May 2013

We were packed up and on our way at 9:30 am with the first port of call being the dump point back at the Bourke Tourist Information Centre. We were on our way again at 9:45 am for our 255 kms trip to Cunnamulla. The traffic was very light with only a handful of trucks and road-trains going the other way, and not many more cars. We were overtaken by one motorhome and a few cars. The trip seemed to be very slightly uphill with a slight headwind and it was very difficult to get the Navara into overdrive and we spent most of the trip in 4th and 3rd gear. As a result our fuel consumption suffered a bit returning 24.5 litres per 100 kms.

We stopped for a coffee at the rest area on the NSW/Qld border just past Barringun and eventually arrived at the Cunnamulla Caravan Park at about 1:30 pm. After selecting a drive through site so that we could stay hitched up for the night, we walked into town to explore. We found the newsagent for papers then walked around town for a few photos before stopping at Boulders Café for a coffee and a toasted sandwich - Probably the best coffee we have had this trip. On the way back to the caravan park we walked out to the sand-hills behind the park.

Goodbye New South Wales

Hello Queensland

Still a long way to Karumba

Downtown Cunnamulla

Cunnamulla Fella

Cunnamulla streetscape

Cunnamulla pub

Sand hills behind the caravan park

Another fine day in Bourke with a bit of cloud- weather forecast is 11 to 22 degrees. After breakfast we had another go at sorting out the wiring in our trailer plug. Eventually sorted it out by trial and error - but concluded that the wiring colour code used in the van does not match the standard adopted by the plug manufacturers. We tested all tail lights, side lights, indicators, brake lights and most importantly the electric brakes on the caravan - all are now working properly.

Shortly after 10:00 we drove into Bourke for newspapers, then drove to the Back of Bourke Exhibition Centre for the Outback Show. Luke Thomas put together a show that demonstrated how to handle camels, how the pacify a recently broken horse before riding it, how to assemble a team of three Clydesdales to drag a log into a nearby paddock, then how to assemble a team of eight bullocks to drag the log back again and load it onto a timber jinker. As part of the show he also used three cattle dogs to move the stock around as they responded to his calls and whistles.

Luke Thomas arrives riding a camel to start the Outback Show

Two camels

Riding the frisky horse

Preparing the Clydesdales

Clydesdales harnessed together

The lead bullock

Second lead bullock

Bullock team dragging the log into the arena

Bullock team dragging the log onto the timber jinker

Log loaded onto the timber jinker

After the show concluded we went back to town to visit the supermarket, and the bakery before returning to the camp for lunch. After lunch we drove back to town to check out the dump point, check out the weir and the first lock to be built in Australia, then we drove to the Bourke cemetery to find Fred Hollowes Grave. On the way back to camp we filled up with fuel as we will be going to Cunnamulla tomorrow and there is no fuel on the road.

The weir and the first lock to be built in Australia

Water cascading over the weir on the Darling River

Fred Hollowes gravestone at Bourke Cemetery

At 6:00 pm we headed over to the camp kitchen for the Poetry on a Plate Show, with a slow cooked dinner by a campfire with genuine Australian poetry and music. Dinner was a delicious slow cooked beef casserole, with a flavoursome vegie and lentil dish served with rice. A desert of lemon-curd tart with whipped cream followed. The show was presented by the Bard of Bourke - Andrew Hull who delivered a mixture of poems and songs about the surrounding area. The poems were delivered with guitar music.

Stoking the fire

At the fire pit

Stoking the fire with a long handle shovel

Looking up into the coolabah trees

Poetry on a plate at Kidmans Camp

Todays forecast is 9 to 24 degrees - yesterday it eventually got to 23 so we broke out the shorts. Hopefully we will be in shorts and t-shirts for the next three months. At about 10:00 am David went into town for papers and to collect our first batch of re-directed mail from the Post Office. Thankfully there were no bills to be paid!

Early morning sun at Kidman's Camp

At about midday we went back into town to see the Crossley Diesel Engine started and running. It is started with compressed air and is run on a 60/40 mix of diesel and low ash oil - it can be run on sump oil. The engine is reminiscent of a steam engine and definitely shows it origins.

Crossley Diesel Engine running

We returned to the caravan park for lunch and drove down to the Darling River just before 3:00 pm for a cruise on the Darling River on the PV Jandara. The cruise last for about an hour - 30 minutes down river then back again.

PV Jandra tied up at the pontoon

Flood markers on a nearby power pole - yellow 2 years ago - white last year

North Bourke Bridge from the River Darling

Manual winding mechanism for the old bridge

Swallow's nest under the new bridge

River Red Gum

River Murray /Darling River Boat Flag

Passing under the North Bourke Bridge

White Cockatoos in the trees

Darling River from the Jandra

Model or the original Jandara

On the way back to the pontoon the skipper explained the survey process to keep the boat operational. Each year they have to pass an in-water survey, and once every 4 years they must pass an out of water survey. For the out of water surveys they float the boat into the billabong then pump the water out. when the survey is complete they knock down the wall at the front of the slipway and let the boat out. This year the river flooded again and they were able to float the boat out again without knocking down the front wall.

Entrance to the slipway billabong

Slipway in the billabong

After returning to the caravan park we decided that we would replace the trailer plug on the caravan - all did not go well! We noticed that two wires in our existing trailer plug appeared to be connected incorrectly. We tried them this way and that way but always got problems when testing our trailer lights. We quickly got assistance from a couple of other caravaners in the park but could not resolve the problem before dark. We will have another go in the morning. One suggestion is that our van gets its earth return via the hitch when hitched up and at the moment it is plugged in but not hitched up.

We will continue the search tomorrow!

Up at 7:30 am this morning but no rush as we stayed hitched up for the night. Forecast for today was 7 to 23 degrees. We left the Cobar Caravan Park at about and pulled into the Caltex servo next door and lined up with the road trains. We bought 52 litres of diesel for $79.52 while the road train on the other side took over 500 litres for $788 - not sure how far that would take him. Today's run was an easy 160 kms and we should arrived in Bourke by 12 noon.

159 kms to Bourke

At about 11:00 am we stopped at the Curraweena Rest Area about 60 kms from Bourke for a coffee. There were two caravans camped in the bush about a 100 metres from the road. By the time that we were ready to move on there were five vans at the rest area for a break.

Morning tea break at the Curraweena Rest Area

We arrived at Kidman's Camp at about 12:00 noon and booked in for 2 nights. We were told to pick our site and selected site 56 - a drive through site. Kidman's Camp is about 8 kms north of Bourke and it is an oasis in the outback. During the day there was a constant procession of caravans booking in. Our site is a grassy site with Iceberg roses on each side of our site.

Kidman's Camp - an oasis in the outback

Drive through site 56 at Kidman's Camp

After doing a full set up with mats and awning (we booked in for 2 nights - but will stay for 3 nights) and having a late lunch, we headed for the Visitor Information Centre - there is plenty to do in Bourke! Armed with maps and tourist info we headed for the IGA and the hardware store. We needed a new trailer plug for the caravan as we had problems when left Cobar. When David took the plug apart he found a loose wire which he fixed and broken innards which he could not fix. We eventually got a good connection and got all our lights working, but a new plug is needed.

On the way back to camp we called at the Bourke Wharf for a photo stop. A Crossley 2 cylinder 4 stroke diesel engine is on display near the wharf. It was originally installed at the Sydney Power House but was moved to a Narromine property to pump irrigation water.

Di on the Bourke Wharf

Darling River from the Bourke Wharf

Crossley 2 cyl 4 stroke diesel engine

Our second stop was at the North Bourke Bridge over the Darling River. The bridge was constructed in 1883 with a lift span to cope with the traffic on the Darling River. The bridge was bypassed in 1997 and is now closed to road traffic. While we were walking over the bridge the PV Jindra passed under the bridge.

Di on the North Bourke Bridge

North Bourke Bridge built in 1883

Close-up of the lift span on the North Bourke Bridge

Bougainvillea next the North Bourke Bridge

PV Jindra on the Darling River

As we had packed up last night there was not too much to do this morning. David went for papers and we had a leisurely breakfast before getting ready to leave the caravan park. First port of call was Willows Park to use the dump point. Eventually we were on the road by 9:45 am.

Our first stop was Hillston for fuel and morning tea. Being the last fuel stop for 255 kms until Cobar the vans were lining up for fuel. David followed the first van driver into the office to pay for fuel, and after the first driver had paid and left the 3rd driver came into the office having found a bundle of $100 notes in the doorway. As the money was not David's it must have belonged to the first driver. Di found him up the road at the bakery - he had not realised his loss and said that it would have been $2,000. We sent him back to the servo to reclaim his money. We had a coffee and muffins before moving on.

Morning tea at Hillston

We had originally planned to travel Gilgunnia and spend the night free-camping in the rest area. We stopped for lunch at the Gilgunnia rest area along with a few other vans, however the rest area was not up to scratch so we continued on to Cobar and booked in for one night at the Cobar Caravan Park. After putting the van on site 53 we walked back into town for eggs and bacon at the Super IGA - we walked about 4 kms there and back. Over a happy hour drink we compared notes with Peter and Marg in the next van - they are on their way from Adelaide to Nambucca Heads on the East Coast. Places that we had not been to that they recommended included Lightning Ridge and Lawn Hill.

Gilgunnia stamper cam shaft

Our camp site at Cobar

Great Western Hotel Cobar