Mudgee Wine

 The morning has to start gently so we headed off for a coffee in the town.  It has been perfect weather for such activities.

Next came cheese tasting where we found some great new cheeses and then on to a local winery for a tasting.  Most of the wines were a bit too experimental for our taste but the more traditional shiraz will find a place in the cellar.

The area is perfect for red wine with vines planted on the gentle slopes and plenty of dry, hot weather.

Gulgong

 Today we investigated Gulgong, an old gold mining town to the north of Mudgee and one time home of Henry Lawson.

It is a town of well preserved old buildings (and a good coffee shop).

We caught up with a group of car enthusiasts heading for a rally at Dubbo with a number of magnificently restored touring cars.

We visited the close by "Hands on Rock" an historic aboriginal site that had been saved from the nearby coal mining operations.

The hand outlines were still visible on the protected rock walls.

Down the road was the Drip Gorge.  A National Park that preserved a beautiful valley that faced destruction from a proposed coal mine.

We discovered that one of the pubs back in Gulgong serves a great pork roast as a lunch special so no dinner tonight!

In place of dinner it was drinks on the patio and detailed analysis of the days discoveries.

In Mudgee

 Before we could start today the washing needed to be done and we needed to check in with the home base.

Then to the centre of town for coffee.

Mudgee has a long history and has had a prosperous past and gives the impression it is reforming itself after the covid crisis.  The shops are open and there is plenty of activity around the town.

The Catholic Church started life in the 1850s and has been through a number of rebuilds since then.  The huge central emporium in the centre of town was built in 1870.

The town has an abundance of beautiful old buildings that have been maintained and repurposed for current requirements.

The area has an abundance of wineries so we had to sample a few and bring a few home for resampling.

Around Mudgee

 Today we toured the countryside surrounding Mudgee.  The small towns of the area are in a state of decline such as Hargraves that is now a town with a number of empty houses and a single general store.

Next stop was Hill End reached via a picturesque drive through the hills.  This is an old gold mining town that at one time had a population greater than that of Sydney.  These times are well past with few remaining buildings left as reminders of a more prosperous past. Entry to the town is still imposing.

 

As in times past, the Pub is still the focus of the town.  They still put on a great lunch. Many other buildings are in decline.

The surrounding country is magnificent and after heavy recent rain is looking to be in good condition.

The return loop took us back through Sofala to see the town and find coffee that had been in very short supply in the areas we passed through.

Made It To Mudgee

 This morning saw us on the road north out of Cowra heading for Mudgee.We had a brief stop at Sofala, an historic gold mining town that formed the backdrop for a number of Russel Drysdale's famous paintings.  We hope to see more of this town later in the week.

We arrived in Mudgee shortly after noon and set up camp.  The Inchleys and Talbots had reserved cabins just across from our van site.

It was Rhondda's 75th birthday so we all headed out for the evening meal at the premier restaurant in the area, The Red Heifer.

The meal was first rate.  I took the plunge and ordered lamb shanks (after a good experience with Lisa's cooking) and it was a delicious meal.

On to Cowra

 We left Holbrook on a cool (icy) morning bound for Cowra where we set up in the caravan park on the banks of the Lachlan River.

It is a picturesque location for a beautiful and historic town.  The bridge is painted with symbols of the local indigenous heritage.

The old bridge across the Lachlan is still in use and maintained and runs under the new crossing.

The river is a beautiful focal point of the city with manicured surroundings of sports fields and recreation areas.

The town is clearly old and has seen more prosperous times but there appears to be a sense of renewal in the town.

We Are Off!

 Our holiday with friends to Mudgee has been planned for some time.  So long in fact, that there was a time we were unsure we would get there as a result of Covid outbreaks.  However we headed off this morning.  Claire had made thick vege soup (so nothing would be wasted) so that was lunch on the way to Holbrook for our first night on the road.

We set up in the park in Holbrook before having a look around the town, starting with the Museum.

 

The Museum was once a pub. The items collected from the locals have been set up in various theme based rooms.

Claire found the old telephone exchange like the one at Leitchville where she spent time with childhood friend Lesley who lived in the Leitchville Post Office.

The grounds housed a number of buildings including a Bakery and old School House.  Education would have been quite a challenge in that institution.

The town had a number of graceful old building that had seen better days.

And, of course, we had to visit the submarine "Otway" that is sailing through the park in the centre of town.