Towards Bingara

On Sunday, March 29, we woke to another chilly morning. Our weather station read 6.4 degrees, but it felt more like 3.6, so the diesel heater was gladly warming things up again. We continued along the Hume Highway for 56 km until we reached the Lachlan Valley Road turnoff, which eventually brought us to Boorowa. There, we refuelled before heading to Cowra.

That evening, we found a quiet spot behind the Molong Bowling Club, sharing the space with just one other van, for an affordable $10. Sadly, the club was closed, and the quirky red donation box was attached to a gum tree. Somewhere along this bumpy road, our Anderson plug detached from the Chev and had been dragging along the road for who knows how long.

Today, March 30, while the morning isn't as cold as yesterday, we've still turned on the diesel heater. We're heading off to camp at Coolah, but will be travelling through Wellington, and I've phoned an auto electrician who can add another Anderson plug while we wait. Thirty minutes and $30 later, we're on our way again. We took the minor Saxa Road, which eventually joined the Golden Highway, for another 33 km into Dunedoo, where we refuelled; 32 litres of diesel cost us $129 – ouch!

Before turning onto the Black Stump Way towards Coolah, we were directed to move completely off the road by more than eight police cars with flashing lights, escorting two semi-trailers carrying very large buckets like those we've seen on the dump trucks operating in the "super pit" at Kalgoorlie. The rest of our trip to Coolah was uneventful, apart from the dreadful road conditions.

We stayed at the Coolah Sports Club again, which is closed on Mondays, so we went to the Black Stump Hotel for beers and lunch. Ros loved her crumbed lamb cutlets, which were so big she took one home for dinner. I ordered a small fisherman's basket and, thankfully, didn't choose the larger size. 

Later that day, we bought groceries and alcohol from the local IGA. Another beautiful sunset here, just like when we came through here about a month ago.

It's a warmer morning today, Tuesday, March 31, so there's no need for the diesel heater. It was a relaxed start, with only 170 km to cover.

The Black Stump Way was rough after leaving Coolah and remained so until we reached the Oxley Highway. Our speed dropped below 70 km/h several times.
We refuelled in Gunnedah, using 41.27 litres for $132. It will be interesting to see if the government's fuel tax cut lowers prices.

We continued along the Oxley Highway before taking Rushes Creek Road to Manilla. We're camping at their freedom camp beside the Namoi River for $10 a night. It has a dump point, potable water, and rubbish bins, all within walking distance of town. It's a large area, so there's plenty of room for everyone.

Today, we're heading 107 km to Bingara, a spot we've visited since 2008 to camp by the Gwydir River.

In the early days, camping was allowed a few kilometres from town, but about ten years ago, a new area opened up. They ask for a donation, which we're always happy to give. There aren't any facilities at the campsite, but Bingara itself has everything you need.

Since our last visit, the dump point has moved to the other side of town, but the water pay station is still in the same place, as shown on Wiki Camps. We were surprised to get a spot right by the river—maybe because higher fuel prices kept some people away. We arrived on Wednesday, April 1, with the annual Easter fishing competition starting on Saturday, April 4. 

During our stay, we bought fuel, made three trips to the local IGA for groceries and alcohol, and spent over $600 in town.