Week 08

Day 50

Wangaratta - Temora <Map>

Today: 385kms, Total 5720kms

One of the few days when we've had to pack up in the wet.  Fortunately we'd done a fair bit of it the previous evening as the weather was looking a bit ominous.  We had a short diversion into Wodonga to resupply at a shopping centre so new that Charlotte had no idea where we were (found it on the internet, but to Charlotte it was part of a military training area).  We'd planned to proceed up the Hume Hwy again as this enabled us to stay in the left lane at 90 and not block traffic who'd rather be doing 110.

As we approached our planned off ramp north of Gundagai, we were met with huge signs advising that the highway was closed to all northbound traffic due to an accident involving 3 semi-trailers, 2 utes and fuel spills.  The detour involved the road we thought would be nice and quiet!

Anyway, we finally arrived in Temora and set up camp at the airport.

I've never camped so close to the flightline before.

In one of life's serendipitous moments, some friends were also passing through Temora for the flying day so we met up for a rather quirky Chinese meal at the local pub.  I'd post a photo of it, but the shots I took on my phone were so bad that I'd fear for my life if I did.  :-))

Day 51

Temora

Today: 0kms, Total 5720kms

How fortunate am I that the navigatrix allowed not only three aircraft museums but a flying day at one of them as well.  Once again, I will restrict myself to just three photos (there were three WWII aircraft flying at the flying day).

CA-16 Wirraway in a low pass with a Piper Cub (yellow) and Lockheed Hudson's turret in the foreground.  If you think it looks like a Harvard / Texan, you'd be right.  They have a common ancestor.

Lockheed Hudson 'The TOJO Hunters' - political correctness wasn't high on the WWII agenda.

Supermarine Spitfire XVI.  There are only two airworthy Spitfires in Australia.  Both are owned and based at Temora.

While this was going on, I noticed I was being stalked by a pink-camera-toting person...

Who was this lady?  :-))

It was a really great performance, and a credit to the Temora Aviation Museum that they put on a flying day twice a month.  The only slight disappointment was that we were expecting the Sabre to be flying.  The only 2 pilots in the country rated to fly the Sabre are serving RAAF officers and their employer had a greater need than displaying a 50 year old jet to a bunch of aero-nuts.

Day 52

Temora - Forbes <Map>

Today: 170kms, Total 5890kms

Another packing-up-in-the-rain day today.  We felt for the couple in the camper next to us who cooked breakfast under an umbrella, then folded up their wet canvas. 

After setting up at Forbes, we spent the rest of the afternoon looking around a family-owned motor museum that we'd been told about by the friends we'd met at Temora.

There are about 60 cars and motorcycles in the collection, most of which are owned by the McFeeter family. 

They range from the old - a 1910 Swift from the UK (note it's the CAR that's old, NOT the occupants)...

... to the bizarre - a Lincoln Continental hearse from Japan.  If you think the outside is ornate, take a look inside.

The interior of the back of the hearse looking up (left) and straight forward (right).  It was built to carry deceased government ministers and VIPs.

Day 53

Forbes - Warrumbungle National Park <Map>

Today: 305kms, Total 6195kms

Another wet travelling day that finally ended up as just heavily overcast.  Not a great start to a couple of days in a National Park! 

Before we got there, there was an important stop just out of Parkes.

The 64m Parkes Radio Telescope. 

It's famous for a number of reasons; perhaps the most well known being that it was through this dish that the first televised pictures of the Apollo 11 moon landing were received.  It also starred in the movie, 'The Dish'.  It has operated nearly continuously since it was commissioned in 1963.

As this trip seems to be turning into a chocoholic's delight, we decided to continue the theme.

From the bottom: Chocolate Brownie, Hot Chocolate, 64m radio telescope.  Only one of these is non-fattening.  Care to guess?

We also procured some of The Dish Cafe's famous pies for our evening meal (Thanks for the tip, Toni & Brian).

Continuing on through Dubbo to the National Park, we booked in at the Visitors' Centre and found that this National Park now has a limited number of powered sites, hot showers and flushing toilets!  WOW!  Pa John would be astonished after all his camping trips here in the past.

As usual, the local kangaroos were very friendly and came around to see us set up camp.

Day 54

Warrumbungle National Park

Today: 45kms, Total 6240kms

A much better day than yesterday, with blue skies and just a few clouds.

We'd decided to do two walks today, interspersed with a visit to Siding Spring for our second astronomy lesson in as many days.

I don't know what this plant was called,  but it was both pretty, and pretty spiky!

The Warrumbungle Range was formed about 15 million years ago by an upwelling of magma forming a low volcano.  The main cone was probably about 1000m (~3500ft) high and had a diameter of about 50kms (~30miles).  In the millions of years since, wind and rain have eroded away everything except the most resistant spires and domes of rock.

The striking Warrumbungle skyline from Siding Spring Observatory.

Current knowledge indicates that the Kamilaroi people have occupied this area for about 17,000 years.  The abundance of wildlife, permanent water and edible plants contributed to their staying in the area.

Back to the astronomy link mentioned above.  Mt Stromlo near Canberra had been Australia's main astronomical site until, in the 1950s, light pollution was proving to be a problem.  A search was undertaken to find a replacement site and Mt Woorut at an altitude of 1100m (~3500') in the Warrumbungles was chosen in 1962 because of its lack of light pollution and its cloud-free nights.  The main attraction at Siding Spring is the 3.9m Anglo-Australia Telescope (AAT) commissioned in 1974 and initially funded by both the Australian and UK governments.  Since 2010 it has been a purely Australian financed facility.

At the bottom left of the photo of the AAT building, you can see ...

... Astrono-bird searching the universe with its own telescope!

Much to my amazement, visitors can get to see the AAT during the day when it's not hard at work.

The 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope.

The viewing gallery is filled with remarkable photos of the cosmos, most taken by renowned Australian astronomer David Malin.  All have very informative plaques with the same footer.

Presentation 10; Proofreading 0.

There are currently nine active optical and infrared telescopes operating at Siding Spring.  They belong to organisations as far afield as Korea, Sweden and Poland.

After lunch, we made a more adventurous walk up a creek into Burbie Canyon.  A lovely walk, crossing the creek numerous times as we went upstream.  About halfway up, we met one of the problems that confront National Parks across Australia - feral animals.

This male had a set of horns that measured about 1 metre across.  He was accompanied by a female and two juveniles and they didn't worry about us one bit.  They just climbed straight up a rock wall and disappeared.

This grasstree was trying to find the rest of the Lord of the Rings cast (or a decent barber?). 

Day 55

Warrumbungle National Park

Today: 0kms, Total 6240kms

Just a quiet day today with a walk up to the Ranger station to advise them we'd decided to stay another day. 

The only thing (other than numerous kangaroos) that popped into the viewfinder were...

...this female King Parrot.  The more colourful male was around but keeping a lower profile.

Day 56

Warrumbungle - Dorrigo <Map>

Today: 465kms, Total 6705kms

The time had come to start a push for home as the forecast indicated that it was going to get wet, not just here in the Warrumbungles, but all the way home.  Consequently, we hit the road early with a big day ahead.

We stopped for lunch by the river at Bendemeer, outside Tamworth.

Ebor Falls, Guy Fawkes River, New England Tableland.

This was about the only other non-refuelling stop (human or mechanical) we made today.  It's on the Waterfall Way that runs from Armidale in the New England Tablelands to Urunga/Raleigh on the coast and passes many beautiful waterfalls, but Ebor is one of the most accessible.

Tonight's stop was at Dorrigo on the edge of the Great Dividing Range.  We hoped that the rain wouldn't arrive overnight as descending the range with the van in the wet down a steep and narrow road was not something to take too lightly.

Day 57

Dorrigo - HOME!  <Map>

Today: 470kms, Total 7175kms (Actual total by my odometer = 7809kms. Must check and see where the missing 634kms are!)

It was cold early (5°C?), but while it was foggy, it wasn't raining!  The trip down the range was interesting as the road drops 800m in 9kms (say 2500' in a bit over 5 miles) and at this time of the morning it was busy with Mums driving 4WDs full of school kids.  While the Waterfall Way was living up to its name with beautiful cascades coming down the sides of the mountains, there was nowhere to pull over for photography, and the only rest area on the descent was full of workers repairing a huge landslide.  So sorry, no photos.  :-(

A quick stop to pick up my repaired phone from Day 2 of the trip, and we were off again into rain all the way to the Qld border.  Not long after we got home (but after we'd got the essentials out of the van), it started raining again, and is still raining 24hours later!

So... a great trip with lots of things to see, good friends to visit, etc and only one 'exciting' moment.

Hope you enjoyed this blog, and stay tuned for the next trip to... ???

:-) 

Chris & Sue