1
Sydney

Day 1: Caringbah to Mudgee

Ganes and Rowies picked up RVs at Tarren Point.

We all met at Moorebank (Rowies) and got under way around midday.

Stopped for lunch and coffee at Wentworth Falls.

Took some time at Lithgow to take some photos at Sherrol’s old house, Nan and Pops, and her primary school - Coowell Public.

Lovely drive to Mudgee via Kandos and Rylstone.

Beautiful caravan park.

BBQ tea.

On our way from Moorebank

20 Ordinance Ave our house

1 Ordinance Ave - Nanna and Pops

Ordinance Ave

Cooerwell Public

The Infants school

On our way

2
Mudgee

Day 2: Mudgee

Early morning walk along the river and then through town.

Organised a maxi cab to drop us at the 1st winery - we walked to the other 2 and then a cab home.

Visited 3 wineries

  • Thistle Hill
  • Blacklea - degustation lunch - absolutely delicious
  • Burnbrae

Sausage sizzle for tea.

Burnbrae winery

Walking from Thistle Hill to Blacklea

Thistle Hill winery

Blacklea winery for lunch

3
Mudgee

Day 3: Mudgee

Started by watching the final round of the US Masters!

The US Masters - Patrick Reed won

Rowies locked themselves out of their van:

A lovely organic winery - Vinifero

Winery - Robert Stein

Robert Stein winery

Surprisingly meet up with a couple from Seelends who knew Mike, Rosie and Tash.

Motor bike museum at Robert Stein

Robert Stein winery

Robert Stein winery

We went to the Lawson Park pub for tea.

4
Dubbo

Day 4: Mudgee to Dubbo

Phil and I went for a lovely walk along the river before we have to pack up and drive to Dubbo.

Mudgee Caravan Park

Mudgee Caravan Park

Packed up and visited First Ridge as we had heard it was an amazing view and place - which it was.

First Ridge

First Ridge

First Ridge

First Ridge

First Ridge

MT at Wellington

Wellington

Caravan park at Dubbo and jaffles for tea.

Very dry on the way from Mudgee to Dubbo.

Coffee, fudge, and Muscat 😉

5
Dubbo

Day 5: Dubbo - Zoo Day 😀 (forecast 35 degrees)

Beautiful morning. We made our way to the zoo - so following are pics of the day.

Had bbq lamb for dinner - pics also following.

6
Parkes

Day 6: Dubbo to Parkes

Packed and left Dubbo around 9:30. We went to Dubbo Botanic Gardens - which Gayle was keen to see the Sensory Garden. Photos follow. Phil and I were keen to purchase new chairs which we did from BCF. MT at the bakery before heading to Peak Hill. Took a pic in front of the school and sent to Shannon.

20 km north of Parkes is the Dish which we stopped at - fascinating. Bought stop desent coffee mugs and 3 beer coasters.

Lovely caravan park - Brad and Cheryl - Spicer Caravan Park.

Sausage sizzle at the Camp kitchen.

Dubbo Botanic Gardens

Dubbo Botanic Gardens

Dubbo Botanic Gardens

Sensory Gardens

Peak Hill HS (for Shann)

Peak Hill main St

The Dish

Parkes Camp ground

The Spot top day

7
Parkes

Day 7: Parkes

A restful day:

Cooked brekky

Wander down the street for coffee

Boys play golf

Girls relax

The Gracelands Hotel - in honour of Elvis

Our RV in the background to the right

And then an amazing dust storm - no rain - but huge winds and dust - and a beautiful sunset.

8
Hay

Day 8: Parkes to Hay via Condo and Lake Cargellico

Drove 430 km from Parkes to Hay via Condobilin and Lake Cargellico. MT at Condo and lunch at Lake. A lovely picnic area on the Lake where we reheated sausages. Phil and I chatted with a friendly lady in the Info Centre about boys/families who we knew from St Greg’s days.

We went through an incredible dust storm - like the thickest fi

Dinner at the South Hay pub (huge meals). And then an early night after a big drive day.

Condo

Condo

Lake Cargellico

Lake

Lake

Lake

Lake

Lake

Lake

Lake

9
Echuca

Day 9: Hay to Echuca

Only a 200km trip today. Stopped at Deni for MT - a really lovely bakery. After getting setup on our van site we went for a walk into town. A really interesting place. Booked our lunch cruise for Tuesday and then had a “beer in the pub”. Jaffles for tea.

Our pub drinkt

Cattle just wandering the road

The Murray

Our pub drink

The Emmylou

One of the House boats

Jaffle night

Day 10: Euchuca

Boys played golf at Rich River Golf Course.

Chris got their windscreen repaired.

Then the girls went shopping.

BBQ tea.

Happy hour

A very tame kookaburra

Tame kookaburras

The Murray River

Guinea fowls in the Main Street

The golf course

Day 11: Echuca

Went for a lovely long walk along the river this morning - very cool - but clear and crisp.

Free morning and then going on a lunch cruise on the EmmyLou.

Jaffles for tea. Very cool through the night.

Emmylou lunch

Emmylou lunch

Emmylou lunch

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

From the EmmyLou - on The Murray

Departing the EmmyLou

Day 12: Echuca to Tocumwal

A very cool morning - but Phil and I rugged up a did a 6km loop walk along the Murray.

We left the park and MT in Echuca before we left. A leisurely drive to Tocumwal - only about 120 km.

A lovely quiet little town.

Echuca caravan park

Echuca caravan park

Echuca caravan park

MT at Echuca

MT at Echuca

MT at Echuca

The Murray at Tocumwal

The Murray at Tocumwal

The Murray at Tocumwal

The “Big Cod”

Day 13: Tocumwal

Boys: Golf

Girls: Murray walk Coffee at the Bushland Cafe

All: Relax

Pub meal

Day 14: Tocumwal to Corowa

Short drive

MT at Bush Cafe Tocumwal

Stopped at Olive Cafe just outside of Yarrongah

Lunch on the lake at Mylawah

Walked into town at Corowa

Day 15: Corowa

Boys playing golf.

Girls walking to town - about a 5km round trip.

Relaxing arvo by the river - followed by BBQ tea.

Day 16: Corowa to Cootamundra

Left “our free camping” (not really) on the Murray and drove to Culcairn via a look at Howlong golf course.

MT at Culcairn bakery.

Bypassed the outskirts of Wagga via Junee to Cootamundra.

Very helpful park attendant who was most helpful in situating our 3 vans together.

Went for a walk through the beautiful park adjacent - and did the Caprains Walk. Phil and I walked to the house (which is now a museum) where Bradman was born.

A jaffles night.

Early morning at Corowa

Early morning at Corowa

Early morning at Corowa

Early morning at Corowa

Early morning at Corowa

Early morning at Corowa

Culcairn

Culcairn

Culcairn

Culcairn

Culcairn

Cootamundra Van park

Old Bank of NSW in the Main Street of Cootamundra

The Captain’s Walk

The Captain’s Walk (Kim Hughes)

The Captain’s Walk (Bradman)

The Captain’s Walk

The Captain’s Walk

The Captain’s Walk

The Captain’s Walk

The Captain’s Walk

The Captain’s Walk

The Captain’s Walk

The Captain’s Walk

Bradman’s birth place - a museum now

Bradman’s birth place - a museum now

Bradman’s birth place - a museum now

Bradman’s birth place - a museum now

Our camp site at Coota

Our camp site at Coota

Day 17: Cootamundra

Lovely clear morning. Boys played golf. I walked to the golf course and met the boys on the 8th. I walked/golf buggied with Phil until the 13th and then walked to town and met the girls.

Chris and Graeme drove to Harden for lunch. Us and the Rowies had a pub lunch.

We walked the town after a coffee - museum at the train station, Albert Park (the cricket oval), and streets of Coota. A really lovely, friend,y place.

Tea at the RSL.

Cootamundra golf course

Cootamundra golf course

Cootamundra golf course

Cootamundra golf course

Cootamundra golf course

Cootamundra golf course

Cootamundra golf course

Cootamundra golf course

Cootamundra golf course

Cootamundra golf course

Cootamundra golf course

Our park

Hiese ?

Cootamundra golf course

Museum - the old train station barracks

Museum - the old train station barracks

Museum - the old train station barracks

Albert Park

Albert Park

10
Cowra

Day 18: Cootamundra to Cowra

Beautiful sunrise - a lovely clear morning.

Visited Sacred Heart Catholic Church and school. The school had a Mercy and La Salian charism. So refreshing to see the church open and no fence around the school.

Stopped at the cemetery outside Cootamundra to see if we could see any evidence of the Hiese name - no success. However Gayle did discover her father’s relatives - the Elliots.

Had MT at an upstairs bakery at Young and had a walk around - went to the Visitor Centre - which was the old train station.

Really lovely caravan park in Cowra - 2 very helpful owners - Rob and Nick. The park located right on the Lachlan River.

Phil and I walked to the visitor centre and house I lived in for the 2 years 1961 and 1962.

Early morning at Cootamundra

Early morning at Cootamundra

Sacred Heart Catholic Church - Cootamundra

Sacred Heart Catholic Church - Cootamundra

Sacred Heart Catholic Church - Cootamundra

The building next to the church

The school on the church property

The plaque at Bradman’s birth place

Cootamundra cemetery

The Elliott vault

Inside Millard’s building at Young

Young

The bakery at Young

Millard’s

Young visitor centre

The back of the house at Cowra

Cowra house

Cowra house

Cowra house

Cowra house

Cowra house

The shop next door - it used to be a butchers now it is a boutique

The trotting track across the road

The street outside

Garden at the visitor centre

Lachlan river with the van park in the background

Van park

Our van setup

Day 19: Cowra - ANZAC Day

Day 20: Cowra to Orange

Day 21: Orange

Beautiful crisp autumn day.

Boys played golf.

Girls relaxed - went shopping - had coffee - and met the boys for lunch at the golf club.

Back to the vans to pack them up before we made homemade pizzas and divid up left over sauces and wine.

Too truel

Morning tea

18th

18th

18th

Too true

Lunch at the golf club

Our ‘special’ champagne from Burnbrae

Our ‘special’ champagne from Burnbrae

Day 22: Orange to Caringbah South

Up and packed early - left by 7:30.

MT at Blackheath - very different weather to 3 months earlier.

Leaving Orange

Leaving Orange

Approaching Lithgow

Little Hartley

Ettos caught us

Blackheath for MT

Following our RV back to Apollo

Our RV

Our RV

Our RV

Goodbye to our RV

Goodbye to our RV