2017-18 - XMAS and 50th Wedding Anniversary: 12/20/17

Drive: 657 km

24-38-20 degC

After a good sleep in a nice cool van, we were awake at 5:30am and on the road at 7am after breakfast and packing up. We stopped in Boggabilla for fuel as our App told us it was the cheapest around by about 4c/l. Two hours after leaving Goondiwindi we stopped at a rest area for mornos just south of Moree and made it to go. We had no particular place in mind to call home for the night, so we kept driving, but we did have to consider the one-hour time change between QLD and NSW.

Lunch was had in another rest stop, this time just south of Coonabarabran. Unfortunately, it was not a really good place to stop as it was just off the highway on a very busy road. However, Greg did manage to get a few winks to recharge his batteries. About an hour later we were on our way again. Although we still had no place to call home, we did have to decide which route we should take. So, when we got to Dubbo, we turned half-left to Wellington. This was where we discussed either Molong or Canowindra (pronounced “Canowndra”, why, anyone’s guess)as a final stop for the day. When we got to Molong, Greg said he was still alright so on we went to Canowindra. Before finding a place to camp, we stopped in the main street of Canowindra to find a place to have dinner. We counted six pub/clubs and only two of them were open. We happened to choose the one with Mr “Have-a-Chat” as the Publican. There was not much on the menu, but the best of the worst was the chicken schnitzel, so we settled for two of those and a couple of beers to wash them down. Not a bad meal, but not as good as even Torbo. Anyway, it fed the worms, and we walked back to the van and decided to check out the free camp. It was a lovely grassy site with plenty of trees, and whilst just off the road, the road was not busy – see the photos.

After another drink together in the peace and quiet of our free camp, the nightly routine was completed, and it was time for bed. Only 350km odd to Batemans Bay tomorrow, a fairly easy drive compared to the last two days.

Before leaving this morning, Greg checked the tyre pressure and found it was a tad high (accounted for the rougher than usual ride yesterday) so let some air out and it made for a slightly smoother ride on a very rough road – no potholes – just a bitumen road that had been undermined by the rain and the very big rigs driving over it. Whilst there were a LOT of B-doubles and some triples on the road, most of them were coming towards us, and those that were going the same way as us, were mostly polite (we didn’t have our walkie talkies on so couldn’t hear them) and only passed when it was safe to do so. There were of course a few idiots that pushed the boundaries, but they were not limited to the truckies.

The scenery, whilst mostly flat, changed frequently. We saw a lot of grain crops, mostly harvested, some cotton, and many wide-open spaces suited to live stock – saw plenty of cattle and sheep.

Allegedly, if you believe the Publican, and we have no reason not to except we have not yet consulted with Mr Google, Canowindra has a lot of gold underneath it, and in the surrounds. A huge dam is to be built soon to assist with the gold mining, and property and business owners are biding their time waiting for the prices to rise. Good luck; we won’t be holding our breath.