Last year during our visit to South Australia and the Northern Territory we were fortunate enough to meet a lovely couple from Melbourne. We initially met them in Coober Pedy, then again at Kings Canyon and finally in the camp ground at the Ulura Resort.
We discovered that they were travelling to North Queensland just after our 2008 departure date and would be heading back to their home a couple of weeks after our intended return date. After several telephone consultations, we agreed that we would meet on their return journey and we would travel south with them and share a couple of days together.
People travelling either north from Victoria to Queensland or in the reverse direction normally bypass Sydney unless they wish to travel up the NSW Coast. The Newell Highway starts just north of Albury on the NSW, Victorian border and lakes you well into Queensland via an inland route.
We decided to meet our friends at Cowra which is located in central NSW , stay there overnight and then travel south to Wodonga in Victoria before parting company and heading home. Our friends would need to detour slightly but the detour would only add another 20 or so kilometres to their return trip home.
Day 1
“Blue Snoopy” travelled to Cowra via the Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Bathurst. We had a “delightful” midweek trip with little traffic around to spoil the trip. We spent just over 4 hours on the road before arriving at our destination.
The overnight stop was at the Cowra Holiday Park which we rate as one of the better caravan parks we have stayed in. Whilst in Cowra we visited the Japanese Gardens which are simply magnificent. “He” found out what happens when a camera lens fails – no photography. After the Japanese Gardens we visited the site of a POW camp from the Second World War where an escape by the inmates in August 1944 resulted in the death of 4 Australian soldiers and 231 Japanese. There is a “black mark” in Australian History over this event. We also noted plaques with the names of those killed against trees that align the access road to the POW site.
Day 2
We travelled via Cowra, Cootamundra and then Wagga Wagga (where we refuelled “Blue Snoppy” – doing mid 13 litres per 100k’s) before arriving at our overnight stay at Wodonga (Vic) at the Boathaven Holiday Park (Big 4 ). This caravan park is located on the banks of Hume Weir but unfortunately, due to low water levels, Hume Weir is now about 500 metres away from the caravan park. This park is splendid in appearance but must be feeling the effects of the water shortages. Hopefully some on the snow melt from the 2008 winter in the Snowy Mountains will find its way here.
Day 3
After bidding farewell to our friends, we headed north back into NSW and travelled up the Hume Highway to Yass where we left to Hume and headed towards Canberra. There are massive road works taking place with the Hume Highway to turn its entire length into dual carriageway.
We stopped for lunch at Gold Creek before heading towards out overnight stay at the Canberra Motor Village. After having a quick look at our intended camp site (this was going to be a challenge to get the van level) we headed towards Mt Stromlo on the outskirts of Canberra. This area was a part of Canberra that was destroyed in the January 2003 fires and it was very pleasing to note that the regeneration is now well underway. The Mt Stromlo pine forest has been replanted and is growing! We also visited Cotter Dam and once again, there is substantial evidence of regrowth with the scars of the fires slowing being covered.
After our evening meal we returned to the caravan park and decided to ask for another site as the original site provided to us sloped in several directions and we simply did not have enough levelling blocks to even attempt to level the motorhome. We were provided with another site and were able to partially level the motorhome. “She” paid a visit to the amenities block only to return disgusted about the filth that was there. A trip to the second amenities block was required. This establishment is in desperate need of maintenance and it is unlikely we will stay there again unless we know that major work has been undertaken.
Day 4
We awoke to a cold morning and decide that we would be better off heading home earlier than planned. The combination of the lack of quality of the caravan park, the issues with the camera lens preventing “Him” taking photographs together with the desire to see our Grandson made the decision very easy.
Except for a large amount of fog near Lake George, the trip home was uneventful.