Bathurst, Wombeyan Caves to Bowral

This close to Bathurst, we had to call in and see Mt Panorama. Sally knew I couldn’t resist a chance to drive the legendary circuit around the top of the mountain. We were surprised at the number of private residences scattered around the track. They must love/hate Bathurst Weekend.

Mount Panorama



Top of Mount Panorama



Start Finish Line

After the drive I called into the Bathurst Car Museum, Sally waited in our car.

Auto Museum

We then headed off via Wombeyan Caves Road at the southern tip of the Blue Mountains National Park. The drive to the caves was tenuous with steep drop-off to one side. Sally was becoming quite nervous. We stopped at the caves and went off to explore the self guided Fig Tree Cave tour.

Fig Tree Cave

We continued on towards Bowral passing several potential camp sites on the way. We ended up driving past Wollondilly Lookout and on through Bullio Tunnel. This was a short tunnel but a surprise being out here along way from any sealed roads.

Wollondilly Lookout


Bullio Tunnel

From here it was onto Bowral for dinner with Ron and Sheila and then and early night.

Forrest Reefs

Sunday, Nov. 30


We broke camp leaving Mike and Jan to explore Western Plains Zoo and headed to Orange. We know Darwinites there somewhere as well. We contacted Dave and found his address in Forest Reefs, just south of orange. We had plenty of time so on the way we drove in and checked out Burrendong Dam. This was the first evidence we’d seen since entering southern Queensland of the drought. The spillway was a good 20 meters above the water level but this didn’t discourage skiers and fishermen alike as the vast lake was littered with pleasure craft.
Onto Forrest Reefs where Dave and Caroline hosted us to a country bar-bee-que, flys and all.

Brooke, Caroline and Dave



Brooke, Olivia and Monique



Patch and Rusty


Monday, Dec. 1


First day of summer.
Before heading off to Bowral to visit Sally’s Aunt and Uncle, Sheila and Ron, Dave took me on a guided tour of his farm. The way I like it, on quad bikes.

Colin and Dave on Tour

Dubbo and Western Plains Zoo

Friday, Nov 28

After an absolutely blinder of an electrical storm last night, we planned to visit the Western Plains Zoo for the day. It rained on and off all day subsequently we were the only visitors today. We had the park to ourselves and freely accessed all the exhibits. I can’t show you all the shots we took at the zoo but I loved the small Meerkats who on queue posed and played for our camera.

Meerkat

Giraffe

Galapagos Tortoise

Saturday, Nov. 29

This was and easy day. I set up the TV and tuned into the cricket. Sally spent most of the day, cleaning the car as it had been through the ringer the last week.
To our surprise, Mike and Jan arrived in Dubbo and camped next to us. After stories were exchanged about lightning, floods and bad weather in general, we ate dinner and settled down a few games of 500.

Dubbo Camp Site

Goulburn River National Park

Wednesday, Nov. 26

Sally and I left Mike and Jan behind in Tamworth and set off towards Dubbo. We had decided to stop for the night in Goulburn River National Park and again stocked up on plenty of firewood anticipating another cool night. We were very confused as we entered the park for there were no signs to the camping areas. In fact we drove through the park without stopping. It wasn’t until we reach the small town of Bylong that we found signs pointing us back into the western boundary of the park to Spring Gully. These camp grounds were spacious however, as there were two vehicles parked at Spring Gully already, we pushed on another kilometre to the Big River camp ground. This we had entirely to ourselves for the night.

Big River Camp Ground

Thursday, Nov. 27

As there were no showers here, I took a dip in the Goulburn River to Sally’s amazement, and then we broke camp and headed onwards to Dubbo.

Colin swimming in Goulburn River

On the way out of Goulburn Nat. Park, Sally spotted one of the largest goanna I’ve seen. He darted up a tree given me a wonderful photo opportunity.

Big Goanna

Tamworth

We pulled up at the Big 4 park on the bank of the Hunter River, booked in for 2 nights (Mike and Jan were staying for three to fix an oil leak in his diff) and set up. Then it was off the Outback Jack’s Bar and Grill where we were to surprise the owners, Virginia and Pete. Sally couldn’t resist tucking into Port Ribs.

Sally at Outback Jacks

We caught up to Pete and Virginia and Virginia was going to visit us in the morning for coffee.

Tuesday, Nov. 25

Sally and Virginia at Tamworth Campsite

Then we visited them for coffee in the afternoon.

Pete, Virginia and Family outside Outback Jacks

Virginia and Sally behind Tamworth BIG Guitar.

Mount Kaputar

Sunday, Nov. 23

We were now all heading for Tamworth to visit ex-Dawinites, Pete and Virginia, but again decided to break this trip into two legs. We decided to cut through the Mount Kaputar National Park and camp on the mountain for the night but we should have known something was amiss, as both our Sat Navs had a hissy fit on the way out of Narrabri and we ended up have to seek directions from a local. He told us that this happens on that road all the time. Now on the right road we heading into the park, knowing that there were open fires we were loaded up with fire wood ready to go. We picked up park brochures at the information bay and headed for the Bark Hut camp ground. On arrival we read the brochures only then to discover that the road through to Barraba had been closed to vehicles by NSW Parks and Wildlife. Resigned to the fact that we would have to return to Narrabri tomorrow and after checking out the Dawson Spring we set up camp at the Bark Hut ground, lit the camp fire and prepared ourselves for the coldest night of our trip.

Sally, Jan (cold) and Mike

Jan (warm)

Monday, Nov. 24

Before leaving Mt Kaputar, we enjoyed the hot showers and flushing toilets (five star) then drove up to the summit of Mt Kaputar. The road goes almost to the top and then there is an easy climb up wooden steps to the summit where we had uninterrupted 360 deg. view.

Colin, Sally, Mike and Jan (Finally worked out how to use the camera timer)

It was then off the mountain (much to Sally and Jan relief as they had been experiencing vertigo from the steep drop-off off the side of the road in) and onto Tamworth.

Lightning Ridge

Saturday, Nov. 22

We spent the morning exploring Lightning Ridge where the tourist drives are marked in a unique fashion. We first checked out the “Green Door” drive, which involves following a series a green car doors placed along the side of the track number from 1 up. This led us to Nettleton’s First Shaft, the first opal mine in the area. Unfortunately, it’s a hole in the ground covered by steel mesh. Besides the plaque alongside it was indistinguishable from several hundred others in a kilometre radius. The view across the Coocoran Opal Fields was fairly good.

Disused Opal Mines

Coocoran Opal Fields

We had arranged to meet Mike and Jan in the afternoon and visit the “Chambers Of The Black Hand” opal mine which is renowned for the sandstone carvings created by the mines’ owner. As we had some time to kill, we visited a spoil heap next to the 3 mile open cut mine that Mike and Jan had been shown that morning managing to pick up a few shards of opal.

Fossicking around 3 Mile Mine

The Chamber of the Black Hand was very interesting as well as venturing down underneath the sandstone layers in the clay base were Opals are still sort. Our guide on this trip was an old opal miner and his passion for the gem was exposed as he took us through the diggings, some of which are still worked.

Chamber of the Black Hand

Chamber of the Black Hand

Chamber of the Black Hand

After this adventure it was back to camp for dinner and cards, albeit difficult because of the gale blowing.

Lightning Ridge Camp Site

Goondiwindi, NSW Border

Friday, Nov. 21

We set off early today endeavouring to make it to Lightning Ridge. We stopped at Goondiwindi to pick up some supplies and have lunch by the bridge where we crossed into NSW.

Queensland / NSW Border at Goondiwindi

Macintyre Bridge, Goondiwindi

The weather had certainly improved and going was fairly comfortable until we cam across this monster. It had a Prime Mover at the front pulling, one at the back pushing and some poor bugger sitting on a dolly underneath steering the rear bogie.

The Monster

We made it to Lightning Ridge before dusk, caught up with Mike and Jan and promptly went out for dinner.

Warrick

Thursday, Nov. 20

We had arranged to meet Mike and Jan at Lightning Ridge but from Brisbane we decided that it was too far to attempt in one day. We headed for Goondiwindi and possibly Moree if time permitted but as we approached Warwick we could see storm clouds brewing and decided to seek shelter in Warwick.



Storm Clouds outside Warwick


As the lightning appeared intense on our approach, it was decided that an on-site cabin for the night would be the best option. We made it to the caravan site and booked in and as we returned to the car the heavens opened. We parked outside the cabin and dashed inside and within seconds, Warwick was engulfed in a hail storm. I got absolutely soaked in an effort to protect the car from hail damage.

Hail Cover (For Brett).


We snuggled up in our cabin to see the night out counting our lucky stars we weren’t sleeping in the camper that night.