Bigriggin Birthday

Well Mexico and the Caribbean were not meant to be, so Jessima and family surprised me with a birthday suggestion of us all meeting at Bigriggin Camp Reserve for a few days 

A lovely warm fire to pass the cooler nights, 

Possums and kangaroos visited, and we all went out for a hike to Yellow Pinch for a spectacular view of Mt Barney

My favourite thing to do for my birthday, especially with family

A few Geocaches were found, our favourite was along this creek, up a tree .... Yellow Finch at Yellow Pinch

Our little warriors

The Border Region

With 14 days to fill we decided to linger longer around the NSW/Qld border region. It is getting quite cool at night but the days have been mostly sunny and warm.

It is a beautiful part of the country with plenty of mountain scenery, rivers, granite outcrops and waterfalls. We free camped along the Gwyder River at Bingara NSW after leaving Narrabri, for 3 nights along with heaps of NSW vanners all waiting to enter into Qld for their yearly migration north seeking warmer weather. We had some great neighbours and fun chats and walks.

Organ pipes at Sawn Rocks

A 20 minute walk into town along the river.....superb fairy wren played around our car

Roxy Theatre in Bingara is now a museum

6 nights on the Damaresq River at Texas after crossing the border, 

Border control 24/7 by police and army personnel, we got through with our “residential A” passes with no problems

The camp was on the river next to the check point as the Dameresq River is the border

We shared the reserve with a herd of big black cows

Town was a 20 minute walk, great pizza, lovely people and very pretty and tidy

3 nights at Foxbar Falls near Stanthorpe, this is a relatively new campground, privately owned (has been in family for 100 years this year) on a working carrot and onion farm. Plenty to do, lots of walks, 

 firstly Foxbar Falls, little water but just as well as granite is very slippery when wet, lovely granite colour and formations

Then Sow and Pig Rock (top right photo) steep at first but easy climb. Mt Ferguson bottom right photo

View from Sow and Pig over to campground and lakes


Then Mt Ferguson loop. Yikes ....  easy climb up but steep and slippery climb down the other side back to the falls

We were allowed to pick carrots...they were the sweetest we have ever had...straight from the farm to the plate within the hour.

Next time we would camp on the sunny side, but we did not have a choice as it was all going to be booked out by Friday night, and we were leaving Saturday, so were lucky to get our 3 nights mid week.

Free use of equipment too


and 2 nights at Killarney to see the Queen Mary Falls in Main Range NP.  It was a few kilometres around the falls circuit with rainforest views from both top and bottom.

Crimson Parrot in abundance


Killarney

CWA meeting house built iver a creek in the High St (Country Womens Assoc)


We are looking forward to meeting up with Jess and family for a bit of camping at Bigriggen Reserve in the Scenic Rim for a few days.  Finally....Yay!

All Lives Matter

We are almost at the Queensland border and our our hopes have now been dashed of visiting with family and friends as we enter Queensland and visit Brisbane.  

We are sorry, but, the selfishness of a 30,000 person gathering in Brisbane during this covid time has left us with the very sad decision of the necessity to avoid south east Queensland.  We miss our grand children who were looking forward to seeing us as equally as we them.  We have tried so hard to remain isolated and covid free over the last 3 months, and after the great progress Qld had made we thought the timing was great for a visit.  Sadly how quick things change.

White Cliffs Opals

A short 92km north detour from the highway at Wilcannia 253km  east of Broken Hill is White Cliffs, population about 150, is Australia’s first commercial opal mine. The landscape driving to it is currently green grassy pastures with black unfenced cattle. The town however, is dry and red, it has a pub, general store and few opal shops, fuel and a sports club.

Many live in dug-outs underground, like the motel and Southern across Opals shop.  At the back of the town is The Blocks, where many miners have 50mx50m licences and anyone can fossick on the surface around any old mine holes.  We were the first in the camp ground post covid lockdown, it opened the day we arrived. We stayed 3 nights and we (Michelle) enjoyed every minute.

We took a wrong turn and ended up a private road onto a lease.  The miner Pete was very kind and helpful and said we could fossick on his lease, he even gave us sets of knee pads to keep and helped us.  Even though he was having a day off next day, he said we were welcome to come back and have another go. Wow, he made it all so much better, as he had opals on the surface just waiting to be picked up.  Secret is to get down close and scrape the surface with the sun behind you.

I was over the moon with our little effort

Next stop free camp in Nyngun, then one night in Narabri, as we make it closer to the Queensland border.