Today we wandered through Rennie, Savernake (where my mum grew up) through Coleambally (for Craig) to Junee. The country looks amazing.
Back to Canberra tomorrow evening. Saturday morning Deloraine!! What an adventure. Now reality settles in.
Thanks for following us.
Cheers
Mary and John

Opposite our site was a date palm. I am wondering about how these all appeared in little country towns after WW1. Anyway on the way to the bin I looked up under the fronds and after calmly walking back to the van for my camera I found this very cute couple.

Dad ( Red rumped Parrot) of course was looking like a million dollars and sat around posing for me WHILE------

Mum was head down and bum up literally building the nest by tearing out the space with her beak.  Feathers ready to line it! I am sure they will make beautiful babies.

I promise this will be the last bird blog but how could you not love these little guys!!

This little Apostle Bird took a fancy to Pa's slippers. Sad that old people take their slippers with them camping. It is bloody freezing here in Junee tonight, and I have mine on too!!

This little bloke decided after exploring Pa's slippers he might move in with us!

Sadly he checked us out and decided we didn't cut it!

When I was growing up this bank of the lake on the Mulwala side was just weeds and reeds. Now it is  luxury row. These houses start from one million dollars.

When I was a child there were gardens beds at intervals up the Main Street with date palms in the middle of them. I remember when I was about ten my dad and all the other men who had trucks or brute strength removed all but these to make way for cars. Progress!!

I have loved sitting on the bank of my river just feeling at home. Below is the view from our site.

This is my lake where we all learned to swim and ski as kids. I am allowed to call it mine as my dad helped clear all the trees out to create the lake before it was filled.

Lake Mulwala was the result of the building of a weir. We were chatting to another Garden-Nome ( Craig and I have created this group to replace the Grey Nomads) and when I said I was born in Yarra he asked me if the weir was here when I was a kid !!!!!!!!! I did not hit him.

We drove through Barmah on our way to Yarrawonga but short of having morning tea on the river there, once again all river tracks were under water.

It is great to be back once more where I was born and we spent yesterday exploring all the new developments along the banks of Lake Mulwala. It is amazing. The population is 6,000 but during the Summer it explodes to 50,000.

We will explore some more today.
Cheers
Mary and John

What a difference a H makes!



It was around about now that Toughie and I had a navigation brain fart!

Toughie quit all together and I lost the plot.

I still think it is the Vic Govts fault for calling two towns so close together Barham and Barmah.

We were headed to the latter to try and get into the Choke or Narrows of the Murray.

BUT of course we ended up in Barham - the only consolation was that John found an Engine Museum he had to drag himself away from. Mmmmmmmmmmmm!

After dark we ended up in Mathoura on the river. The lady warned us not to back up too far or we would end up in the river. Next morning we could see why. There was a three foot drop to the water.

We really enjoyed two days here but were unable to use any other roads into the river because of the flooding. We will look forward to coming back in non flood time.



There is an amazing two storey bird hide on the Moira Wetlands that are part of the largest remaining River Red Gum forest.

Yanga National Park, like everywhere else, was flooded but we were able to visit the Station Homestead. What an amazing place. When it was in full swing as a sheep station there were over one hundred people on the pay roll. Two families made a living from fishing the lakes.

Life here would have been demanding but you also get the feeling that there was a stream of visitors and a great social life.

I can imagine evenings on this verandah overlooking the lake.

They are in the process of restoring the gardens.

When we made it to Belranald this little Court House caught our imagination. It has always had to be entered via the footbridge. It is set up as a Museum now, complete with dressed dummies sitting up in the Court.

Sorry to disappear like that. We camped wild as often as we could on the Murray and then couldn't hook up at Mathoura.



We dragged out our drive out of Menindee through Kinchega National Park by constantly stopping. Most of the roads were closed but we had been there before so were pleased just to be able to cross it back to the Silver City Highway.

This is Lake Menindee itself. All the lakes are full to capacity and the overflows into the annabranch of the Darling releasing amazing amounts of water as below.



Can I help it if there were lots of birds there!
We were amazed to find a massive organic irrigation property called Tandou just below the Park.

 This is the very full Annabranch of the Darling. They were getting ready for more water but were confident they had prepared well for it.The system seems to be very well managed.



This photo is not even focussed but don't you want to be this little guy paddling off home after another busy day on the lake!

Tomorrow we head out through Kinchega National Park and that is it for dirt roads.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Cheers

Mary and John

I reckon this little cormorant is telling the Pelican "Back off big boy. This is our turf!"



We had to stop for these Native Hens as we were leaving the boat trip. The stopping tally is now roos, emu, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, swallows, horses, wild pigs, native hens, bustards and occasionally humans. 





The green-ness after dry dust is hard to take in.



Last year the Night Herons were very shy and hid. This year there are so many other birds around they are out there with the rest of them.



Today we went out onto the water with a local guide. The number of birds was stunning even compared to last year. The water system here has more documented species than anywhere else in Australia and you really need to live here as it is all seasonal. Very tempting!!

Don't you love the Naval Officers all standing in a line on the pillars saluting!

It doesn't matter which way you turn the camera there are birds.

Menindee is just amazing.
This is our fourth visit and we have seen it in absolute drought through to bursting with water and life as it is this trip. They are waiting for the next mini flood to arrive.
It has taken till now for me to understand the system on lakes and its relationship with the Darling and ultimately the Murray.
But the birds this year win hands down. Forget the water.
We camped at Copi Hollow again out of habit but why not when it looks like the following:-

As we were camped within feet of the lake I was really suprised to discover as we sat by the fire into the night that Pelicans feed well after dark. The sense of peace here is beyond words.

As we left Broken Hill John and I decided it is a bit of a gem with some great things to see. We have been there twice now for several days and have found new treasures each time.
My favourite this trip was the Migrant Museum at the Railway Museum. While John wandered around the trains and machinery I read walls full of the actual words from conversations with the very early migrants.
I loved little things like the Italian child who could not quite believe boxed Craft Cheddar Cheese and white bread that aussie kids thought was the real deal! As an elderly person he said, "Thank God we taught them about food and how to cook." I so agree.

This bit is a John blog:- when we pulled up for a coffee half way between BH and Mendindee John looked up to find some amazing electrical attachments grown into the gum tree we parked under. Could only happen to John!!

After a walk around we found the remains of a building that had been bulldozed further back. As it was on a creek bed perhaps at some point there was a pub here. It reminded us of the street sign hung on the tree in the main street of Tibooburra. Use what you have in the outback.

We are now in Broken Hill for washing, repairs and restocking of food. We are here for three nights but will then head for Menindee Lakes - despite what Pa says I did not manipulate the trip to end up there - neither did I plan to just happen to end up in Yarrawonga!!
We have found two National Parks to call on -Yanga NP and the very new Murray Valley NP. Funny but they are on the way to Yarrawonga!!
Stay well
Cheers
Mary and John

This cute couple were above our heads at our camp site.

"Percy did you apply to Julia for the First Home Buyers Grant?" says Polly
"Bugger" says Percy!

This old Billy checked us out each evening.





 Even though we were the only humans in the park we had lots of company.

This old red just rested in the sun next to our site and fed within the camp ground. The Apostle Birds just hung around him and he ignored them.

Our disappointment was soon forgotten after we walked up a gorge, past indigenous engravings, and one by the Burke and Wills support team, which ended with this magnificent rock pool.

Was tempted to skinny dip but I think parts could have fallen off in the icy water.
My hips may eventually recover as it was two and a half hours of rock scrambling. I had to be hoiked up into the BRC when we got back to her.

The little old snailhouse just bounced right back and got us to Mutawintji like a champion. We collected plenty of wood and as we were the only people there we had our CD of Neal Diamond on high and I cooked outside.

It is a magnificant park so we ended up staying two days. We were very disappointed we were unable to visit the ceremonial site as we have talked about it for years. You can only go with an Indig guide.The community handed over the tours to commercial groups in Broken Hill three years ago and they will only come out if they have 12 people.

Finally the rest of the family arrived. This old girl looks like I did pregnant with twins. She just barged right up and stood staring for about fifteen minutes. Pa had to build a new beer can bearing cap so the operation took some time.





 Remember how I said roads have personalities! Well the one from White Cliffs to Mutawintji was shortish but really mean. It was red rutted road disected with patches of very rough, sharp, white gravel. One of these did this!


Don't be fooled by the shreded tyre - check out the eight inch crack in the inner rim at the top.



This little guy was fascinated by what was going on. He almost had control of his legs and kept bucking and rearing and racing up and down the road.

The Paroo is very arid but the water system eventually drains into the Darling system. There is water everywhere. For those who really want to hear I saw my first Australasian Shoveler Ducks! Hold the applause.

We were told tonight that there is flood water coming down the Darling so going East is out - we are now heading for Mutawintji (SW) in the morning and have arranged to maybe join a tag along to see the "Can't go without an Indig guide ceremonial site". Mmmmmmmmmmm!

White Cliffs is amazing. In 1984 it had the first, and still operating, 25KW solar powered Electricity Supply ( super heated steam plus generator). Thus the Blog in an incredibly isolated place. We visited a dug out today but we were spoiled in Lightning Ridge by knowing a miner.

People Story:- In places like this we have learned never to ask people their name and you do not need to introduce yourself. Before dinner we wandered down to the pub to pick up a bottle of red. In becoming part of the chat between the five of us sitting at the bar it transpired that the publican was a shearer in his young days and at the age of 20 did three sheds in Braidwood - one was Mona. Today he flew himself to Broken Hill to have a haircut. You never know out here!

Stay safe.
Cheers
Mary and John

Sorry but the two legged hallo bird made me put this little guy in. He sat and watched us visit the Outdoor Pastoral Museum. How cute is he! (Ed. it is the output of the pump at the dam that supplied water to the wool scouring machinary)

Do you ever feel you are being watched!

This is the Milparinka pub that closed in 2008. This one was huge.

This is the floodway I was sitting in (Ed. to the left of the lovely rock ledge that formed the cause-way)) and this is another example of the outback people using the resources at hand. I just love it.

I am fascinated by the floodways and this is one near Milparinka on the way from Tib.
This next one was our lunch spot near Lake Peery - part of the Paroo Overflow system.

The two above photos show the upstream of a floodway as against the lower side after rain. (Ed. the causeway acts like a dam)

Ever the scientist Pa had to jump on the silt to see how firm it was after two weeks. It was still soft and a little damp (Ed. but drivable).

Finally we are on the road to the Paroo.
I have decided that roads have personalities and quirks just like people.
This road is known for its floodways. It appears that even though they are all sealed with concrete they fill with red silt in downpours. They sure do!

My new heroes pushed all that silt out and parked it on the sides of the road so we could sail through.

This is one of four piles.

If you are like me you thought a whim was something you did unexpectedly. John however was launched into a lecture about this pile of sticks. Girls you can make a coffee!
It seems that a horse turning this contraption to both wind and unwind a cable was able to raise a full 60lt bucket of water from a well at the same time as it lowered an empty one. (Must have been a mare as it was multi skilled!) The full bucket hit a beam at the top and emptied into a corrugated iron chute that filled a tank. The lecture went on to pose the question - Did the horse get turned around or did they have a second horse ready facing the other way to take over. OMG! There is a prize for the student who can answer the question.
Enough with the lecture!

Before we left we visited an Outdoor Pastoral Museum on what was Mt Wood Station now a National Park. It was most enjoyable. The above pics show the way they connected the shed and the shearers quarters by a swing bridge. It is a copy of the original. The remains of the old one are there. We were very impressed by the fact that the NP has restored it all and schools/groups can go there on excursions.
Also on the Station was a restored Whim.