Due to the fires burning in NSW we have decided to stick to caravan parks and main roads.

Leaving Moree with our friends Sue and Jeff (we met at Lorella Springs), we travelled to Narrabri. Here we stopped at Culgoora to look at the Australia telescope (6 telescopes beaming towards the sky looking out for the pie).  Onwards we travelled in 41dgs, very conscious of how dry and brittle the landscape was to Wee Waa – a small country town.

We stayed the night at Gilgandra – in a small caravan park. It was a long hot day – 5 hours in the saddle. (It is, this area around Coonabarabran, the Warrumbungle National Park, Narrabri that the fires are burning), 3 days previously we had been in this area.

We stopped at Gulgong to visit the Henry Lawson Centre, driving onto to our destination Mudgee – Murray’s bucket list. Mudgee is famous for wineries and as a winter/autumn weekend break.

Customer service in Mudgee is scarce, 1^st impressions always count, starting with the Info Centre – the most unhelpful we have come across. Retailers in Mudgee were more interested in greeting their friends and gossiping, rather than securing a sale – a pity as we had money to spend.

We did enjoy the hospitality at the Black Cats Bar. Brendon is a great host and more than happy to tell you his ‘story’ and serve yummy Vietnamese street food – amazingly there are only 2 dishes on the menu – a platter or an open sandwich

Twice, we visited the Mudgee Brewery for the afternoon/evening-trying the beer tasters-ale, wheat, porter and the American ale. I enjoyed the American Ale, the food and the foot tapping music played by the young male trio.

We paid $85! each for a wine tour-sharing the bus with 3 other couples. The tour was from 10am – 4pm and included lunch. Fortunately Murray was able to visit a winery from his ‘bucket list’.

After this tour, we were Mudgeed out and it was time to move on, saying goodbye to our friends Sue and Jeff, Roz and Brian.