Along the Murray

 Its been a bit of a quiet week with most of our time spent at the camp just out of Tooleybuc which ended up being a great find. It was at the Piangil Pump Station site, we had access from a makeshift boat ramp to the water and surprisingly, only had 2 other vehicles venture in for a look the whole time we were there, which ended being 4 nights. The Murray is so low and we marked the edge with a stick and was surprised to see how much the level dropped each night, we would estimate the level dropped by an inch or 2 each day.

Garlic bread to go with the Pizza for tea

It was the only one so threw him back

It looks good, but alas its a carp

The 5th day came in wet and we didn't really want to be caught in the mud so pushed on to just down the road to Nyah, who supply free RV camping around their recreational ground, on the edge of the Murray,

with potable water and a dump point on hand, but with crappy weather blowing in we moved further eastward after just one night and ended up on the Murray River Track in the Gunbower State Forest and found a site just off the main track on the edge of the Murray again. The banks were so steep here there was no chance for access to the water's edge.

With so many river gums around we couldn't get solar in here so moved again the next day just a little further on into the township of Cohuna, another RV friendly town supplying a free park with access to potable water and a dump site. Set on the banks of the Gunbower Creek it is a scenic spot, and with a bakery just over the bridge I'm happy to stay indefinitely. (I went over this morning to purchase 2 bread rolls, but came back with a vanilla slice, apple slice, pastie and half a dozen freshly baked rolls, really, after 30 years you think Les would know better than to let me go to a bakery alone).

Cohuna campground

Hay District

 Sorry, a bit late coming out this week, been a bit low on power to charge the computer, but have moved the van to get more sun and here we are.

We started this week at a free camp beside the Murrumbidgee at Sandy Point in Hay.

Sandy Point (hence the name)

Sandy Point Camp

As you can see a bit muddy, but all good for the one night.

We actually had booked into the Hay Caravan Park as the car was booked in to be serviced this week at Hay Toyota and with inclement weather on its way thought it best to keep charge up by plugging into power.  

This was a great park, can't give it a bigger enough wrap.

We spent our 3 days here being the tourist and doing housekeeping duties - washing linen etc, (Got to love fresh linen on the bed)

Hay turned out to be an interesting town but like the rest of Australia at the moment too bloody cold to actually enjoy it.  It was definitely Oodie weather

Thanks Jess & Grace for our early birthday presents

Mrs McGrath and her pet sheep (eccentric old people), but there was a reason, apparently she had trained her pet sheep (100 of them) to follow her over the old bridge, then the drovers' sheep would follow hers over, at the other side the McGrath's sheep would gather around her off to one side and the drovers would continue with their sheep all safely over the Murrumbidgee.

The Old Railway Station.

Love these old buildings

  

Painted Hay Water Towers

The Hay Weir

And how low the "Bidgee" is atm

Car serviced and once again on the road, but not too far this time as we had to make a stop at Maude, have a drink at the pub for Ron (Les' Dad), and a few photos for old times sake.

Les spent many summers up here camping with his Dad, at one time Ron was seriously considering purchasing this pub back in 1974.

Apparently it hasn't changed much

The main street in Maude

Maude Weir

Another camp along the Murrumbidgee about a km out of Maude.

 From Maude we travelled South and over the Murray at Tooleybuc and into Victoria

And that is where we finish this week, camped along the Murray just out from Tooleybuc

Historical Gems in Central NSW

 We have found a couple of gems this past week. Firstly the township of Bourke sitting on the Darling River, was home to the first weir built in, not only on the Darling, (It was the only one on the Darling) but in Australia in 1897. It wasn't until we looked at photos after that we actually realised the banks of the river in this area are actually cobbled.

Les has been practicing his drone shots

Also home to the first "Lift bridge", circa 1884 built in Australia, (It is undergoing some maintenance at the moment - look at the photo of Les on it and you can see why

Eras long gone

Another historical site in Bourke is the original wharf, Port Of Bourke. This home to an original 1923 Crossley Engine that they still fire up at midday each day.

Under the Port

Old Garford Fire Engine

1923 Crossley Engine

Modern art also part of the Bourke landscape, each to their own I suppose.

            

          

As you can see the sun finally came out again and with charge getting into the batteries we moved further South. 

Another first for us, a gravel pit camp, and it was amazing site and managed to get a great fire going.

Thats us from the drone. Even had a lake front view.

Next stop was for lunch and a look around Cobar, another amazing find, especially for Les with all the mining history here. 

Stamp Battery 

Air leg miner

Underground Bogger

Head frame

Mining Memorial to the 117 men and women who have lost their lives in the Cobar Mines

We didn't camp in Cobar but found a bush camp further out of town and yes another roaring fire and a drone shot. 

After this camp the drizzle started again and we thought we may have to get into a caravan park to keep charge, but driving charged them enough so we just had an overnighter in a roaad side stop, shared with a few other vans and a couple of cattle roadtrains. Mooing, kicking and the smell for some of the night, but hey, what can you do.

The next day we detoured into Merriwagga to fill up with water and had another great find.

Home to the "Black Stump Hotel" which claims to have the highest bar in the Southern Hemisphere, so had to have a drink here.

The town itself was neat and tidy, and very welcoming, memorial to the Pioneering Women of Australia and Information boards about the history of the town everywhere

We stayed just down the road from here for the night in another over-night roadside stop but not a truck stop, so a bit quieter than the previous night. 

A few mud puddles bur nothing to worry about.