Condobolin from the lookout, it is surrounded by hills.
17 May 2015
Condobolin 1
We have never been here and decided this time down south we would go a different way, again the weather has been great still in shorts and tee shirts - wow. Arrived at the Riverview Caravan Park a large grassy park off the main highway and almost empty. We had a great spot with some real hard case caravanners near by. We stayed here 3nights, just relaxing and taking it easy. 5.00pm was wine and beer at the camp kitchen come get together area, there is an amazing log burner in there that the owner lights around 4.30 so by 5.00pm it is roaring and toasty warm, we had some great chats with a few of the other vanners that were staying and soon it was time for us to head off toward Narranderra another place we had never stopped off on our way through. There is alot of cotton grown in this area and we had many many road trains transporting these huge cotton bales to the gins to be processed.
Cuppa stop on our way to Condo
Below bales are not hay but cotton
Below photos are of the caravan park
Onward To Coonabarabran
We arrived into Coonabarrabran just after midday once again another stunning day and the drive was really easy. We decided to stay here a couple of nights to not only recharge our batteries but the caravan ones also. We caught up on the washing and did a spot of fruit and veg shopping, other than that we just took it easy and relaxed. We have stayed here at the John Oxley Van park before so this time was just a stopover. We went for a walk into town to take a few photos, the color of the trees and leaves were simply beautiful, we have not had an autumn since leaving NZ as Qld only has two seasons the wet and dry. Anzac weekend had just been and the Poppy display at the memorial on the main street was lovely. We left Coon on the 30th heading for our next stop at Condobolin.
On the road again
We are on the road
departed Kallangur Qld on the 26th April as planned, being a Sunday
it was pretty good driving the 15mins to the beginning of the
D'Agular H/Way, not alot of traffic and once off the bloody Bruce it
was pretty good driving. We had a good run through to our cuppa and
lunch stop and at Cooyar, the sun was shinning and the weather
pretty warm. We arrived at our first night free camp at Kumbarilla.
We arrived around 2.30 still had water in the flask so we settled
down for a cuppa and cleaned up the rest of the piklets that the dear
old lady across the road at Kallangur had made fresh in the morning
and gave us a good share, dinner was Silver side and vegs + mustard
all cooked in the dream pot as we drove along, it was so yummy and
having the dinner all ready to serve and eat was fantastic. No power
and only depending on the battery for lights it was into bed early.
The Kumbarilla stop was just a siding on the edge of the roadway
shared all night long with trucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!. We awoke the next
morning 27th to a real chilly but beautiful day once again, breakfast
over the flask once again refilled, personal washes and teeth all
done we packed up and were ready to head off, today we are heading
for our next free camp overnighter on the side of the bloody Newell
H/Way and this stop was super busy trucks all night long, we
overnighted at Boolooroo.
Below 3 photos are of our first night free camp at Kumbarilla
Piklets for afternoon tea - what better
Below photos show our lunch and rest stop at Bogabilla just out of Goondiwindi
Below photo is our 2nd night free camp at Boolooroo
25 April 2015
24 April 2015
Last update till we arrive Tocumwal early May
Friday 24th April
We just have 2
more sleeps before we head south. Today is clean up day, house and
van. The craft bag is packed and in the car as is the Golf bag,clubs
and trolley. The weather is still really great warm days chilly
mornings and evenings, once the sun goes it cools off pretty quickly.
This will be the last update until we get to arrive in Tocumwal we
are due to arrive there around the 7th May and move into the house
sit on May13th. You can still contact us via email and Brian's mobile
as it has the best coverage mine is useless when out of main town’s.
Where we can we will send a text or you can always contact Yasmine.
When we leave here Sunday we will be heading south via the Newell
H Way free camping and some caravan parks, Sunday night
sees us free camping at a place called Kumbarilla it is approx
a 4hr drive, Monday 27th sees us free camp again at
Boolooroo another 4hr drive, Tuesday 28th ,Wednesday 29th
sees us in a caravan park the John Oxley (stayed here
before) at Coonabarabran from here we head onto
Condobolin approx drive 5hrs a long day here, will be ready
for a cuppa and relax when we arrive after this drive staying
Condobolin for 3 nights, from here we head to Narrandera Show
grounds approx 4hrs and 240kms we will be staying here for
3-4nights so a good break, re charge any batteries and catch up
on washing etc. Once we leave Narrandera we have an easy drive of
around 170km and approx 3hr drive before we arrive at Tocumwal
plan is Fri 7th May where we will stay at Town Beach on
the banks of the Murray River, love this place it is only $10-per
night, wont stay here if it is raining as it gets very muddy with
vans and cars driving in and out the road, if wet we will go to the
Boomerang Way caravan park (stayed here before). So on
that note will head off and go clean the caravan windows, she is all
spic and span and ready to load the non perishables. Tomorrow is bed
making day then Sunday morning around 1030 we will be away, heading
out of Qld via the D' Agular H Way. Take care everyone and catch up
once we arrive at Tocumwal.
A bit of a drive and a couple of birthdays
Friday 17th April:
Hi everyone well
we have just on 2wks left here at Kallangur before we start the
journey south to Tocumwal deep NSW. We will be there from the 8th May
through until the house sit ends on 24th June. From there we think we
may go through to Myrtleford where we have stayed before it will be
very cold to say the least as it is at the base of the Mt Buffalo, we
have been part way over The Great Alpine Road however wont be doing
it this time somehow as it could have snow on it. There are a couple
of big ski fields there Mt Hotham,and Falls Creek. Last week we went
to see some home-owners at Capalaba which is south of the Gateway,
for a house sit for Christmas/New Year, a nice home older style,air
con, pool, FREE Wi-Fi, 2 small dogs, NO gardening or pool maintenance
this will be taken care of by contractors. The home-owners are
heading back to the UK for the holidays and mainly wanted the animals
looked after. We spent a couple of hours with them, had a good look
through the house, had morning tea and left around midday along with
being asked would we do the house sit for them - like the Optus ad
"we said YES" so feeling really good as that is
Christmas/New Year sorted. We stopped at Nudgee servo, around 1.00 o
clock where we decided we would have a roast lunch and coffee - it
was so yummy I had Beef with roast spuds and pumpkin NO veggies for
me, Brian had the Pork with everything, it is cheap and we could not
buy the roast me for the price they charged, arrived back at Janice
Court around 2.00pm. We need to go out this morning to get the air
con for the car re-checked as when the repairers checked it last time
there was a slight leak which they fixed but it needs to be
re-checked so that we know it is safe, I will wait at my friend
Keryn's while Brian is doing the car then he will call in and pick me
up.The weather is still really good most days the temps are still
around 27-30c which is crazy for April, very little humidity now
though which is great and the evenings are cooler and there is dew on
the grass in the mornings. We wont be wearing shorts and tees for
much longer as when we are heading south we will be into the jeans
and sweaters so probably about day 3-4 of our trip south will see the
shorts and tees put away until next summer. By the way the car is all
good no more leaks in the air con so something else ticked off the
list.
A Bit Of Excitement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday 16th April:
Last night we were
just settling back to watch the re-start of Downton Abbey it was
around 9.10pm, Downton had just started when there was a hell of an
explosion, I got such a fright leaping off the couch and almost fell
over the coffee table, by this time Brian was out the door and
outside, I looked out the front door and saw a huge plume of smoke
and glowing sparks, there were vehicle tail lights going down the
hill but never saw the vehicle. The smoke plume was as high as the
power lines and that is what Brian thought had blown - but NO some
scum bags had put explosive not fireworks explosive into the
letterbox blowing it off the concrete post and it blew into 2 the lid
on one side of the drive and the main base onto the front lawn. This
was a cast metal heavy as letterbox so not anything light like the
cheap tin ones you can buy. Brian was onto the police who eventually
came out they stood and looked for about 15mins shinning their
torches on the pieces, did no paper work and said they would do a
patrol. A lady down the bottom of the hill heard the bang from her
place #6 we are #14 at the top of the cul de sac and saw the white
modern style ute speeding down the hill - unfortunately no rego it
was very dark. The police gave Brian a business card with contacts on
it for the home-owners here to make a complaint/file when they come
home, Brian said no way did the police want to do any paperwork last
night, one was a Pom the other a large Polynesian guy. I was
terrified they would come back during the night again and or target
the house or our caravan. Brian said yesterday that he wanted to hook
the car up to the van on Saturday next week so that on the Sunday
26th we will have most of that part done - but after this incident NO
that won't be happening.
Above photos show the blown letterbox lid and base on each side of the drive
The two flowers above are Hibiscus Flamenco it is stunning
The above photo is of a Hibiscus rather lovely centre
Farewell Harley Boy & Happy Birthday Yasmine
March 23rd
was a very sad day for Yasmine,Adam and Rory - it was the day they
had been dreading when they had to say farewell to their much loved
Harley Dog, he was very sick and no hope of getting better he was
13yrs old. They did the kindest thing and sent Harley Dog to
the Rainbow Bridge.
The
Rainbow Bridge
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here,
that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can
run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm
and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and
vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong
again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times
gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they
each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly
stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager
body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over
the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally
meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.
The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the
beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your
pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...
And a very Happy Birthday to Yasmine for
April 8th, I know love it probably wasn't a very happy
one just losing your dear old Harley Dog. We hope you had a good day
anyway and we were thinking of you - love you lots xxxxxx
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