Casino NSW - BlazeAid

So the story goes: A busload of Japanese tourist arrived in Casino NSW one day looking to do some serious gambling and was very disappointed. Probably an urban myth but it sounds good.

Casino, a very busy town, is not all that far from the fire ground. Rappville, a little village to the south-west, is pretty much in the centre and the devastation to the town is confronting. Over twenty houses were lost to the fire and hundreds of kms of farm fences, sheds and farm machinery from miles around.

The BlazeAid camp has about 40 volunteers going out each day ripping up, replacing or repairing fences. The locals in Casino via clubs and service groups are providing evening meals, cakes and bottled water. The work is sometimes very dirty but always rewarding especially when the farm paddock has been locked up and cattle contained.

They saved the Pub three times!

But not this Koala. 

Some very long fences need work.

All that is left.

NSW on fire.

New stops heading north.

Northern NSW and south-east Queensland are copping it big time, and it is not summer yet. Time to do a bit for someone else. A new BlazeAid camp is starting in Casino NSW and I'm headed that way so I will stop in for a bit.

This time heading north I'm trying out a few new overnight stops that appear to have merit. The pub at Coopernook being one of the better ones. The pub is only a km or two off the highway and its quiet. Popular tonight but still enough room in the back yard for my MH. Counter meals, hamburger and beer for me tonight and rugby world cup on the telly. Nice, well except that Australia lost.

Steam Power - Albury Wodonga

Isn't it true that almost everyone has a fascination with steam power? Trains usually, but for me, its paddle steamers or even steam-powered boats. So there is no way known I'm knocking back an offer to go chugging on the Murray River at Wodonga. Packing a picnic lunch and heading upstream to a shady spot on the river bank.

The advantage of steam power is there is always hot water available for a cuppa.

Blowing off steam.

It's complicated to operate.

Yep plenty of steam.

South to Narrandera

Its time to get back on the road. Time to look at the leftovers from my previous life. Yep, after nine years I feel the need to streamline. Two containers, on a hectare of land, in Narrandera are storing stuff I no longer need. Land I no longer have a use for. Clean-up time!

So after lots of preparatory work me and the old girl are on the road again. Heading south. Yippie!

Belanglo Forest

Belanglo Forest is usually good if you are looking for a quiet night south of Sydney. Three km of corrugated dirt road tests the suspension before pulling into Daly's Clearing campground. Surprising to see cars and trucks everywhere, looks like a film crew setting up.

Yep, a new range of Mitsubishi SUVs are being tarted up for the cameras. Fascinating to watch the time, effort and man-hours spent, strapping a camera to the bonnet, to get a shot of the driver through the front windscreen. Then washing the cars again before next morning filming five of them driving down forestry tracks.

A quiet nights sleep and free entertainment courtesy of the film crew, now I'm ready to do battle with the Sydney traffic.

Turning North

Cruising north on the Hume Hwy from the border of Victoria and can't help but notice that caravans are swarming. Especially smoko and lunch at places like Holbrook and Gundagai.

People watching, always interesting, in this case, whilst eating lunch. Multiple people, travelling with dogs, doing selfies with their dog and the dog on the Tuckerbox at Gundagai. Hmm, *thinks* how many dog statues are there in Australia. Hmm, *thinks* so how far would you travel to get a pic with you and your K9 and a dog statue? Would your dog smile? Did any that I saw today smile? Always hard to tell. Teeth: angry dog ~ happy dog?

Stopover tonight is at Jugiong. Bad timing as the pub, being open 6 days a week, but not today Monday. So I expect all the vanners are eating baked beans. Not me, roast lamb tonight. Actually reheating leftovers, but lovely just the same. 

Boorowa BA

Just doing a coupla hundred km per day it has taken me a week to get to Boorowa. Boorowa is about 100km, as the crow flys, to Batlow, my destination for next month. Till then I'll be doing some fence rebuilding with BlazeAid.

The camp is in the town showgrounds and has power, water and shade, nice. 

This time I'm pleased to be shifting about from farm to farm doing just a few days here and there. Working different farms means a variety of work and people.

It's a good camp. The local townspeople prepare our weekday evening meals. On weekends we either go out as a group for a sponsored meal at a club or pub around town or make do at the camp. The meals are always good.

Now progressing from clearing fences to building some new ones. Steadily ticking off farms as completed as we go.

Smoko on an overcast wet day in the paddock.

Yep, another fence photo! Part way finished.

Looking better. Just need to add the ringlock to keep those pesky sheep in.

Road trip south

This looks big. The fires in Victoria are still burning whilst I'm here in south-east Qld planning my next road trip, south as it happens. Looks like there will be lots of farms and fences needing work.

Might just stop along the way and do a bit.

https://sentinel.ga.gov.au

https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov

Tropical Cyclone Oma.

Tropical Cyclone Oma is headed for the southern Qld coast. This could be a new experience I realize. I've not been in a cyclone before. I make all the recommended preparations and am somewhat unsure how my MH will handle the high winds. Hail has been a real issue before but there is no suggestion of that. Watch and see I decide. Make a run for it if I have to. Probably not recommended.

Anyway, she hooks back on herself and moves away after many very windy days. Anticlimax. But better than what could have happened.

The only losers here are the beachgoers, with high tides and big surf, Oma washes most of the beach sand away leaving coffee rock exposed. Not like it's not happened before.

Fireworks @ Cotton Tree

Sunday night and hardly anyone around for this display of fireworks. Chinese year of the pig.

A pig represents luck, overall good fortune, wealth, honesty, general prosperity, symbolizing a hard working, a peace-loving person, a truthful, generous, indulgent, patient, reliable, trusting, sincere, giving, sociable person with a large sense of humor and understanding.

Pigs might not stand out in a crowd. But they are very realistic. Others may be all talk and no action. Pigs are the opposite.

They are energetic and are always enthusiastic, even for boring jobs. If given the chance, they will take positions of power and status. They believe that only those people have the right to speak, and that’s what they want.

Surf up? - Cotton Tree

The wonders of modern technologies: surfing without waves. Well if you've got the spare cash for a Lift efoil that is? You'll need to trade-in your very new small car to afford this one.

Australia Day at Cotton Tree

Yep finished all the fences and headed for the coast. Aussies do it at the beach: celebrate that is. A lovely sea breeze is keeping the temperature to around 30c, nice.

Finishing the job.

Back to finish the last of the farm fences after the Woolooga Fires. BlazeAid is staying on a farm at Sexton, east of Woolooga, and should finish the last fences in the next few days.

It's not a bad gig; we are a small group camped in a really nice location with views, an afternoon breeze and a pool to cool off in. It's informal and enjoyable with good food and good company.

The last jobs are the leftovers, the hard or hilly stuff. But the challenge is rewarding as usual. So winding up and packing up is in progress as we do the odds and sods.

Sunrise with mist in the valley. The view from my window.

A farmer offers to store our trailers. But look what else he has!

Now that's a quick way to roll out a new fence.