We left the Yorke Peninsula to meet up with Derek’s sister Lindsey at Murray Bridge. It would be our last window of opportunity for our paths to cross as she is touring east to west and we are heading west to east. We hadn’t seen her for 2 years, since we last caught up in WA Lucky Bay just as covid-19 hit. It was so lovely to have a fun weekend with her and some of her travelling pals.
We took inspiration from the Murray River at Murray Bridge and decided to follow yet again a road less travelled back to Qld via free camps along picturesque rivers.
MURRAY RIVER at MURRAY BRIDGE only 1 hour from Adelaide
We caught up with some pals from WA who we spent Christmas with and who are working on an almond farm at Lindsay River on the upper Murray River
Silo art is very popular, on route at Karoonda...our favourite breed of dog, the Kelpie
Another example near the Murray at Nulawul
LINDSAY RIVER
It poured down just after we parked up, and soon realised we were parked on dry clay which soon turned to sticky slimy mud, we were the only ones around, but Greg said to call him and he would bring a tractor next morning if we needed it. We were okay thank goodness, and we still took the short cut muddy dirt (not river clay) road out for 30km, but headed straight for a car wash in Mildura
MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER...Sandy Point at HAY
We parked well back from the River, very popular for an overnight stop
We haven’t visited Hay before so with time on our hands we waited out the rain up ahead on the Qld/NSW BORDER for a couple of days, there was a lot to see on our 2 walks into town....we don’t mind walking our bundle of washing in to town with us
Old Railway Hotel
1883 - presented to the people from the Mayor
The Rain Bomb persisted so we did our best to avoid it with a further 3 nights just up the road from Hay at
LAKE CARGELIGO a little north of CONDOBOLIN
another popular spot, and can stay up to a week
We were about 600m from the town High St, good chance to walk another bundle of washing into town, and saves unhitching the car and caravan. We had a great walk around parts of the lake, 6km soon adds up
Loving these relaxing views, and only a handful of campers
It doesn’t get much better than this......we were entertained watching the Grebe duckies, and the occasional water skiers
We were on the edge of the bad weather so only caught the odd shower
Lots of little quirky towns to pass through......the Dalek has seen better days
Next stop was just outside of Dubbo for 2 nights whilst the rain bomb moved further north back over south east Queensland and northern NSW
MACQUARRIE RIVER at TERRAMUNGAMINE RESERVE
We had to sit through one day of constant light showers, not too bad considering the devastating floods many endured. Our first night there were about 10, and 5 the second night
There are ancient grooves where rocks had been used for sharpening tools
With the skies clearing we moved closer to the border, but first had to check out town and road closures, as rivers were flooding as a result of nearly a week’s rain, so we avoided the Newell Highway at Goondiwindi which was closed as the Macintyre River was to reach flood level, so had 1 night further upstream on the
GWYDIR RIVER at BINGARA
We had stayed here before.....fabulous little town, and very welcoming, providing half of the “town common” for river front camping. A very popular spot for us older caravanners
Plenty of birds and horses
The view whilst cooking dinner
This is my breakfast in bed view
Staying off the main Newell Highway is always fun, quiet and you get to see the countryside at its best and worst. This time it was ssoooo green.
We had to wait for these 2 bulls to sort out their differences..
Coming over the range was difficult, the road signs got difficult to spot in the long grass
We crossed the border at lunch time at Texas, (stayed there on the Dumeresq River 2 years ago) and always looking for something different we moved on up to MACINTYRE BROOK at INGLEWOOD RESERVE
Not so idealistic with heavy trucks coming over the bridge into town all night, but a lovely river walk into town next morning. There were about 6 of us overnight.
Last stop is LOGAN RIVER at Tully Memorial Park at Maclean near Jimboomba,
for a short overnighter, and then family tomorrow
The Cunningham Highway from Inglewood via Warwick and through Cunninghams Gap was is shocking condition, after the latest rain bomb on the heals of worse flooding only a month or so ago. Road works, large potholes and disintegrated road edges made for a very slow and bouncy trip into Brisbane.
Bird of the week Great Crested Grebe at Lake Cargeligo, mother Grebe fished for all the daylight hours to feed her 2 young ducklings, who just swam around waiting for the next catch
