Opalling @ 27 58 01 S, 144 37 59E

The population of this settlement is 100, 150 houses, a school with 2 students, a general store, a library, a weekly market – we bought a pumpkin for $2! The Flying doctor comes in every Friday for a clinic. Fuel is delivered each week.

Here we are – trying our luck at opal digging. We are learning the hard way and that is not to wear jandals out to the opal fields. The double gees – very prickly thorns stick to your footwear and ‘wear’ themselves through your jandals. Mine are now ruined.

Not having much luck – honestly we had no idea what we were looking for-nuts, hard stones-yes, well, we did find some stones to bash with the hammer and Murray found some sparkly stones.

Basic equipment is a long handled pick, a spray bottle of water, a sieve and a spade.

Carol and Wally from Clunes showed us how opalling is done. They have been coming here for 8 years!

Carol is also a very accomplished needlework woman as can be seen by her ‘craft bag’.

We are not in the caravan park, consequently the toilets are very basic and we share with the local wildlife.

The other noticeable aspect of this country is the acidic/chemical smell in the air coming from the Gidgee tree. Bright yellow flowers abound. We picked up this smell south of Bourke-small wafts-at first we thought it was the result of the floods, or the cattle. But no, this tree is rife in Central Queensland and the smell is worse after rain. Many asthmatics do not tolerate the smell.

Gulliania Flower

Bourke Library

Superman Writes...

Today Brenda took me to visit this library. Yesterday when we drove past-I couldn’t see any of the lovely displays because it was boarded up with white roller doors. But today, I saw the very hungry caterpillar hanging from the ceiling. There were lots of books to read, for all ages. At the front desk were magazines-heaps and all in very good condition.

Here is a picture of me outside the library.

The Flat Earth Society

The Flat Earth Society – The Long Paddock Branch

Superman writes…

I have been asked to be the patron for the above society – founding branch members are Brenda and Marlene. However, I must admit I know very little about this society. So I am asking the followers/readers of my blog to please email or send me a comment, or are you a member of a branch of the Flat Earth Society.

I need as much information so I can make an informed decision.

Signed

Superman

the real Outback NSW

Travelling through the station roads from West Euabalong to Gilgunnia we past working dogs tied to the ‘grids’- cattle stops, we assume due to signs indicating fox bait was laid. The dogs were left with a large bowl of water- at first I thought the dogs were dingos.

We camped at Gilgunnia along with 3 other caravanners, 2 big rigs and a cattle rig. I left a flower… (see yarn bombing)

On we drove to Cobar- only stopping at the ‘I’ for a brochure pickup.

It is getting warmer, the roads are flat, and I saw cotton growing for the first time. An overnight stop at Kinchela gave us an opportunity to see camels, billy goats and live foxes!

Anzac Day – and we arrived in Bourke. The only activity was at the local BP Station as we queued along with 6 caravaners for fuel. 1^st impressions of Bourke-a smaller version of Alice Springs-all shops and the library were boarded up with coloured roller doors. Every 3^rd vehicle were the ‘police’ .

At the ‘I’ we bought a package – a trip on the paddle steamer-Jandra and a tour through the Back o Bourke Exhibition Centre. This was very worthwhile, and we most impressed with the displays-the technology-hands on interactive displays. We ‘drove’ the Jandra down the Darling River-slowly amongst  the old trees in the river, listened to the locals talk about life in the1930’s, became covered in indigenous words falling softly  from the ceiling, as I stood under the projector the words danced all over my body. Did you know that Edward Dickens lived at the Back o Bourke-(Charles Dicken’s son)

In February/March this year Bourke and the surrounding areas were flooded-caused by rain and water being released into the Darling River. The trees along the Darling River show the depth of the floods, reaching 14 meters.

We visited the Bourke Weir – here the bird life was phenomenal -the water was alive with fish-mainly carp-which you are now forbidden to just throw up onto the bank-you have to kill and bury or burn. It has been proven that birds that eat the carp do not digest the roe and this is excreted by the birds and consequently more carp are produced.

We stopped off at the IGA to buy some wine and were only able to ‘window-shop’. Too bad, if you didn’t bring your reading glasses-yes all the liquor is behind a huge glass cage-and you pay through a glassed hole-like the bank teller. (Thinking about this glass cage-it must surely be reinforced glass)

I wonder what the next adventure will bring-we are now heading to Nhulunbuy – the end of July!

Yarn Bombing

Spider web@ Tullibigeal-my 1st attempt at noodle crochet...

What do samll towns have in common?

Small towns in NSW are no different to SA, from what I have observed…

 Driving from Carwoola to Binalong via Gundaroo, Murrumbateman, Yass, Goondah, Binalong, Galong, Harden, Murrumburrall, Wallendbeen, Yeo Yeo, Springdale, Temora, Reefton,  Barmedman, to Tullibigeal- they all have a bowling club-usually the most recently painted building with crisp green lawns.

 Most towns are divided by the main street/highway/freeway  that runs through.

Sometimes the town has closed completely with the pub, post office, bowser, and general store boarded up.

What keeps the bowling clubs alive are the retired wheat/sheep farmers who come to town to live and the people who survive a la benefit.

There are some exceptions-Yass appears to be a thriving county town, but alas no pie shop, but if you buy from the community gift shop you are given not a plastic bag but a handmade material bag to carry your goods-we bought a jar of tomato relish.

Binalong – an attractive wee town – famous for glassblowing-we didn’t see this, but the free camp was well worth it. The president of the local fishing club invited us to plug into power, gave us free rein of the water, also clean toilets. We arrived at 2pm, by 4pm 5 other caravanners had arrived – some newbies – 2 ½ weeks on the road to those who are constantly travelling.

Barmedman prides itself on its’ mineral pool and free camp. Well the building is brightly painted, the toilets clean but the pool – YUCK – sludgy mosquito breeding ground. We didn’t stop here but drove onto Tullibigeal – an RV friendly town-providing power, water, clean toilets, showers – all for a donation. We stayed 2 nights.

The countryside is very much like SA and Hawkes Bay; rolling hills, ploughed wheat fields, autumn poplars-brilliant deep orange/red colours.

For those of who, who are following us via google earth or your camp 5/6 books our intended route is; gilgunnia, cobar, bourke, Cunnamulla, Charleville, blackall….

ETA Darwin July 2012!

Yarn Bombing

Millers Steps - The Rocks- Sydney

Where's Julia?

Sydney in 3 days

A ‘Wotif’ weekend Special – 3 days at a mystery hotel  in Sydney, -fortunately, despite the condition of the room-we did enjoy the indulgence of eating Yum Cha, thai, noodles, and  the China Town night market food stalls. The Citigate Sydney CBD is in need of a refurbishment.  Our room had badly stained carpet and a torn fridge door.

The in-house a la carte breakfast is the worst I have come across for a hotel. At $24.95 each, with small helpings, it was a rip off.  Fruit juice in finger size glasses, fruit served in small condiment bowls and the scrambled eggs in egg cup sizes. There were no tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans, spaghetti, fried or poached eggs, no pancakes, no porridge, no fresh whole fruit.

We explored Sydney by foot, monorail, ferry, bus and train. Over 3 days we saw the Rocks, markets, Darling Harbour, China Town, Circular Quay, Watson and Rose Bay, the  Australian Museum of Contemporary Art,  Bondi and Manly, Kings Cross, Paddington, Millers Point, the oldest pub, the Ocean Beach Tea Rooms,  and Double Bay-known locally as Double Pay.



Potato Twistie sticks



We enjoyed Sydney – the layout, the water features, especially the water maze for children at Darling Harbour-water is pumped by children and feeds through concrete structures to a fountain. There were 100’s of children enjoying this water feature. Parks abound and were well used by all members of society. I am not sure if the body covered in a white sheet in Hyde Park was warm or cold!

Travelling on the double-decker buses, or the top deck of the ferry or the double-decker trains, I observed  that much of Sydney is populated by black-haired people. Very few fair headed people were seen.

We are now back at Chittaway Point with our friends Doug and Merrie. Weather permitting we will be back on the road by Friday.

Seaside Holiday at The Entrance

The Entrance is located on the Central New South Wales Coast. We look across Lake Tuggerah to “The Entrance”.

A very popular seaside holiday with spot, it reminds us of the seaside towns in England, with many cultures and languages mingling with the locals. Apartments, holiday flats extend along the waterfront. Water activities from dinghy hire, chasing the waves on the Pacific Ocean to slurping icecreams and playing in the child friendly fountain are enjoyed at “The Entrance”.

Tiles, Shingles and the Hunter

While Murray copes with shingles, Merrie and I cope with our addiction to tiles (mah-jong on the computer).

And while Murray is thinking he is having nicotine withdrawal symptoms-unwell since last Tuesday-on our way to the Hunter Valley for a night with Doug and Merrie. Murray remained off colour while the rest of us enjoyed wine tasting and consuming home cooked breakfasts.



Corn fritter stack



Big breakfast



We booked our accommodation via last minute.com-The Tusconny Villa/Resort. Not exactly 4 star-with a huge crack on the wall and stained mouldy carpet, but perhaps this is what you get when paying  $115.00 per night. So pleased we didn’t pay the rack rate of $250 per night!

The Hunter Valley is NSW’s = of Margaret River-vineyards, galleries, food and accommodation.

Greener than Margaret River but not as friendly-no cheese or crackers to compliment wine tasting, Murray found it more commercial than MR.  Small samples at the Lovedale Smokehouse were removed after only one sample-yet we still managed to buy smoked cheddar cheese, smoked pork sausage and pate.

The Smelly Cheese Factory provided the biggest array of cheeses I have ever seen. We bought the Rocqfort french cheese-that we had seen being made in the caves of Southern France.

We will remain with our friends – Doug and Merrie at Chittaway Point until Murray recovers. It is lovely here on the shores of Lake Tuggerah…..

Our Whereabouts...

We left the ‘ensuite on wheels’ at Carwoola-Queanbeyan-Canberra, last Thursday and headed to  the east coast and up to Chittaway Point via Brian and Hilary’s at Batemans Bay, Trevor and Ann at Menai, arriving at Doug and Mary’s at Chittaway Point-The Entrance-nrth Sydney.



Chelsea - Batemans Bay and Superman



Here we are for Easter-staying lake frontage with spa and on the road frontage a pool. With 2 moodles-Aston and Bentley, a Tiffany cat called Shelby and Larry the lorriket-Superman and Muz are constantly entertained played, sniffed and dragged around by the moodles.



Aston with the boys by the pool

Black swans glide by on Lake Tuggerah, as pelicans land to catch the many fish.

We had a pleasant drive to Terrigal this morning for brunch and watched people catching salmon from the beach on small flick rods. The weather is mild – mid 20’s.