Deciding to only have one night at lock 9 we headed for Mildura to catch up with the shopping and to buy Vickie a new bike seat as the old one was a bit hard on the backside. After Mildura we went into NSW and headed for Robinvale, on the way looking for an over night camp and decided on Bottle Bend Forest Reserve. On the way in we past a van coming out and then as we pulled up to choose a spot beside the river two more pulled out which left us all alone and wondering want we had done to scare them off, but with rain forecast that could have made it interesting getting out and decided that was why they had left. It was a reasonable camp and with no rain in the morning caught up with the washing.
moonlight on the river
Next day its on to Robinvale and then to camp at Nyah Forrest ,we drove into one section and after about 1k in was blocked by a big patch of mud, finding no way around, and no where to turn ,meant only one thing reverse up . A little further on we found another track which lead us to the rivers edge and what so far we rate as the best spot yet.
cant get much better than this
Vick's camp stir fry with fresh asparagus from the rivers edge
Nyha is a great friendly little town and as well as the forest camps you can camp in town at the back of the trotting club where the lions club provides dump point, toilet and showers all for no cost. After two nights we where of to Quombatook home of John Williamson but more importantly also home of Meryl and Ken, school teachers from Little Rat Island which we have become very close friends.
Before Quomby is was a look at Swan Hill where they have a pioneer village with some old paddle steamers.
the Gem one of the oldest but it was ashame you could not see more of it
some of the things to see at Swan Hill.
the first bushtracker caravan
after taking the long way arrived at Quomby ,It was great to see Meryl & Ken looking no different despite not catching up for more than two years. We set up the van at the back in amongst Kens veggie patch which came in very handy.The next day it was of to the Avoca river which was over the road
for a cruse in Kens punt.
Heading up river with Quombys best fisherman.
The Avoca river at its best
Wanting to go to Echuca Ken volunteered Meryl to drive us all in which meant a 250k return trip,it was a fantastic day getting a history talk by one of the oldest residents of the area.We all went for a trip on the Emmylou which is a steam driven paddle boat this being one of the high lights of the trip for me so far I think it is an amazing part of our history something we don't get to hear of in the west.
the Emmylou only built in 1982 but the engine is from 1906 it was also in the TV show all the rivers run.
the Pevensey buit in 1910 and also in the TV show all the rivers run as the Philadelphia
the steam engine on Emmyluo they are all so quite compared to today's .
The next day it was of to the river again as Ken was going to show me how to river fish as I had never fished in rivers before. It was a great day being taught by Qumbatooks best. Ken has won Qumbys fishing compotion every year he has been there and he tells me he even comes second when he is not in town.
The Qumby champ and his pupil
A flash back from the past Ken at the Abrolhos Islands W.A. I had to help him fillet this one as it was that big.
One of Ken and Meryl's visitors he was so cute
Ken and Meryl were such incredible hosts giving us all the history of their home town and about their life as children growing up in Quomby with people such as John Williamson and Ian (molly) Meldrum. It makes me wonder how many other small towns are filled with such history that we just drive through.
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