Binnaway Beyond the Black Stump

12/6/2018 Tuesday R & R woke at 6:00am and stole five more minutes in bed to savour the lovely warm bed they were sleeping in.  They ate breakfast, tidied up and showered quickly so that they could join A before he went to work at 7:00am and then to chat with T before she went at 7:30am.  There was hugs all round.  RA stacked everything by the door and RL took it all down to the Ute but not before one last look around at the amazing view they had enjoyed for nearly a week.  It had rained on and off the last few days but at that point it all was bathed in sunlight and delightful. They were away just after 8:00am to go shopping at the Salamander Bay shopping centre.  They bought up big to re stock the food box and replenish all the items that were low or had run out.  That took nearly an hour so they were in good time to find the Salamander Bay recycling centre open on the return to Randall Drive.  RL found a pair of lopper choppers which went in with the recovery gear and a spare jerry can.  RA picked up a blue and white windmill tile.  By 10:00am they had returned to pick up the camper which was beautifully clean after all that rain and were headed west toward Raymond Terrace.  Just out of town, RL stopped to take a break and have banana and coffee.  He stopped again at Salt Ash to put in some fuel and was lucky enough to find a parking space big enough for the Ute and camper near the shopping complex downtown Raymond Terrace where they rang their daughter,H.  R & R popped into the shopping centre, checked out the three op shops, and enjoyed lunch, courtesy of T & A, while chatting to J.  J, their middle son, had messaged so they rang him back as soon as they were able.  At 1:40pm, R & R headed north on the Pacific Hwy looking for anyone of three free camp spots about 15kms out.  Imagine their frustration to find first the northbound site now posted as Camping Prohibited, continuing north, then U turning and finding both southbound sites similarly sign posted.  There was nothing for it but to head back to Raymond Terrace and take a bay at the Heatherbrae caravan park called Bellhaven.  By the time R & R had set up, sorted the shopping and had a coffee it was nearly 5:00pm.  It felt a great deal like a wasted afternoon.  RA decided a quick walk was in order so they walked one way and then the other on the path alongside the Pacific Highway with the traffic in constant motion as night and the mist closed in.  They had just returned and started cooking dinner when, a long-time friend from school, J, (RA’s birthday friend) rang so they chatted happily a while.  They rang their daughter, S while eating dinner and tidied up before reading and writing.  RL helped RA select the photos for the next post before they quit for bed. It had been a long day … and it felt a little strange to be on the road again.

13/6/2018 Wednesday  R & R slept well enough though lightly (perhaps it was the flood light over the camper) and woke at 6:30am to 8*C.  That was a bit hard to believe because RA’s nose was cold and damp.  They had coffee and breakfast before RL helped RA with a draft read for the next post.  About 8:00am they had showers before packing down the camper.  It was damp but they were on a schedule.  At 10:00am RL entered the code into the gate in an attempt to leave the park.  The manager had given RA the code when they arrived the day before with # in front of the four digits.  They both tried without success until a friendly camper came to their aid.  It required the # as part of the code.  RA did wonder how long it may have taken them to work that one out on their own.  Shortly after 10:00am, they were parked downtown and messaging their son, Z and sending the blog link to their friend, J, who had rung the night before.  At precisely 10:30am they were knocking on the door of St Bridget’s Presbytery.  It was opened by their old friend and priest, Father P, and they were warmly greeted.  After seven years it was lovely to see him again and looking so well.  They chatted with the other priest he works with a while and were introduced to K, the parish secretary before heading to the kitchen for a cup of tea and fruit cake.  Father P showed them around the old church which was built in 1861 and is now heritage listed with all the complications that go with that status.  He insisted on taking them to lunch to dine at the Junction Inn which overlooks the junction of the Hunter and William Rivers.  Father P had sausages and mash while R & R had fish and chips.  There was plenty of news to swap and catch up on between them. 2:30pm came too soon and it was time for R & R to leave.  There was a sense of sadness all round as it would have been lovely to stay longer.  R & R had decided to sleep the night at Singleton East rest area at the highways junction (Golden and New England) where they had slept on Monday night the week before as it was only about 50kms away.  It was a pretty drive and they were impressed by the Maitland cemetery which not only had lots of flowers but was huge.  So big in fact that it spread on both sides of the road and over a busy intersection.  RL stopped for a banana snack and a coffee at Maitland East before R & R walked to IGA for some coffee and popped into an op shop nearby.  Along the way they noticed that there were several places where housing was being developed and saw again the lovely old church and school buildings at Lochinvar.  Shortly after, the road became hilly before it joined the Hunter Expressway and became forested on both sides for a while.  The air became icy cold in the forested area but was warmer again up on the hill when they arrived at the rest area.  By 5:15pm, R & R had set up camper and were having coffee over the maps.  A while later S, their daughter, rang to chat about her day and the assessor watching her class.  All seemed to have gone well for her.  R & R helped each other cook dinner and chatted right through with S.  After dinner RL brought out another “cowdy” while RA posted a blog before doing the diary for the day.  It had been lovely for R & R to catch up with their dear friend … as he had been so much a part of the family while he was stationed in their home town.

14/6/2018 Thursday R & R woke at 5:30am with water dripping from the canvas part of the ceiling, went to the loo and got back into bed as there was nothing that could be done about the dampness. At 7:30am they got out again for coffee, opened all the windows and wiped the ceiling down before breakfast at 8:00am.  Just after 9:00am, R & R sat and read or wrote for a while as they waited for everything to dry out.  It took ages but eventually, shortly after 11:00am, R & R were away to Singleton with the plan of sleeping at Wallabadah rest area just short of Tamworth, approximately160kms for the day.  The first part of the journey from Singleton to Muswellbrook, was about 60kms, and was almost entirely mining on both sides of the New England Highway.  R & R passed: Rixs Creek Mine, Ravensworth, Mt Owen, Cumnock Colliery, Lake Liddle and the Lake Liddell Power Station, Bayswater Power Station with 4 short fat chimneys and 2 tall thin ones, power lines everywhere and mine roads/bridges crossing over or under the highway.  There was quite a long wait at one particular set of road works where RL popped an Eagles disc in and turned on the CB while they waited.  About 12:30pm he parked the Ute behind the information centre in Muswellbrook where they sought information before wandering up and down the main street looking at all the old buildings and public art and popping into IGA and two op shops.  Muswellbrook prides itself as Blue Healer Country and has thoroughbred horses and an equine hospital.  The town was established in 1883, is pretty, lies in the Hunter Valley and is surrounded by mountains.  R & R headed north for Murrurundi about 2:00pm, this part of the road running almost flat in the valley with hilly farming country on both sides, passing through several townships.  The smell of diary and the sight of green grass under irrigation reminded R & R that the river was close and where the road was further from water cattle grazed in larger dry paddocks.  There was more mining activity on both sides of the road.  On the rail track RA counted 80 coal carriages being pulled by three engines.  Aberdeen had a statue advertising annual highland games while Scone had a welcome sign stating that it was Horse Capital.  Scone is the national headquarters for the Australian Stock Horse Society and has an annual horse festival.  Everywhere, R & R saw horse sculptures, horses and horse agistment properties.  RL drove on undulating winding road through Parkville with taller mountains, where Wingen Maid Spur 653m was to the west of the road and Burning Mountain at 775m rose to the east.  At Blandford there were again many horse properties, some quite grand like Emirates Park, and a sign advertising the King of the Ranges, an annual stockman’s challenge.  It was a lovely sunny 15*C when R & R stopped in the main street of Murrurindi for a break with coffee and fruit cake, given to them by their friend, Fr P.  Heading out of Murrurindi, RL crossed the Pages River and Cohen”s Creek before the road swept up into very steep and quite windy country.  At the top, Nowlands Gap is part of the Great Dividing Range at 673m and just to its east Mt Tempi rises to 1254m.  At one point the side wall of the mountain to the road had a concrete retainer which has ripples like giant corrugated sheeting as it swept down again.  The country side opened up a little and was very pretty with hilly farming areas and trees running along the road and in the creek lines.  Besides horses and cattle, R & R saw sheep and evidence of grain farming.  They passed through Willow Tree which had five grain silos and Colly Creek before arriving at Wallabadah (which sits on the Quirindi Creek and was est. 1835) at 4:00pm.  Twenty minutes later they were having coffee before walking down to the creek and around the park.  The park is a memorial to the First (and Second) Fleet and lists all the names of people, convicts and free settlers, who came out to start the colony.  R & R were not the only people checking to see if anyone who came had one of their family names.  The sun set about 5:00pm but it was still light enough for them to walk a while longer.  When they got back, RL rang his sister, E before dinner.  S, rang her parents to tell all about her day.  After dinner, RL rang his brother, J.  Together R & R selected some photos for the next post before they read and wrote individually.  To avoid getting damp canvas, R & R decided to allow fresh air in to see if it would prevent condensation … which meant they might be in for a cold night. 

15/6/2018 Friday And … cold it was. Icy! The forecast had been for 3*C but it must have been colder as there was ice on the ground outside.  Anyway, R & R were pleased that having the windows open did prevent internal condensation.  R & R got out of bed about 8:00am with the sun only rising about half an hour later.  They had coffee, breakfast and showers before going for a walk to the other end of Wallabadah and back again.  It was a great way to try and warm the body.  When R & R got back they had a coffee while RL rang his brother, S.  About 9:30am the camper was dry enough to pack down, so shortly after 10:00am R & R were headed for Tamworth approximately 55kms north on the New England Highway.  The road rises quickly from 500m above sea level at Wallabadah to having Mt Gaspard on its western side at 857m before opening up and levelling out with hills up to 1000m to the east and the west.  It was a lovely drive with stock grazing on the hill sides and trees on the edge of the road and in clusters in the paddocks and along the creek lines.  Dry land farming with grain production and silos was accompanied by cattle stud farming and horse agistment on land that became steadily more undulating.  R & R passed the massive undercover equine sales facility before arriving at the Big Golden Guitar museum and information centre in Tamworth at 11:00am and agreed that coffee and a banana snack would see them through until a late lunch.  Tamworth, the Home of Country Music, is a city and has its annual Country Music Awards in January.  R & R paid $24 for them both to see the wax work museum of famous Australian country music legends and the collection of Donald Bradman memorabilia.  RA was impressed with the life likeness of the wax figures and RL amazed by the talent of the wax artists and their craft.  RA had never seen so many bats with signatures while RL thought it “Overwhelming - almost too much to take in!” They took lots of photos including one of the big golden guitar itself.  At 1:00pm, R & R were back to the warm (16*C) Ute for lunch and coffee.  Fortified, they did a little shopping at the nearest Coles before RL drove over the Peel River into town to find Salvos.  It was a straightforward task back down Peel Street to find a double straight parking bay to look for the bronze statues and busts that were displayed in the gardens and CBD.  While most of them were tributes to country and western stars, one of them was a tribute to the Light Horse Regiments who fought for Australia in several overseas conflicts. R & R were excited to discover why the Light Horses were called “Walers”.  The term originates from the fact that these horses, of thoroughbred stock, were sourced from New South Wales.  On their way, they popped into Woolworths for a couple of items and into a couple of op shops they just happened to notice.  The walk to the gardens and back along the main street was delightful and well worth the effort.  Again RL was impressed with the skill of the artist who created them.  RA spotted a Commonwealth ATM so she took out some cash should it be necessary.  Back at the car by 4:00pm, R & R had a cup and an apple before heading back to Wallabadah.  It was getting later in the day and they were expecting S, their daughter, to ring so it was easy to settle for a site that was close, familiar and ticked all the boxes. On the way back RA commented on how she had noted the rise in sea level but that it seemed more obvious as the level fell driving back.  She also noted for the first time that the Navigator had a little kangaroo icon the warn you of known kangaroo areas at exactly the same time as RL waved his hand towards a large group of roos feeding at the green pickings in a creek line below the road. R & R set up and by 5:30pm, having travelled just over 100kms for the day, they were having coffee.  No sooner had they sat down, than their son, S rang followed almost immediately by S, their daughter.  After dinner, R & R sat to read and write a while. There was some rain on the roof that had not been forecast … but at that point, they were too tired to care.

16/5/2018 Saturday R & R woke at 7:15am after a good sleep, to a cool but dry morning. They looked at maps to plan the day, agreeing to sleep over and attend Mass at Coonabarabran via The Black Stump and Binnaway.  At 9:00am R & R headed for the showers before packing down and they were away within the hour.  It was only 16kms to Quirindi through pretty winding and undulating country side with dry land farming and horses grazing up the hills.  Just out of Wallabadah, R & R saw a pair of bull mastiff type dogs ripping into a kangaroo carcass. The country side opened up a little and the hills were farther out.  Quirindi (Nest in the Hills) is quite a neat, bigger town and straddles Quirindi Creek.  R & R stopped at 10:15am in the car park at the information centre which operates out of the railway station which was and still operates out of the original building.  R & R facetimed their son, Z, which was lovely as they had not heard from him for a while.  He and his wife, B, were due for a conference in Brisbane in a week’s time and R & R hoped to be able to catch up with them.  About an hour later, R & R popped into the information centre before heading east to Premier just over 100kms away.  Broadly speaking Caroona was half way and the biggest of the settlements. For the most part the country side was open and flat and about 400-500m above sea level with the hills being further away.  Cotton fluff on the road verges alerted R & R to the fact that cotton was being grown by irrigation from the creeks and rivers, in between large scale feed lot farming and grain production.  Interestingly, some of the cotton had been baled in a large rectangular fashion where the harvesters had left some of the plant behind, quite different from the round bales and the vacuumed earth look. RL commented that the day had become quite windy and in fact it was cool when they got out of the Ute.  From Premier it was just 9kms to the turnoff, south, to The Black Stump.  R & R passed through the eastern end of the Warrumbungle Range (about 1000m), on a road called Black Stump Way, where there was dry land farming, with no grain or cotton, and sheep and cattle grazing on the rocky hilly country.  At 1:10pm RL stopped at The Black Stump rest area near Black Stump Creek and they ate lunch.  R & R tested out A’s suggestion to try peanut paste with sweet chilli fish in their wrap.  It was an interesting satay twist they had never tried before and enjoyed.  Under instruction from Z, R & R took selfies together, under the sign and with the Black Stump.  Invigorated, R & R set off at 2:00pm for Binnaway 40kms northwest on the Warrumbungle Way. It was hilly farming country with lots of trees, sheep and cattle before it opened up again.  For a greater part of the journey the road ran closely to the railway.  S, rang them earlier in the day than usual as she was going to be busy in the evening.  At 2:00pm, RL was crossing over the Binnaway Creek.  It was a lovely 14*C in the Ute with a cool breeze outside when R & R got out to photograph a disused cluster of silos and old rail line, more recently replaced in a different part of town. A camping area near the old Pump House sat alongside the Castlereagh River which looked lovely in the afternoon sun.  Again, R & R took a couple of selfies in front of the sign.  RL set off for Coonabarabran, 35kms to the north with the last 6kms on the Newell Highway. The road followed closely between the railway and the river, became hilly and had cattle grazing on ground that was too rocky to crop.  Just on the outskirts of town, about 3:00pm, G, RL’s brother, rang so R & R stopped and had coffee while they all chatted for about three quarters of an hour.  Coonabarabran is a big service centre for the Shire of Warrumbungle, is the Astronomy Capital of Australia sits on the Castlereagh River.  Shortly before 4:00pm, R & R popped into the information centre and were fortunate to find that it would remain open to 5:00pm.  That gave them plenty of time to look at the Diprotodon skeleton which was found in the area in September 1979.  It was the largest marsupial (2m tall and 3m long) that ever lived and would have been most similar in appearance to the wombat known today. There were also some aboriginal artefacts on display and the stand for the Sydney 2000 Olympic flame.  The Gowan Rest Area was only a few kilometres north out of town so by 5:00pm, R & R were setting up the camper for the night.  RL read and RA wrote the diary.  After dinner they sat together and looked at a few maps before proofing a draft post.  It had been a long day ... but now they could truly claim to have binnaway beyond the black stump.