Saying goodbye to Queensland and hello again to NSW

28 August Our Route to Lightning Ridge

Before we hitched the Ute to the Caravan to leave Roma a man started talking to Richard and asked him about our sign of “WoodiesonTour” Richard told him that it was our name “Wood” and his name was Richard Wood. This chap then told Richard that his name was Donald Richard Wood a bit spooky. We decided our next night or two would be on a free camp called Fishermans Creek, it had toilets and was1km north of Surat, the weather was beautiful and the site was excellent, we had enough water in the tanks for showering for maybe 3 days.  Once set up, a couple in a smaller Jayco van near to us asked Richard about our sign and he duly told us his name was “Bruce Wood” lots of Woody’s about today I said, what a coincidence. Bruce proceeded to tell us where the free firewood was stored. It’s at an old sawmill along a dirt track.  So, due to the fact of the free wood for fires at night and great weather a decision was made to stay for 3 nights.  We had the clever idea to take the bikes off the van and take carrier bags to fill up with wood and cycle.  We found the wood it was cut into squarish shapes and it was all stored in huge white bags (about 50) so we filled our bags. What a laugh, Helen’s bike was knackered and we had to walk back with the wood in the carrier bags on the handle bars, whilst walking we were being watched all the time, not by humans but by the huge kangaroos who were grazing in the bush not far away.  Once back on site Richard spent about 2 hours trying to sort it, eventually all fixed we headed out for another bike ride.

 

Free WOOD!!!





We lit our fire quite early and used up all the wood quickly… another trip tomorrow then?  The next morning we rode our bikes into Surat and along the Balonne River where a great pathway had been designed and built for bike riding or walking it wasn’t a very long path but really well done. We had a long conversation with two fishermen who didn’t seem to be catching much and they didn’t seem too bothered either. We had coffee and visited the Cobb and Co Museum, which was Gold coin donation.  A great museum dedicated to the history of the pioneers who started the Stagecoach business in the late 1870’s Cobb and Co won the contract for the Mail service in 1880 from Yuleba through Surat to St George at total of 127 miles. 

 

In the Museum it stated that the fare for a seat on the Stagecoach was one pound, we thought this very expensive or there was a lot of rich people at this time in the area! The weekend before we visited Surat there was a kind of re-enactment of part of the journey using the replica Stagecoach that was housed in the Museum. All very fascinating. We had another bike ride to collect more wood, this time a lot of it.

We had a great time on this free camp and met some lovely people including 3 couples who we seemed to be free camping with along our route.

Richard found a water tap that enabled us to fill the tanks before we left Fishermans Creek, as we thought we would try another free camp called Beardmore Dam north of St George.

Our Rig on the right Ken and Marlene on left

 We stocked up with provisions at St George hopefully with enough food and beer to last for another few nights. St George was a very nice town again with the wide streets.



Recipe for Damper

Cast Iron pot after the cooking (first attempt, a bit burnt!)



 

 

Again 2 couples from our previous site were already set up near to the river bank but we stayed away from the bank and managed to get a level site. We had just started lunch when another couple joined us setting up about 25 metres opposite us. We had spoken to them at the previous camp so Richard and Ken went collecting more wood for a communal fire this evening. Ken and Marlene live in Tasmania but hail from Melbourne, they wanted to try a Dampier (which is like a large scone) in their new cast iron pot on the open fire. The four of us had a great time eating the Dampier and drinking around the camp fire.  It was very cold during the night again but seems colder as dawn is breaking. The next morning Ken and Marlene were off before us but we were heading to the same place “Nindigully Pub”.  We stopped off in St George for provisions, and fuel, looked around a few stores etc. Along the highway we past a sign saying this is the beginning of the “Murray Darling Basin Rivers”

Arrived at Nindigully Pub red sandy soil and a little windy. There are lots of caravans parked along the river bank. We found a good level spot and left the Ute hitched up. We had a walk along the riverside and found that someone has built a new weir, this place must flood too.

 

 

 

1st September Nindigully Pub



This is the pub



The Nindigully Pub is famous with Grey Nomads for its gigantic beef burger we went inside for a look at the photographs on the walls and it is massive, big enough to feed 6 people. We ventured in the pub for a happy hour session. The bar was busy and two of the barmaids were Geordies and one was called Helen then another woman next to me said my name is Helen too!! We decided to eat there this evening in the dining room.





Disused bridge over the River Balone



A view of the disused bridge



 

 

Everything we asked for wasn’t available so we opted for pasta and very nice it was too.  Once again we met and chatted to some really interesting people. Richard chatted to one guy who had a Jaguar jacket on but didn’t own a Jaguar but, an aeroplane, he was travelling by himself on is Honda Goldwing bike. We were told later, after Richard used a few unsavoury words that he was a man of the cloth, a Priest.  We decided to stay for two nights as the weather was very windy and lots of red dust flying around.  Our Tassie friends left for Lightning Ridge we will meet up with them there.  Our second day at the Nindigully Pub and the weather wasn’t too great lots of gusty wind, but another Happy Hour in the Pub and the chance of seeing one of the massive Burgers. A very large man was trying to eat it but then after 10 minutes offered his food to everyone in the pub it was a right laugh, poor man just couldn’t manage it.

 



 

 

3rd - 8th September Lightning Ridge

Once again the landscape on our journey from Nindigully to Lightning Ridge was different it was very flat with huge fields/paddocks that could fit cities into them. The farms were part of a co-operative grain corps.

This campground is regarded as one of the best in Australia

 

 

This is "Stanley"  the Emu a 18 metre sculpture
who welcomes visitors to Lightning Ridge.
He is situated on the South side of town on the Castlereagh Highway
design by local famous artist John Murray

 

 

We had reserved a pitch at the Opal Caravan park which is a Top Tourist. This caravan park had lots of very positive reviews on every website we looked at even the Facebook page of Oz nomads recommended it to everyone. We weren't disappointed, the amenities block were the best we have seen. Our pitch was very good and our neighbours very friendly people. We booked on a tour with some of them the next morning. Lightning Ridge is renowned for its Black Opals and the Artesian Baths, lucky for us the Artesian Baths were only 100 metres away from the caravan site. We did go down for a dip on Saturday afternoon. Our tour took us around the many unmade streets where people live in their own roughly made shacks. Some had built unusual places. One man, who was Italian had lived here most of his life but never married has built what can only be described as a "Folly" a small castle, who for no one seemed to know. It was so obvious that the majority of residents in Lightning Ridge had one aim in life to dig for the Black Opal.... see pictures

 

 

 

Lightning Ridge camp ground

 

 



Interesting things seen around Lightning Ridge!

 

 

 

Our tour bus (joke)!!

Our real tour bus!

 

 

 

some funny stuff here!

 

 

Into the railway carriage for afternoon tea



One of the thousands of old trucks we saw on the tour

We went up here!



Blue tongued lizard

 

On the tour we all got a chance to find ourselves a big Opal, Helen always has a look.

 

We took the Ute and did a big trip to see the Club in the scrub and two other pubs, this was just one amazing tour it is quite something to see, that people actually live and work in the middle of nowhere.

The concert room at the "Club in the Scrub"

 



Another pub in the scrub

 

Lightning Ridge is home to the artist John Murray and we visited his gallery. He has said he would never have a gallery anywhere else. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take any photographs in the gallery, but we did buy a small print for ourselves.

Saturday afternoon we did go and have a soak in the Artesian pools 42C. It was a short stroll just down from our Caravan site.

Lightning Ridge has got to be seen to be believed it is one very unusual and amazing town. We will never forget it!! It is the town that we learnt of the birth of our new grandson Toby Robert. He was born on the 7 September (Fathers Day) and to celebrate his Grandad Richard sang with the artist on the Caravan site!! Video will be shown at a later date.