Issue 1 Oct 2017
Brodie’s next 15,000 klm
On th e road again
Our Travels start inside
Its finally time! The motorhome is finally packed! The number of trips backwards and forwards, putting stuff in ... taking stuff out... unbelievable Will I pack this thingymajig? Will we need it? Probably not! but maybe it will come handy? Nah stuff it leave it! Are you sure? The above conversation was repeated so often that we think we might have it right and still be under weight Check inside the house for the 10th time, no taps running, lights on ... should I take that thing over there? GET IN THE CAB WE ARE GOING!!!!
Even filled the fridge!!
And we are on the road again!
And it all fitted!!!
Day One, It Starts Here!! It was an early wake up, too early to go yet so it’s a quick 15klm bike ride for breakfast and then back to packing those last few things, strangely enough this took over an hour! We finally drove out the gate at 10.15am and we were “on the road again” We stopped at Hefferon Lookout on the Gilbralter Range, part of the Great Dividing Ranges for a final look at the east coast, it will be 8 weeks before we see it again. The next stop was a lookout to the west, we can only imagine how far we could see.
East
West
Glen Innes seemed a good stop for lunch, but after expecting and packing clothes for 35 degree heat through the centre, we were totally unprepared for 12 degrees and 20 knot winds Brrr!! had to find my only jacket. After lunch we continued west, a coffee at Inverell and a quick look at Warialda, by this time it had started to rain so the sight seeing was at a minimum. We arrived at our planned o/night stop, Ezzy Crossing, only to discover is was the site of a boys weekend with dirt bikes and alcohol ... not our idea of a quiet night so we followed Wikicamps and moved into Gravesend Recreation Park, We are the only ones here so it should be quiet.
All by ourselves!!
Gravesend Recreation Park Distance travelled Driving time Avg. Fuel Cons Fuel cost
307klm 4 hours 16 12.9 l/100.
Accommodation Cost
Showground Free
Day 2 Heading to Lightning Ridge It was abit of a worry being the only one’s here but we just toughen up, cooked tea and settled in for the night. Although not without a few problems while putting the awning away on of the poles jammed and it was 10 minutes of frustration to get it to collapse, the computer was playing up and then when we tried to put the bed down it wouldn’t descend, another 10 minutes of pulling stuff apart.. a blown fuse ...NOTE TO SELF! it is fuse 2. Finally off to bed, unfortunately jumping at every strange sound ... is that an axe murderer? .. no just the water pump ..... is that the axe murderer? ..no it’s the fridge running. When the rain started we could finally relax because axe murderers don’t like getting wet! do they? Ah the joys of first time free camping. Awakened at first light (forgot a blind), fortunately daylight saving had started so it was 7am, there was a bit of light rain, so it was breakfast, pack up and go. On the road by 8am. Arriving in Moree, there was nothing open, it was Sunday, so a quick drive around my old RTA haunts and then off to Collenenabri. There were some really long straights, while the vegetation ranged from scrub to open plains and cotton fields.
We s a w a l o t o f Emu’s,..there is even a chick in the photo .. on the left, a few goats but mainly cattle on the “long paddock” (the cattle use the road side verges as a travelling stock route the “paddock” could be 100ks long.
Turning o the Castlereigh Highway towards Lightning Ridge we had to take this photo and this one ...cause we could.
Garry and Kerry recommended a The Opal caravan park, but when we drove out there we decided it was too crowded and too far from town so we ended up at the Lightning Ridge Holiday Park.
US Lightning Ridge Holiday Park Distance travelled Driving time Avg. Fuel Cons Fuel cost
321klm 4 hours 03 12.3 l/100.
Accommodation Cost
Caravan Pk $30 p/n
On the bikes late afternoon to’s ery o h ke p h scen a t nt to aywatc a w B ’t Didn wasn’t e, it d i s in
Late afternoon and out to the Artesian Spa,it took us about 10 mins to ride to it, but according to the sign it took 2 million years for the water to get to the pool so we were quicker. The spa being free was quite crowded but we found a spot. The water was 41.5 degrees!! ...we wern’t in there long and I’m sure my toes came out medium rare.
We rode the Red Car door track on the way back, being late everything was closed but Amigo’s Castle impressed us, last time it was just a building site and a hollow shell, we will have a look inside
when its open. The Bottle House has been here for many years, an old story has it that when the lady built it frogs moved into the bottles and noise was incredible, it took a few years but she had to put corks in ever one.
We awoke to a sunny day.... at last After being woken by heavy showers overnight imagine our suprise and pleasure to see the sun shining through the windows and a plentiful supply of blue sky. After a quick breakfast, drying the bikes off it was off to The Walk In Mine, an iconic tourist landmark of Lightning Ridge. I first visited here in 1985 while working in the area, Wow! how things have changed, back then you paid $2, given a little pick axe and told you could keep anything you found .... funnily enough we didn’t find anything .. but it was interesting. This time it was $20 each, put on a hard hat and follow the signs, quite a few said “don’t touch the walls” .....not much chance of finding anything that way. There were a couple of videos and other signs of interest and you could noodle in the car park (sifting through some mullock heaps for opal) so it was still interesting and kept us occupied (including a cup of tea) for about 47 minutes.
Lightning Ridge has 4 called The Car Door t yellow, blue and gree are random from the
4 self guide tours tour, they are red, en. Thes photos blue and green