Georgetown - Cumberland Historic Mine Site - Croydon.

Georgetown, what a lovely place. Not the commercial centre of anywhere but just nice and quiet with good public facilities. Booked into the caravan park to use the laundry mostly. Had a quiet night under some shady trees.

The town has a pool open to the public but you need to get a free token. I got mine from the caravan park but the tourist info centre has them too. The pool water I suspect is artesian bore, crystal clear, and a little bit warm. Perfect in fact.

Next two nights camped at Cumberland Historic Mine Site. About 20km west of town on a small lake teaming with bird life. Again a quiet site just far enough off the highway for a good bit of P&Q.

Did a day trip to Croydon returning to do laps in the Georgetown pool.

Etheridge River - Georgetown

Street Art - Georgetown

Sunrise - Cumberland 

Cumberland Chimney

Atherton and Ravenshoe.

Atherton. Awoke to find I'd been sleeping in the clouds. Fine mist and then drizzle most of the morning. What Da! I didn't sign up for this. Thinking Chillagoe but it's a there-and-back situation or many miles of gravel. I'm not doing big bits of gravel! So the Kennedy. I will decide west to Normanton or south towards Hughenden at Forty Mile Scrub. 

Atherton local IGA had all the stuff I needed for the next few days then headed off. The weather cleared and improved directly proportionally to the westerly distance from Ravenshoe, now that's better.

Stopping for the night at a gravel pit at Forty Mile Scrub. The upside is good Internet: I'll be able to watch Kayo and see the Storm play the Sharks.

Several hundred meters off the main road, walking a 4x4 track to a potential camp spot with a good view, I came across this bit of 'street art'. It was off the 2-track by another 100m and would unlikely be seen from a vehicle driving past, go figure.

Julia Creek, Richmond, Hughenden, Charters Towers and Townsville.

Back to Four Ways stopping for smoko. On to Cloncurry for provisions and fuel. Ducked under the water spouts in the water park for a wash. On to Julia Creek quick stop then looked for rest stop. Maxwelton, not much here but it will do.

Smoko and walk about at Richmond and then a cold shower at Hughenden and lunch.

Quiet in town? It's show day in Hughenden and it was show day the last time I was here. On to Homestead rest stop for the night. Good reviews but just OK, I think.

Cloncurry to Hughenden the shire councils do not encourage camping road side, it would seem. I respect that and what the locals think about who stops where etc. But can't help wondering if they are missing out on commerce, tourist spend?

Stopped in Charters Towers to make some phone calls. Reid River rest for lunch. Townsville provisioned at Woollies Fairfield Central and the BP servo across the road will be tonight's sleep spot. Tobruk swimming pool, on The Strand, for laps and a hot shower. The Strand and Pallarenda are fav daytime hangouts.

Parked up on the Esplanade and watched a very disappointing game of NRL on Kayo. The Storm went down to the Cowboys, played here in Townsville. I had toyed with the idea of going to the game but last minute plans foiled. Glad I didn't  get there. Looks a really impressive stadium a huge upgrade from 1300smiles. 

Maxwelton sunset.

Richmond.

Silo art - love it!

Gregory Downs, Burketown and Lawn Hill

Gregory Downs is a bit further west. I was thinking of going into Lawn Hill but the talk around was don't bother. It's not going to be a good season for those folks. The floods trashed the place and the roads apparently. 

Not much more than a Pub and council depot at Gregory Downs. Two options from Normanton. The Normanton-Burketown Rd a mix of gravel and bitumen or via Four Ways and good bitumen all the way. Again, I was talked out of going to Burketown.

Gregory Downs has a good free camp down by the river bridge, spectacular in fact. Birds galore and the fishing can be good as well. The camp site, on the banks, is river gravel and small rocks, 4x4 have no problems. But the VW has traction control that cannot be disengaged, well not that I could work out how. So loose rocks makes life very difficult! 

I just camped the one night but many stay much longer with some elaborate setups. 

Gregory River.
Crystal clear water. 

That's me parked back there somewhere.

Sounds like fun.

Gregory Pub

Yep, can't help myself...

Morven Charleville Augathella Blackall

 Morven - Blackall

Stopped in at Charleville and the IGA, stocked up. Turned north on to Augathella. Realised I had been there before and didn't like it then either. Stopped for lunch road side rest ~50km north near Nive. Checked a few other rest stops but finally continued on to Blackall. Free hot shower was the incentive and stopped in the free camp in town. First night without power, expecting ~5deg in the morning. See how we go. 

Silo art.

Windmill goes round and round
legs go up and down
wheels go round and round, nice.

Chinchilla Miles Muckadilla Mungallala Wallumbilla Morven.

Chinchilla, Muckadilla, Mungallala, Wallumbilla all good Australian names.

Google says via Gympie, VW says via Caloundra. Kms and travel times similar so I prefer to travel the Wide Bay and Bunya Hwys so north rather than south on the M1. Will get plenty of the Warrego later. 

Stopped in at Chinchilla Lake free camp but was too busy. Fuel at Miles is cheaper than on the coast, go figure. Drove on to Wallumbilla a fav with hot showers and the power free. Made a donation.

Checking road conditions online; closed, 4x4 only or open with caution. Still fluid exactly where I will be going, but heading west again.

Next morning managed to snap some street art on the approach to Roma then cruised right on through. Stopped outside the Mucka Pub (Muckadilla) for smoko. Then another health stop and photo at Mungallala. Made me think: what do the locals shorten it to? Lala.

On to Morven. A counter lunch at the new pub, mistake. Stopped at the Recreation Reserve for the night. Power with donation, nice to be warm. Not a mistake.

Always wondered what to do with the old wire.

Always a fav use of old horseshoes.

I love street art!

Lala.

Blueys Beach -Booti Booti -Wallis Lake -Red Head -Black Head -Wallabi and Old Bar.

 Navigating NSW coast generally north as the weather is sunny and warm. Free camping and spending my days reading-snoozing, swimming-walking. Working hard at not going anywhere specific, just cruising.

A fellow traveller and I recently talked about trig points and geocaching and lo and behold I started coming across TPs everywhere, well almost. If you want a special out of the way, unusual, special view, walk or indeed trek, go exploring TPs. Get of the beaten track or just a popular tourist spot, interesting.

Haven't played where-is-it for while.

Forbes controversy - Eugowra street art.

So I'm back in Forbes again after 12 months. More flood damage and more helping repair fences.

No boring flood damaged fences photos so please read on ;)

Took time off to check out the sculptures in town that caused all the controversy. Readers may recall the photos from the last trip here in January-March 2022 of the street art on The Lachlan Way Anyway these are in a park right in town and the article explains the level of feeling created by "The Pyramid"

Spent a week cleaning fences for a farmer a little south of Eugowra, the town that was nearly washed away by floods early in December last year. Like Rochester and Elmore caravans are in front of nearly every house in town.

Staying positive with my photos but you can click the link to check the extent of the disaster. 

As always click on a photo to enlarge.

Adelong - Wantabadgery

Been back at Adelong for a few days. Now decided to do some touring.

Driving country roads can be very relaxing. I'm avoiding the Hume Highway and pretty much following the Murrumbidgee River, taking back country roads.

Along the way I answer a phone call. Good timing as I'm approaching a river crossing with an area to pull over. Sitting there talking to a mate it occurs to me that I haven't seen another car in a long time. I've been cruising at about 75k/h enjoying the view, just wandering along.

Stopping at Sandy Beach on the river at Wantabadgery will do for tonight. Well Sandy Beach is not so sandy at the moment as the river is running high and the normal bank is under water. It's been hot today and I'm able to swim and cool off.

Sandy Beach reserve Wantabadgery is in the Junee Shire and it's obvious the council looks after the area. It's a great free camp with plenty of open space, shady trees and lush grass. Also drop toilet facilities, picnic shelters, non potable tap water and a boat ramp.

It's very quiet here except at dusk when large flocks of Little Corellas are getting ready to roost. 

Got this bit all to myself.

And the other way tonight's neighbours.

Murrumbidgee running wide and fast.

Junee Shire billboard.
(www.youmeandjunee.com.au)

Wantabadgery street art.

Coopernook - Gunning - Adelong

Left Casino on Sunday after a late breakfast and the usual talk with MGB.

Sunday night camped in back of the pub at Coopernook. Quiet night, good.

Monday morning packed up early and headed to Sydney with the plan of looping around Sydney using the new tunnel and the usual M1-M2-M7.

Uneventful except for the high winds on the south side and on to Gunning. Well almost uneventful. Nearly got blown sideways of a bridge over one of the many rivers south of Pheasants Nest. I think that is when the left segment of the windscreen cracked, not a stone kicked up by traffic this time. It was a very strong gust leaning the motorhome over significantly. Lots of effort on the steering wheel to stay on course.

Overnighted in Gunning at the free camp down by the creek. A bit damp with the resent rain and I was worried about getting bogged. But all OK. Next time I'm here I might look at staying in the main street opposite the Post Office. It's on the bitumen, parallel parking and in front of a disused bank, nice and flat and probably quiet after dark. Being in the sun in the morning and close to the coffee shop is also an advantage when its just 4deg.

Was probably once the proud local Gunning GM dealer

Drove the back way from Gunning to Yass checking out the railway and small towns that could be good for a overnight stopping. Dalton is just 11km north west of Gunning and has an old pub with street art out front, two things that I find interesting.

Street Art - love it!

Royal Dalton in Sheep Country

Leeton Rd settled, nice.

Wagga and Coolamon

Stopped at Wagga Wagga for two professional appointments. Back on the road by early arvo with green elephant stamps (all good) and heading out of town after dumping at Wilks Park. Nice to see the toilet block now has a mural and a bus stop as well as the dump point. Possibly not the best mix, bus stop and dump point?

Headed to Coolamon for the night.

Coolamon CP used to be $10/night with power, water and hot showers. Not a big park, maybe 25 sites. Popular, usually need to be early to get a site for the night. Recently the local Council has spent big bucks pretty much ripping out everything. Everything new and clean, grass, roads and office. Now they have an onsite manager and are charging $20/night. Only problem, just 25% of the sites occupied. Less income - more expense, hmm.

Interesting article from ABC news about Silo Art and small towns. 

Bus stop and dump point.

Walbundrie and dragons in Lockhart.

Tungamah via Yarrawonga to Walbundrie is just 125km.

Crossed into NSW at Yarrawonga where Lake Mulwala is all but empty, must be hurting the tourist operators. Apparently, the lake has been having a weed problem.

Nice camp at Walbundrie for $10 you get power. Means no need to run the generator at night or more importantly first thing in the morning to get warm.

Went via Lockhart next day to check on their street art. Lots on display here but nothing new from my previous posts. Well other than the dragon finding a new home. He is now welcoming visitors into town from Walbundrie.

Lake Mulwala.

The Dragon at Lockhart.

BA Terang - End is Nigh - Warrnambool Street Art

It's been ~15 weeks since the St Patricks Day fires in March and when the camp was originally set up. Dribs and drabs of assessable fences are still being done, in between showers of rain, but the end is nigh. The total to date, of fences rebuilt, is nearing 300km.

Some farmers are saying there is no way we will be able to get on their paddocks now, or in the next few months. So the camp, here at Terang, will start closing at the end of this month.

It's hard not to look at the roadmap and start planning the trip north, route, stopovers, towns not visited before, and maybe some silo art along the way. Ah, the anticipation of a road trip: nearly as good as the real thing...

If you live in Terang serious shopping is done in Warrnambool and the place is not without street art.

Charleville heading east.

So the last job was assembling kids bikes for Christmas gifts. The shed, my workshop, may look disorganised but you should have seen it four weeks ago.

Yep, probably like living in a mining camp but its been undercover with power and water and out of the sun. Works for me and the motorhome.

Some random pics from morning walks around town.

Pub Restaurant in cattle country.

On the outside wall of the local butcher shop.

Sunrise out west.