Wagga Wagga to Bathurst

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This morning we were back on the road just after 9.00am heading for Bathurst. With our watches encouraging us to stand and move for a minute every hour we have been trying to factor in a leg stretch after we have been driving for an hour. We had been aiming to make our first stop at Cootamundra, but when we spotted the sign for the Bethungra Rail Spiral viewing platform we thought, why not check something out while we stretch our legs?!

The heritage-listed Bethungra Rail Spiral was built in the 1940s to address a bottleneck on the main rail route between Sydney and Melbourne and is one of Australia's most significant rail engineering feats of its time. Listed as historically and scientifically rare, the spiral is of great historical significance due to the ambition and scale of the work undertaken together with the aesthetic and technical values that were achieved. The spiral is the only 360 degree rail spiral in Australia and was only the second ever constructed.

From the viewing platform it is possible to watch as the trains pass over and then through the tunnel a few minutes later after they complete a circuit of the hill adjacent to the tunnel … if there is a train of course. As this was an impromptu stop we had not checked the train timetable to ensure there would be a train to watch. Gosh, it’s not like we’re not crazy trainspotters!!

From the rail spiral we drove straight though Cootamundra and on to Young where we made a toilet stop at the facilities in Carrington Park. To stretch our legs a bit we walked through the park to take a photo of the rotunda and another of St Mary’s Catholic Church.

Our next stop was at the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre. It was OAP’s day at the café so when we popped in for lunch I think we managed to drag the average age of the patrons down a little bit?? We were certainly close to the youngest in the room! After polishing off a couple of BLTs it was time to venture out to explore five hectares of garden on another beautiful sunny day.

The Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre was established to recognize and develop the relationship between the people of Cowra Shire and the people of Japan, a relationship that has its origins in the Prisoner of War Camp that housed the Japanese POWs during World War II. In 1997 world renowned architect Ken Nakajima was commissioned to design the garden. The design of the garden is a copy of the first Japanese landscape garden built by the Shogun Tokuwaga in the 16^th century. The garden was absolutely beautiful with the lawns and garden beds groomed to perfection. So many gorgeous vistas to photograph!

After a lovely relaxing midday interlude it was time to hit the road again. At one stage Apple Maps told us the road ahead was closed and we were going to have to take a detour. However, when we reached the spot where Syri wanted us to turn right, there was absolutely no evidence that the road ahead was closed and certainly no detour signs directing us to turn right. We decided to continue on the A41 and did not encounter the problem that Syri had warned us of. Sometimes you just have to go with what your eyes are telling you rather than believing Syri!

Arriving in Bathurst just before 3.30pm we drove straight to the National Motor Racing Museum because it closes at 4.30pm. The National Motor Racing Museum is located at Murray’s Corner, Mount Panorama and celebrates the rich history of Australian Motor Sport. Originally a temporary display The Bathurst Motor Racing Museum was opened in 1988 by the late Peter Brock. The name and location has changed and the museum’s collection has grown substantially over the last 30 years to cover all facets of motor sport from the 1920s to the present. The stories of drivers and events are told through original trophies, race suits, leathers, race footage and photographs and the vehicles on display include Australian touring cars, open wheelers, rally cars and motorcycles.

After we had finished in the museum it was time to take the truck out onto the race track. Well, not really because the race track is a public road for the rest of the year and ANYONE can drive on it! So, out of the museum’s driveway at Murray’s Corner and off we went along Pit Straight, around Hell’s Corner and up Mountain Straight. At the top of Mount Panorama we found a spot to stop that wasn’t on a grass verge (no parking on the grass verges!) and we were able to take a couple of photos looking down over the track. Back into the car, through The Esses and The Dipper and down Conrad Straight back to Murray’s Corner and Bernie has ticked off a bucket list item.

From the racetrack we made our way to Machattie Park in the centre of Bathurst where we had to park rear to curb! What is THAT about? In Wagga Wagga they park like normal people, but this far into NSW it’s rear to curb. Formally opened in 1890, Machattie Park is an historically significant example of a late 19^th century Victorian country town park. It features the Bandstand, a Caretaker’s Cottage, Crago Fountain, a Fernery, Lake Spencer (hmmn, it’s actually a duck pond so Lake Spencer seems a bit highfalutin?) and the Munro Drinking Fountain. The park also has an impressive collection of exotic trees.

Other photographic opportunities were the Court House (opened 1880), the Bathurst War Memorial Carillon (constructed 1933) and the George Evan’s Expedition Statue. Now, who was George Evans??? We all leant way back in history classes that Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth were the first European settlers to successfully navigate a path across the Blue Mountains in 1813. However, later that year Governor Lachlan Macquarie sent Evans across the Blue Mountains into the Wiradjuri nation of central-western New South Wales to explore beyond the point that Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth reached and report on the extent and fertility of the land. No-one ever remembers who was second do they? However, rather importantly to the people of Bathurst, he reached the site of present-day Bathurst on the 9^th of December 1813.

Our accommodation tonight is rather extravagant. We are staying in the Rydges Mount Panorama Bathurst overlooking the racetrack. Bernie keeps telling me he purchased tonight’s accommodation at a discounted price in a ‘flash sale’. Even discounted I’m pretty sure it’s going to be one of our most expensive nights on the road?! Because we are out of town we ate dinner in the on-site restaurant which was an exercise in patience.

We were in the dining room at 6.30pm and our drinks were bought to us really quickly. It was terribly chilly in the dining room so I came back upstairs for my puffer vest leaving instructions with Bernie about what to order for me. When I returned our order still hadn’t been taken. Just before Bernie was about to head to the bar to place our order a waitress arrived. Finally. Then we waited and waited and waited for our garlic bread to arrive. It was taking so long we thought everything would end up coming at once, but no, our garlic bread was delivered and we ate it and then the waitress was back to clear the plate and ask if we were ready for our mains now??? WTF, we’re just about ready to eat the legs of our chairs, we are well ready for mains.

Eventually our mains were delivered along with some greens that we didn’t order, but turn out to be the standard accompaniment with all main meals. Bernie was excited (not) because the greens consisted of kale and sprouts. Even the fact that they had chilli flakes sprinkled on them didn’t help. We were so hungry we started on our meat (Bernie scotch fillet, Tracey veal scallopine) even though we had not yet received our carrots or potatoes. About half way in our carrots arrived and then a bit later still our potatoes finally arrived. There were only two other couples in the dining room so we really don’t know why the kitchen was so … disorganised??



Steps: 10,152 (7.13kms)

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