at 145523 oil, filter, & lube.  Rode into town and the lake then spent the rest of the day around the block.  In bed by 11pm. Missed the fireworks again!

Cotton Tree till Christmas

October
Booked into Cotton Tree CP will be here till Christmas.
Motorhome safety check, passed and re registered for another year.
Lots of bike riding like to Mudjimba beach and around 45km.
Quarterly BGL HbA1c tests all good.
Looked to purchase a unit at Waterfront Place

November
Purchased Unit at Waterfront Place
Renewed my driver licence for 5 more years
Chris and Linda French holiday here for a week

December
December 15th had to move out of Cotton Tree CP as its booked out but thats OK as $500/w is more than I'm prepared to pay.  Move up to the Maroochy Primary School with some other CMCA members, $10/n now thats more like it.
Rose and Tony Jaspers here on holiday for a week.
19th December took ownership of Waterfront Place unit (with tenant)

Christmas Day on the balcony at Mary's place with her youngest Michael, nice.
Boxing Day Off early heading south.

Waterfront Place

Burnett Heads - Tin Can Bay

Tin Can Bay TT CP.  Guess who's here Alan Walker (his mates call him Reverend not sure why).  Nice to have someone to have happy hour with.  Lunch at the cafe by the bay and a few beer at the Golf Club later.  More wax and polishing of the motorhome.  Headed for Cotton Tree next.

Hervey Bay - Bargara - Burnett Heads

Hervey bay - Bargara
Moving out today after two enjoyable weeks.
Moved into the Absolute Ocean Front Tourist park at Bargara. Went for a ride around the beach bike track and into town, very windy but nice. Went to woollies did some provisioning, 9km. Walked to the local for happy hour but left after one beer.

Rode to Burnett Heads and back, 33km, before having a beer or two at the beach hotel in Bargara. The main shopping street and beach nearby is really very nice and the pub balcony has a great view and cold beer, all in all a nice place.

Took the bus into Bundaberg and walked about 9km around town had lunch at the RSL, roast lamb, overlooking the river and the Marina, nice.

Oct 6th What kind of noise annoys an oyster?

Bargara - Burnett Heads
Booked into the lighthouse caravan park for two nights, nice, could stay longer. Reconfigured the square array TV antenna to vertical polarization works really well here.  Rode to the port and around town after breakfast, 12km. Windy!  Watched bits of the Bathurst car race on TV.

Main street Bargara

Hervey Bay - Burrum Heads and back

Hervey bay - Burrum Heads
Time to move on, Fraser Coast Top Tourist Park is worth a return stay next time I'm in the area, nice.  Drove to Burrum heads and stayed just one night as the Park was booked out for the public holiday on Monday.  Rang Lynn at Hervey bay and booked in again for the next week.

Burrum heads Hillcrest Caravan park
Mostly permanents older and a bit tatty not a lot of grass sites uneven some unsealed tracks. The Council CP in the middle of town is a better option but not during holiday time a it has no privacy. The main street of town goes right through the middle and the river path as well.

Might be worth a visit out of season as a traveller told me the fishing was good.  The town has an IGA and a nice pub.  Cycling is easy and the roads are mostly quiet.

Burrum heads - Hervey bay.
Lots of rain and wind overnight but the morning cleared to a beautiful day, again.  Drove back to Hervey bay and the top tourist CP.  Booked in for another week.  Alan Walker is still here for a couple of more nights.  Did some more waxing of Dora after setting up camp.  A big job, a labour of love, will do a bit more each day.

Did some more of the same riding and walking etc.

 Water park on the beach at Hervey Bay

Rainbow Beach to Hervey Bay

Rainbow beach - Poona
Easy drive to Poona some roadworks but ok. Poona is a small hamlet, 7km off the main road, on the mouth of the river.  Quiet, just a CP and a coffee shop, that of course, is closed today. Stayed just one night then on to Hervey Bay.

Booked into the Top Tourist CP for a week and rode to Woollies for provisions.  Nice bike paths all along the coast, north and south and back from the beach also.  Lots of bars and restaurants scattered about, a great tourist destination.  Most every chain store and service is available here as well.

The Fraser Coast Top Tourist Park is ideal to stop at.  As well as free Wifi it has a pool and spa and gates that are locked at night.  Its just a block or two to the beach and there is a pub nearby, ideal.  Alan from TCB turns up here after a day or two.  Great someone to ride with!

Prim my neighbour here at the CP is from Malaysia and was telling me Australians are very unhealthy and overweight because of the state funding of health care services.  We expect the government to look after us she tells me.  The funny thing is she is on the big side of obese and I think would just like someone to look after her and feed her as she gets old.

Got the bus into Maryborough, what a disappointment!  Some nice old pubs dating back to 1860s, Town Hall, PO etc but little else of interest.  Not much access or use of the river for tourism, surprising.  Coffee only $2.70, if quality dictates price, I got nothing for free.  No coffee culture here.

Had lunch at the Post Office hotel and then back to Hervey bay.

25th September headed of the Burrum Heads.

Click image to enlarge

 Mist in the morning

Hervey Bay marina

Tin Can Bay - Paralympics

Booked into the Top Tourist CP in Tin Can Bay.  A little bit away from the centre of town but close to bay and a nice bike path into town and down to a nice restaurant and coffee shop on the water's edge offering free internet.  My site has good TV reception for the watching of those late night wheelchair basketball games from the Paralympics in England.

Rode to the local pub and was reminded of Papua New Guinea and the dropouts and misfits that choose to live there.  Maybe they all transferred from here?

Loving it here.  Quiet.  Good bike paths and light local car traffic.  A good IGA just up the road or a woolies about a 10km bike ride away.  Layback nice clubs, yacht club, golf club and RSL.  Good fishing.  And at this time of the year no bugs but apparently thats different in summer.  Ended up staying three weeks.

Whilst here I met Alan from north of Sydney somewhere just touring about in his caravan.  We rode, fished and had the odd happy hour together.  I also fell in with the park owners, Ian and Chris, because my park was a TT Park as well.

The Gliders take out silver, congratulations girls.

Rode the bus into Gympie for a bit of variation walked around town and then back to the Bay.

Packed up and moved to Rainbow Beach expecting to stay awhile but its a bit like Noosa and not my style.  So will move on after just 2 nights.

 Dinner

 Tin Can Bay Yacht Club 

Rainbow Beach

Cotton Tree CP for 9 weeks

Cotton Tree CP is probably the best CP in Qld for location.  Right on the river with north facing beach so there's sun all day.  Then on the east side is the mouth of the river and the surf beach.  Across the road is a small shopping centre with most what you need and the clubs, Maroochy surf club, the Bowling club or RSL just up the road.  On the other side, up stream along the river, is a lovely park with walking and bike paths to the Plaza shopping centre for the serious shopping.  The bike paths extend for miles north to Coolum and south to Alex Headland and Mooloolaba along the coast.

I booked into Cotton Tree Caravan Park for a week at a time but will stay until the Olympics start.

Whilst here this time:
Climbed Mt Coolum usually every week.
Walking and bike riding the coastal bike paths.
Entertaining Brad and Kelly in August for 7 days
Started looking at an investment property here.

Mary and co were going to the Paralympics and I started a blog for them to keep in touch and to record the event.  http://gliderscheersquad2012.blogspot.com.au/

Friday, 24 August, after nine weeks here am heading off to Pomona.  Just a short drive 50km to Pomona showgrounds, nice. Rode around town and to the base of Mt Cooroora. Too late and too hot to climb the mountain today but will do it first thing in the morning then on to Tin Can Bay.

Click image to enlarge

The view from atop Mt Coolum

Brad and Kelly

Mt Cooroora Pomona

Back to Queensland - Not the Newell this time.

Mirrool - Gooloogong
Overcast still no wind, warm, nice.  Dumped and brought beer and stuff at Grenfell before washing the road grime of Dora because of road repairs at Gooloogong.  Met Alan, retired NSW cop, my neighbour for tonight. A few beers at the pub then roast veggies and salmon for dinner, nice. Watched the NRL on the box, boring, bulldogs and dragons, who cares!

Gooloogong
BGL 7.1 - 78.1kg.  Not so many times that I need to get up in the night lately, good.
Lots of rain overnight forecast for all day as well. I'm staying here, power and warmth for a small donation, will move on tomorrow. Spent a quiet day listening to the radio and reading my book.  Rugby tonight Australia vs Scotland, yeh!

Gooloogong - Carcoar Dam.
Rain stopped overnight.  Stopped at Canowindra on the way to Carcoar Dam to do some provisioning and get a coffee. Its turned windy and overcast big time and its going to be cold tonight.

Carcoar Dam - Richmond
Cold overnight fog and mist in the morning.  The drive from Lithgow to Richmond was spectacular if not just a bit scary at times dropping from 1100m down to 120m through the Blue Mountains, nice. Stopping at the Richmond Club, nice. $4 to join as a member then $10/n for a powered site plus complimentary drinks at the club for a new member, nice. The weather here in Richmond has been excellent, clear sky no breeze, loving it. Took the bike for a ride down towards Windsor 8km. Two beers at the club then Chinese takeaway for dinner, not bad.

Richmond
Another nice day on the way.  Laundry and then bike ride around town and the river.  Rode 10km along the river looking for somewhere to have a picnic lunch but found no access.  So went home and had lunch sitting in the sun with Dora.  Did food shopping and got ready to escape tomorrow.  Went to the club for happy hour and used my last free drink voucher, I like that!  $4 to join the club and 3 free drink vouchers worth about $4 each.  Dinner at the club then home and read my current book.

Richmond - Wallabadah
Fog and cold overnight but will be a nice day.  Fueled up and headed of about 10am.  Stopped at Grey Gums for lunch, a good spot to camp if you got here late in the arvo but that's not me so on on.  Arrived at Wallabadah about 4.30pm. ~340km that's enough. Made and cooked a pizza and had an early night.

Wallabadah - Tenterfield
Very cold overnight and in the morning. Slow to get away, drove about 100km then had a shower and morning tea.  Had lunch late at Glen Innis and refuelled Dora then stopped at a rest stop just short of Tenterfield shortly after 4pm, ~350km that will do for today.  Home? to Maroochydore tomorrow.

Have to make sure I'm somewhere with good TV reception come the paralympic.  My sister Mary's daughter Bridie. Captain - Go Girl! 

Exit Melbourne to Mirrool

Off to the airport at 7am and back with the tourist by 11am.  Headed off in the motorhome about noon, not bad.  Stopped for fuel in Frankston and put in about 8lts of unleaded petrol into the tank before I realized, about 3% no big deal, before filling the rest with diesel.  Lunch at Donnybrook and stopped overnight at Reef Hills Rd at Benalla, a National Park, with no facilities but a quiet spot well off the road.

Cooking tip for today: A smallish pinch of mixed herds in no added salt baked beans helps heaps.

Forecast for Benalla over night is +1, I'll miss the dog tonight! Actually went down to zero.

Benalla - Holbrook - Wagga
Stopped for coffee at Holbrook, nice, warmer and getting warmer, really nice.

Weather here in Wagga is really lovely, and very pleased to be here and on the road again, yeh!  Met Margaret in a C-class Winnebago, again, the cook, she was off up north today.

Wagga Wilks Park - Coolamon CP
Zero to start but 16 and clear sky is forecast.  Drove to Coolamon CP and was reunited with Chris and Marilyn.  I had first met them at Batlow and then again here last year. Will be nice to have power and be warm all night. Quiet day lazing in the sun.

Coolamon CP - Wagga - Narrandera
Feels like -2 in Wagga, according to the weather app, brass monkey!  Nice and warm in my motorhome.  Paid the guy at the newsagent for my powered site at the CP and a had a laugh with him. Funny fellow.  Then Wagga and met with my Super Fund manager, Chris, and had lunch with my brother Ged.  He gave me the stuff from Ted (dad), 4 prints of ships, a photo of Crusader and some medallions. Off to Narrandera and camped on the block.

Narrandera - Cold but clear heading for 17.
Up at 4am after reasonable sleep. Mowed the grass updated my music files. Had dinner at the pub and watched the state of origin, NSW Won 16/12. Good game. Only had 5 schooners of light. Ready to go tomorrow.

Narrandera - Mirrool hotel
Not far to go today so did some paperwork making sure I will have what I need to do a tax return.  Made it to Mirrool for lunch had a snooze before a few beers in the pub with Ben and pizza for dinner.  Ben and Claire are putting the pub on the market.

Thinking I will take a new direction to Brisbane this time. Via towns I have not been to before. Stopping at some places I've been told about, take a few photos etc.

Click to enlarge an image

Holbrook rest stop and coffee shop

Rosebud and the house sit.

Rosebud one day to go for the house sit and yes I'm ready to move on.  Its been 5 weeks and the weather has not been kind.  What happened to those lovely still winter days I remember from when I live in Melbourne.  Yes folks its true, born in Melbourne, grew up in Melbourne, and it was nearly 50 years before I realized we were allowed to leave Melbourne.

Whilst here I have been looking after Brian and Carlene's little dog and walking her everyday come rain, hail or shine.  The poor thing has lost a bit of weight as I have been sticking to the meal quantities on the packets of dog food.  I'm sure she's been used to more but she's looking better for it.

In between nasty weather bouts I have done some lovely rides like Point Nepean NP, some back beaches, around the foreshore of Port Phillip Bay and Queenscliff via the ferry.  There really are some good places to ride and some nice spots to visit.

Also been able to catch up on some of the more serious maintenance motorhome things like cleaning and securing the house batteries.  Installing a new radio and sound system and some other wiring issues that have been bugging me.

Caught up with friends Carl and Barb, Bert and Jan who live around this area as well.  Good to see them its been quite some time.

Tomorrow I pick the jetsetting tourists up from the Melbourne airport and bring them home.  Then its wheels up for me, so to speak, I will take the toll roads (fastest way) out of here, heading north.

Click an image to enlarge

 Sally visits me on the dunny every morning for a bum scratch

Point Nepean NP a great day out on the bike or walking

Great Ocean Road - Ferry - Rosebud house sit

Avoca
Had dinner with Les a pizza he's good a them, taught me how anyway.  ANZAC day went to the local horse races and had a good day out if a bit cold from the constant wind. I joined a punters club and did my dough, they didn't pick one winner all day.  But it was fun anyway.

Time to head toward Rosebud and the house sit. Headed to Lake Tooliorook a nice camp spot right on the lake and met Col and Wayne neighbours for tonight. Next stop Johanna Beach via Camperdown, Cobden and Lake Elingamite a small crater type of lake with lovely campgrounds protected from the wind, nice.  Johanna Beach is a National Park and well looked after. But it was very wet and windy whilst I was here and I don't have appropriate clothes.  Poor radio and no phone service so not lots to do.

The Great Ocean Road always a good drive but pretty special sitting up high in my motorhome with a really good view.  Can be a bit slow but hey what's the hurry.

Apollo Bay booked into a caravan park for a change and walked about town and then up to a look out over town about 11km in all.  Arrived in Lorne and it was warm and the wind has dropped.  Doesn't that make a difference?   On to Queenscliff after a couple of nights here.

Queenscliff.  Booked into the caravan park and met Marleen the manager and had a good long chat to her about the business. The park borders the footy ground so got to watch the local teams plan.  Lots of rain and wind and too wet to walk or ride to the shops.  Next day a bit better.  BGL a bit out of control doing lots of walking even in the rain.

Finally time to put Dora on the ferry.  Directed into a separate lane to the other vehicles expected we would go on last but actually went on first then off first.  No drama, easy, plenty of clearance to the side and overhead.  Quick trip over and headed off to see Brian and Carlene.  Got the cooks tour of the house and a drive around the area to see the highlights, well shopping best places, etc.  Home for 5 weeks should be OK.

Click on an image to enlarge

 Apollo Bay lookout - Looking west

 Looking east

The Ferry Queenscliff to Sorrento

Fishing weekend

Narrandera - Morundah

Easter.  Went into town to watch the rodders lap the main but got bored and headed down to the Morundah Pub.  Set up camp in the main street across for the pub.  Had a few beers at the pub then made a pizza for dinner before going back for a glass of wine.  One of my best pizzas, yum.

Morundah - Tocumwal
Killing time until the fishing club fishing trip weekend at Mulwala.  Where better than Tocumwal, wrong!  Never seen so many campers here at the town beach.  Hopefully some or most leave tomorrow.  Met Rinehart my neighbour for tonight, nice bloke.  Moved a few meters upwind to avoid the dust and met Diane a new neighbour.

Tocumwal - Mulwala
Headed off early and stopped for a swim at Barooga.  Dump and provisioned before booking in the caravan park on the lake.  Nice, the fishing club is picking up the bill.  Cold night just 3deg but had power and the heater works just fine.

11/04/2012
One year ago today.  Thinking of you my dear.  Rode around town and out to Kiffins Res about 20km in all.  Blood Glucose getting out of control must focus.  Boozing with the fishing club guys is not helping.  Strung a couple of AFDs together and stayed on diet as well.

Mulwala - Wagga
Three monthly blood sample taken at Calvary Hospital then set up camp at Wilks Park.  Walked a couple of km around town checking out the shops.  Met Roy and traded good campsites mostly north from here. Saw the Doc about blood analysis results.  Better than expected but he didn't like the upward trend I assured him I knew how to turn it around.  Eyes, no change, but not worse so that's ok.  Its easier to control BGLs in Maroochydore than the Riverina that's for sure.

Headed off as my commitments have been met. Carrathool, Swan Hill, Terrick Terrick National Park I'm the only person here and probably for 20km, quiet total darkness at night.  Some nice walking and rock climbing to done but hard to stay more than a night.

Aysons Res, I think I've been here before ;)  Heading to Avoca to catch up with Les and Hannah.

Exit Melbourne - Narrandera and the flood damage

Rye to Lancefield. Cloudy but no rain. Left about 10am stopped for fuel, about noon, at Bunkerhill. Feels good to be on the go again. Went via the freeways and toll roads, an easy drive, now I need to pay the toll. Toll $26 Citylink and $14 Eastlink. Had a few beers and talked with the locals at Pyalong pub, they suggested the truck show, why not! So on I went. Stopped over night at Lancefield at the American Truck Show at the sports oval. Interesting, different.

Lancefield to Toolleen. Overcast bit of wind. Had coffee and a walk around Heathcote before heading to Toolleen and stopping at the rest area across the road from the pub and had a few beers in the very friendly pub, nice.

Toolleen to Elmore - Aysons Reserve near Elmore. Warmish night light breeze. Rode to town and back 25km return nasty headwind on the way in. Did the 8000km service for Dora, lube, oil and filter changed and topped up the oil in the generator, didn't quite fill it when I did the last service. Fitted a 12v outlet beside the bed to charge the phone at night.

Elmore Aysons Res - Tocumwal beach. Checked over the AC and found a wire broken that would account for the compressor not cutting in, good-on-you Bruce the auto electrician that serviced the air-con gas recently. But alls good now. Left about 10am stopped at Rochester for coffee then lunch at Undera on the detour to Shepparton due to the residual water from the flood.Arrived at Tocumwal to find Roy, the caretaker, had only just returned after the water here subsided. Apparently it reached the dunny block footings. Met Greg and Elaine neighbors at Toc tonight who are former bike shop owners from Brisbane and John travelling in a Winnie Esperance he is from Shepparton just taking a short break.

Tocumwal beach. Rode around town, watched a bit of the local footy, not much happening quiet day. 390km on the bike now. Met David and Helen former motel managers notably Annies in Maroochydore before Annie (and her separated husband) took it over. They are looking to do relief work as they travel.

Tocumwal Beach - Wagga Wilks park. Cool night clear sky looking good. Headed off about 10am stopped at Urana for lunch then reached Wagga about 4pm. Still lots of water around and grass covered flattened fences more and more coming closer to Wagga. Wilks is no worse for wear even looking better with its new lake in the middle of park, complete with ducks, nice. Met Ian, Chris and Crystal (dog) neighbors for a few nights. Ian a former bus company manager and Blainey pub owner, now a geocacher is fighting cancer with Chris looking after him.

Wagga Wilks Park - Narrandera. Said Goodby to Ian, Chris and Crystal. Drove to Narrandera with airbags at right pressure, that's better! Must check them regularly. Did some shopping. Note to self: stick to the shopping list then we won't end up with 4 packets of the same sort of biscuits! Did some bindie spraying, seems to be working but need to be here more often to maintain a program. Rocco made and fitted a wood crate in Dora's battery bin. All looking very professional!

Narrandera. End of daylight saving, that's good. Popped in to see Ken and Brab.  Ken told me the forecast flood level was 9.0 but at Gillenbah he says they had 9.2 or more. He is busy getting it all back online but that will take to the end of the month. Three of relocatables are a write off and the 2nd house has moved about 500mm off it foundations. Their house is also a disaster but they are working through it now. Looks like the motel next door may not open again, that's no great loss in my opinion.

Melbourne Brrr - Check out the house sit

Time to head off, again.

Set off to Melbourne via Coolomon because of the floods the Newell is closed south of here. I didn't see another car or person for the first 60km, very eerie.  Rail lines hanging over newly formed gullies, hay bails scattered across the landscape, fence posts looking like straw scarecrows holding hands.  Stopped for breakfast at Uranquinty about 10am.  Lunch on the highway near Chiltern, then stopped for the night at the service centre at Wallan. Reasonable nights sleep with ear plugs.  A good day for driving about 500km in all.

Wallan - Caulfield - Rosebud

Woke at 5am to the roar of many trucks but had a reasonable sleep. Its a public holiday here in Victoria, nice to know! Had breakfast outside the caravan and camping show as I arrived a bit early. Looks like a nice day for it. Brought an awning, dish drip rack and key bolt for the tow bar for Dora. Lots to see but no exciting motor homes, mostly C-class but no mid size A-class anywhere.

At Brian's place at Rosebud camped out the side of the house only just of the road but ok for just one night. Carlen cooked a beef roast and opened a good bottle of red for dinner. We had an enjoyable evening. Should be a comfortable house sit come 6th of May for 6 weeks.

It appears that Dora's aircon is not working I think the compressor is not cutting in, might of lost the gas, damn! Need to check it out.

Rosebud to Rye, Mostly clear sky cool night good sleep. Headed round to Sorrento stopped by the beach and went for a 15km bike ride around town and then down to Blairgowrie. Great weather for bike riding twenty something and no wind. Would like to take the bike to Queenscliff by ferry, maybe tomorrow. Booked into the Rye foreshore park for two nights right on the beach, nice. Warm night 30 something forecast, nice. Rode to Sorrento then took the ferry to Queenscliff and had lunch in a park looking across the water back to Point Nepean, nice. Stopped at the Queenscliff Hotel for a glass of red, nice place would like to stay there sometime, lovely old building nicely appointed inkeeping with the period, nice. The ferry takes about 45mins to cross and its very stable, cost is $12 each way with a push bike. Rode 23km today some hills involved raced home at ~25kph. Feeling some what tired now.

Rye - Light shower overnight but still warm. Rain expected today. Will stay another night I think and do the shopping. Booked in for two more nights not sure where to from here. Rode to the shops and round about but not far as the rain was ever present. A quiet day.

Rye - More rain! serves my right for coming to Melbourne. Rode to the back beach at Blairgowrie. Walked on the beach, or more like rocks, then rode back. Some hilly bits involved and 23km overall, nice work out. Heading off tomorrow but not sure which way other than north.

The Ferry

Darlington Point - Floods - Narrandera

Echuca to Darlington Point. Rained overnight. Woke at 4am but had a good sleep, pleased to be heading off today. Local flooding but should not effect me going north. Heard from Ged they're ok in Quinty, at the moment anyway, that's good.

Lunch at Conargo coffee. Afternoon tea with Les after parking in the backyard of the house sit at Darlington Point. Some wine and lovely chicken rice curry for dinner.

Les and I went to Carrathool to check out the new pub then ran of a dirt road into a water filled gully on the way to Griffith. Got towed out by a friendly local. Lunch at the RSL then brought 2 bottles of wine after a tasting at a winery there. Lots of water over the roads around Griffith. Then back to DP. Good to be back on dry ground some places have had over 200mm.

Clear sky nice day coming. Pancakes and bacon for breakfast with Les, nice.

Drove to Narrandera via Whitton and Leeton to avoid the water over roads everywhere, the trucks have no idea where to go.

Feeling good for no apparent reason, but that's good. Thinking this is not a bad block of land and has potential,. What the!

Lots of reports about flooding in Griffith and Wagga on the radio. Mowed some more grass. Rewired the radio, GPS, CB, and reversing camera to the house battery. This should save the crank battery from the slow discharge when parked up for long periods.

Went to the pub has a few, good night.  River now at 8.77m and meant to peak Saturday the levy bank only has about 70cm left in it. Locals are worried. Sandbagging happening everywhere.

River at 9.0 meters this morning. Revised the peak time to today about noon. Serviced the Onan generator 650 hours oil and filter.

Rode around town before doing the shopping then home. Went down the pub with Rod and Rocco for a few beers in the afternoon. Packed up ready to head off tomorrow.

The water is subsiding but quite a bit of flood damage around town. Ken and Brabs park went under at the very last moment their levees giving way.

The view from on top the levee looking across the Murrumbidgee

Echuca and the floods

Met Margaret who has been on the road travelling in her Toyota Coaster since having left Perth ten years ago. We enjoyed swimming in the river and having a few drinks at happy hour.

Tocumwal to Echuca.

Some light rain overnight. The tourist part of Echuca is a bit pricy compared to normal country towns. The camping and hardware stores charge a premium and the pubs appear to charge for their expensive refurbishments. Booked into Echuca Holiday Park will stay for a week, should be good. Overcast looks like rain today. Rode over to Moama and around town. Lots of rain overnight misty in the morning.  Rained continually overnight, again, heavy!

Caught up with Les by phone then email said I will head up to Darlington Point where he's doing a house sit.

Still overcast more rain to come. Checked the hot water system anode and its about half done should last another year.

My new bike continues to amaze me. On the flat it will cruise at about 25km without too much effort and the battery is lasting forever between charges. I love it.  Some rain overnight lots more expected today. Slept better last night.  Raining, perfect day for laundry, clothes and bedding, while watching black and white movies on tv.

Flooding all around me here. Gunna try to get out of here and up to Darlington Point.

Click on an image to enlarge

Camp site at Tocumwal

Bulli - Yarrawonga - Tocumwal

Yep on the 8th of February some mangy bastard stole my bike in the middle of the night at Bulli CP.  Worst part is they half woke me, giggling kids.  :/  Had done a lot of kms on that bike and was somewhat attached, but not anymore.  Got the train to Sydney and the ferry to Manly and brought a new bike an ebike, Promovac Stream designed in Denmark and made in Sth Korea, should do the job.  Brought a good lock as well.  Then back, ferry, train and Bulli.

Been too much rain here still overcast.  So packed up and headed off west across the range again.  Drove till mid arvo and stopped at Jugiong.  Checking the BOM site looks like I did the right thing, heavy rain in Sydney and Wollongong, clear sky here, yeh!

Drove to Albury for lunch and a ride around town then off to Yarrawonga. Did some shopping refuelled Dora then set up a Kyffins Res. Very dusty might have to be a CP tomorrow. Weather improved. Rode around town and out to the hardware store after breakfast at the cafe by the bridge, nice. Booked into a local CP down by the river, ok, nothing special one night will do I think. Brought some panniers for the bike at a local bike shop, $70, nice.

On to Barooga and Cottadiddi Res, love this spot, grass right to the Murray river and nice beach just a 10km bike ride into Cobram and the supermarket, nice. Stayed several days.

Barooga to Tocumwal Clear sky cool, should be a good day. Drove to Tocumwal beach camp and set up probably for a few days.

Went riding and ended up at the airfield and came across glider flights. Anyway went for a fly with Eddie Madden, a possible relative, for about 45 mins, great experience. Taxied out to the glider in the tow plane before settling in the front of the glider and being towed into the air. We climbed to about 2000 ft before releasing the tow and climbing a further 1000 ft in a tight continuous turn. Eddie then turned the controls over to me and I attempted to continue to gain altitude. But alas I was having difficulty just staying level so a few turns and a bit of sightseeing before handing back control to Eddie for final approach and landing. After my experience flying models I thought I would have a better sense of the attitude of the aircraft but it was not so, Eddie suggested it comes with practice and experience, of course I knew that.

Stopped in at a local pub in the back streets of Toc and had a few beers and a few laughs with the locals before getting home to Dora. Met John, Ronda and Judy for happy hour, fellow travellers.

My new bike

Up Up and away

Narrandera - Warrnambool - Wollongong

Got the motorhome air con serviced, just needed re-gassing, at Russell Auto in Leeton.

Lunch at Jerilderie and coffee at Conargo. Before stopping at Aysons Res north of Elmore on the Campaspe River. Love this spot, grass, shade and virtually no riverbank lovely. Had a quiet night by the river. Overcast morning but no wind. Bypassed Bendigo via Bridgewater then down to Avoca. Booked in for three nights at the Avoca CP and had dinner with Les and Hannah and spent the time riding and driving to the local wineries, nice.

Early start headed south to Warrnambool via Ararat and had lunch at Mortlake. Turned into a windy day northerly, good as I was going south. Booked into Surfside CP for two nights as its going to be high 30s tomorrow might need the AC. Rode around town and walked the beach.

Time to move on going to start heading north via Colac. Stopped at Camperdown for coffee at 11am still overcast and about 18. Made it to Lake Colac by lunch and setup at Meredith Park free camp on the north side of the lake, nice. Met some fellow travellers had a good night.

Stopped for lunch at Elmore and did some shopping at Echuca then dumped at Mathoura before stopping at Conargo for a cold drink. The pubs air conditioning was broken and it was uncomfortable with a hot dry wind blowing thru and flatening the beer. The new publican is a bit of a case as well, so I went on to Jerilderie and stayed at the caravan park there.

Back to Narrandera and Sand Pump beach for Rods surprize 50th birthday shindig down by the river. Turned out a good night about 70 people and a good time had by all. Rod had no idea, a real hoot.

The weather has turned ordinary so the coast seemed a good idea. Sutton West, Binalong, Windang. Australia Day at the club at Windang where I won a prawn tray. Shellharbour riding around then on to Bulli CP where I intend catching up with Brad.

Did some bike riding along the coast.

Aysons Res north of Elmore on the Campaspe River

Not all in one sitting!

Sea Cliff Bridge

New Year 2012 January - Narrandera

Home, well used to be home. Refilled a gas bottle. Mowed some grass. After dinner went to the RSL met Shane and Deb Hanlon, Doug and Deb Bowden, old customers of the our caravan park who had become firm friends. Really loud band so have a few drinks with them then went to the Murrumbidgee hotel till 2012. Walked back home to the blocks. Another year gone.

Book into the Narrandera CP for 3 nights as its going to be 40deg hot spell. Caught up with Ken & Barb the owners and my friends from when we ran the Lake Talbot Tourist Park for 7 years. Got all the local goss on the council and other things regarding the caravan park business in general.

Rode the bike into town in the heat each day and jumped in the lake. Did some waterskiing with the Hanlons. Good to see I've not lost it. Still able to skip start from the bank and do several laps of the lake. Spent several days down at the lake skiing and swimming or in the swimming pool complex, nice.

Went over to Wagga for some health checks and caught up with Brad and Kelly. Started thinking about heading to Victoria as the Hanlons were headed home after their holidays. Work who needs that!

 Hanlons and friends

Their boat 'Struth'