Moree To Grafton

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This morning we started out heading west to top up the truck at the BP Service Station. With that done we turned around to travel east on the Gwydir Highway. For the first few kilometres we were re-tracing our route from last night. Once we passed the turn-off for Terry Hie Hie it was all uncharted territory.

We found a bakery in Warialda (Bakers Loaf) and purchased a couple of salad rolls to put in the fridge for later on. As we drove out of town we spotted R2D2 or rather R2B2 who was constructed to promote the Warialda Honey Festival. Obviously it screamed photo opportunity at us and was conveniently located right beside some conveniences!

Driving through Delungra a mini dachshund ran across the highway. Bernie slowed down to a crawl as we worried about whether it would turn around and run back again. No, it stayed put, but then its mate ran out after it. Thank goodness we were travelling slow enough to stop. I wanted to round them up to see if they had collars on to return them home, but Bernie felt sure that a local would find them soon and look after them. I hope they were rescued before they met with any harm?

As we drove along the Gwydir Highway we saw an unprecedented number of kookaburras perched on the electricity lines along the highway. They are usually such reclusive birds that it was strange to see them so close to a very busy road. Perhaps there is plenty of food available below the power lines beside the highway??

We continued on the Gwydir Highway through Inverell and on to Glen Innes where we visited the Australian Standing Stones. The Australian Standing Stones in the Glen Innes Highlands were raised in 1991/92 as a national monument to Celtic people. The stones acknowledge the contribution that the people from Celtic nations – Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, Wales, the Isle of Man, Brittany, Asturias and Galicia – have made to Australian culture. Solstice ceremonies are held at the stones in June and December. We missed the celebration of the winter solstice by just a few days!

Our next stop was in the Gibraltar Range National Park where we were able to see the Boundary Falls and Lyrebird Falls. There was a track to the base of the Boundary Falls so that was quite a strenuous hike down to the creek and … even more strenuous on the way back up! Still the estimated trail time was 30 minutes and we were back at the top of the trail in about 20 minutes despite spending some time photographing the falls. We just might be fitter than we think we are?

The trail to the Lyrebird Falls was along a fire access trail so it was much easier. The time estimate for this trail was 1 hour 30 minutes. Hmmn, on the basis that we completed the (very) steep trail to the Boundary Falls in 2/3 of the estimated time we reckon we can be back at the car in an hour. We actually did even better than that walking out to the Lyrebird Falls overlook and back again in about 40 minutes. Not bad for a couple of old people?!

We drove back out to the highway thinking that we must have missed the turn off for the Raspberry Lookout. All the maps (the hard copy touring atlas AND Apple Maps) seemed to indicate that the lookout was before the falls turn-off. But, no, we were no sooner back on the highway and there was the turn-off for Raspberry Lookout. We are glad that we didn’t miss it as it treated us to a fabulous panoramic view south out over the Gibraltar Range.

Back out to the highway again for a few kilometres before a brief stop at Heffron Lookout for another spectacular view looking south. We did expect to make one more stop at a viewpoint looking north over the ranges, but there was a lot of roadwork being done in the hills and the viewpoint was closed. When we drove past the lay-by it was occupied by a couple of huge sections of concrete pipe and a water tanker! What a waste of a view.

As we came down out of the hills we found ourselves driving along beside the very picturesque Mann River before making our way into Grafton at about 4.20pm. It is much less nerve wracking completing our journey while it is still daylight. Of course, at this time of the year that means aiming to arrive at our destination not too much after 4.00pm! We collected a few supplies from the Woolies, filled up again at the BP and then made our way to the motel we have booked for the night.

We walked a couple of blocks to the Grafton Hotel for dinner. We had been told it might not be open on a Monday night but, we were in luck, it was open and serving dinner tonight. We didn’t have to go to Plan B and continue on to the Crown Hotel down beside the Clarence River. We both chose a pub classic tonight, the crumbed lamb cutlets with chips and salad.



Steps: 10,998 (7.75kms)

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