Gidday all,

Kangaroo Valley campground, a large area along the banks of the Kangaroo River in the hills west of Kiama NSW. A lovely spot, still a lot of campers about, but we found a spot up the back corner away from them all.

First night we settled down in bed and felt a strange sensation of the truck rocking, Din wasn’t being amorous, so I quietly went outside to investigate. There at the back was a large wombat busily scratching his back on our towbar. We looked about in the morning and found a burrow about ten metres away. Over the next three days he was a nightly visitor having a scratch at the same time each night. On the last morning we were there I found a wombat turd neatly sitting inside my croc shoes at the bottom of the steps. Lucky I looked before I slipped them on.

Our last day there was 43 degrees, and they were expecting the same for the next few days, time to get back to the coast. The sea breezes and slightly cooler temps make the crowds bearable.

We will miss our gentle rocking to sleep though, and our wombat will miss his back scratcher I’m sure.

 

Gidday all,

Moving on from Golden hole we hugged the coast south. Skirted round Coffs Harbour and back to the coast. The holiday crowds were still about, so except for a lonely spot we found or a reststop , we didn’t linger.

Through Port Macquarie and around Newcastle we were getting close to Sydney. Headed toward Singleton and a smaller road through a couple of National parks to get on a freeway around western Sydney.

Stopped at a nice camp spot by a river in Broke, spent a couple of days there, but the temps were in the 40s and the heatwave was expected to last till the end of the week. Met a nice lady there and chatted about Tassie, she was on her way there, made us think about heading there immediately ourselves. We left home looking for cooler weather but it’s hotter down here at the moment.

Decided to head back to the coast after Sydney. Din rang an old friend from Mackay who was living at the edge of the Royal National Park on the edge of Sydney, just across the bay from Cronulla, he was home, so we skirted round Sydney and found his house and stayed a night and caught up on the 20 or so years since we last met.

 

Hugging the coast again, south we went. Between Sydney and Wollongong was Bald hill, a spot on the coastal cliffs where they hang glide and parasail off the cliffs. Had to stop and check out the action. Beautiful area and stunning views.

Might head inland just a bit today to a camp at Kangaroo valley. The temps have returned to a bearable level. The coast is still full of holidaymakers, school starts in a couple of weeks so it may calm down then.

Gidday all,

Christmas and new year have come and gone for another year, it was a quiet time for us, just how we like it.

 Travelling down the coast was full of traffic and impatient drivers. After crossing into NSW it seemed to get worse. Camping in crowded rest areas, big and small was getting to be no fun. We are used to the inland freedom of open countryside and few restrictions on where you can set up camp and be alone.

As soon as we could we left the freeways and took to the small coast roads past Ballina and Evans Head. Down near Yamba we took to the forestry roads through the National parks. Beautifull country inching around the rocky ridgetops then dropping down to the coastline and exploring the various beach campsites in the National parks. Because it was close to Christmas all the campsites were packed out. With a mental note to come back at a less busy time of year we wandered back to the ridgetops and found a spot to hideout.

So was the pattern on our way past Coffs Harbour and Nambucca Heads and on south. Came to a place called Stuarts Point and a sandy track following a powerline which looked interesting so we followed it till we found a small clearing off the track and set up camp. This was our Christmas camp.

The next few days were quiet except for some 4x4s going down the track, three of which got bogged in the soft sand of the track just outside our camp and sought us out for help. The last of these were a young fellow and his mum going fishing up the end. After they got free we chatted and were invited to visit on our way out. After New years we called into our new friends and visited, they told us of a nice area called golden hole at the end of the powerline track which would be a good camp and good fishing too. So we left to check it out, after agreeing to come the next day to help erect a garden shed which had been waiting, lying on the ground for some time.

So here we sit at golden hole, a lovely spot, waiting for the crowds on the roads to dissipate before we move on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gidday all,

Well, after a long, three month visit home, we are on the road again. As the weather heated up again in the far north we headed south.

After saying our goodbyes to family and friends and six days on the road we pulled into Notch Point, south of Mackay, we don’t hurry, and selected a camp spot. Turtle tracks up the beach in a few spots, a cool sea light wind, beautiful.

First two days were glorious, then the rain and wind started. For the next three days it was gloomy and wet, not that we minded as we hadn’t seen rain for it seemed so long, and the air was cool.

After 200mm or more of rain it cleared up and the sun came out again. Next day we decided to move on, the track out was wet and muddy but not a problem. Top up water and off south again.

Here we sit on a camp spot near the river outside Rockhampton. The Bruce Highway is getting busy so we may get off it to avoid the traffic, we’ll see.

 

Gidday all,

On the road again, after a tearful goodbye to our new camel herd, and Deb and Thackeray the dog, we headed out the gate to the camp for the last time for this season.

Was hard leaving, but will catch up on our way back south next trip.

First stop, Talc Alf, just outside Lyndhurst on the Strzelecki track. He is a bit of an eccentric talc carver, with his own take on the meaning of words and their origin. Had a look around at his carvings and a good chat. Very interesting, has his own version of the Australian flag, more appropriate I think.

 

Then off to Marree,  then up the Birdsville track. The difference after the rain was striking. Green everywhere and the wildflowers were starting to bloom.

 

Yellow daisies everywhere and ones we know as poached eggs, as well as others in different colours.

 

Up the track a bit, came across a dingo, sitting in the middle of the road. It wasn’t afraid of the truck and just hung around, looking, which is unusual, after a lot of photos we moved on leaving her to it.

 

 

 

 

 

In places they covered large areas, as well as small patches here and there, what a change from the parched, desert landscape of some eleven months ago, when we passed through on our way south.

 

 

 

Cool days and cold nights with spectacular sunsets and sunrises, how lucky we are to see the contrasts of this vast brown land.

Gidday all,

Plan B, the day of departure from here has been put back, due to having got word that the camel Deb has been waiting for was due to arrive on the weekend. Couldn’t leave without welcoming her into the herd.

 

She arrived on Saturday, a bit worn out from the trip, but in good condition.

 

 

 

She was promptly tethered around camp and given a welcomed feed. Then slowly introduced to her new herd.

 

 

 

Coco accepted the newcomer quickly, which was unusual for her, she normally doesn’t like strangers. Ziggy was next and he quickly informed her he was head rooster around here then with a few more sniffs, promptly ignored her. I think they will get along well.

 

 

We will hang around for another few days to see all is well and there is no problem with Deb and her new family. Still looking forward to the slow trip home and the greenery and hopefully wildflowers up the Birdsville track. At the top end, the inside track, which we came down, is closed at the moment with all the rain they have had, so will see what it’s like when we get that far.

 

Gidday all,

Things have been happening for Deb in the last couple of weeks here in Copley. The Community here have welcomed us all and said Deb can camp down at the old yards just out of town and make it her own as long as she likes. They want her to take on a position as teaching office skills to the younger ones a few days a week.

The camel road train moving camp to the old yards at Copley

 

 

 

We have been busy setting up camp and fixing up an existing shelter at the yards for her.

Also Deb has been networking with various government departments about setting up a small business idea and working livestock museum (camels, donkies, horses, ect ) in the area. They have been interested and supportive so far, with the closure of the coal mine, they are looking for future development of the area.

 What an extraordinary experience we have had, trekking the old ghan line with two magnificent gentle, yet powerful and faithful camels, Coco and Ziggy

and Deb, a resourceful, determined outback legend.

 

. Not to forget Thac the dog.  

 

 

 

 

.  It took six weeks on the ground to cover the one hundred and seventy ks. But we wouldn’t have done it any other way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So she is excited about her prospects and so are we. Will hang about for another week or so, help with a few things, then leave her to it, probably go back up the Birdsville track and the Diamantina River Road to Winton, the way we came last September. Will be interesting to see the difference in the countryside as the rains have come in the last few months. We have already seen a difference in the landscape around here.

 

Looking forward to catching up with them all next year, on our annual southern migration.

Now looking toward our next adventure, heading home.

 

After lots of enquiries and meeting most of the elders of the Copley community, Deb has been offered a position teaching the young people in the place office skills, to help with administration duties.
This would be a great base for her to get some of the things she wants to achieve happening, like a camel museum and setting up some kind of short paying trips with the camels and wagon.

                                                            Emus saying hello to ziggy.

 The weather has turned colder, minus 1 last night, but still warm enough in the camper.

                                The frost covered everything, a winter wonderland in the morning.

Gidday all,

Decided to park up the camels and wagon in the yards at Copley and go for a drive to Lyndhurst, Farina and Marree, as there was the camel cup on at Marree on Saturday.

 

First stop Farina, there are a mob of volunteers restoring the ruins of the old Ghan town. They work there for two months every year, doing a great job. They have restored the old underground bakery and sell pies, cakes, rolls and bread during that time, all made in the old wood fired oven.

 

Camped at Farina and headed to Marree the next day. Pulled into the racecourse, a small crowd were there and some donkies were racing.

Spent the day there and camped overnight. During the night it started raining, only light but enough to make us pack up early in the morning and get on the road back to Copley as most of the way is dirt and if it rained much more the roads might be closed.

Got back to Copley Sunday arvo and greeted the camels who were happy to see us.

Gidday all,

Still in Copley, have met most of the locals and most of the kids have been over for a look and to see if we have any bickies or milo, or anything really. Having had a pat and feed they disappear for a couple of hours then return.

One of the men dropped off a roo back the other day and we roasted it with all the vegies and gravy, was wonderful.

 

Deb has an appointment in Leigh Creek late next week so will hang around till then then off to Lyndhurst and Marree.