Log 20-04 Wagga

Would you believe it, whenever we stop at a o’night rest stop we  support the local shops. Just before leaving Hay we stopped at the local servo to fill up. Whilst doing so the proprietor started talking to me asking if we had camped by the river, then started complaining about the council allowing us to park for free when there was a c/van park in town, replying that if we had to pay we would not stop at Hay & that the local shops wouldn’t be supported by us. He replied that he didn’t care & that there was a petition in for the council to stop free parking???????

Heading NorEast to Wagga we stopped at Narrandera for a cuppa & a cake.  Another great little country town much bigger than Hay, we drove around for a look before heading for Wagga. Realising that a lot of motorhomes were heading that way we booked ahead at the Wagga Beach C/van Park Another nice park on the bank of the Murrumbidgee with a beach no less. We stayed 2 relaxing days, walking into town each day to check out this large city with many old buildings with great architecture.

Like all country towns the streets are very wide & parks & creeks abound even in the city which made for much walking. We enjoyed our stay before reluctantly heading back out of town to catch up with the group. We stayed Wed night at a roadside stop with many trucks before heading back into town for the ‘Stone the Crows’ festival.

Joining a long line of vehicles we slowly made our way into the grounds & were allocated a parking spot close together. The festival is similar to the rallies but with more emphasis on the entertainment. We go to the morning show to see singers & poets with Jim Haynes as the compare, a very funny man. Then there is disk bowls or craft classes or workshops or more entertainment. There are buses going into town for those so inclined, merchandise sales & more entertainment at happy hour. On site vendors also supply a range of food during the day with a special, catered for meal in the evening. Then at 7:00 each night there is more entertainment. Saturday night, the main one, THer was poetry & singing with audience participation, followed by Garry Carr, comedian & ventriloquist extra-ordinaire kept us in fits of laughter for 2 hours, we retired with very sore sides.

Sunday saw more of the same with Monday being open day where the public are allowed on site to look around & visit the market stalls.

Log 13-04 Hay

After the ralley finished we headed out the next day for Mildura where Liz had a dentist appointment re the toothache that had plagued her for the past 2 weeks & had grown steadily worse. She had to have 4 back teeth removed & her mouth stitched. The appointment was fairly late & by the time we left the dentist it was about 7:00 PM. WE headed for the nearest rest area at King s Billabong. It was pitch black when we arrived, Liz took a couple of pain killers then went to bed. Lulu & I did a quick recon, saw that there were several other motorhomes there then turned in as well. Next morning we found ourselves on the bank of a vast & scenic lake.

After breakfast (a milkshake for Liz) we returned to Robinvale where we returned to the golf club & our friends, as the weather turned foul we ended up staying 4 more days.

Hay was our next destination, stopping at Balranald for morning tea & a delicious country baker pie (first this trip), a quick look around town (it’s only a couple of blocks long), & then on to Hay. Another lovely little town & our friends stopped at the carpark for long vehicles right in the middle of town. Another stroll around, bought some provisions & settled for the night. We went to the local club for dinner that night catching the courtesy bus, the driver had to pick up other motorhomers who were staying at a rest stop on the bank of the Murrumbidgee River. There must have been 40 RV’s parked there. When we returned to our spot in the carpark later that night I said that I would like to spend the next night by the river but our friends said they would stay where they were so next morning we parted company say that we would meet up at Wagga Wagga.

It is so nice at Sandy Point reserve that we have decided to stay a couple of nights here where we still are. On Sat. arvo a large herd of cattle arrived on the far bank & proceeded into the river to refresh themselves, their enjoyment was obvious as they bellowed at the top of their lungs, we couldn’t see what was happening from our parking spot but a short walk brought us directly opposite them. It was unbelievable to see so many cattle milling about in the river so I turned around & went back for my camera. Lulu wanted to come so I grabbed her lead & returned with her. By the time I got back the cattle dogs had jumped in & rounded most of them up. Seeing the dogs swimming in the river, barking &  controlling them was great. Today, Sunday has been very quiet with a lot of the motorhomes departing for Wagga & there only about 10 of us left.

Chatting to a council worker this morning he said the Hay was slowly dying with 500 less inhabitants the census than the previous one & that the council had opened up several  K’s of the river bank as rest areas to encourage tourism in the town & last week, immediately after the rally, there would have been 80 motorhomes parked along the river.

Parking area Kings Billabong

Mildura pumping station Kings Billabong

Kings Billabong

At the golf club

Flowering gum

Entrance

At Balranald

Cattle not in river believe me, all those dark shadows are cattle

Amenities, Sandy Pt. Hay

Looking towards parking area

Another view

Log 06-04 Robuinvale

Monday 31/03. It’s entry day for the rally so, packing up the van we proceeded the 2 k’s to the rally site to join the entry queue. The people at the gate do a great job, they allocate us a site dependent on power, size etc. The motorhomes go through with just a slight pause to collect all the information & get directions. Considering the number of vehicles it only takes about 5 hours for everyone to be parked.

During the week we have been to the bush poets breakfast every day, happy hour each evening, during the day we attend seminars, craft classes, workshops etc. In the night we have entertainment till 9:30. We went in the disk bowls competition & the girls got knocked out in the 2^nd round but we boys went through to the 3^rd round. Our little group was a bit smaller this year with 2 vans not being able to come so we had to make do with threesomes in the comp.

Not much else to tell, it’s now Sunday & there’s not much on just the prize presentation & the closing ceremony. Once again it’s been a full & enjoyable week for us except Lulu who has had to stay in the van.

Liz has had a toothache for over a week now but the nearest dentist is in Mildura, 80K’s away. She has made an appointment for tomorrow so we  will head straight there before turning around & heading for Wagga where we have to be in a fortnight for the ‘Stone-the crows” festival over Easter.

A few of the vans

Copy of the airial photo

Not many pics as they would be the same as last year.