Corowa NSW

We did intend to head for home straight from Wagga. Instead decided on a quick side trip to Yarrawonga....

Our best intentions turned into a minor disaster as it was further away than we expected and we needed to stay over. We were then turned away from about 5 caravan parks because they wouldn't take dogs!
It was getting dark, we pushed on the nearest town which was Corowa and were finally directed to a park on the Murray River which turned out to be our haven.

We walked the town, enjoyed the sun and drove around the local area before heading south the next day.

This rocky mountain resembles a lion

My travelling companions stopped for a coffee break in Corowa

We passed through Rutherglen on our adventures

Memories in this lovely old church
Our children were attendants at a wedding here
 25 years ago

We travelled home via the Hume Highway then on through Seymour and Yea.



Back in the lovely Yarra Valley

There's no place like home...
New plan is to head off again in July....watch this space


Wagga Wagga NSW

We came to Wagga Wagga to catch up with our friends Lynn & Tony Neale. We enjoyed their company and hospitality for a couple of days as well as checking out the local sites.

Wagga is a surprisingly large rural city with everything you could possible need.



Shenanigans in the kitchen

Interesting view of Wagga Wagga from a river beach.
This building is a hotel

One of the many churches in Wagga, funnily enough this one is on the corner
of Church and Cross Streets

Wagga Wagga from the highest point.
 We drove through the botanical gardens and through this bush, it's almost
in the middle of town

Busy lady, always smiling

Large main street with all the retail therapy you could wish for

Narrandera NSW

While doing our usual walk along the main street we were surprised here by a couple of lovely ladies making burritos and giving them away to promote healthy eating. Yummy, thank you very much....

Stopping for lunch in this small settlement we found a lovely park beside the Murrumbidgee River . Nearby was an old abandoned brewery, the whole area is now an archaeological site.

Blessed with more blue skies over Narrandera

Impressive ruins of old brewery

I wonder what we could dig up here

 

Griffith NSW

A small city designed by Burley Griffin. Much of the Italian Heritage can be seen around town in the shops, restaurants and other businesses.

Griffith seems to be surrounded by vineyards and orange groves although does produce many other fruits and vegetables.

We toured the shops, tasted the wine and generally relaxed in the quiet caravan park. Had our only day of rain so far this trip so we have been fortunate at this time of year.

Main Street Griffith...very quiet on a rainy Sunday afternoon

Orange trees that go on forever

Ripening fruit heavy on the trees

Time and money spent in here...

Part of De Bortoli's huge vineyard and winery

Vines to the horizon

Memorial to the pioneers of irrigation which is the
foundation of  this area and helped turn Griffith from
a desolate area to a fertile productive land

Donald MacKay, murdered by the mob  because
 he actively opposed drugs.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil
is for good men to do nothing"
 

Leeton NSW

My father worked in Leeton over 50 years ago so when we were in the locality I wanted to have a look at this important rural township.

Producing stone fruit, wine, oranges and rice, this region has employment for many.

An interesting town with many Art Deco style buildings along the main shopping street. It was dotted with parks and recreation areas which I'm sure makes it a pleasant place to live and work. New housing estates are also popping up there so the economy appears to be fine.

We had our lunch  picnic at one of the parks watching lots of children playing and enjoyed our day. 

Roxy Theatre with Art Deco façade, lead light windows and interesting tiles.
War memorial is the centre of the town

Parks surround the main street

Water towers with lovely decoration
Designed by Burley Griffen

Another example of Art Deco design

Birds

Birds flying in perfect formation over the Hay Plains

Look carefully, thought I'd missed them

Hay NSW

We could see the trucks coming for miles...

Very flat land must be ideal for growing cotton, vast white fields
of cotton in the distance
 Irrigation has transformed a desert like environment

Stark and beautiful

 

Storm brewing but no rain

Old and new mix of buildings in Hay

Lovely old charmer

Yanga National Park NSW

Took an easy drive to Yanga National Park to see the historic Woolshed and spent an interesting hour wandering around the shed plus the surrounding homestead and other buildings.

The shed has been restored and was last used for shearing sheep in 2005. It was very accessible with lots of information for us tourists.

Interesting to learn that after the wool was shorn, classed and baled in the old days it was transported to Echuca by Paddle steamer and then on to Melbourne by train.

Unfortunately most of the other buildings are now in ruins, in fact warnings that the buildings are unstable kept us clear of them.

There was also lots of great places to camp along the Murrumbidgee in the park...sadly, no dogs allowed.

Spent the rest of the day just exploring, we drove north toward Ivanhoe as far as Homebush and then along the Oxley Road to Redbank Weir.
We didn't find the weir but have had small taste of outback  New South Wales.



Historic Yanga Woolshed. Can hold 3000 sheep

A glimpse of the homestead from the woolshed

I have lots of great photos from our day, however am having trouble with the uploading to this blog. I'll have to try again when I either have better internet or am on another computer, not sure why I'm having problems.

Tomorrow I will still blog where we have been and what we have done and then add photos later...love xox

And here they are...

We also saw 2 great birds today, I think they were eagles and very like the ones we have seen at Healesville Sanctuary.
They were  soaring in a small clearing with 2 smaller birds. We wondered if they were parents teaching their offspring to hunt. A fabulous sight, unfortunately not close enough for photos.

Homestead would have been a comfortable home...
back in the day

Stock yards

Shearers quarters

We are in the outback

No rain out here today

The road to Ivanhoe. It goes on and on

Balranald NSW

We awoke to extreme winds at our camp this morning and knew our decision to leave was a good one.
 
A real dust storm whipped up as we travelled from Lake Boga to Balranald,  my photos don't do it justice but sure you will get the idea.

We crossed the Murray into New South Wales and stopped at the Balranald Caravan Park beside the beautiful Murrumbidgee River. A lovely spot and full of Grey Nomads like us. We will stay here for a couple of days and plan to see the Yanga Homestead and woolshed tomorrow.

Dust storm

Goodbye top soil

Balranald Caravan Park beside the river

 

Swan Hill Vic

After a peaceful night at Lake Boga, we were woken by the Melbourne bound train roaring past the Caravan Park at 7.30am.

Although a chilly 4 degrees a gorgeous sunny day was coming.

No need to hurry so had morning tea at the lake side then made our way 15km to Swan Hill.

We needed fuel and a few food items so walked the entire town to do a small amount of shopping.

We found another perfect picnic spot for lunch, this time on the bank of the mighty Murray River  and were entertained by a large flock  of Corellas.

We then drove further north to Nyah West, a really old but sad little town which was a virtual ghost town.




I caught a fish THIS BIG at Swan Hill



Great journeys start with the first step

 



Corellas resting in the shade on the Murray River

 

 

Perfect picnic spot



Main Street Nyah, most shops closed



Allied flying boats were directed to Lake Boga for
 maintenance and repairs following the Japanese bombing of
their base in Darwin during WW2

 

 

Memorial on Lake Boga

 

 

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