Snowy and Victorian Alps

Having decided to explore the Victorian High Country we left home for Gympie making a brief visit to our daughter and grandchildren prior to heading south.

Travelling via Toowoomba we descended the ranges at Hampton and were pleasantly surprised by the excellent road conditions as we wound our way through rain forests eventually arriving Esk mid-morning stopping for morning tea on the veranda of a restored homestead and being joined by lorikeets intent on stealing the sugar satchels; needless to say they were succeeded.

Leaving Esk we stopped briefly in Nambour collecting a cradle and patch lead allowing us to connect our phones to the external antenna’s installed on both the car and van thus supposedly providing a vastly improved coverage – several weeks later we concluded it didn’t.

Following a hectic weekend with the grandchildren we left Monday for Kumbia having earlier decided to camp behind the pub; it turned out to be a wise decision as the nearby “free camp” was packed.   That evening it was a pub meal, Mita having Chicken Parmigiana and I Barramundi followed by a very early night; we definitely don’t have the staying power of years gone by following three hectic days and nights with our grandchildren.

Departing relatively early Tuesday morning knowing full well we had a four hundred kilometre day in front of us the planned route for the day was to travel to Boomi via Goondiwindi however approaching Moonie we had a change of plan deciding instead to continue west towards Westmar then cut down via Talwood, the reasoning being we were thoroughly enjoying the traffic free environment.

Arriving at the Boomi camp ground Leigh politely asked a “gentleman” if he would mind moving his vehicle as it was parked in our intended space – heck you’d have thought the end of the world was about to happen.   Muttering and mumbling he begrudgingly moved; any further conversation or eye contact definitely wasn’t on his agenda including to Mita who thanked him.

The main reason for visiting Boomi was to enjoy the artesian spa however as temperatures were hovering near 37 degrees, the air conditioning won and the thermal spa lost.   The community camping area abutting the local tennis courts, the artesian pools and the local shop was a credit to the local community and would probably surpass many dedicated caravan parks for cleanliness and facilities provided 

 

Forgetting to reset our clocks to Daylight Saving Time after crossing into NSW, the following morning was a late departure with the destination being Coonabarabran via Mungandi, Burren Junction and Pilliga.   The route entailed travelling an extra couple of hundred kilometres however as we weren’t in a hurry the chosen route meant avoiding a myriad of buses, interstate transports, RV’s plus general traffic travelling interstate on the Newell Highway.

The road between Boomi and Mungandi was mostly dirt varying from good to either heavily corrugated or covered in thick bull dust, or a combination of both however that’s to be expected in outback Australia.   Transiting Mungandi we decided to stop at Collarenebri for late morning tea however that didn’t eventuate as a considerable number of businesses were either boarded up as a result of vandalism or had simply been abandoned.   It’s a shame as the remaining local businesses are doing their utmost to attract tourism even to the extent of constructing and maintaining a lovely free camping area beside the Barwon River that included a water point, amenities and a dump point but unfortunately there is an element in the community who have no pride.

Ninety kilometres later we arrived at Burren Junction and its brand new pub adorned with signage advertising coffee, cakes, meals and cold beer.   By now it was in the high 30’s and we still had another one hundred fifth plus kilometres to go including a good eighty on dirt.   Having consumed our coffee in conjunction with a huge slice of Frangelico Cheesecake we opted to utilizing the pubs camping facilities that although basic did include power; air-conditioning won again.

By 6:30 that night the temperatures were still in the high 30’s, any thought of cooking in the van was deemed crazy hence it was a pub meal that evening.

Wednesday morning was an early departure as we had a fairly big day ahead including at least eighty kilometres of dirt road.   First stop for the day was the artesian bore spa in the all but ghost town of Pilliga.   Again this is another community doing its best to attract tourism by providing a camping area with basic facilities attached to the spa, all for the princely sum of $5 per night.

              Next destination was Coonabarabran one hundred plus kilometres further on, the first forty kilometres a combination of bull dust, corrugation or hard compacted red soil however overall it wasn’t too bad.

              Seventy kilometres later we arrived at Baradine where, upon spying a rather swish looking coffee shop decided it was as good a place as any for a coffee break and replenish the larder.

Leaving Baradine we continuing towards Coonabarabran and were privy to great views of the Warrumbungle Ranges with various astronomical observatories perched on the ridgeline.

 

After stopping at Coonabarabran to get a headlight repaired we continued towards Binnaway where we’d decided to overnight however upon entering the town and seeing the campground was all but overflowing decided to continued towards Coolah Tops National Park, our intended destination for the following day.

Turning off just prior to Coolah the first twenty kilometres was bitumen however upon entered the National Park boundary and seeing the steep gravel gradient presenting itself we opted for safety by engaging 4WD low range.   In no time at all we’d gone from 450 metres to nearly 1100 metres.

Reaching the summit first task was to select a camping area.   First was the Cox Creek Falls campgrounds and while very nice didn’t fulfil our primary requirements of being clear of overhanging trees with adequate exposure to the sun for our solar panels and relatively level however the next one, The Barracks camping area met all our requirement.   With only one other camper in an area (who left the following morning) we established ourselves in a lovely secluded area some distance away and with that accomplished it was time to relax with a cheese platter and wine.

 

The Barracks camping area had everything you’d require in a National Park environment, toilets (that were spotless), water albeit non-potable, abundant fire pits, a shelter shed, and lots of wildlife including wallabies, kangaroos, birds, deer and wombats. 

Friday morning was considerably cooler than we’d been experiencing the past few weeks with the thermometer dipping to 10 degrees.   The daytime temperatures over the next few day were very pleasant hovering in the mid 20’s, a welcome relief from the constant heat of the past week or so.   Following a great night’s sleep we went exploring, first stop being the Breeza Lookout thirty kilometres away at the eastern extremity of the park; the views were quite spectacular.

 

From Breeza Lookout we commenced working our way back visiting what is purportedly the largest Snow Gum in Australia.

Continuing through beautiful strands of Snow Gums, next were the Talbragar and Norfolk Waterfall both of which were all but a trickle following a dry summer.

 

Between the two waterfalls we investigated several tracks, unfortunately they were impassable due to fallen trees.   Arriving back at our camping area after four hours of exploring, much to our relief the expected influx of weekend campers hadn’t eventuated with the only arrivals being an advance party for a group of bush walkers, all young people about our age.

Saturday morning it was time for Leigh earn his keep hence it was bacon and eggs on toast.

 

Following breakfast it was a short drive down to the Bundella and Pinnacles lookouts; the views North West towards the Warrumbungle Range in the distance were outstanding.

 

There was also a walking track down the escarpment to some basalt caves however that was definitely off our “to do” list as it was only for the sure footed and fit.   As for the walk to the nearby waterfalls we didn’t bother as the creek feeding the falls was bone dry.

One of the advertised attractions of the Pinnacles lookout was the possibility of viewing Wedgetail Eagles soaring after they launched from their roosts mid-morning.   Making ourselves comfortable on a spur protruding out from the cliff it wasn’t long before two eagles swooped over within metres of us heading for the valley floor below; being totally unaware of their presence we got quite a fright.   It wasn’t long before others appeared gracefully soaring in the air currents and thermals.

Having finished watching the eagles we returned to camp through the beautiful gum forest, donned our hiking gear taking a walk to nearby Cox Creek camping area and waterfall via an abandoned sawmill; unfortunately all what was left of the sawmill was rusted ruins while the Cox Creek waterfall was barely a trickle.

The park is also a major habitat for the “Greater Glider”, Australia’s largest gliding possum that purportedly grow upwards of one metre in length and can glide up to one hundred metres.   Unfortunately we failed to see any.

Eventually departing Coolah Tops late morning, first stop was the town of Coolah thirty kilometres away purchasing a few essentials while noticing the increased temperature after being in the National Park   Following a coffee in a local bakery we continued our on our way to Mudgee arriving mid-afternoon with the temperatures now near 40 degrees.   After four days of near normal temperatures in the National Park we decided to book into the Riverside Caravan Park and remained indoors with air conditioner running for the rest of the day.

Mudgee is a renown wine region hence it was only right and proper that come Tuesday we should avail ourselves to taste some of the local wares.   First was the Burnbrae Winery an establishment we’d visited previously and had stocked.   Next was Bunnamagoo Estate Wines (owned by the Paspaley family) followed by Di Lusso Estate.   Finally it was Baker Williams Distillery and if you like liqueurs then you will enjoy their product; Mita certainly did.

 

We departed Mudgee for Bathurst the next day arriving early afternoon following a brief stop in Sofala.   As usual our first stop was the Tourism Office collecting relevant tourism paraphernalia of interest to us and then booking into the local showgrounds opposite.   While the showgrounds definitely aren’t 5 star they do provide the required basic facilities plus are within walking distance of the CBD.

Thursday dawned with a forecast of much cooler daytime temperatures than we’d been experienced the past few weeks.   With that we walked into town a mere two kilometres away spending the next three hours wandering around the town admiring numerous historic buildings and their gardens, listened to the Bell Ringers at the All Saints Anglican Cathedral (and they were excellent), strolled through The Town Square with its Carillon, beautifully manicured gardens and memorials to fallen service personnel of various conflicts, and finally a milkshake to quench our thirst before returning to the BT.

 

With the coming weekend looming and a major motor race meet scheduled for the iconic Mount Panorama circuit all accommodation in the Bathurst region was booked and with that we hit the road, destination the Cootamunda region.   Approaching Cowra the skies began darkening with the odd rain droplet starting to splatter on the windshield however regardless of the impending storm it was time for coffee.

Having had our caffeine fix we continued south towards Young but didn’t get too far when the heavens opened up making driving conditions hazardous.    Fortunately prior to departing Cowra we’d consulted “WikiCamps” hence were aware of several camping options available to us including the Calare Tavern at the locality of Bendick Murrell twenty one kilometres prior to Young (good luck if you can find it on a map).   While the parking area was basic and uneven the tavern food that evening made up for the inconvenience.

Our destination for Saturday was somewhere in the Snowy Mountains, preferably near Tumbarumba.   First stop was brief one at Young before continuing to Cootamundra where the plan was to refuel, replenish our water supplies, purchase some basics from the supermarket, have a coffee and then continue on our way, all very quick and precise.

Unfortunately that didn’t happen.

After eventually refuelling while being given a detailed and prolonged monologue about on the ethnic and religious issues besotting nearby Young as a result of the influx of a large contingent of boat people we were directed to a nearby park where we could obtain potable water and what a surprise to find a rather significant memorial to the ANZAC’s including this Allepo Pine, grown from a cutting taken in 1965 from the original Lone Pine at Gallipoli.

Departing Cootamundra much later than hoped we knew reaching Tumbarumba was no longer feasible.   Joining the Hume Freeway we travelled south eventually exiting towards the old gold mining town of Adelong at the base of the Snowy Mountains.   By now it was mid to late-afternoon, we were tired, there were RV’s everywhere and it was hot so once again opted for comfort staying in Adelong’s one and only Caravan Park located a short walk from the town centre via two suspension bridges over a creek.

 

 

After exploring the township, admired the local murals, watched people panning for gold in the creek resulting in an impromptu lesson in gold panning plus the dangers of mercury (a legacy of the mining techniques of the 1800’s), we drove out to the ruins of a mining operation that began in the late 1800’s and eventually concluded in the early 1940’s.

Leaving Adelong late morning we commence climbing into the Snowy’s passing through Batlow with its myriad of Apple and Berry orchids eventually arriving in Tumbarumba, a town that has totally embraced the RV’S friendly mantra by providing dedicated overnight parking facilities complete with all amenities plus information on alternative nearby camping areas is available for the asking.

First stop was the information centre, a credit to the community housing working models of sawmills, photographic displays depicting local heritage, a wealth of information relating to things to do or see, plus camping information in the region.   From there it was a stroll down the main street and a milkshake before setting sail for Paddy’s Flat, a mere 15 minutes’ drive, except upon arrival we discovered much to our dismay it was jammed packed with RV’s.

With our options somewhat limited we continued to O’Hare’s camping area located at the headwaters of Talbingo Dam, a favourite domain for Trout fisherman and an area we were confident wouldn’t be crowded as road conditions through the mountains generally act as a deterrent to most RV owners.   Arriving late afternoon we were still surprised at the number of campers however we eventually selecting a spot by the water’s edge some 100 metres from our nearest neighbour.

 

Leaving O’Hare’s the following morning we commenced the long steep haul to Cabramurra, Australia’s highest town at 1490 metres AMSL (or 4890 feet) entailing nearly a 1000 metre climb, mostly in 1^st or 2^nd gear.

Eventually arriving at the Cabramurra Visitors Centre with the intention of having a brief stop only we were “ambushed” by a farmer intent of interrogating us about the BT as he was on the verge of committing to purchasing one.   During the course of our conversation we made comment about the unusual amount of RV’s and campers occupying the various camping areas that normally would be all but vacant this time of year; he had the answer, it was a long weekend in nearby Canberra.

Interrogation completed we made a quick detour to a nearby lookout before continuing to Three Mile Dam arriving just after the bulk of campers had departed resulting us obtaining a beautiful site right on the water’s edge.

 

What a change in weather conditions Tuesday morning; it was cold, wet and windy however that didn’t deter Leigh sheltering on the leeward side of the BT and cooking a breakfast of Bacon, Eggs and Grilled Tomato on the barbeque.

Breakfast done we decided to explore the historic site of Kiandra and its environs.   It’s hard to believe that as a result of a gold strike in 1859, by 1860 Kiandra had a population of nearly 30,000 however by 1861 a mere two years later the gold lode had been played out resulting in the population being reduced to a mere few hundred miners.   Aside from three buildings the only reminder of there once being a thriving community are the remnants of fire places, foundations, a few walls, and a cemetery.   Finished with Kiandra we attempted to explore a couple of the nearby tracks including beside the Eucumbine River however they were either impassable due to water coverage or signage by the National Parks banning entry.

Wednesday’s weather was a vast improvement on the previous day even though the morning temperature was only 4 degrees.   First stop was Cabramurra’s general store to collect newspapers and from there up to the local Telecom tower with its outstanding views across Cabramurra north including Talbingo Dam.

 

 

From the lookout it was down to the nearby Tumut Ponds Reservoir where water levels were quite low, a result of the dry summer.   The drive down to the dam on the Khancoban road should have been through gum forests unfortunately the damage inflicted by fire storms through this region several years ago devastated the forests; it was quite an eerie scene.   Thankfully the gum forests are in the early stages of recovery with new sapling sprouting everywhere.

Next on the agenda was Lobs Hole, a favourite trout fishing locality listed on WikiCamps as suitable for caravans and while we had no intention of camping there curiosity got the better of us and we just had to investigate.   The first several kilometres were signposted as suitable for 2WD however that soon changed into a very windy narrow steep gravel road where in places there was little or no chance of oncoming vehicles being able to safely pass.   After negotiating the 700 metre descent during which at times we were quite uneasy we eventually arrived.   In summary, unless you are a trout fishing tragic - well I’ll leave it up to your imagination.

 To be blunt whoever listed it as suitable for caravans was deluded; there is no way anyone should contemplate taking a van of any size down this track.

As we’d arranged to meet up with a friend at Bombala it was an early departure from Three Mile Dam as we needed to travel via Cooma for a major “shop up”, refuel, script replenishment, plus visit the local Telstra shop to resolve internet issues we were encountering.   We eventually arrived Bombala late afternoon and after making ourselves comfortable in the local Caravan Park met with our friend for dinner at the local RSL.

Three days later we left Bombala for Orbost travelling via the Bonang highway, a road we hadn’t travelled previously and one we’d received varied reports ranging from “terrible, not suitable for caravans, shocking road conditions” to “beautiful, worth the effort”.   We recalled speaking to a local police officer several years prior on a previous sojourn to the area who was also an ardent camper and was quite adament we’d have no problems.

Taking into consideration the commentary and advice the police officer had provided we set off late morning travelling via Delegate and Bonang.   Yes the road was windy and in places narrow however other than twelve kilometres of corrugated gravel road through the Errinunda National Park there were no real surprises, the road was quite safe and navigable.  Three hours and one hundred twenty plus kilometres later following a very scenic drive beside rushing streams and through lush rainforests we arrived at Orbost.

Our intent at Orbost was to camp beside the iconic Murray River unfortunately that plan didn’t come to fruition as major storms days earlier had resulted in significant damage to both property and vegetation with clean-up crews still hard at work; as for the camping areas they were still sodden.   Oh well, Caravan Park again.

Leaving Orbost next was Omeo, one of several gateways to the Victorian High Country.   As we were going to be “bush” for eight days or more we opted to overnight in the local caravan park enabling us to fill all the BT’s water tanks, make sure the diesel heater and generator were full, plus attended to any last minute chores.   As for the Caravan Park while very pretty at $38 per night it was possibly one of the more expensive small town rural caravan park we’ve encountered and probably accounts for why it wasn’t heavily patronised.

Apart from the disappointment of the Caravan Park price Omeo is quite a pretty town.   Being the eastern gateway to the Mount Hotham ski fields plus the Victorian High Country, Omeo relies heavily on tourism however while small it does provide most essential services including some very swish B&B accommodation.

 

With the onset of the Easter holiday break three days away we departed Omeo for the Jokers Flat camping area located in a gorge on the banks of the swiftly flowing Big River some forty kilometres and one hour away.   While the road was very windy and in parts narrow, I’m told the scenery while following the Mitta Mitta River was noteworthy.    Our intention was to initially assess the Jokers Flat camping area, unhitch and then survey several other options including the Raspberry Hill camping area located 1600 metres above sea level near Falls Creek; we opted to remain at the Jokers Flat camping area selecting a site within metres of the Mitta Mitta river (how appropriate).

 

 

 

On Wednesday we backtrack into Omeo to view scenery we were unable to appreciate while towing the BT, visited the Oriental Gold Diggings (named after the Company, not the ethnicity) plus several other local points of interest including Omeo’s local swimming hole constructed in 1925.

 

 

Breakfast Thursday morning was omelette compliments of “His Lordship”.   Eventually leaving our camp at 11:00 we headed off for Falls Creek thirty kilometres away via the High Plains Road at times broaching 1700 plus metres above sea level.   While the scenery was stark it was never the less beautiful and made the drive worth the effort.   Talking about effort, passing the 1500 metre mark as we ascended towards the summit we overtook a group of pushbike riders; now that’s dedication.

Eventually arriving at Falls Creek which incidentally is located on a plateau approximately 1600 metres above sea level, we located a coffee shop, had a warm coffee while Leigh checked our emails and I caught up with missed called.   Armed with information provided by the local Barista we headed to nearby Mount McKay elevation 1850 metres where he assured us we would have outstanding views but warned us it was definitely 4WD; he was correct on both counts.

 

Good Friday arrived and I though it only appropriate that once again I kick the “Ole Boy” out of bed to organize breakfast.    Being the first day of the Easter long weekend we were pleasantly surprised at the lack of people at Jokers Flat however by late morning the arrival of additional campers commenced with one group of three couples setting up camp in front of us.   It was more than evident our new neighbours were city folk, especially the women who obviously weren’t accustomed to life in the outdoors as the first thing the girls (well 40+) did before alighting from their respective vehicles was to ensure their make-up was in order, much to Mita’s amusement.

By day’s end there were only eight groups camped at Jokers Flat which was surprising as we assumed it would be crowded.   We came to the conclusion the isolation, lack of amenities other than pit toilets, no telephone or television reception may well have been a deterrent, not that we were complaining as we relaxed and watched the trout fishermen try their luck

 

Saturday we decided on a sightseeing drive to Mitta Mitta seventy kilometres away, the ulterior motive being as this was the road we’d be utilizing when departing Tuesday we’d have little opportunity to enjoy the sights while towing the BT if previous road conditions were any indication; two hours later we arrived at Mitta Mitta with the decision to take an exploratory drive being vindicated.   For most part the road was narrow as it wound its way up through the rain forests eventually peaking at 1300 metres before dropping back down to the plains on the other side, however once we reached the plains driving became somewhat more civilized as we followed numerous rapidly flowing streams and rivers.

As for the various camping areas on the northern escarpment, they were all crowded with RV’s, tents and camper trailers thus justifying our decision to remain in the high country over Easter.

Mitta Mitta was packed.   As pretty as it is, there isn’t much at Mitta Mitta other than a well-appointed pub, a general store, a country fire station and some residences, still it’s obviously a very popular destination on weekends.   After coffee in the pub and purchasing the local papers at the general store it was back to our camping area.

No sooner had we arrived back than our new neighbours offered freshly cooked corn on the cob.   We later learned they were Serbian’s who’d migrated some seventeen years earlier prior to the war that erupted in the Balkans shortly after they left.   In reciprocation, the following day we cooked a Damper in the camp-oven on their campfire; surprisingly camp-oven cooking was something they had never experienced and was quite a hit.

Not to be outdone that evening they presented us with a serving of Chorba, a dish very popular in the Balkan region; from what we could ascertain the ingredients were corn beef, various vegetables and spices, ample lashings of tabasco sauce and topped with sour cream – it was quite delicious however the next morning there were some ramifications.

Other than taking a drive to nearby Anglers Rest on Sunday, a favourite haunt for trout fishermen and the locality of a 110 year old pub that was surprisingly busy considering, for all intents and purposes it’s in the middle of nowhere.   Chatting to the barman he informed us they were doing one hundred plus lunches per day over the Easter break.

We eventually left Jokers Flat mid-morning Tuesday being confident there’d be little if any holiday traffic, in fact we only passed three other vehicles the entire seventy kilometres to Mitta Mitta.   From Mitta Mitta we tracked down to Tallangatta stopping for coffee before continuing to Milawa where Mita discovered on WikiCamps that overnight camping was available at the Brown Brothers Winery.   Fortunately the Cellar Door was a short stroll from the camping area enabling us to possibly sample more than we should have.

Departing Milawa early Wednesday it was into Melbourne where we stayed for a week.