BRINKWORTH TO BOTTLE BEND

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We headed off and aimed to have lunch at the Overland Corner Hotel near Waikerie. I have wanted to do that ever since I saw the quaint little place. We got to within 50 kms of it and Graham put the place we wanted to be into the GPS and thus begins the story of the Pretty Route or the GPS is Not Always Right.

We became suspicious when we were directed to the Cadel Ferry to cross the mighty Murray. Once you turn onto the road you are committed is trailing, it is too narrow to turn back. So onto the ferry we went, I love these crossings they are so gentle and peaceful albeit for just a few minutes. It was pleasing to note that there is a lot more water in the Murray now.

Then we were directed to Waikerie CBD. Strange we thought. Turn left our little friend said and we headed straight onto the ferry to cross the mighty Murray. We got 1.2 kms down the road after leaving the ferry and the now ex-friend yelled at us for not turning right. The rotter hadn't told us. Once more we were on a narrow road and couldn't turn and he kept insisting "turn back". We finally came to a property where a paddock had been cleared so GMan did a turn over that. Back the way we came and then he decided to take a short cut to the road we needed to be on. Thank heavens both the car and van are off road. Paddled on down the road until we can to the Burra-Renmark road and turned right. Yes you have it this is the road we turned off to cross at Cadel!! 16 kms further on we turned onto the bypass road to get to the hotel and the GPS went mental. GMan had checked online before we left and knew we had to turn off. Anyway we got there.

According to the blurb online "Overland Corner Hotel is situated beside the Murray River, and was once a convenient watering place and camp site for the overlanders and drovers operating between New South Wales and the colony based in Adelaide in the early 1800's. It was also the stopping place for paddle steamers working along the Murray River and coach passengers using the Adelaide to Wentworth route. The historic building was built in 1859 by the Brand Brothers for pioneer pastoralist James Chambers of Cobdogla Station, to cater for the overland drovers and provide a staging point for the coach route from N.S.W. to Adelaide. It was delicensed in 1898 but continued as a general store and post office for many years.

By 1855 the establishment consisted of a police station, horse staging building, blacksmith’s and wheelwright’s shop and a general store. In 1859 the hotel was built, and by the 1870's it was the recognised overnight camping spot. Sometimes up to 30,000 sheep grazed the river flats near the hotel.

The Overland Corner Hotel is constructed of 1.5m thick fossilised limestone, it is the oldest building in the Riverland. A famous chapter in the history of the hotel was a visit from the infamous Captain Moonlight, a daring bushranger, whose real name was Andrew George Scott, alias ‘Preacher’ Scott. He was an Irish-born schizophrenic adventurer who became a lay preacher at Mount Egerton in Victoria, and at the same time a bankrobber. After a stint in prison, he graduated to bushranging. During 1879 when he was on the run from the New South Wales and Victorian Police he used the Overland Corner Hotel as a watering hole. While drinking, and still on horse back, he demanded that both front and back doors of the hotel be left open. He was always on the ready and was not going to be caught if the local police showed up. In fact they soon made it too hot for him in South Australia so he went back to New South Wales, to be captured at Wagga Wagga and eventually hanged on 20 January 1880 at Darlinghurst Gaol, Sydney.

Local tradition has it that a bushranger and his band roamed the area around Overland Corner stealing cattle. One story claims that the gang came to Overland Corner and, after stopping at the police station to take the precaution of locking the police in the cells, retired to the Overland Corner Hotel. It is said that the leader of the gang rode his horse right into the bar. Before leaving he is claimed to have carved his name onto the pub's wall, but no trace of his signature shows today."

I had a beautiful Atlantic Salmon steak and GMan went with the rump. The food was excellent. So much so that if we come back this way we will stop there for lunch again.

Once back on the road it was a uneventful drive until we turned off to camp overnight. We are in the Bottle Bend Conservation Park 15 kms East of Gol Gol and 2 kms south of th. There are about 4 other vans here as well. The people with the jet ski across the other side of the river with the loud music and noisy device left about 20 minutes after we got here, thank heavens.

Mobs of ducks and lots of birdsong, but not many sightings. A very large grey Kangaroo was watching us read our kindles in the shade just before dusk.

We watched an episode of Foyle's War then promptly went to sleep. No need for a blanket until 5:30 am but we had to get up to retrieve it from under the bed.

Today we will head off to another camping spot along the Murray as close to Wagga Wagga as possible.

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Comments

[Judy]

Best Friend
I gather your GPS is no longer your best friend. I confess mine hasn't stuffed up yet but I haven't tried it out in outlying areas yet. That day is yet to come. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

[Lynley Appleton]

Overland Corner
Hi there, glad you enjoyed it there, we are always talking about going but haven't quite got there. We currently have buy one, second one half price shop a dockets on the back of Woolies dockets, so we are planning a Sunday afty there soon, be sure to keep in mind on way back Travel safe

[Bolarks]

Overland Corner
Rats, we won't be able to get back that far by then, next time