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Sunday, March 30, 2014

Log 30-03 Robinvale

Today we started our trip by going back to Swan Hill for some much needed groceries, returning to our vehicle after shopping we were surprised to find that one of our road friends had parked just in front of us. It’s always nice to catch up, they were volunteers at the rally & so would go in a week before us to help set up.

We then drove on to Robinvale  passing vast fields of grape vines almost all the way. We had booked in to the Riverside C/Park & it really was on the river. We were parked about 3 mts from the waters edge with a gentle grassy slope down to the water. We stayed 2 warm & sunny days only marred by a vilent thunder storm around dusk each day.  At least there is a shopping centre here with a super IGA, a Retrovision & many small shops & cafes. We were surprised by the mix of people here, lots of Asians & Pacific Islanders. Chatting to a local we found that they were here for the grape picking season.

On Thursday our Tasmanian friends were arriving so, leaving the c/park we drove to the golf club where we had arranged to meet up. It was great to catch up again though our group, through various reasons , would be much smaller this year. There must have been 60 or 70 motorhomes parked there. As we had to wait another 4 days before being able to get into the rally we spent the time catching up on news, meeting other club members & generally just waiting.


Well, Sunday’s over & we’re sitting at the golf club. There would be at least 100 vehicles here now. We thought they may have let us in to the rally a day early. The weather is well in the 30ºs & people are feeling a bit irritable. This morning before it got too hot, Lulu & I went for a long walk around the perimeter of the golf course, I can’t believe that there were only 4 golfers on the course on such a beautiful day & beautiful course. This evening we started packing for the morning but some people were already going into town to get on the line for the morning. Next: the rally!

At the golf course

So,me of he vans

From a different angle

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Log 24-03 Nyah








While at Collendina we realized that the fridge had stopped again, it was Sunday but we checked the net & found an agent in Corowa. He agreed to have a look at it on Monday. We were there promptly at 8:30 & he spent an hour fixing it up, a very sociable person, gave us a cuppa, had several phone calls, showed us the car he is restoring & gave us a few places to stay along the river. On the road again we next stopped at Barooga State Forrest, just 2K’s out of Cobram, intending to walk into town next day, unfortunately it looked like rain the next morning so we drove into Cobram, spent a couple of hours there , beautiful town, & big.  Having got going we decided to push on to Eucla where we stopped for lunch. No good camping spots so we continued on to Barnham, back in NSW. Once again we found a spot on the river but it was very remote & we were alone. We had decided to stay a day or two but with no TV, no phone & no internet we canned that idea.

Travelling on we came to the rather sizeable town of Murray Falls,  like all country towns it was spaciously laid out with wide streets & the shopping centre encompassing  several blocks, but at least it had all the big supermarkets. We staid the night at the Riverside caravan Park where they had the best amenities block we have seen, very modern & exceptionally clean, it was also only 1K from town. We stocked the fridge with everything we would need for the next 5 days.

We only drove 28K’s up the highway & came to the tiny town of Nyah, it had a small general store & a service station with the biggest security fence around it that we have ever seen, actually the only service station we have seen with a security fence. The shop traded normally but the s/station didn’t open till late afternoon. It also sold groceries & pizzas. The camping area was once again on the banks of the Murray behind the sports ground, it was a vast area capable of holding approx. 500 vans, there were 60 or 70 vans/motorhomes there. We have stayed for 5 days even though we can’t go anywhere but netball is played there of an afternoon, they had the big cricket match Friday arvo & Aussie rules, grades A,B & C on Saturday,  every morning the trotters practice on the course. For such a small town we can’t believe the amount of activity.


In the morning we move on to Robinvale, our final destination for this part of the journey.

At Barooga State Forest

Barnham

Barbham

Barnham



Barnham
Nyah sportsground

The sometimes servo

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Log 15-03-14 On the Way to Robbinvale

Usually, the first day of our trip is pretty boring. We just try to get away from the ratrace, but today it was all excitement.­ We had only travelled 40K’s down the highway when a passing car yelled out that our car was on fire. We stopped & smoke was billowing out from under the bonnet, we tried to detach the car but we were on a steep hill & very soon fire started to appear. I threw a couple of buckets of water at the fire that did nothing, never thought of the extinguisher.
Within minutes tow trucks appeared closely followed by the police, it took the fire brigade over half an hour by which time the car was  totally engulfed in flames. I would have removed all our gear from the rear of the car if I thought they would be so long but we lost all sorts of things as the back of the car was full.
Fortunately there was a slight breeze which blew the fire away from the Winnie so the damage to the motorhome was only slight. After disposing of the car & realising nothing could be salvaged we tossed up whether to go home or continue.
We decided there was nothing to be gained by going home so decided to continue, we stopped at Robertson for lunch & continued on to a rest stop just North of Goulburn for the night. Next day it was shopping for a new BBQ to replace the burnt one & then continuing on to Tumut where we found a nice rest stop overlooking the hills & valleys.
Day 3 saw us only progress slightly, travelling through the hills that make up the Kosiosko Mountain region, fantastic scenery around every bend, visiting places like Paddys River Falls & stopping at small country towns like Tumbarumbah & Coryong before deciding on a nice grassy area at Towong Reserve on the banks of the Murray  River. We have had a storm every night but this was by far the worst, gale foce Westerly winds buffeting the van & torrential rain, we felt sorry for the 4  young people camping nearby. The storm passed quickly & there was only drizzling rain for the rest of the night, it’s amazing as each day has been clear & hot till evening.
Day 4 we only travelled 80K to the very, very small town of Jingellic, once again, another great spot on the bank of the Murray, only this time in NSW. It’s a popular little place with a mix of around 20 vans & motorhomes spread over this level, grassy area. The pub sits just above the area so it’s very easy to get to & has hot showers for a fee, better than our little bathroom but not as elegant. We stayed for 2 days lust soaking in the atmosphere but then our fridge stopped working so it was off to Wodonga for repairs. By the time we arrived the fridge was working fine so we pulled into a caravan park for the night, this gave us a chance to do some washing, top up our water, empty the toilet & grey water, it was also good to have a nice long shower in clean & spacious amenities. It was difficult to get into a caravan park as Wodonga is holding it’s annual “Chryslers on the Murray” festival this weekend
So far, apart from the car with the boat seats, oars, anchor & rope, outboard motor, dolly wheels, BBQ, crab & yabbie nets, the TV aerial has broken, the fridge hiccupped & Liz has lost her prescription sun glasses, we keep saying, things can only get better.
Leaving Wodonga we drove to Rutherglen for a look around & morning tea, they are holding a food & wine tasting weekend but we saw no evidence of it.

& so, Day 7 finds us stopping in beautiful downtown ???, we are 9K’s West of Corowa in the Collendina State Forest, still on the banks of the Murray.  It was 31º today followed by the usual storm this afternoon, I’m loving the solitude, the bush & the water, Liz says, another gum tree & more water.

On the way to Robinvale

After the fire was over

The aftermath

Waddy River Falls

Waddy River

Murray at Towong Reserve

Hume Bridge outside Wodonga

In Collendina State Forest

The Murray at Collendina