2023 - CQ Winter Escape

Mon 28 Aug 23 - Lightning Ridge to Molong (Towed 472km) Weather: 13 feeling like 8 Deg at 5am at Lightning Ridge, reaching 24 at  Marthaguy Rest Area  (12pm) and 13 Deg on arrival at Molong (3.30pm). We were awake early, so we packed and drove away earlier than planned at 7.20am. There was almost no traffic in either direction, but the road for the first 200km to Coonamble was simply t errible, with lots of roadkill . We drove straight through Walgett, then stopped at a gravel pit for mornos at about the 150km mark, and then continued through Coonamble as well. As we approached Coonamble, the countryside transitioned from dry and arid to more green pasture and  evidence of recent rain along the road side. We stopped at  Gulargambone (240km from Lightning Ridge) to check out the artwork around town. It's a very quiet town with not much here, I  only saw one store open. We stopped here two years ago, and a walk around the small town was just as enjoyable today. J...

Sun 27 Aug 23 - Lightning Ridge Weather:  3 feeling like 1 Deg and clear this morning with a steady NE wind, reaching 26 Deg, cloudy and no wind by mid afternoon.   It was a slow start to the day, but after coffee, I went out for an extra long walk, about 1.5hrs to the information centre and around town, returning to the van to grab my towel and head across to the Artesian Baths for another dip. It was very hot again this morning, at least 40 Deg, and while sitting there, I struck up a conversation with a retired Vietnamese soldier who came to Australia in 1980. He is traveling in a motorhome with his wife who is unwell, and it was great talking to him and hearing his story.   After returning to the van to get changed, Noel and I   drove into the Main Street for our morning coffee. Having visited Lightning Ridge just two years ago, there wasn’t much more that we wanted to see or do, so the rest of our day, apart from an afternoon drive along a couple of the car door ...

Sat 26 Aug 23 - Goodooga to Lightning Ridge (Towed 75km) Weather:   5 Deg at Goodooga this morning, reaching 26 Deg at Lightning Ridge. Clear and sunny all day with no wind - more perfect weather.  I ventured out for my early morning walk as the sun came up, and then returned to the thermal pool for a very warm and soothing dip. It felt warmer than yesterday afternoon, maybe closer to 45 deg, despite the fresh morning air. Unfortunately one old guy collapsed at the edge of the pool and he was unresponsive for a few moments. I was at the other end of the pool, and there were six people standing next to him just looking on, but not one did anything to help him, so I rushed over. By the time I got there, someone else from outside the pool came to help me with him, then he started to come too. We eventually got him sitting up and leaning against a pole while he gathered himself, before he was able to eventually get back to his feet and return to his van. He didn't appear to hit hi...

Fri 25 Aug 23 - St George to Goodooga (Towed 203 km) Weather:   3 Deg feeling like 1 Deg this morning, and another day started with the heater turned on. It remained clear and sunny all day, with no wind, and reached a very dry 26 Deg at Goodooga. Despite the fresh morning in St George, we were packed and on our way to our destination Goodooga by 8.30.  There were a lot of roadtrains heading towards St George, but by half way to Dirranbandi, the caravan parade had well and truly begun. We arrived in  Dirranbandi (96km) at 9.40, and first on our agenda was coffee at the bakery. Russian-born baker Natalia runs the bakery, but today she didn't seem to have the same range of Russian treats and Turkish Baklava that she had when we last stopped here two years ago. Nevertheless, the coffee was good, and the treats we had were tasty. After our morning sustenance and a wander around the small township, we continued 66km to Hebel at the NSW/QLD border. We stopped and chec...