THE MURRAY RIVER
The Murray River is the third longest navigable river in the world, after the Amazon the Nile Rivers. Total length is 2,520 klms from its source in the Upper Murray and the Kosciuszko National Park to the river mouth in Goolwa South Australia. The Murray is continuously navigable for 1,986 klms from Goolwa to Yarrawonga, and spans three States - Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.
The river has 4 major dams, 16 storage weirs and 15 navigable locks. It is the major domestic water supply for over 1.5 million households. Let's get moving!
GOOLWA
1st - 18th October 2018
Goolway - where the mighty Murray finishes it's lengthy journey, and enters the ocean. This was our third visit to Goolwa. We came down here twice whilst at Aldinga Beach on the Fleurieu Peninsular. Goolwa is a lovely town at the mouth of the Murray where our journey begins.
This map shows the Murray River flowing from Lake Alexandrina to the ocean. Also Hindmarsh Island.
"In 1935 a permanent barrage (called the Goolwa Barrage) was constructed between Hindmarsh Island and Sir Richard Peninsula on the south eastern outskirts of Goolwa. The barrage separates the fresh water of the River Murray from the salt water coming up from the River Murray mouth. The barrage was constructed to prevent the salt water traversing further up the River Murray and polluting much needed fresh water."
It is also a haven for wildlife, especially seals and pelicans. The local fishermen get very frustrated with them catching their fish!
So Dez got settled into the Hindmarsh Island Caravan Park for a couple of weeks while I jetted home for the birth of our newest grandson Eli David Young.
Fantastic park and great spot.
The flight from Adelaide to the Sunshine Coast had a 5 hour lay-over in Sydney. A spectacular sunny, Spring day so dumped my bag in a locker and headed to the Quay!
Love the Harbour on a sunny Sunday. Being a tourist.
I grew up in Sydney, and still have a love for the Harbour and the old ferries.
And you've got to love the street entertainment.
Topped off with a leisurely glass of South Australian wine at the Oyster Bar just soaking up the sun and the ambience.
Little Eli David Young arrived on 5th October. He had a rough start to life, but is thriving now, and an absolute delight. Thank you Joel and Laura for another precious grandchild to love.
Now.....let me get my hands on this little man. I was a bit worried he wouldn't be out of the NICU crib before I had to leave. Whew!
And, of course, I got to spend wonderful time with the rest of the family. Mummy cuddles!
Juz cuddles.
Bec hugs.
A few days in Brisbane with this wonderful lot for my birthday. Best present ever! Chelsea is turning into a beautiful young girl.
Jaxson and Harland looking sharp for my birthday dinner. My heart is so full being with everyone.
And as always plenty of laughs and fun with Valerie.
Nine months since we were last home - this was a big dose of feel good medicine. On the flip side, so hard to leave them all again. Especially little Eli. The upside - not too long till we are home for Christmas.
So....back to Goolwa and time to get this journey underway.
Beach driving is permitted at the Murray River mouth. Can't get any closer to the starting line of this trip!
The Oscar W. The first of many paddle steamers we will see along the Murray. The history is very interesting and a lengthy tale. If you are interested go to this link for the full history.
http://www.murrayriver.com.au/about-the-murray/murray-paddlesteamers/
In short, The Mary Ann was the first paddle steamer on the Murray River back in 1853. There started the beginnings of transporting wheat, wool and all manner of necessities of life up and down not only the Murray, but the Darling and Murrumbidgee Rivers also.
Our last lunch with great new friends Bev and Will, who we met at Coffin Bay. Bev and Will live in Goolwa and have been fabulous tour guides around the area.
Time to head off to our next river stop - Mannum.
Mannum (South Australia)
18th - 20th October 2018
Our first camp on the banks of the Murray. Literally. Camped under magnificent gums, the water at our doorstep. Sun shining. Paddle Steamers going by. Absolutely loving this.
Even lush green grass.
The first of many, many floats in this murky, mighty river.
Not a bad house pozzie if you can get it.
The magnificent Murray Princess. The P.S. Marion also operates from Mannum and we were keen for a cruise. Unfortunately the bloke in the Information Centre wasn't so bright and he didn't let us know it was about to leave, so we missed that opportunity. Oh well...next town.
There are many, many barge river crossings - and they're FREE! Heading over to Mannum town for a wander.
The Mannum Hysterical, I mean Historical Museum. Very interesting and Dez got to pretend he was a river captain.
Crazy statue.
The thriving town of Mannum.
Swan Reach (South Australia)
20th - 21st October 2018
An easy 50 klm drive to Swan Reach for an overnight stay, once again on the banks of the river. There isn't much to Swan Reach. A pub, café and caravan park. Plus a small cluster of homes.
Great free camp on the banks. So while Dez gets set with high hopes of a Murray Cod, I went for an exploratory walk.
Love the enthusiasm.
And this became a very common sight. No Cod, but plenty of Carp! This monster had thousands of eggs inside. Carp are not permitted to be thrown back into the river as they are a pest. No good for eating either, although some people do. Eeeeewww! No thanks.
A walk up along the cliffs gave a great vista of the river.
Ruins from years gone by when the river trade flourished.
Sandstone cliffs.
The old wharf.
Waikerie (South Australia)
21st - 24th October 2018
Waikerie is a citrus growing area. Avocados are also grown here in abundance. While we were soaking up the river views a bloke came along in his ute with Woollies bags of oranges and avos - $2 each!!! So delicious.
A sight and sound we came to hear over and over. Corellas squawking. Nothing quite says Auzzie bush like these guys.
And no shortage of ducks either.
Another camp - another try for the elusive Murray Cod. Nope!
The houseboats are amazing. Luxury accommodation on the water.
Of course there is always the 'happy hour or two'. With Jenny and Peter, who have become wonderful friends. Their arrival was very funny. Jenny very nicely asked if it was O.K. to park up next to us. Dez: No bugga off (sarcastically). Me: Of course. Jenny to Peter: Well the wife is lovely, but he's an asshole. The beginnings of a beautiful friendship!
Many a stunning sunset.
The Nippy's Juice Factory is in Waikerie, not surprisingly with all the citrus being grown.
RENMARK (South Australia)
24th - 28th October 2018
A busy few days exploring this section of the Murray. Lots to see and do. But first a bit of history, thanks to Mr Wikipedia.
"Captain Charles Sturt was the first European to pass through the area in January 1830, as he navigated the length of the Murray River from the Great Dividing Range, eventually reaching Lake Alexandrina.
A settlement began to grow in 1887, when the Renmark Irrigation Settlement was established by George and William Chaffey, who created a system of open drains using water from the Murray River, to allow orchards to be planted in the area. By pumping water onto the hot red sand they transformed it into a fruit growing area similar to California."
The irrigation has supported citrus and grapes in this area for many, many years. It is a sight to behold. Grape vines as far as the eye can see. Incredible.
The drive from Waikerie was lovely. Ogling all the vines and fruit and vegetable crops. Stopped at a roadside stall and stocked up on stone fruit. Delicious.
A leisurely 80 odd klm drive, but always time for morning tea along the way.
A cuppa and cake and watching some quirky private houseboats drift by.
Beaut weekender.
We passed through Berri. Oh my goodness. Berri Estate Wines and Fruit Juice is ENORMOUS!!!
More vats or storage tanks or whatever you want to call them than you can imagine.
Plush's Bend, only five minutes drive out of Renmark - home for the next few days. Fabulous! And our new friends Jenny and Peter are here too! Fun times. Life on the road is so social, and so much fun.
Any closer and our toes would get wet.
The Murray is so changeable. Sandy beaches. Dry and dusty. Red cliffs. Sandstone cliffs. And the sunsets always put a beautiful hue on the vista.
Magnificent gums line this river.
And again....the Murray Cod challenge.
Dez showing Jenny and Peter some tackle tips.
Yeah baby...what...a bloody 'nother carp!
Carp....carp...and more carp. No Murray Cod.
And even one for Jenny!
The river precinct in Renmark is lovely. The river is flanked by beautiful gardens and a boardwalk. Paddle steamer, old barge and more.
The annual rose festival was on during our stay. Pretty, fragrant roses everywhere.
Perfection.
Fantastic sculpture.
Long, sunny day walk along the river.
The Industry Paddle Steamer. Commissioned in 1911 and built in Goolwa. Only operates on the first Sunday of the month so we missed a ride on this one also. Oh well, maybe next town.
This old barge is just over 100 years old, and was used between Renmark and Goolwa.
Ship's wheel inside the Industry.
Wandering further on and the sights you see! Can you believe old mate actually lives on board this - shall we say unique? river boat. It's pretty hard to describe Frank Turton's (or the Chookman as he is locally known) home on the water. There is a clothes line with bras floating around in the breeze, a windmill, trees with broken green glass leaves, live rings and material draped over a frame to form a roof. Just to mention a few of his favourite things!
He also fancied himself as a bit of a musician and was flogging off some of his country CD's. Hhmmm. Pass. We did go on board for an "inspection" though. Unbelievable.
Frank and his very unique home.
Not only, but also.....chooks. Four in all. Named chook one, chook two, chook three and chook four!?!?!?!
What a strange, interesting character.
As I have mentioned, this region has grape vines as far as the eye can see. The larger volume of grapes are used in the old cask wine, or shipped to other better know wineries in S.A., NSW and Victoria.
There are, however, still some local wineries in the area. So we thought it would be remiss not to try some. Here we are with Jenny and Peter at Angove Wines. Angove Wineries is a fifth generation South Australian winery. All very approachable, of course. And a few take aways were purchased!
Just up the road from our camp Jenny and I found Rushton's Rose Farm. The garden is a rose lovers paradise with more than 50,000 rose bushes of nearly 4,000 varieties, making the collection one of the largest, most diverse in the world. So off for a wander. I took so many photos. Just can't resist flower photos. These are just a few.
There is also a restaurant café on the premises which Dez and I went to. It was crap ha ha. Probably the worst service and food we have had in years!
A day trip of the area took us to Wilkadene Woolshed Brewery. What a little gem. The Brewery is in the old woolshed, so full of rustic charm. Long communal timber table on the deck overlooking a bend in the Murray. They are known for their range of hard lemonades. So refreshing on a hot sunny day.
The Woolshed Brewery.
Right up our alley. A share table for chatting and enjoying the river view.
Dezzi enjoying a Ruby Red Lemonade....and some crisps!
Of course there had to be a dog to play with. It is a Station after all.
The original homestead remains on the property. So much history.
The current homestead is far more inviting.
A stop at the Headings Cliffs Lookout tower to get a bird's eye view of the magnificent red cliffs.
This huge root system of a 600 year old red rivergum measures over 8 metres across. It may be one of the larges tree root systems in Australia, but it doesn't really have a claim to being the real black stump. In 1984 old mate Frank 'Chookman' found it on the banks of the Murray 56 klm upriver. After getting a chainsaw big enough from Queensland he cut the root system from the trunk and floated it down river and had it craned to it's current location.
The funniest part of this whole black stump story is that our friends Jenny and Peter drove through the town and missed it :)
The final point of interest for the day - Lock 5 and the weir. Not opening today. There are 11 locks on the Murray. Locks 1-9 are controlled by S.A. and locks 10 and 11 are controlled by NSW.
The weir.
Lock 5.
Our camp at Plush's Bend was very social and lots of fun. Renmark is a lovely city.
Another border crossing. No quarantine here thank goodness.
Hello Victoria.
The grape vines never end.
How cool is this!
MILDURA (Victoria)
29th October - 3rd November 2018
Part One
Our exploration of the Mildura area was split into two visits. These few days before heading north to the Sunshine Coast for Christmas, returning in February after doing a 'mini loop'. (See the previous two Blogs).
Mildura is a bustling city with big shops, cafes, restaurants and everything. Oh and Bunnings for Dezzi. It is also very popular for houseboat holidays.
Like all the major ports along the Murray, Mildura was a hive of activity back in the paddle steamer days.
One of the necessities of life on the road. Locating dump points for the emptying the toilet, and fresh water taps for filling the water tanks. Mildura had an excellent facility. So our 'service' stop sorted, time to find another river frontage free camp.
Merbein Common just out of Mildura. Don't think we could get any closer to the bank.
The sunsets were stunning. So serene.
Full moon reflecting on the river.
Once again, the rod came out in search of the elusive Murray Cod.
Yep...more *"&&£%£% carp.
Flamin' carp!
Day two and off for a walk to explore Merbein.
A bit of history.
Flower lined paths.
Love a bee on flower photo.
This rustic bit of equipment is called a jonker. These were used all over the countryside in the early days to cart large pieces of timber.
Another luxury houseboat cruising on by.
Time to head into downtown Mildura.
Oh look. Tourist photo opportunity. Bit off on the shot Dezzi.
Victoria on the right. NSW on the left. The border is actually on the high tide line on the Victorian side. So NSW owns the Murray!
Love a seagull photo.
Even a funky Food Truck. Table service included.
Lunch is served! Not quite Good Food Fellas.
River traffic declined with the opening of the railway in 1903. In 1914, the Commonwealth, Victoria, NSW and S.A. governments signed an Agreement to manage the river's waters by building locks, weirs and storage areas. Construction began in 1923 and was completed in 1927. The while weir can be removed in sections by a large winch in case of flooding.
Lock 11 is a concrete chamber with four steel lock gates. The lock is filled by opening four butterfly valves upstream. Water enters the lock chamber via two tunnels, accommodating approximately 4.5 mega litres.
Although the Mildura Weir and lock were completed too late to benefit the early paddle steamers and other river boats, the system today serves an increasing number of houseboats, paddleboats, tourist cruise boats and other pleasure craft.
The Paddle Steamer Melbourne passes through the lock up to 1,000 times a year.
The locks have specific opening times every morning and afternoon and we were there to see the PS Melbourne go through. Locks are fascinating to watch. All that water being controlled.In the centre chamber.
Heading out through the lock.
And off up the river.
It was a unanimous decision to take a day trip 120 klm north to Mungo National Park and do a guided tour. So off we went with Jenny and Peter.
Before heading over to the Lodge for lunch and embark on our tour, we followed the historic Zanci Pastoral Loop to see the ruins of the Zanci Homestead. For many years this region was a grazing property and Mungo Woolshed, built in 1869, is a well preserved reminder of those harsh times.
Up the old garden path. Love a good poke around old ruins.
The 'Dugout' which was used as a cool storage room.
The old stables.
Dez and Peter poking around some old machinery.
This land is so harsh. It never ceases to amaze us that pioneers thought fit to live here.
Jenny and Peter. Love this shot.
Oooow! We even found some old bones!
The old shearing shed. This was a massive sheep station in its time.
Situated in the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area, are the archaeological discoveries of Mungo Lady and the ochred skeleton of Mungo Man. Mungo Woman was discovered in 1969 and is one of the world's oldest known cremations. Mungo man, whose remains were discovered in 1974, is believed to have lived between 40,000 and 68,000 years ago during the Pleistocene epoch and his are the oldest human remains found in Australia.
We then headed off with our Aboriginal Guide to explore the desert.
Along the eastern side of the, now, dried lakes, towering dunes are formed from quartz and clay. The most famous of these formations is the Walls of China, which tower up to 30 metres.
The ground is so dry.
Desert grass.
Remains of native animals in this harsh environment.
Part of the Walls of China. Ruggedly beautiful. The raised structures are 'lunettes' . A lunette is known as a moon-shaped architectural detail.
We managed to huddle together for the tourist shot. This was an incredible experience. Our Aboriginal guide was very shy, but managed to impart a lot of interesting history.
Finally - a Paddle Steamer that was operating on our time frame. And even better, it was a lunch cruise to Trentham Winery! River Cruise. Bubbles. Commentary. Winery Tour. Tastings. Lunch. Fantastic!
Finally - a Paddle Steamer that was operating on our time frame. And even better, it was a lunch cruise to Trentham Winery! River Cruise. Bubbles. Commentary. Winery Tour. Tastings. Lunch. Fantastic!
Here she comes. The Paddle Steamer Rothbury.
Dressed up all respectable and ready for a lovely day on the Murray.
The Lower Murray Flag, used predominantly in South Australia, is distinguished by the use of pale blue bands representing the lighter coloured water of the lower reaches of the Murray.
The Upper Murray Flag has darker blue bands on its flag, representing the darker waters of the river’s upper reaches.The NSW side of the Murray. Some incredible homes.
Dez having a great chat with the skipper.
A common site all along the Murray.
Cheers...bubbles!
Trentham Wines.
First up a tour of the winery.
Quite the set up.
A few tastings to get through. Trentham also produce one of the best balsamic vinegars I have ever had.
A jolly fine time.
A lovely Rose with our lunch, which was delicious.
And Dezzi got to steer the boat and even got a certificate ha ha! A wonderful, fun, relaxing last day in Mildura before heading north for Christmas.
MILDURA (Victoria)
24th - 27th February 2018
Part Two
Back on the banks of the Murray to complete our journey to the source. This time at Bruce's Bend on the eastern side of Mildura.
Pretty good pozzie.
Morning view from bed while I have my coffee. Dezziz first job of the day!
While we were having a chat with our neighbours this bloke came along to release an echidna. Well, that kept us entertained most of the morning while we watched this little cutie dig herself into a hole.
She had been found in someone's home nearby.
Digging her way to safety.
Very neat.
Later in the day we went for a drive around the area and found this monster at Red Cliffs.
Bloody HUGE!
Psyche Bend Pump Station
Psyche Bend Pump Station was built in 1891 by the Chaffey brothers to meet the needs of the irrigation settlement. Five years earlier, George Chaffey had selected Mildura as the site for an irrigation development because of its large tracts of Crown land, climate, soil types and proximity to two major rivers, the Murray and Darling.
The need to raise water from the Murray to land approximately 28 metres above river level challenged George Chaffey to design his 'billabong system', which elevated water in four lifts by pumping water from the Murray River into Kings Billabong and then lifting water via a number of pumps. The system supplied an area of approximately 20,000 hectares and was the first stage of a grand scheme to irrigate over 100,000 hectares around Mildura.
George Chaffey's solution was to design a triple-expansion steam engine coupled to centrifugal pumps. Tangye's of Birmingham, who manufactured the equipment, at first refused to build the engine and then only manufactured it under duress on the proviso that the name plate 'Chaffey's improved Pumping Engine made by Tangye's for Mildura Irrigation Colony' was fixed to the engine. This was in case the engine failed and they were deemed liable for the failure.
The Chaffey steam engine and pumps at Psyche Bend operated successfully until 1959, when electric pumps were installed nearby and the pumping station decommissioned. The original pump house still stands today but the above-ground assets, including two boiler houses, were moved and the boilers sold for scrap.
The old pump house.
The 'Red Cliffs'.
Begs Bend @ Tol Tol (Victoria)
27th February - 2nd March 2018
Begs Bend, just a short drive from Robinvale, was serenity heaven. Just the two of us for four days. Nothing much to do but relax and enjoy the swimming and sunsets. In between still trying to catch the elusive murray cod. Daily temperatures still in the high 30's.
Fish count. Carp lots. Murray cod none. Man oh man!
Pretty much spent most of the time at the water's edge. Dez with the rod in the water . Me in and out of the water floating about in my noodle chair.
Beautiful sunsets.
Very happy with this shot.
LAKE BOGA (Victoria)
2nd - 5th March 2018
Driving from one camp to the next we have zig zagged our way back and forth over the Murray. The most common bridge over the river is the bascule bridge. The central part of the bridge is raised up to allow paddle steamers to pass underneath.
No shortage of roadside stalls. This big bag of sensational juicy oranges - $3.00!
The Sunraysia region (and S.A. also) are very large producers of almonds. These almond trees go on and on and on. Thousands.
Our camp in the Swan Hill area was 10 klms out of town at Lake Boga. The temps are still in the high 30's so having somewhere to swim was a high priority for me. It was a beautiful spot right on the lake. The most stunning sunsets.
Who doesn't love the sun setting into water.
One of the best parts of life on the road. Chatting with other travellers.
It's not all cheese and biscuits! Dinner when you can't be bothered.
Swan Hill is another great river city. We happened to be there for the Saturday Market. It was only small, but as we were sitting enjoying the sunshine and a coffee, along with some local music I noticed a queue at a new stall. Hhhmmmmm - to be investigated.
Turns out it was La Dolce Vita from Shepparton with all manner of 'must have' sourdough breads. O.K. time to join the queue.
We don't eat much bread, unless it is too yummy to resist. And this absolutely was. One fig & walnut sourdough and a fruit sourdough. The baker himself serving and a very cool, funny guy.
Take me home to my tub of butter.
Well not yet. We went for a walk along the river precinct.
Yet another bascule bridge. So we took a walk from Victoria to NSW and back. You know, 'cos we can.
I must admit I have a bit of a thing for old bridges.
A signboard showing the old Swan Hill wharf which is no longer there. Another port along the busy Murray Paddle Steamer route.
Another city with a beautiful river precinct.
Yeah...right...probably as close as we are going to get to a Murray Cod!!!
Day two and the wind came up quite a bit, so we moved from one end of the lake camp to the other and sheltered behind a clump of bamboo. Much better.
Also made for great sunset photos!
Lake Boga has an amazing history from World War II. The lake was used as a maintenance base for the Catalina Flying Boats during the war. It was selected as a site because of its distance from the far north of Australia and therefore deemed safe. The history is very interesting. For more go to the following link.
www.flyingboat.org.au/about/history.html
Head in the Catalina.
Poooo-eeee. Can you imagine!!!!
I just wanted to break the glass and steal these awesome flying boots.
As with most museums there is a video presentation, which is always very interesting. Loved this one with the old theatre seating.
An aerial shot of the base during World War II.
There was also a bunker that housed all the communications equipment and such.
Bunker entry.
The old portable record player! Obviously not all work, but some fun too.
Plug and cord telephone system. The poor love looks a bit board. My first job at James Cook University, Townsville in 1979 was operating one of these. So much fun. Not sure how I feel when I keep seeing them in museums though.
ECHUCA (Victoria)
5th - 9th March 2018
All of our sightseeing was in Echuca, but our camp was at Five Mile camp on the NSW side. So we zipped between states everyday !
Echuca has so much river trade history.
"By the 1870s Echuca had risen to prominence as Australia's largest inland port. Being the point of shortest distance between the Murray River and the major city of Melbourne, Echuca was both a key river port and railway junction. Steam-driven paddleboats would arrive at the 400-metre long redgum Echuca Wharf, unloading it to be transported by rail to Melbourne. Wool, wheat, other grains, livestock and timber were the most common cargoes.
This industrial boom led to a rapidly expanding population, at one stage in excess of 15,000, with more than a hundred pubs rumoured to exist in the Echuca district at one time. An iron bridge was constructed over the Murray River in 1878 by the NSW Railways Department."
Another dusty riverside camp.
And the houseboats of course.
The Echuca Wharf district has plenty to see. The old wharf is heritage listed and still standing.
The entry fee into the wharf precinct included a guided tour, and we were the only ones. Great. Our tour guide, Jenny, was a wealth of information. Well into her 70's she knew everything about the Port and the old days. As a young woman Jenny was a paddle steamer skipper. She also travelled to Fremantle regularly to captain the pilot boats and jet boats there for some excitement!!!
The Star Hotel was intriguing with it's underground bar where patrons would partake of drinks after the official closing time.
The Bridge Hotel was built in 1859 by Henry Hopwood, an ex-convict and one of Echuca's most enterprising characters from early colonial days. In 1850 Henry bought a small punt which operated across the Murray River near the Campaspe junction.
Originally known as "Hopwoods Ferry" the name was changed to Echuca as the town grew. When he died in 1869 he left a thriving town where nothing existed 16 years earlier.
Old engines and wheels and all things mechanical. Dezzi loves it.
This is the under side of the old wharf. Some parts of the structure have been replaced, however, much of it is original.
P.S. Emmylou.
The Echuca Wharf and the P.S. Adelaide.
Time for a cruise up the river on the P.S. Pevensey.
Lovely day for it.
Flying the upper Murray River flag.
There are various cafes and shops along the wharf. Oh...and a cellar door. St. Anne's. A local winery producing some very tasty wines and fortifieds.
Dezzi deciding which port will go in our new little barrel we bought. We have wanted one of these for as long as I can remember. Very excited to finally get one.
This is where the term furphy originates. An interesting story can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furphy
Up and on the road in the dark. A VERY rare occurrence. But we needed to be in Tocumwal by 9.00 am, about 115 klms along the river.
TOCUMWAL (Actually Koonoomoo on the Victorian side of the river)
9th - 16th March 2018
And this is why we needed to be up so early. Our beautiful, wonderful sister-in-law happened to be visiting her Mum, Rita ,in Shepparton so they drove up for the day. Beyond excited. Chris and Lawry live in Kuranda North Queensland, so we rarely get to see each other. Such a heartwarming treat.
After a fabulous lunch at the Tocumwal Pub Chris' brother Philip, who works for Case, took us for a look around North Tuppal Station woolshed. The woolshed, built at the turn of last century, has an incredible 72 stands which were used shearing 200,00 sheep per year yielding 3,244 bales of wool.
It is MASSIVE!
It would have been an incredible sight seeing this shearing shed in full swing.
The old wool press.
Remnants of wool.
In 2010 a re-enactment was held. What a sight it would have been. Apparently 15,000 people attended.
As it turned out we arrived in Tocumwal on the eve of a long weekend. Groan. Our serenity was soon shattered and people came in droves and made LOTS of noise till all hours of the night.
This lot to our right had absolutely no respect for anyone else. Music blaring, raucus voices and foul language constantly. When Dez went finally went over after midnight he was told in no uncertain terms by the father no less(in his 60's) to f(£*&%*£ off and suck it up as they had been camping here for 20 years!!! What can you do. Charming.
And Dezzi got wood ready for the fire.
Big sigh....a million times better.
Another peaceful Murray River sunset.
This is what we love.
Breaky coffee and a looong read. Bliss.
We have stopped in Tocumwal many times over the years travelling from Queensland to Warrnambool, and the Tocumwal Bakery is always a must stop. Iced coffee thick shake with a scrummy vanilla slice, sitting on the top deck overlooking the river.
Dezzi enjoying a quiet happy hour - or two!
Cobram is a short drive east of Tocumwal so we headed off for a day out. Excellent lunch at a café by the River.
Dezzi still chasing that elusive Murray Cod. Zilch!
YARRAWONGA (Victoria)
Forges Beach Camp
17th - 20th March 2018
Another prime camp site on the river. Forges Beach, just 10 klm out of Yarrawonga. This will do very nicely for plenty of swimming and floating down the river in my noodle chair.
Dez surveying his kingdom.
Stunning reflections.
No houseboats along this stretch, but there were kayaks.
Like many other towns along the Murray, the river precinct is lovely. We kicked off with morning tea at the Information Centre café right on the river.
Not a bad view.
Shoulda brought my togs!
As it turned out, the day we were in 'town' the road on the bridge across the river from Yarrawonga to Mulwala was being resealed, so closed. The alternate bridge had traffic a mile long. So we opted to take the free ferry service on offer for the day!
Lunch cruise on the local paddle steamer. The bridge in the background the one that was closed.
A free return ferry cruise and a free glass of bubbles. Gotta love that!
The ferry took us to the Mulwala Ski Club. Apparently the largest ski club in the southern hemisphere. Lunch and a glass of bubbles. Beaut!
On the entrance to the track to Forges Beach is Rich Glen Olive Grove. Definitely needed investigating. Gorgeous grounds. Another fabulous lunch, and some great local olive oil!
Beautiful, sunny day enjoying the surrounds and food.
The grounds also had some interesting sculptures.
These two made by the local high school art students.
While in Yarrawonga Dez made contact with a fellow school mate from his time at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, where he did his apprenticeship block release 50 years ago! Just a bit of catching up to do.
Tim hard at work in the kitchen. Awesome dinner.
Last night at Forges Beach.
WAHGUNYA (Victoria) & Corowa (NSW)
20th March - 3rd April 2018
Wahgunya on the Victorian side and Corowa on the NSW side, connected by a single lane bridge. As Easter was approaching we decided to stay here for ten days as we had a lovely sheltered camp with little chance of a repeat of Tocumwal. One van each side would be the max! Our next camp would be Hume Lake which is used for boating, so better to be safe than sorry.
Fishing jetty nearby. Try, try and try again!
It's great that summer fire restrictions have been lifted. Nothing better than a fire at drink o'clock. Nobody is going to squeeze in on our 'front yard'.
The things you see out bush walking along the river.
Love all the old homes throughout the countryside.
Wahgunya is very close to Rutherglen. And that means wineries! Stop one All Saints.
Quite impressive. The winery was established in the late 1800's, by two young men only 20 and 23 years of age!
The Chinese Dormitories.
Old wood stove. Would have been great in the winter to keep warm, but sweltering in the summer.
Fireplaces.
Mmmm - that looks comfy!
The original great hall and cellar remain. When constructed is was apparently the largest in the southern hemisphere.
Old barrels full of tokay and muscat.
So we better have a taste to two.
Another day and more wineries to explore.
This region is renowned for it's fortified wines. And there were some crackers.
Cambell's is a beautiful winery.
So many to try, and our host was fabulous. Very casual, but incredibly knowledgeable. We did leave with a bottle or two.
Next on our rounds - Buller Wines for some muscat.
Before heading to the Corowa Whiskey Distillery and Chocolate, housed in an old flour mill. Oh, and guess what, they had a café. Excellent!
Cooking up a storm in the Penthouse.
The Old Empire Pub, just a five minute walk from our camp, so on a rainy, dreary Sunday arvo we headed up for some live music and a couple of drinks. This week's talent - The Piano Wizard!
Well he certainly looked wizardly! Jazz. Blues. Oldies and some not so old. He was fabulous. Fun times with all gathered in the courtyard.
Had to have this....a Bev-eridge. Ha ha ha!
Sun shining so off to another cellar door for lunch. This time The Wicked Virgin. We loved this place as it was so unpretentious.
As you can see, nothing fancy about this place.
This is Greg.
Most days I went for a long walk over the bridge into Corowa and along the river. They have so many lovely old buildings.
Looking down from the bridge to the 'beach' area.
Love this sign in the window of the original liquor/wine merchant store. Now a B & B.
Remains of an old church.
Looking up the main street.
Further up the hill, a Lifeline Store. What a bargain. Brand new Sketchers for four bucks. Happy days.
And oak trees everywhere.
Through the park, and along the NSW side of the river.
Corellas are everywhere along the Murray, and they are NOISEY!!!!
Smoooooch!
Looking across to our camp.
Cheeky Kooka.
We had great neighbours come and go during our stay here, but the funniest co-incidence was our Easter neighbours, Allie & Cliff. Generally a conversation on the road starts with 'where are you from'. To which they replied 'Sunshine Coast'. We said 'so are we, which part? We are from Wurtulla.' 'We are from Birtinya'. (the suburb next to us). 'Where abouts there?' I asked. Turns out they live in a block of units on the same floor as very good friends of ours, who Allie and Cliff also know!!!!
Dez and Cliff, sporting our well travelled Battery Wise cooler bag.
Good Friday dinner. Very crispy skinned salmon, garlic potatoes and asparagus with flaked almonds. DELICIOUS if I do say so myself.
Model steam train ride for the kids.
Later in the day was the Annual Corowa Billy Cart Races. There were spills and thrills. Winners and losers.
The starting ramps.
Crazy dress ups.
It was quite a hot day and this guy was melting in his bubble go cart.
Ooops...into the barrier! Luckily he was O.K. but made for some excitement.
Here are some of the carts.
This little guy had the cutest smile.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
Go girl!!!
Easter Sunday breakfast....as it should be.
Even a visit through the camp from the Firies doing some fundraising.
Later in the day Allie, Cliff, Dez and I headed to Campbell's Wines for a picnic day. Food trucks, live music and generally chilling out.
Great atmosphere.
Pulled pork tacos. Very yummy, but not a patch on Good Food Fellas of course!
Our last day at Wahgunya/Corowa and we put on the glad rags (such as we have) and headed to Circa 1936. The-most-amazing-experience!
Circa 1936 is an old bank building, now an opulent accommodation, day spa and lounge tapas bar. Stepping through the front doors you are transported to what I felt was a little slice of Raffles in Singapore. The décor was stunning. The staff friendly and professional. And the food......superb!
The wine selection is laid out in the old bank safe. Dezzi choosing a very nice local bottle of bubbles.
Cheers! The tables are made from petrified wood, that looks like marble.
The menu is a selection of tapas.
Smoked salmon on rice cracker with caviar and dill mayo. Scrumptious.
Duck with orange on sourdough. This was so incredibly delicious we had a second serve, and Dez had another serve instead of desert!
This was called chicken lollipop. Also incredibly delicious.
My desert. Chocolate fudge slice with chocolate sauce, butterscotch sauce and decadent vanilla ice-cream. Full to busting.
Once we had slowly grazed our way through the menu, enjoyed the local bubbles it was time to move to the cocktail bar. More amazing décor. Oh well....better have an espresso martini to finish. This was truly a fabulous dining experience. We both could not remember when last we were so impressed with all aspects of dining.
And home to watch the last sunset on the river at Wahgunyah.
HUME DAM (Victoria)
Ludlows Reserve, Ebden
3rd - 5th April 2018
Whoa! What a fabulous camp. Acres of flat green lakeside foreshore to choose from. Only a handful of other campers.
This camp is east of the Hume Dam, so pretty much no carp. This means beautiful blue, clear water to float about in. I'm off!
The daily temp is still around 30. Soooo goooood! Everyone needs a noodle chair.
Soaking up the serenity Bevy style.
Sunsets so serene.
Wide open spaces. Breathtaking after all our gum treed river frontages.
Even some paragliders to keep up entertained. How good would this be!
Hume Dam is on the outskirts of Albury, so into town for a wander about and some shopping.
Groceries done, so a wander around the Albury Botanical Gardens.
On our way back to camp we stopped at a lookout, overlooking the Hume Dam.
Looking over eastern Albury.
Hume Dam on our way back to camp. I'm a bit nerdy and actually love the engineering of dams. They fascinate me.
Looking downstream.
Looking upstream. Hume Lake. Our camp is in the far distance on the right side of the lake.
We are now heading into the Upper Murray region, nearing the end of this amazing journey.
A stop at the little town of Tallangatta for a coffee. The town of Tallangatta was re-located from it's original site in the 1950's when Hume Lake was expanded.
Site of the original town of Tallagatta. Not a skerrick left.
JINGELLIC (NSW)
5th - 7th April 2018
There isn't much to the town of Jingellic. In fact only a general store and a pub. Free camping is offered behind the Jingellic Pub on the banks of the Upper Murray. And WOW, what a spot!
Just as we arrived in 'town' a heard of cattle were being driven through the town. It was all going on! Very exciting.
The remains of the old bridge across the river. Stunning. The water is pristine in these upper reaches.
Chilly nights, lovely warms days, no wind, gorgeous reflections.
Queensland corner. Everyone here was from Queensland!
Time for a country walk. The front of the pub. These old country pubs are wonderful.
Not the men from Snowy River, but close.
Look at those colours. Autumn beauty.
INDI BRIDGE (NSW)
7th - 10th April 2018
Indi Bridge free camp is situated between Corryong and Khankoban in the high country. Getting very close now to the Apline Region and the nights are getting colder as we climb higher. The Murray River now is not much more that a crystal clear, shallow, icy stream. We absolutely loved this camp.
Not deep enough to swim in here. Chilling my toes.
The crystal clear, babbling Upper Murray.
Dezzi filling up the old kettle we use for washing up water, heated over the fire.
Plenty of fresh water here, so Dezzi giving the van a bit of a wash down. Being the tinkering handyman that he is, Dez made up a kind of pressure hose for washing the van and car. Very handy my Dezzi!
Khancoban, just 30 klm from our camp, is home to the Murray 2 station of the Snowy Mountain Scheme. And tours are free!!! Like many Australians our age, we grew up hearing about the great Snowy Mountain Scheme, and I am excited to get a look at a small part of it. The main headquarters is at Cooma on the other side of the Snowy Mountains.
Never thought I would get here.
Just two of the pipelines that make up this scheme.
The above is an example the livestream information board showing the buy and sell prices of electricity to Qld, Vic and NSW. The system bamboozled me totally.
During the tour we were bombarded with so many facts and figures regarding construction, and current running of the scheme, through to what is proposed in the future. Far too much to put down here, so I highly recommend reading:
www.snowyhydro.com.au
This screen shows the complete Snowy Scheme, and is what is used at the headquarters. It is all run remotely. If extra electricity is required in an area, for example high temperatures equates to increased electricity use, a flick of a switch and within 90 seconds that power is at your house!
These two photos show workmen during the construction. What health and safety regulations??? No harnesses up there.
The Murray flowing from the M2 power station.
Driving through the village of Khancoban, which is also the gateway to the Kosciuszko National Park.
Khancoban was established as a town specifically for the Snowy Scheme workers. These are a couple of the worker's cottages.
Khancoban Pondage is a 3klm lake that forms part of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme.
Khancoban dam and the Swampy Plains River.
This region is a big dairy cattle region.
One of my favourite subjects to photograph....bees on flowers!
Found a spot deep enough to take a dip. Holy Moly.....definitely alpine waters!
TOM GROGGIN CAMP (NSW)
10th - 12th April 2018
Our final camp on this fabulous journey along the Murray River. Unfortunately, for us, the actual source of the Murray was out of reach. From Tom Groggin camp, it is approximately 94 klms of 4WD track, followed by about a 35 klm round trip hike, requiring either tent or swag camping. But we are more than happy with this destination.
And the camp is free for Pensioners. Happy days.
Kangaroos everywhere!
Looking up river. The end of the line for us. We have come so far from our outset at Goolwa.
One last splash in the Mighty Murray.
Ta Da.....Done! Well. Almost. So close to Mount Kosciuszko, seems a shame not to add that to the itinerary. Dezzi hates the cold and has no desire to go to any alpine, snowy regions of Australia, so I couldn't let this opportunity slip by. Only 50 klm up the very, windy, narrow road!
For obvious reasons caravans are not permitted along this stretch of road. Very steep and windy. Fabulous country. I had a lovely time taking in the scenery, while Dezzi concentrated on the road.
More windy driving along the Apline Way.
Thredbo. Never, ever thought I would get here.
Up the chairlift.
Off we go. The walk to the peak of Mount Kosciuszko is a great path. However.....it is quite steep and 13 klm return. Dezzi made it to the first lookout, while I continued on to the top.
YEAH! On top of Australia's tallest peak. Very, very happy. Now to high tale it back to the chairlift before it closes for the day.
So ruggedly spectacular.
Thredbo township.
Sooooo good to rest my feet!
Now to wind our way back down to Tom Groggin and celebrate completing our sea to source journey.
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