Menindee to Broken Hill

Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23^rd

On Saturday we left Cobar and headed towards Wilcannia. Well that town hasn’t changed since we were there 13 years ago except that maybe the main corner store is now closed and boarded up. This town has a bad stigma attached to it (for reasons we all know) and all businesses are closed except for the service station which has security screens on every window. This time however we decided to venture off the main road and see what else Wilcannia had to offer. Recently I read a report that the buildings are quite grand and it was once a large inland city with paddlesteamers visiting often. I must say that there were a few grand and well maintained buildings but it was all very quiet with no-one around. There was always a strange smell in the town too. Didn’t know what it was but I felt uneasy!

We then started on the Menindee-Wilcannia Road. Before leaving Cobar we taped up all seals of the van and even the lower vent of the fridge to stop all that dust getting in. We drove on this road for 160kms and what a good road it was. The condition it was when we used it D said he would drive it with a sedan. We were pleasantly surprised as we imagined it would be challenging. However there had been no rain and the day was perfect. So much for being near the desert  was really green. You could have been travelling to Bathurst if you didn’t know any better.

Menindee-Wilcannia Road
 

Upon arriving at Menindee we found a secluded campsite on the banks of the Darling River. Only disadvantage was it was really dusty – you felt dirty all the time.  Unfortunately the sealing of the van had not been a complete success. We had a bit of dust but nothing that couldn’t be fixed.

On the Banks of the Darling

My father-in-law tried his luck at fishing along with our youngest. And guess what – they caught CARP. I even saw later a sign saying “carp dump point”. Obviously everyone catches too much carp.

We enjoyed a camp oven feast of roast lamb and vegies. And like all campsites there were millions of stars and no noise.

The next day my father-in-law cooked up a great breakfast. From there we headed to Broken Hill

The caravan park at Broken Hill is neat and clean however very pricey. Lots and lots of grey nomads that make it difficult to get powered sites when needed!!! Thus why the parks can charge high rates.

Our first place to visit was Bell’s Milk bar where everyone tried a different flavour of shake so everyone could have a taste of something different. It was very 1950s themed and a very popular tourist attraction.

Once the milkshakes were finished we headed out to Silverton where the boys visited the Mad Max Museum then back to Broken Hill to visit the Living Desert. It was very busy when we were there as the sun was beginning to set over the sculptures which added to the loveliness of them.

Silverton
 

Mad Max's Car

So tomorrow we finally head to the Flinders Ranges – to whole reason for this trip. The place we are staying at says that there is mobile phone coverage in one particular spot of the property. I cannot see myself standing at that spot with the laptop in my hand adding another entry so I will catch up once I am on the Yorke Peninsula with lots of mobile service!

Until again…..

Wellington & Cobar (and everything inbetween)

20th September 2012

We all know that before you get to your intended destination you must sometimes encounter some boring parts to get there.

Well in our case there was certainly some boring parts but there was also some very beautiful parts.

Once we descended off the wonderful mountain all the paddocks were green and all the dams were full.  At one stage Canola crops were in abundance. Its vibrant yellow crop against an oats crop made it look like major Australian support – green and gold stripes.


Oats & Canola Crop - Go Aussie
 

It took us 3 ½ hours to get to Wellington. The trip was hassle free and the countryside was beautiful. Here we stayed at the Wellington Caves Caravan Park – what a lovely park and would definitely stay there again. Lovely and neat, clean amenities and friendly staff.

Wellington's Famous Chimes

The next day off on the road again we headed towards Cobar and didn’t it start to get boring. Scrub, scrub and more scrub. Through Dubbo, Narromine, Trangie, Nevertire, Nyngan then Cobar taking us 4 ½ hours. Thank God for portable DVD players as the boys were as quiet as mice in the back. The only caravan park in Cobar is full – lucky we booked ahead. Nice and friendly.

The only wildlife on the road was goats. A dear friend of mine recently visited Broken Hill and she warned me of the abundance of them. There weren’t that many but a stern looking billy goat with very healthy horns and a long beard was certainly a highlight.

After having lunch with D's parents on the Bogan River at Nyngan we headed off towards Cobar. The countryside became very harsh and uninviting. No farmhouses could be seen from the road – just signs indicating the name of the properties. To live in this neck of the woods one must be certainly a dedicated farmer and must enjoy the company of a small amount of people. Our youngest even commented on the redness of the dirt – something that he hasn’t seen before. D is certainly looking forward to seeing the contrast of red on his black dragon!!!!!

Nothing much to look at - at least it is straight driving - no car sickness today!

So off to Menindee Lakes tomorrow via the Menindee-Wilcannia Road on the western side. All reports tell us that the road is open. We will however take a brief look around Wilcannia to see if the reports are telling the truth that it clearly once was a grand old town!!!!!!

Until again…..

Old Gippstown

15th July 2009

Well surely by now you have figured out that one of my many passions is a tour back in time. Thanks to others that have the same passion and to those people who don't throw away their old treasures but donate them to museums, we can visit old towns to commemorate such times.

Another town I must mention is Old Gippstown, Moe. Again, this is a place that protects and maintains buildings that have been brought from all over to replicate living in the farming communities of the Gippsland.

It doesn't cost very much at all for a family to visit but it is certainly worth heaps in teaching our children about such times.

The day we visited was not very busy at all - I hope that this is not a show of the times that people have forgotten or are just not interested in remembering. 

 If this house was on a farm somewhere up for sale people would be swarming to buy it. Only thing wrong is that the kitchen, as all houses at that time were the same, was a separate building so if the kitchen caught fire the rest of the house would not burn down.

The volunteers are also very special. The men or women who were responsible in building this old beauty would have to have a special interest in this era.

While visiting the fire station, a lovely man even started up the vehicle for our boys. It sounded like it wouldn't necessarily get you to your next stop and gee it stunk of fuel but it was a lovely gesture.

Old Gippstown took us a few hours after lunch to explore. As it wasn't the Victorian school holidays at the time activities had ceased. The lovely old general store was still open for business though and thanks to the lovely fire engine man so was the fire station.

Take a visit soon to Old Gippstown to learn about farming the Gippsland in the old days.

Walhalla

Wednesday, 15 July 2009

When I was a little girl I remember watching a move called "Lost Horizon". It told a story of a plane that crashed in the Himalayas. The passengers were rescued and taken to a mysterious valley that was full of peace and tranquility. What I most liked about this movie was that one minute they were trekking through very heavy snow then through a cave they arrived in paradise. One extreme to another.

Walhalla is nothing like the mysterious valley in the movie but it was similar to me that we drove along a winding road and suddenly came to a gem hidden at the end of a valley.

Walhalla is a historic mountain gold rush village located in Victoria's Baw Baw Ranges. Like most gold rush towns they thrived while the gold was around then once it ran out, the town shrunk in size. Walhalla has only a handful of permanent residents now but I am sure they are proud to call it their home and wouldn't live anywhere else.

It has survived some terrible devastating bushfires but when you visit you would never know if it wasn't for the information held in the fire station.






All the existing buildings are an indication of the integrity of Walhalla's history.

The day that we were at Walhalla there was some celebration happening in the Town Hall. This filled the streets with cars and noise. I wish we had been there on a different day because I believe the empty streets and eerie quietness would have set the day off much better. Who knows we may have heard a whisper from back in the 1800s - I wish!


Again I feel happy that we have embraced Walhalla and made sure that it stays alive and not become a ghost town - even though it is classified as one of Australia's. Victoria I believe is very good at maintaining their heritage by taking these old and historic towns under their wing. There are many towns that have not survived but I suppose it is hard to maintain them if all they were were tent cities.

Coal Creek Village

Monday, 13 July 2009

After setting up home in the beautiful town of Healesville we decided to take a trip down to the south gippsland area to Korumburra. Here they have set up a historic village called Coal Creek Village.

Buildings from all over the gippsland area have been placed in this wonderful museum to help preserve them and show us what it was like "back then". Entry to this wonderful place was free and it took us most of the day to see it all.

A place like this totally relies on its volunteers to keep it going along with its little businesses that reside in the buildings. It feels great to enter the "general store" and see how they used to sell things and package things. I understand that the empty flour sacks were recycled and used as fabric to make childrens' underwear.

There were many different styles of buildings - grand ones, ones made of wattle & daub and standard colonial homes that I would imagine myself living in. They all had an "out house" of course - too early for indoor plumbing!

These kinds of places always make me feel happy. It's an opportunity to step back in time without having to do without the things we have come to rely on.

After having a full day out we arrived back at Healesville in time to indulge at the Healesville Hotel. Let's face it you cannot go without having a chicken snity at a pub!

Beechworth, Victoria

Saturday, 11 July 2009

We decided to choose Beechworth as our next destination to park the Jayco Swan for many reasons.

Firstly it is an absolute beautiful and historic town. Its streetscape is how it was during the 1800s and its Historical Precinct promotes the grandness of how buildings once were. Sadly some of the buildings have been knocked down in the past, mainly to accommodate the happenings of the once prisoners of the Beechworth Gaol. A gaol that is now decommissioned and owned privately. The residents of Beechworth had no idea of its future role and mainly showed their sadness of not allowing the public to visit it.

Beechworth's Historical Precinct

Beechworth's Old Hospital Facade

Beechworth is also close by to Myrtleford and Bright. These towns too are definitely worth a visit. The Ovens River runs through Bright and I am sure is the favourite swimming hole for the locals during summer. However being there in July we could think of nothing worse. 

As a lover of all things old and country and a little bit of primitive, I dragged the three men in my life into a wonderful shop I had always wanted to visit. Country Heart and Home. This was a beautiful shop with lots of things to see - definitely a shop where you need to do a few laps before you can be sure that you have seen everything. Being fair, my husband and the boys who always come with me, as they know me very well,  even could find things of interest.

Country Heart & Home, Bright

The Ovens River

Lastly a dear friend of ours had recommended a ghost tour in town they had done on one of their holidays. Beechworth Ghost Tours took us on a night ghost tour of Mayday Lunatic Asylum. It is now owned by the Letrobe University. Our younger son was ten at the time and was a little bit worried he would come face to face with a ghost. Holding my hand very tightly at all times and keeping very close he was quite relieved that there had been no ghosts out that night. My husband and I had done a ghost tour at the Quarantine Station in Manly and we had both experienced certain things. There was none of that for us at Beechworth. However the history of the Asylum and how you were committed back in the days was very interesting.

Weddin Mountains National Park

Thursday 9 July 2009

When my husband and I choose a destination for our trips I sit on the wonderful net for hours searching for all places to visit. This particular trip took us down to Victoria and all around.

We headed off two days before the school holidays began just to give us those few extra days and to get out of the rat race before everyone else.

We arrived at Grenfell just before lunch and set up the faithful Jayco Swan in the only caravan park in town. It was neat and clean and had a very trusting feel about it. We had lunch then embarked on the first stage of our journey.

Just outside of Grenfell is the Weddin Mountains National Park. This certainly deserves a visit.

While researching endlessly on the net I stumbled upon two great things to see in the National Park. The first was Ben Hall's cave (a gentleman bushranger - so history says) and the second was Seaton's Farm.
Ben Hall's cave is accessed by a path that leads from Ben Hall's Campground. It is quite a pleasant campground with toilets. We were going to camp there initially but due to the time of year we decided not to. I must say that I felt quite spooked at this place and was glad that we had changed our minds. However of course if we were in the area again I would not hesitate to camp there.

The view from the cave was fantastic. Certainly something not to be missed.

Then we found Seaton's Farm. I loved it. Right up my alley. This was a farm that had been left as it was.

Mr Seaton was an amazing farmer - recycling his gift. He would flatten out old corrugated iron to make it go further. Use old wire to make his fences. The tool shed, the kitchen and the farm machinery all left as it was. Man they did it tough.

We walked around the farm all afternoon. My imagination was running so so fast. I was impressed that things had been left alone and not stolen or ruined. Great respect was had at this farm.

Our boys, 12 and 10 at the time, had a ball climbing on all the old tractors and ploughs.

Well done National Parks and Wildlife for taking this wonderful part of history under your wing.

Take your family out there sometime soon if only to show them just how hard some people have done it.