We started our trip just outside Mudgee at a wonderful retreat owned by media celeb Scott McGreggor. The accommodation (and lounge/kitchen) is in refurbished train carriages. There is so much rail paraphernalia that train buffs like our Charlie find themselves in proverbial heaven. That's right, we didn't even stay in the van for our first two nights away. The first bunch of photos (click here) on our photo site give a feel for the place. Roaring fires kept us warm and a visit to historic Gulgong (the "Ten Dollar Town", the home of Henry Lawson and featured on the old $10 note) kept us entertained.
It was then off to Dubbo where we naturally visited the Taronga Western Plains Zoo. We hired some bikes and cycled around the 5km course to see what was mostly African wildlife. The kids were more interested in the bikes and play equipment on offer. At the caravan park we had a van site with an ensuite (which is basically an outhouse on your site), but ours was on another site across a street and it was painfully cold running to the loo in the middle of the night. A bucket and an empty Powerade bottle came in handy after that first night. After two nights we headed to Gunnedah via Coonabarabran. Minus 5 in the morning meant we had to wait for a couple of hours before the ice in the hose to the water supply thawed. I've never seen so much frost. Gunnedah was just a stop over on the way to Tamworth, and before leaving we went to an ancient wildlife park that looked as if its hey-day was in 1950. But it was the best park with native animals and the bloke there let us go into the koala enclosure. Better than the Dubbo zoo, we reckon.
Saw the giant golden guitar and Oxley lookout at the country music capital of Oz. Tomorrow we make tracks for Bonnie Hills just south of Port Macquarie for three nights. We might then backtrack most of the way to Tamworth so we can go to Armidale, but with temps there of -10 degrees we are not sure what to do.
The kids are already driving us crazy, the blessed little souls. I think we've all got a little more adjusting to do ... just please pass me the wine, and make it quick and don't expect the bottle back. Next blog post is expected to come from Tabitha in the next week/few days.
Stu
PS: bunch of pics here.
