A short journey through central NSW

---

Times and circumstances are changing and it is now appropriate that we review our travel arrangements. This year’s trip has started a lot earlier than previous years due mainly so we can get a reasonable time away while we can.

Our middle daughter, Niki, was married to a great young man, Ross, on Easter Saturday and they have headed off on a motor home honeymoon around South Aust, middle NSW and Qld before heading home. Ross will be heading off to Houston shortly thereafter and Marg wants to be home to be able to help Niki with all the packing etc. before she heads over to Houston and returns to work.

So, there we were a week ago hitting the road without a plan again. We headed north to the Police Paddocks just out of Rutherglen; a place we had been to the year before last – easy decision. However, it is a different time of the year, and it seems that the whole world must be reading our blogs because our favourite camp site was incredibly crowded, making it difficult to find a spot. When free camping, as we do, it is polite to leave a generous distance between you and the next camper, which we always try to do. We did that but it was not ideal. Next morning we decided to explore some of the other camping areas on the Murray.

Marg had a bias for a place called Stantons Bend – which is where we moved to last year after Police Paddocks, but Geoff ruled it out because there were massive pot holes at the entry, and he had just refitted a new entry step to van and was in no mood to see it ripped off again. So we searched further afield and with the aid of the GPS we found ... can’t tell you or you will all want to go to Shaws Flat. Hardly a soul there. We couldn’t believe it after the crowds at Police Paddocks. Our joy was dampened when we discovered that the barrel lock on the hitch pin was missing, as we prepared to hitch up the van to change location. Geoff assured Marg that its job was primarily to stop people stealing the pin, so we headed off to our new location. A little later we had set up on a glorious site overlooking the river and decided to head into Albury to do some shopping for things that could not be found in Rutherglen. Lo and behold, as we exited the camp site, Geoff spotted the lock on the track out.

It is probably relevant to mention that while we were in the Rutherglen area, the temps were in the 35 -37 degree range and not at all pleasant. Melbourne and the Victorian South coast where Niki and Ross were on the other hand were very cold and wet. The 3 day stay at Shaws Flat necessitated Marg having to go and sit in the Murray to cool off every now and then.

Two days later, we headed off to Deniliquin and a short stop at a caravan park, to catch up on domestic duties and turn the airconditioner on during the day, it was still 34 degrees. Overnight was enough, although we did treat ourselves to a night out at the RSL. They provide a courtesy bus to and from the caravan park, so it made it easy. Easy is one thing, but cheap is another and we walked into a real trap, choosing to eat in the most expensive part of the club (where they prepared the same meals that went to the other parts of the club at much lower prices) and getting short changed at the bar. Lesson learned never look a courtesy bus in the eye.

Next day was full of indecision and bad advice from the GPS lady. We wanted to camp beside the Murrumbidgee River and tried to find a road that would take us from the South side of the river to the North side. Off we went up this dirt road, but there was no sign of a campsite or a river. After many attempts at different locations, the road proved too narrow to turn the van around, but as luck would have it, Geoff spotted some farm buildings a bit further along and decided that there must be a driveway to them. It only takes the car and van to be straight to execute a 90deg, reversing manoeuvre and the job is done, so a little way up some-ones drive way is the easiest solution. Time was getting on so we decided to head into Narrandera to a camp we used last year. Geoff was not impressed that it started to rain as he set up the van for the night.

After a bit of shopping in Narrandera, and a good read of the instructions to get to the afore-mentioned camp on the North side of the river, we headed off. Would you believe – bitumen road all the way bar the last 500 metres! Easy when you read the instructions... This site was even sign-posted off the main road, but we were completely surprised to find no-one else there. That was until a father and young son arrived with their pee-wee and quad bikes. It was clear that they did not have any respect for campers, but we found that ignoring them was the best solution. Dad had to work the next day – what rotten luck, when we had no such imperative.

I must mention the cockatoos, all the river-side camps we have stayed at have had there own colony of cockies (I am sure they are not following us), and from about an hour before dusk/sunset there is the most deafening cacophony of blood curdling screeching you could imagine.

Enough for now, and apologies for the lack of photos (the lighting was not good or the subject matter was not exciting enough is my excuse). Catch you again soon.

---

Photos

We were all alone in this lovely spot.
Middle Beach on the Murrumbidgee near Yanco just south of Leeton N.S.W

Middle Beach
Finally some sun to help the photographer.

Middle Beach
Quiet times on the Murrumbidgee