Mmmmm, I thought winter had finished?

Strangely enough this update starts back at the beginning of September, yep, strange indeed seeing its the September update:)

It all started with leaving Townsville on the 30/8, yeh I know, that's August, only 2 days. I had a very long drive the first day, all of 1.5-hour drive south to Home Hill where I stayed the one night in a nice area provided by the local Council behind the shops and alongside the railway line. A lovely meal yet again at the middle pub that night.  Occasional train noise but no problem really. I had a small plan of what I was doing and where I was going but sitting at Home Hill, thought, blow it, I will head across inland from Rockhampton and go south that way but as I approached Rocky a couple of days later, decided at the turn off to just keep going down the Bruce Highway and Pacific highway. Nothing like a change in plan at a turn off.

Some very wet weather was predicted inland so thought best to keep away from that as I am not a big fan of bad weather, like most people. It worked too, ended up with floods etc inland and I had no rain most of the way down and the temps were kind also. Until...read on.  I was eventually going to friends in Young NSW and stay there for a while, so a one night stand at Waverley Creek Rest Area was called for, about 160km north of Rockhampton and alongside the Bruce Hwy. A wood fired pizza trailer had set up for the night so decided why not. The weather was just perfect really. Next one night at Gin Gin Rest Area, just on the North side of town and also alongside the Bruce Hwy and great weather again. A little coffee van had set up just out the front but not being a coffee drinker didn't bother. One night at Byron Bay in a camp/caravan park that I normally stay at but in a different area away from the usual trouble area, that worked well too, some rain over night but didn't bother me at all, then one night about 30km north of Newcastle at a place called 12-mile creek, the weather was a little cooler overnight but no rain. I finally arrived at another Rest Area alongside the Hume Hwy, near Yass NSW after travelling on the Pentland Hills road, Sydney, to the first coolest day really, no problem as shorts and T-shirt were still fine on my arrival.

Just a little back track to travelling the Pacific Hwy, there are less rest areas than the Bruce Hwy and what areas are there you can't stop the night due to big signs say 'NO CAMPING Penalties Apply'. Technically, I wasn't camping, just wanted to stop the night and rest but decided not to push my luck and find elsewhere for the night's needed while travelling the Pacific Hwy.

Back on track, it was decided after speaking with my friends in Young I would continue to their place that day instead of spending the night in a rest area, it was only another 1.5-hour drive from Yass. As I arrived at my friends place and ventured up their very muddy driveway due to heaps of rain, I reversed the van into the spot needed with a little successful manoeuvring. As I got out of the Collie to unhook the van, BANG! I see that you have read on as suggested earlier, the cold hit me like a ton of bricks. After spending winter in Townsville with mid to high 20s, 13c was cold and I mean cold with a cold breeze to add to the COLD. All good with no complaints. My tracky dacks saw the light of day for the first time in around 12 months and the moths took off as I took them out.

Now before I go any further I must say there are heaps of roadworks along both the Bruce and Pacific but in particular between Home Hill and Sarina. Plenty of slow spots, down to 40kmh in some places. Not only that but as well even I was detoured just south of Grafton due to a truck double fatality. The Bruce was blocked and I had to head for the hills so to speak. I ended up cutting across a narrow windy and hilly back road that eventually linked up with the back road from Grafton to Coffs Harbour. I think it added about 2 hours to my day travel. No problem as the Collie and Van handled everything well. The day also was hard driving due to 74kmh head/RH side winds, so called it a day at 12 Mile Creek, mentioned before.

Keep up with me here cos I am moving right along and talking about my stay at Young now :)

It was good to catch up with friends, Garry and Roxanne, little Ruby and her new sister Annie after many moons and spend some time with them. We all went to have a look at Jugiong show grounds and park, Riverside drive, as camping is allowed there alongside the Murrumbidgee river, boy was that high and running fast after all the heavy rains in the area, still ok to camp though. I thought it would be nice to stay there during the school hols after I leave Young. It didn't happen though due to continued wet weather and yet another change of mind at a turn off.

A couple of days later we spent most of the day at Cowra, now I hadn't been there before and knew a little about the Cowra POW Camp #12 and Breakout way back on 5^th August 1944 at 1.50am. A total of 231 were killed and 107 wounded. Yes, this was in Australia. Unfortunately, there is not much left now as most of the buildings etc were burnt during the breakout or sold off a couple of years after the war finished, only some old concrete flooring etc left. It has heaps of informative signs and photos around and you can walk around the compound area itself. I decided to walk down a path and have a closer look, as this strange emotional feeling came over me. I think it was knowing someone was actually killed there. POWs or not, they were people like you and me only they were caught doing what their country and leaders told them, some even lived in the area prior to war and they were felt a threat. It was a very strange feeling indeed. It felt like someone was standing next to me but nope, no one there.

At my request we then went to have a look at the Japanese War Cemetery where the POWs were buried. Again, that strange feeling came over me. A beautiful place though for those that lost their lives.

We called into the Cowra Info centre where they have this display and a 9-minute Hologram story telling you about the breakout from a local lady, Clare. She interacts with actual artefacts from the camp. This is just a Hologram but looks so real, what an amazing display, well worth a visit.

We had a late lunch at the Japanese Gardens but a walk through them has been kept for another day. Looking through the café window they look well worth a visit too.

Cowra was a great place and much bigger than I expected with some great history to spend many hours reading through and seeing where horrible things took place. To borrow a saying from someone we all know, "I'll be back".

Rain rain go away! Yep, water everywhere you travel around that area. The area has had so much rain the ground is water logged and flooding is everywhere you look. Little creeks became raging rivers, flowing fast and piling up rubbish along fence lines. Not just a couple of millimetres either, up to one metre in some places. It gives a good idea how high the water came through in some places. Roads were damaged with craters not pot holes and in a couple of places even a little water still across the roads, some roads had even been closed.

The time had come to leave my friends and head further south so hooked up the van to the Collie and headed off. Thankyou for a great visit, Garry and Roxanne. I joined the Hume highway around the Gundagai area, after travelling on some very rough and water damaged roads and continued South. I reached the NSW/VIC Boarder at Albury/Wodonga and noticed the Murray River was very high but didn't think much of it really. As I moved further south, yet again there was water everywhere with flooded fields and close to the highway itself. Mmmmm, what to do?

I made an executive decision to go check out Greens lake, North Central VIC as it wasn't all that far away, so hung a right at Benalla. While travelling West along the Midland Highway I again noticed flooded fields and water alongside the road, struth! This is not looking good but I continued on. I arrived at Greens lake late in the afternoon and was able to get a good spot so stayed there for the night. After getting up in the morning and hearing a machine of some sort I noticed a tractor with slasher, slashing very wet grass. He came near myself and another happy camper I met last year and we agreed if the slasher was willing to do where we were set up, we will move while he slashes there. He did and we moved.

Mark and Sue decided to stay where they were as they were leaving the next morning anyway so I moved to the spot they were on and decided to stay, so I set up with awning out etc. Not sure how long I will stay as there is water everywhere and not just in the lake, very muddy roads as well. The spot I am on should be OK though so all good. Keeping an eye on the weather and forecasts is a must though.

Now I consider myself very lucky indeed as the overall weather while spending a my time travelling south from Townsville was very good. The weather Gods were kind to ME most of the way down really, I only had that one day of strong wind I talked about and a couple of rainy days while in Young. As for farmers, well they haven't and still are not getting it as good. The weather gods are being very unkind to them for sure, flooding everywhere. I only hope things improve for them and quickly. We have all seen what is happening around Forbes NSW and SA, record floods there. If I had have hung that right at Rockhampton QLD, I could have been in amongst it all myself.

STOP THE PRESS!!

Shut the front gate!

The weather gods let us have it big time at Greens lake since last Tuesday, all that SA weather came across on the backs of the gods and I tell you that for free. Gale force winds and heavy rain, water and mud everywhere you look and not just in the lake. The few that are here seemed to have got through it all OK. I usually leave my awning out as I have it well anchored down, I have been told many times in the past it looks like rope city but I was keeping an eye on the weather maps and didn't like what I was seeing so rolled the awning up early, left all the ropes still pegged in the ground with a solar light each end for safety then put all things outside away for safety as well. It was all worrying enough without worrying about my awning. I'm soooooo glad I did roll it up too. Now I hear someone down the back saying, why didnt I just pack up and leave? Why? If you take precautions it is OK but if needed I would have been able to be outa there within 15-30mins.

I must be getting old! :))

Well, that brings me to the end of September 2016. Where will I be when next we speak? Who knows? Until then keep safe everyone and enjoy whatever it is you are doing.

Home Hill rest area

Canola fields near Young NSW

The Hologram display at Cowra NSW

Cowra POW Camp

Where I stood when 'That' feeling came across me.

The pic tells the story

RIP

Edit....Problem with cut and paste from a word document. I think I have fixed it all?

Great report Doug. 

Aussie Paul. 

Thanks Doug, 

Always love your "updates" so interesting and with photos too. (You put a great deal of time into them). You inspire us GNs to travel . 

Will catch up with you one day probably at Greens. Thanks again. 

Cheers Owen. 

Gday...

Thanks Doug for the yarn ... and for reminding me how the weather is down in VIC. 

Thankfully I am still way up north ... FNQ and thinking of moving a bit further north to Mossman tomorrow.

Weather here is ....... just FNQ really

I will probably catch up wif ya at the lake in the new year praps.

cheers - John

G'day Doug. Long time no see Chief. Thanks for another interesting blog.

I agree with you about the free camp at Home Hill. Great little spot!

As for Cowra...I was there in April and I completely understood where you were coming from when you mentioned "THAT" feeling.  
I experienced it too. It was completely unexpected and really quite strange.

Hope the weather Gods are kinder to you this month. Maybe you need to do an Indian un-rain dance. 

Wherever you head to, safe and happy travels. 

Cheers.

Thanks, Good read Chief! All the Qld weather you left behind by not going inland - well, we got it! But not as bad as SA & VIC. Travel safe, looking forward to next blog.