Wentworth Trip

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19 MARCH 2002
I've not been idle since the beginning of March. I'm a freelance photographer working for a few other photographers who engage me to do work for them sometimes. Since the last entry I have photographed a couple of weddings, a debutante ball and a scout presentation day.
The company I sub-contract for, give me by far the most work and again I'm on the road. I had been packed for a couple of days, so it didn't take long to get organised to leave this morning. It was an overcast morning and the peak hour traffic was heavy. But as I turned towards Lilydale I was pleased not so many cars were going in my direction. Yarra Glen quickly appeared in the windscreen and the rest of the journey through Yea and Seymour was through familiar territory. My plan was to travel through Bendigo and up to Charlton to continue the journey to Wentworth where I have been booked to work for the next three days.
Near the Puckapunyal turn off I came across a roadblock. The policeman informed me that a bushfire the previous day had blocked that stretch of the road. I turned the car and joined the Hume Freeway and went north to the Goulburn Highway. I tossed up whether to return to my original plan and take the Heathcote turn off at Nagambie. On checking the map, realised by going further north through Kyabram and Echuca, I could drive over new territory and mark off more on my travel map. The grey skies cleared and the temperature climbed as I got closer to the Victorian and New South Wales borders.
Different parts of the road near Echuca and Kerang were new for me and was duly marked. As was the area near Balranald. At the border town of Robinvale I crossed the Murray River by means of a long wooden bridge caped with bitumen. I then travelled the Sturt Highway to the Wentworth. I quickly found the Grand Resort motel. As I walked through the double glass doors and arranged to pick up my key at the reception, the complex reminded me more of a hotel than a motel. Room fory-eight has a spa and I took advantage of it half and hour after unpacking my bags. By 6pm it was time to take a short walk to the RSL which is located in a different section of the complex. I was the first to arrive and was served "Butterfish" very quickly. I sat beside a large window overlooking houseboats that were moored on the banks of the Murrey River. The rest of the evening was spent back in my room watching the movie channel.

20 MARCH 2002
I was only to be in town for one day so I took my gear downstairs to the car park and paid for my accommodation and left the motel about 8.30am. The photographer that had worked in this centre before was unavailable, that’s the reason it was my turn this year. I explained to the director about the change who understood and the session progressed smoothly and was finished by mid-day.
I filled up with fuel and drove one-hundred and forty-five kilometres to Mungo National Park. The plan was to stay there until sunset but decided the danger of hitting animals on the track at dusk was a bit risky. I wandered through the area called "The Great Walls of China" for a few hours and the experience was relaxing. It was 4.30pm when I put the camera gear back into the car and started my journey to my next town of Mildura. After a drive of one-hundred and ten kilometres, I arrived and booked into another motel.

21 MARCH 2002
It's unusual that I don't visit a centre when I arrive in a new town but with the maps I had, the Kindergarten was found with little trouble. I introduced myself to the two ladies who were in charge and through the conversation it was discovered, this was to be an all day session. There were twenty-seven children this morning. After a short break, which I spent back at the motel, I returned in the afternoon to photograph the next session of children. Tea at the restaurant then watched cable TV for the rest of the evening.

22 MARCH 2002
One more session with only sixteen children to photograph, I had two hours to do it in. The three-year-olds weren't quite as easy to work with. I'm sure I overshot and the number of photos in each album will vary.
I left Mildura at 11.30am and headed home through farmland that wasn't exciting to view. I found myself yarning and getting sleepy very soon after setting out but I pushed on. The Calder Highway took me through towns such as Ouyen and Wycheproof. By time the town of Inglewood was reached, I was feeling better. I managed to avoid Bendigo's main street and got onto the Heathcote Road with no problems.
The short cut to Seymour was open this time and along the way I saw the results of the bushfire. I also noticed a large mob of kangaroos flanked by a dozen emus, didn't stop because I just wanted to get home. My onboard computer indicated I probably could have made the last hundred and forty kilometres home but decided to fill up with petrol in Seymour, just to be on the safe side.
Checking the map later I managed to mark more "texta" to indicate where my travels with the company have taken me. Since I left Montrose on Tuesday morning, I have clocked up an extra 1,602km on my tachometer. The return trip was just on seven hours and I was beat. Unpacked the car, put the washing on, sorted my bookwork, checked my email and let my girlfriend know I had arrived home. Had tea, then went to sleep with the comforting noise of the clothes dryer in the background.

28 MARCH 202
My dislike for working in Melbourne centres was again reinforced this week. I had to get up early to avoid the rush hour traffic. I had set my alarm to go off at 6am and by 6.30 I had left my girlfriend's place and was travelling along Canterbury Road. It was still dark but the traffic was light. I arrived at the centre almost twenty-five minutes later. Found a parking spot with no restrictions except a limit of two hours. Waited until 8am then went inside with my gear. Three days in the same centre usually indicates lots of children. Looking at the room lists told me some kids are in more than one day. When faced with this situation, I try to photograph as many children on the first day so I don't have to ask who's who? It also makes the second and third days easier.

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Photos

Lake Mungo NP
Sandstone Formations