41 Central NSW & Bathurst 4 July

---

We’ve not moved a lot this week, as we’ve only traveled from Canberra to Dubbo, but it’s been fun.

The land is generally well-farmed, which we judge by the standard of the farm houses and machinery. Gently rolling, mostly sheep, with some cropping and some cattle. Little bit of grapes and others, too. The countryside is fairly hilly in the east, and flattens slowly the further west you go.

Wagga Wagga, known to the locals as Wagga, has about 40,000 people and is the largest inland town in NSW. It is on the Murrumbidgee River and is almost exactly half way between Sydney and Melbourne. We took a drive out to Narrandera which is inside the fruit fly exclusion zone, so had to dump a few apples. There was no inspection, so don’t know how it works. We stayed two nights at Junee, just north of Wagga. Junee has a chocolate and licorice factory, which is a compulsory stop. Pure licorice tastes somewhat like cinnamon. The major ingredient is molasses.

North to Bathurst. On the way we passed through Cowra which has a lovely Japanese Garden constructed after WW2. At Bathurst we met up again with Ken and Marlene Southwell for a few days. Ken comes up for the Bathurst races every year and has a great campsite very near the end of Conrod Straight. The track is a public road with a speed limit of 60kmh, and is full of walkers, runners and skateboarders. On Conrod Straight we got passed by a couple of skateboarders! It’s very steep too. Due to photos, traffic, etc we weren’t able to challenge the course record.

Then west to Parkes, through a few small agricultural towns which were quite similar. Parkes has a large radio telescope which is the only tourist attraction around. The campground was quite funny, as it sloped everywhere, and it was entertaining watching arrivals trying to find a level spot and failing. Parkes mostly grows wool and wheat, but they have just opened a gold and copper mine north of the town. Again!!! B..… lucky Australians.

Finally north to Dubbo where we have been for a few days. Ken & Marlene were with us and we did the town’s attractions – the old Gaol and the Western Plains Zoo, now run by Taronga in Sydney. The zoo keeps assorted animals in fairly large enclosures where they have plenty of room. The temperatures were very cold so the animals were pretty miserable, but the spectators were cold too.

On Tuesday we said farewell to Ken & Marlene. When we were staying with them in Canberra, we worried (a little) that we were imposing, but when we left, they came with us!!!

Don’s great grandfather lived and died in nearby Narromine, so it was good to do a bit of research. We’re glad he left the town, as it’s typical of outback rural towns – on what looks like a slow decline. Anyway, most if not all of the rellie’s left years ago, Don’s grandfather coming to NZ between 1900 and 1905. The great-grandparents are buried in Narromine Cemetery, and the grave is still in good condition.

Scroll down past the ads, etc for more photos.

P+D
4 July 2012

---

Photos

Cowra
Japanese Garden

Cowra
More gardens

Bathurst 2
No lap record

Bathurst 3
Passes by skateboarders!

Bathurst 4
Under the bridge

Parkes
Elvis Display

Dubbo zoo
Rare blue kingfisher