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!