Galore Hill

So if you are reading my blog and clicking the links you will of seen the "what to do in Lockhart". Well I do and did. So off I went to Galore Hill and visited Danial "Mad Dog" Morgan's caves and walked the scenic saddle track, nice.

The view from the top.

 

Mad Dog's cave.

Lockhart

Time to move and make tracks, 200km+ lifts the daily average. Wagga, Narrandera, Boree Creek and then Lockhart CP for the night.

Just a couple of hours in Narrandera to sort some issues for the fishings club then back on the road again, south to Lockhart. Love this town, love the art, love the verandahs. This is wheat country, silos, wheat stacks and rail sidings.

The CP is cheap and cheerfully right on the edge of town and on the banks of the Brookong Creek. Just a short walk to the main, the verandahs, the fantastic pavement, the pubs and club. And don't forget the welded metal street art. I wondered what all those ball bearings were under that horse?

Click an image to enlarge

The swaggy at Boree Creek.

Lockhart street art.

Out front of the CP.

From back a bit it looks real.

The main street of Lockhart Saturday Night, mad!

Oura Beach

Short drive from Wantabadgery to Oura and again camping on the Murrumbidgee River. I'm sneaking up on Wagga Wagga just another 15km or so west.

This place is very similar to Sandy Beach. Lots of grass and shade and plenty of space. Today anyway, suspect it will be different come the long weekend. And you guessed it more Cockatoos. I wonder if these guys are giving the local farmers grief? 

                 Click on an image to enlarge

Lots of grass and shade.

Shelters fire places and drop toilet.

Wantabadgery - Sandy Beach

Finally after a day and a half, and overnighting in their yard, I'm free to go with a flushed, tested, re-gassed and rewired main air-conditioner unit. Tumut Auto Electrics, I can recommend them for attention to detail, professionalism and customer service.

Short drive to Wantabadgery and Sandy Beach Reserve on the Murrumbidgee River. Well no sandy beach atm as the Murrumbidgee River is running high. Higher than I've seen it here before. This place can be nice or it can be crowded but in the lead up week to Australia Day I find it pretty quiet except for the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos. There are hundreds here and they are all squawking at once, it deafening. But they go to sleep pretty much at dusk, don't they?

Tumut Auto Electric - home for the night.

Murrumbidgee River - running high.

Cookatoos 

Spooked and they all go up.

Batlow

Well that's a surprise! Not one correct answer. Actually not one answer. Needless to say no bitcoin either. And I thought my readers were more intelligent than that. Hmm maybe they were clever, hanging onto their hard-earned.

Spent some time in Batlow about 600m climb from Tumut and cool cold at night. A chance to catch up and shoot the breeze with love-ones, BBQ, pizza, beer, wine and 4x4 driving through the mountains, nice. (not all a once)

Batlow is a small apple growing community in the Snowy Mountains about 35km uphill from Tumut. One pub, one supermarket, actually only one of anything but not one of everything. They started a cider festival three years ago and the patronage has doubled every year since. Lots of food stalls in the main street and of course lots of cider.

The caravan park is small and caters mostly for backpackers who come to pick the fruit. Penny the manager is friendly and welcoming and the amenities clean and tidy. Its not 5 star but its friendly.

Batlow CP. Love that sign - says it all.

Creek crossing, Gilmore Creek.

Blowering Dam - just 30% atm.