Day 1 – Ulladulla to Gundagai
So we did it!! We finally left our beautiful home and our precious Tilly.
We pulled out of the driveway, farewelled by our neighbours and got to the top of Simmons Drive and George says “oh shit”. Really, he couldn’t have changed his mind already. Luckily it wasn’t a change of mind but an oil light in the car. The car I could deal with, George changing his mind was going to be another whole ball game.
The oil light turned out to be a maintenance light only so all good as the car had only been serviced.
We then made our way to Goulburn via the trunk road, stopping briefly to check on bits and pieces. Whilst stopped another van pulled over and out came Roger and Anne Halls travelling onto Gunning that night before travelling north to Queensland.
We arrived at Gundagai late in the afternoon, stopping at Goulburn for lunch. After setting up we strolled down to the loal RSL for dinner and a light ale. We had only just finished laughing about running into Roger and Anne when I looked up and there sitting in the Club was Richard Hogan. What a small world. We haven’t seen Dicky Knee for over 10 years.
So we spent a nice night catching up with Richard before heading off to bed.
Day 2 – Gundagai to Hay
After a quick load of washing we packed up and headed off to Hay. Our first stop was Wagga Wagga for fuel and then Narrandera for lunch. We are really pleased to see that the farmlands are green and the cattle and sheep looking well feed.
From Narrandera we headed to Hay over the long straight plains. Lots of double D trucks and cotton beside the road.
We arrived in Hay to our free camp at the Sandy Point Reserve on the banks of the Murrimbidgee. Thanks to Maggie Hope for the tip.
Day 3 – Hay
Had a fun day exploring on the bikes. Only downfall was my two flat tyres from the three quarter jacks. We also developed a water leak in the van which seems to be good now.
Met a family of seven travelling from WA on the road full time. So amazing just to up stumps and travel with five small kids.
Our campsite here was convenient and we spent the afternoon setting up, topping up food and enjoying a quiet night catching up on our budget and paperwork.
Day 4,5 and 6.
Today we took the opportunity of showering in the free showers at Hay Tourist Centre. An absolute must for free campers. We then visited the local bakery whose decor was interesting but brekky and coffee very good.
After a quick fuel stop we then ventured back on the road weaving our way over the Hay plains to Buronga on the NSW side of the Murray river.
We spent the next two days enjoying our “time out”. As we had been to Mildura before we used this on the Murray to carry out repairs to my bike (still not fixed), sorting out bits and pieces and sneaking off for a quiet ale at a local watering hole.
So our last day in Buronga was George’s birthday. We spent the morning sleeping in, talking to the kids, carrying out some more changes to the van, visiting the local Holden Museum and having a pub meal and ale for his big day.
One of the highlights of the day for me was Brockie’s 05 racing car in the Holden Museum. Wow what memories.
Day 7 – Buronga to Broken Hill
Well from here we finally started on roads untravelled by us before. We set off early with the plan to have brekky in Wentworth. Wrong, Sunday and early are not two words which go together in Wentworth so we kept on travelling. It is truly amazing landscape out here, bushy, flat, sandy, red dirt and very little of anything.
We arrived Broken Hill just after midday, set up and waited for the Lameks, Clare, O’Sullivan and Lowe crew to arrive. I finally got back on to the walking trail and walked into town and home – a 9klm round trip.
We started our first night in Broken Hill with good company and food at the Palace Hotel.
There you go, first week down. For all those who bet we wouldn’t make the first week, bong bong your out!!
So here is to the second week of more adventure! We are missing our little Tilly and of course all our friends but hey its only been a week guys!!