Day 8 to Day 12 – Broken Hill
Well we stayed in Broken Hill from Monday through to Saturday leaving Broken Hill on Saturday bound for Cobar. Oh yes Cobar.
Who said we were going to South Australia. You must have been hearing things!!
Broken Hill was great but it really has been a week and a half. We spent Monday through to Thursday with the crew from Ulladulla. Whilst all doing different things we caught up each afternoon for a drink and or dinner. It was nice to still have a bit of home with us.
The sites of Broken Hill are varied and interesting. It has this working mine right in the middle of town and is surrounded by art, history, scenery and amazing sunsets. Haven’t seen too much of the sunrises as it has been pretty cold with one morning being -1 degrees.
We booked the van in for repair of the leaking water pipe on Thursday which meant packing the van up to get it to the workshop and picking it up and re-setting everything up that night.
We have had a roller coaster ride with the boys with Jayden letting us know his suburb in Melbourne had been locked down and then two days later Ty was in the same situation. I feel rather helpless knowing how bad things are down there and not being there to “protect” them. However they are amazing young men who are fit and well so hopefully they will stay well and be safe.
The morning the van was being taken to the caravan workshop, we had a small incident with a stabliser on the van and bang we were up for another stabliser. Well $184.00 later (which was quite reasonable) the leak is fixed and we have a brand new stabliser.
One highlight of our week, was visiting Silverton, the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Broken Hill and catching up with Dr Brett Thomson and his wife Barb. Brett is currently working for the RFDS and it was a great tour of the base and catching up with them.
We farewelled the O’Sullivans, Lameks, Robinson and Clare’s on Thursday and spent Thursday touring the Minindee Lakes with Chris and Norma Lowe. There are several lakes out this way with a lot of them empty due to the rivers running through this area being damed in Queensland therefore the water not reaching some of the lakes.
Copi Hollow was a treasure, on the road to Minindee, 3klms in and it was like a small Oasis, grass and water. The only thing at thwe end of the road was the lake and the caravan park. would recommend it anyone who wanted peace quiet and tranquility.
Chris and George in dry lake 
Copi Hollow 
Dry lake 
We spent an afternoon catchin up with laundry and visiting the famous Bells Cafe whilst waiting for our clothes.
Friday saw Norma and Chris head north to Tibooburra, our original destination on Saturday. Norma and Chris got to Tibooburra only to report that the road north of Tibooburra into Queensland had been closed due to rain. Rain and red dirt isnt the most condusive travel conditions. I put a call into Tibooburra Caravan Park to see what there thoughts were and like a true aussie, she responded “its manic up here don’t come!”.
On our last night we decided to head up to the Living Desert and the Sculptures for sunset. Wow!
So without any answer from South Australia to be allowed to travel into their state, we decided to head to Wilcania and up to Louth and through to Bourke. Alas this too was thwated with a late arrival at the Broken Hill Tourist Park advising that this road too had been closed and was hairier that a goat. So plan (lost count) was to stick to the tar, get our passes into Queensland and head east again to Cobar.
Day 13- Broken Hill to Cobar
Well it was a long day driving on the tar through to Cobar a distance of
We stopped in Wilcannia to fuel up. Was not getting out of the car there for love nor money. Thank goodness George is not as big a princess as me.
From Wilcannia we headed to Cobar with a quick coffee stop on the way.
Arrived Cobar about 3.30. Rode bikes into town and then back for early night. This travelling stuff is exhausting.
Day 14 – Cobar to Cunnemalla
Well we made it into Queensland. Woohoo!! Finally out of NSW. From Cobar we headed out early with every intention to stop for a coffee break in Bourke. Alas not like our coastal townships, not a cracker open on a Sunday. So we fueled up and kept going.
We reached the Queensland Border and was greeted by a very friendly Queensland Police Office who George sweet talked and gave her one of his Dad jokes, which was sure to secure our passage. After a yahoo for being let through we headed into the Riverside Caravan Park at Cunnemalla for the night.
Word through other travellers is the dirt roads are a no go for another few days due to rain they have had up here. We have been told lots of stories about cars and vans being towed out of the red mud even just pulling over onto the side of the road.
Tomorrow and the beginning of Week 3 is anyones guess but the plan is to head north to the NT border for its opening on 17 July.
Hope you are all well and staying safe in these strange times. It is great being the fresh (very fresh) outdoors. We are looking forward to the warmer weather when it arrives.