Lake Wyangan

Our new camp spot

We have moved camp about 8kms from Griffith CBD.  Beautiful views over the lake, not a lot here, just pretty.   Rick has been unwell, so we have mostly hung out here with another couple of motorhomers Sue & Stacey who are full time on the road.   Today we ventured into Griffith and spent 3 hrs. at the Pioneer Museum and then headed off to see the famous Hermit Caves.  In 1930 an Italian man lived in caves above Griffith for his whole lifetime.  He built stone walls in and around a series of caves that served as living quarters, kitchen, chapel etc.   But it was stinking hot, dusty, a big climb up and down rocky terrain and rick felt like crap.  So we abandoned the caves and headed for the Drs. instead.  He has a bad cold, on antibiotics, and hopefully will recover well enough for us to see a bit more before its time to move on.    What we have seen has been really nice, lots of lush green gardens & parks, orchards, vineyards, rice, cotton, corn, etc. being grown in the districts we have driven thru.

Griffith Camp

If you know Rick, then you know that he complains long and hard that he only gets bacon & eggs once a year. And everyone knows how much he needs feeding up?????  Well, here he is, obviously its a 1 year anniversary and he is cooking himself a big breakfast.   Has fallen in love with his little $14 butane gas cooker and now cant help himself.   Im not complaining.   He has managed bacon & eggs, schnitzels and tonight, pasta & meatballs.   Mind you its prob. around 40o in the bus tonight, and so why not cook in the great outdoors.  We are camped in Willow Park right in the heart of Griffith.  Nice spot, nothing flash but in handy distance to everything.   Rick is sick  with what we think is sinus, dosing up on all sorts of meds., so we are doing nothing but chilling out, laying on the green lawn, reading, drinking & eating.   No sightseeing for awhile plus its too damn hot.

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Hay cont.

Our Camp Spot on the Murrumbidgee

We visited the Shearers Outback Museum, which was really interesting.  Then a visit to the Dunera POW Museum.  The Camp is no longer around but the stories of the 3000 plus war time prisoners from Germany, Austria, Italy and Japan that were imprisoned here was fascinating.   We also visited the home of an Archbishop.   The home built in the 1880s is constructed of corrugated iron with pressed steel internal walls, insulated with sawdust.  Beautiful old home in pretty good condition.  The original paint still on the outside tin.  Visited a winery and bought some Port and then that pretty much did Hay for us and we decided to move on to Griffith.   Did buy a Lotto ticket in case we got lucky and could go back and buy the old guys Plymouth but it wasnt to be.   Rick has been sick with perhaps a sinus infection so we have spent up big on cold & flu tabs just in case.

Shearer in action

This is the sort of puppy we need on the road, cheap and quiet.  When we spoke to the shearer above we were asking him if he uses the harness that was apparently invented to make the shearers life easier on his back etc. when bending over.  Apparently it has had some very serious side effects for some, with many shearers who used it, now suffering with breast cancer.  The pressure of the harness causes rashes, and cysts, especially with the amount they sweat.   Obviously its not as popular as it was when first introduced. 

Hay

We enjoyed our stay at Hay, a very RV friendly town.  Plenty of free camping, fresh water, toilets & showers if needed at the Info Centre.  In the main street a large parking area for motorhomes & caravans along with fresh water tap.  It was here we met 6 french backpackers who had decided to camp in the carpark around the tap.   We arrived to fill up with water and they had to hastily pack up and move out of the way.  They didnt know about the riverside camp with toilets, bbqs and lots of trees & grass plus a nice sandy swimming area.   When we told them also that there were two french girls camping down there, they were off!!!!!!!!!   We discovered a  1959 Plymouth Belvedere in the front yard of a very old chaps house way out in the sticks.  He happily showed us the car and said "its for sale"  YAY we thought, but then he was asking $20,000 and we had to shake our heads and say NO.   He obviously hadnt driven it for quite a while as it was full of cobwebs under the hood and inside the drivers seat.    This little bus caught our eye as well.  We are always on the lookout for an old car for Rick and spotted something under some green shade cloth in someones front yard.  As luck happens we met the owne'rs grandson and he told us grandpa had a 1926 Studebaker Pickup under the tarp just wasting away.  Grandson had high hopes of getting it one day.    





For these pictures we had to climb barb wire fencing and wander into a cow paddock.  Couldnt resist but. Was praying a herd of wild cattle didnt take exception to us in their territory.  We had just seen a poor kangaroo that hadnt made it while trying to straddle the barbed wire fence and that made us sad.    The car above is prob. all we could afford these days Rick states.   He was a very happy man though when a caravan came into our camp ground being towed by a 1935 Ford Coupe.   The poor man barely had his ignition off when Rick pounced.   Sadly they left early the next day and I didnt get a pic.  On their way to the Nationals in Qld.    More on Hay next time.

Numurkah

We left home last Thursday and travelled to Nurmurkah.  241 motorhomes and 500 people descended on this small town for 5 days  for a fundraiser.   It was a huge success.   We spent a total of $50,000 in the district during the rally, plus gave the showgrounds committee  a further $10,000 and the hospital over $3000.   Lots of fun, food and activities kept us busy from morning till late at night.   We had a fund raising dress up dinner for the hospital with a Mad Hatters Theme.   Here's Rick with a couple of friends.

We had a table of 61 members of our Chapter, the Southern Explorers, (SEX)  and decorated the table in a mad hatters theme, poured wine from teapots and drank from cups and saucers.  Our entertainer for the night was Rodney Vincent a comedian and singer (ex delltones).   He was hilarious.  Played the audience age-group perfectly.   The whole night/weekend has been filmed by Caravan & Motorhome Magazine for inclusion in their magazine with a DVD to be available in a few months time I beleive 



From Numurkah we headed back to Benalla to visit our friends John & Jan. He is a Saddler and Jan has a Craft Shop in Town.  A nice catch up and dinner with them and then it was off to Wangaratta to visit other friends Bob & Jan.   They run a cattle property and are feeling the effects of the drought right now.   Then we headed towards Deniliquin.   Found a lovely parkland camp spot right in town.    BUT then the day went downhill fast.    Our Waeco freezer that was FULL of FROZEN  meat in the back of the car had been plugged in to the wrong plug.    The food was OFF and I mean OFF..   Since Friday and it was Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!   So in searing heat, we had to battle the blowies and empty the fridge and scrub it out.   The smell was ???????   By the time we finished we were dirty & sweaty and ready for a cold one.  BUT then along come the local cops and decided to do a breathalyser station right on the road next to us.    Of course, we werent game to sit there drinking just in case some sour puss cop decided to get pushy with rick, so we had to sit out for an hour and a half.   Dying of Thirst.   Our TV antenna isnt picking up any stations (we just replaced it) and so I didnt get to see the end of the Block and Im shattered.   Still we will watch it tonight on the IPad.     From Deniliquin we have made our way to Hay and will spend a few days here.

We have been travelling the Cobb Highway and some of the sculptures along the way are pictured here.  The Headless Horseman, to the right of the pic., at the Black Swamp.   We have encountered today, goannas (too fast for my camera), emus, cattle and sheep all crossing this Highway.  Made us feel like we were back in the N.T. again. Had to keep an eye on the sides of the road continually.   The weather is muggy/sunny/ thundery.  Our camp spot in Hay is down by the Murrumbidgee River and its pretty sandy but very lovely. We are praying we dont get a big downpour cos we will end up bogged.  Surrounded by around 15 caravans.  Only motorhome here.   We are considering a possible change of plan next week and may veer towards Nerranderra for Easter cos there is a Hot Rod Rally on.  More on that later if it happens.

Bali bound

The family are Bali bound to live and work.   We will miss them terribly but we will have somewhere to stay if we go to Bali.!!!!  Hopefully that will happen to us mid way thru this year.

We are heading off again soon

Just starting to plan the next big trip for the mozzas  and the big red bus.