We were out on the water at sparrow's fart. There was a gaggle of boats not far off the ramp, presumably 'The Spot", so we joined them. Coolmunda was a millpond. There was not a breath of wind and despite being a clear, warm Sunday it was too early for the ski-boaters. They are generally younger than the fisherman, no doubt party Saturday nights and would probably not surface till nine or so. Not like us oldies - raring to go by 6 am. It was delightful just sitting in the tinnie with the sun warming us and the only sound that of the water lapping on the hull. James loves it in the boat when it is calm and there's no crashing and banging, such as happens when I drag the anchor chain over the bow. He hates that. We fished until 8 with only a couple of nibbles. We must not have been in exactly the right location - fish were being caught in boats just 30 feet away.
After breaky and blogging we did our usual 32 km round trip into Inglewood for coffee. Rob at the cafe/antique store makes an excellent cappuccino - surprising in such a small country town. The quaint little old timber building is full of memorabilia and artifacts. It's a good spot to browse. Each morning since arriving at Coolmunda a few days before, we had sat out in the pretty tea garden with James, sipped our coffees and read the paper. What a lovely life!
By the time we got back to the van all bar one of the other half dozen or so camps had packed up. We raced around and scrounged any left-over firewood, then settled back for some reading while watching the speed boats race around the dam pulling skiers or bouncing dare-devils on big rubber inflatables. Between them and the Pelicans we were thoroughly entertained sitting out under the awning.
Late afternoon we headed out to try our luck again. Most of the pleasure craft had pulled the pin for the weekend, so it was once again quiet, though the wind had come up and created a fair chop on the water. Brian used the depth sounder to find a couple of deep holes, the first of which we unintentionally relinquished when we pulled the anchor up to untangle my line. We drifted a few meters and had our 10 meter deep hole immediately jumped on by another angler. Bugger! We moved away to a spot that appeared to be popular over the few days we'd been watching, discovered another hole and actually managed to catch a 37 cm Silver Perch, which Brian filleted out on the water.
When we got back to shore there were several Pelicans near where we moored the boat. BJ cut up the fish carcass and threw the pieces out to them. It was amazing to watch them swallow - you could see the outline of the fish head or tail as it moved from their big saggy bills down their throats.
Monday we needed to do some travel research. We knew we would go south into NSW, but couldn't decide which route. Brian was in the midst of some good sales so phone coverage was a must. Our preference was to head west to follow the Darling River from its source near Hebel on the border, but that was getting pretty remote with phone largely unavailable except in the larger towns like Brewarrina and Bourke. Also we wanted to either dam/lake hop or follow a river system, and be able to get Channel 7 on the coming weekend to watch the V8's race on the Gold Coast. On top of that of course, the location had to be dog-friendly. In the end we took Camps 7 and our Hema Maps with us to coffee and got serious.
The outcome was a decision to depart Coolmunda Tuesday, bypass Goondiwindi and head south to Texas and on to Pindari Dam, a short run of around 100 km. If it ticked the boxes then we would stay a few days, otherwise we would continue on to Bingara where there was river camping, supposedly with phone coverage. Friday we would then move on to Lake Keepit near Gunnedah. We reckoned we'd get TV there. That's as far as we planned, which is not bad for us. It's more often a day to day thing.
When Rob, the owner of 'Inglewood Coffee Shop and Tea Gardens' brought our cappuccinos outside to us, he stayed and chatted for a while. He wasn't really your average 'country' bloke, much slicker than that - more sophisticated. As it turned out he and his wife left their home on the Gold Coast three years prior and bought the business to fulfill a long-time dream of his wife's - to live in a small country town and run a quaint little cafe. Prior to that he had a trucking business and drove fuel tankers around Australia. We talked about Coolmunda and aired our thoughts that $10 per person per night was a bit rich to camp on a paddock with the only facility being a toilet - no shower, no water, no power - absolutely nothing. Sure, you could drive a couple of kilometers up the road and have free use of those facilities at the caravan park, but councils everywhere, if they're serious about bringing in the Nomads, provide free or super cheap camping. He said he would pass our thoughts on to the Council.
It was after midday by the time we got home. Before starting the boat re-loading, trailer dismantling and packing preparations we went for a walk out along the dam wall. It was bloody long - a couple of k's we estimated (from our camp, for sure) and in the dry 35 degree heat we were all hot and bothered by the time we got back to the boat ramp. James and I enjoyed a cooling dip, then I grabbed an icy-cold VB and guzzled it. I'm definitely not a beer drinker, and couldn't drink a whole can, but there's nothing like a few glugs to quench a raging thirst. Beautiful!
Our last evening at Coolmunda was delightful. There wasn't a breath of wind all day so the water was like glass and the sky went through all shades of blue, mauve and pink as the sun set. We fed the Pelicans the fillets of Perch from the previous day's catch as there was not enough for a meal - and it was more fun to interact with them than eat it. We used the last of wood (except some pieces of my birthday wood), had a beautiful big fire and sat out until quite late. Nice spot!
During our five days at Coolmunda a million tiny bugs decided, for some unknown reason, to adhere themselves to the dewy sides of the van and Beast in the wee hours and die. The van and windows were covered by them. We knew the longer they stayed there the harder they would be to remove, and they looked awful. Once we'd packed and hooked up ready to depart Tuesday morning, we towed the van to a dam water tap (not for drinking) and attached the hose. It took a long time and a lot of rubbing to remove the little blighters.
We were on the road by 9.30, driving the back route into Inglewood so as to collect some firewood from the roadside, then have our coffees at the Tea Gardens and pick up a few supplies from the IGA. From there we headed south 53 km to Texas on a rather narrow strip of bitumen that we moved off several times to let oncoming cattle trucks pass. We did a loop through Texas, a nice country town (pop 900) set in rolling hills and farmland with a river running through it and free camping on the banks. Once over the river we moved from Queensland into NSW and lost an hour in time with Daylight Saving.
The countryside as we continued south reminded us of Central Victoria - very Bonnie Doon like. We passed through Bonshaw on the Bruxner Highway which we left at Lagoon Flat to take a minor road toward Inverell. Ashford, only 22 km down the road was where we needed to turn off to go out to Pindari Dam. Seven kilometers out toward the dam was a free camp by the Severn River known as Wells Crossing. There were ten or so camps set up along the river and it looked good so we stopped to check it out. It certainly ticked the boxes; a quiet, pretty spot with plenty of space, a flowing river and full phone coverage. We set up on the riverbank with lovely views over the stream, farmland and grazing cows.
After some lunch, a read, work for BJ and a wander down by the river with James we took a drive 16 km out to Pindari Dam. It would be a really pretty spot when the water level was high, but it was way down. The camping wasn't as nice as Wells Crossing and there was no phone signal, so we were happy we'd made the decision to prop by the river.
It was happy hour by the time we got back home. That was excellent as it was a pretty warm day - well into the thirties though still, and not a hint of humidity, so very comfortable. I would love to have lit a fire but we had a lot of dry bush around us and with the news of terrible fires burning around the state we decided against it. Instead I played with my Samsung Galaxy Note 111 which is affording me endless entertainment. What a great birthday present I gave to me!
We were tempted to stay at Wells Crossing, but given there were a lot of other free camps ahead that sounded good, we decided to move on. That proved to be a good decision because where we ended up for the day would certainly rate among our top few camps.
The early morning chill abated quickly Wednesday and a warm, gusty wind blew up. We drove into Ashford, disposed of our black waste at the council dump point and headed south to Inverell, 60 odd kilometers away. The countryside was dry, but not excessively so with un-irrigated crops along the way growing lush and green. There were virtually no other vehicles on the undulating road, so we took it at Grey Nomad pace and had a relaxing drive, arriving at Inverell in time for morning coffee.
Inverell (district pop 18,000) is a thriving commercial centre in the New England North West Region of NSW. It is nestled in a picturesque valley beside the Macintyre River on the Gwydir Highway, the east-west link, between the busy New England and Newell Highways. We parked in a side street near the CBD and strolled through the shopping precinct. For a mid-week morning it was a busy place with a large array of main street retail outlets, a large shopping complex, some beautiful old buildings and lots of nice little cafes. We chose one with outdoor seating (for James) and looked out over the attractively landscaped town centre.
From Inverell we headed west on the Gwydir for a few minutes before taking the southbound minor road to Copeton Dam. It was a picturesque drive, climbing through the New England Ranges to the large dam which holds three times the volume of Sydney Harbour. The road transited across the dam wall providing great views, before winding quite steeply down to the valley floor and following the Gwydir River in a westerly direction toward Bingara.
Camps 7 pinpointed a series of bush camps along the river starting about 10 km out of town. We passed a couple of tight-turn access tracks with camps set on the river bank before coming across one that we could turn into easily. We drove down onto a grassy area with a few shade trees behind it and set up fronting the river, with just enough space to lay the ground mats down. It was a stunning spot looking across the fast-flowing Gwydir to a steep, timbered slope with rocky outcrops. There were 7 or 8 other vans set up, with another 4 or 5 coming in after us, all fronting on to the river with plenty of space between. We had full mobile reception and our neighbours assured us they could get pretty well all TV channels. James instantly gave it his tick of approval and immersed himself in the stream to cool off. Excellent.....we might prop a few days!
Around mid-afternoon the skies darkened and we heard the heavens rumbling. The BOM radar showed a bit of activity heading our way so we lowered one corner of the awning, closed up the vents and windows and waited to get hit, which we did in a fairly short, sharp burst of wind, rain, thunder and lightening. When it had all died down and we were still intact we drove into Bingara for a quick look, but mostly to ascertain if the road in was suitable for us to ride the bikes. It was a pretty hilly ten kilometers, and a tad narrow in the event of traffic, but I was keen. Brian was not so sure. We'd have to see....
At the hint of first light the bird calls started. There were dozens of different sounds that seemed amplified over the water in the dead still of dawn. Laying in bed with all the van windows open they were so clear and distinctly different - from tiny chirps to melodic songs and loud squawks. The sound was beautiful. Given it was Thursday morning we thought we'd better pull the TV out and check out our reception in preparation for the weekend motor racing. We had none. Bugger! Everyone one else camped on the river had antennas up, so we figured they were getting it. We played around for ages with no success, then did some research and decided we needed to add a boosting component known as a Winegard Wingman to our antenna. We could get one from a variety of locations around Australia for around $59, but not delivered in time for the weekend viewing. Bugger again! Our dilemma - to move or not to move. It was such a perfect spot.
We drove into town to top up with water, get cappys, buy NSW fishing licences and do some exploring. Bingara is quite lovely. In the middle of town sits the Roxy Theatre. Built in 1936 it is a restored retro building that still does movies and live performances. It has a cafe and the coffee was excellent. The wide main street is lined with original shop fronts all sitting under long, high verandas lined with pressed tin. It's all well maintained with landscaped plantings in the centre median strip and footpath edges that really enhance the whole feel of the town.
With a population of 1300 Bingara is just big enough to have all the key amenities - hospital, schools, golf course (with lovely greens), bowling club, two pubs, etc. No Woolworths, Harvey Norman or Bunnings. The streets are all wide (presumably so the horse carts could turn around in the olden days) and the river runs through the end of town creating a lovely natural boundary on one side, while a large hill marks the end of town on another. Its a nice place and clearly popular with travellers. Even in the off season there was a lot of activity happening in the main street. I could imagine that with all the free-camp river frontage available it would be really busy in holiday season.
When we got back to the van we found an old fart had decided to tuck his large van right in between us and the next camp up. What the heck??? He hadn't set up but came up to us and asked if he had left enough room for us to hitch our car and get out, as he was staying a few days. I suggested there was ample open river side space just a little further along - but no - he was staying put. Bugger!
I unloaded the wood from the back of the Beast and set up the fire pit on the down-wind side of the van, which just so happened to be the side he was on. I put it really close to the water and as close as possible to our van and lit it at about 5pm. The grumpy old bugger was sooo put out about the smoke, which was swirling as much as it was wafting in his direction. He didn't address us directly but grumbled loudly to his wife for ages, threatening to tip a bucket of water on it. Given they both had a cigarette hanging constantly out of their mouths you'd think smoke wouldn't be an issue! We were expecting a confrontation but it didn't happen.
We fired up the generator at 8.30 Friday morning. Brian needed to get onto his computer to do some work. Once done we drove into Bingara to empty the loo, get water and have coffee, all of which we did before going up to the lookout on the hill behind town. The views from the top were panoramic. We could see the entire town and surrounding countryside to the south, and the ranges out toward Copeland Dam to the north. We could also follow the Gwydir River as it wound its way along the valley.
Not far out of town we spied a motorhome parked on the riverbank with no other camps around it and in a direct line with the TV towers on top of the hill where we were standing. We decided we should check it out. It took a while to find it as there were quite a few tracks that departed the road at various locations and meandered through the bush beside the river. Eventually we located it and made an instant decision to move. That would not only get us away from the silly old whinger beside us, but would also (hopefully) mean we would get TV reception. It was closer to town as well, which meant that we could ride, or even walk in. We thought it was prettier too with plenty of open, grassy space and only the RV there.
Our van and the motorhome after relocation
It was 11.30 when we arrived back at the van. By 12.30 we had relocated and were set up in our new spot which was just beautiful. The river at this point was wider and and we had views in every direction. I threw a line in and we chilled out with our kindles for a couple of hours. Late afternoon I pulled the bikes off the van, we dusted them down, put the batteries in, left James in the van and rode into town (which took all of seven minutes) and had a drink at the pub.
When we got back I lit a lovely big fire and the motorhome couple, Keith and Janet, brought their chairs over and joined us in front of it until well after dark. They were great company and we had a really nice night.
Saturday was another beautiful day - clear, top of 30 degrees and a bit of a breeze. We walked into town and ordered a couple of huge, delicious breakfasts at the Roxy. It's the first time we'd eaten out in a long time - that was a treat, and it felt good to leave the Beast behind and get around on foot. The main street had a small market happening so we wandered along perusing the stalls. James was most intrigued with a box of tiny chicks that were for sale.
When we got back I did the housework while Brian wired up the 80 watt portable solar panels we had bought at Helensvale. The van has a 90 watt panel on the roof, but it isn't enough if we are in shade or draw extra power. The the battery reading instantly went from 12.7 to 14.1 volts. In the past our TV had drawn too much power for us to run it on 12 volt for any length of time, but when we plugged it in with the extra solar input it barely made a difference to the reading. Excellent - we could watch the Gold Coast 600 without running the generator.
While in front of the TV I did a bit more research on the Winegard Wingman booster for the antenna and we decided that if it actually allows for a wider band of reception as per the claims, it would be a handy addition to our set up. They were advertised on EBay for as low as $40, but wouldn't allow me to used a Post Office as a delivery address. I found a mob in Queanbeyan advertising them for $50, and ordered it to be Express Post delivered to the Bingara Post Office for $18. We were quite happy to stay put for a week if needs be and wait for it to arrive.
Just as we settled in to watch the V8's we saw a couple of fire trucks go along the fire track high on the hill on the other side of the river. We looked east and saw smoke not far away. I checked my 'Fires Near Me' App and there was a fire burning out of control 2 km away at Bald Knob, as well as a couple of larger ones 20 and 30 km away. Soon after we had aircraft overhead. We kept a close eye on the smoke while we watched the racing, glad that the wind was blowing it away from us, particularly given it was pretty gusty.
By the time the sun started to set there was only a hint of smoke and the wind had died right down. We walked along the river in the direction of the fire but couldn't see anything, so felt reasonably confident that we would not come under threat overnight.
This morning the smoke started pluming up fiercely again. Bugger!
