On the Trail to Tocumwal

 Last stop before getting back to Melbourne was to be Tocumwal on the Murray River.  We got in about lunch time and set up in the Bushland Caravan Park.  It is on the banks of the Murray and features trees and more trees.

It also features the biggest eucalypt gall I have ever seen!

Following setup we had a great lunch in one of the town pubs and a wander round the town - that took about 10 minutes.

 

The Murray winds past the town forming scenic bends and beaches that the locals use as bush camping locations.

Wandering West Wyalong

 West Wyalong is another interesting old town in the process of rethinking its future.  The main street has many buildings from the early 1900s that are still functioning.

The Royal Hotel has been completely renovated and only opened again a couple of months ago.  We had an excellent evening meal in their very elegant dining room.

The town has an abundance of parks and reserves.

Being the Shire of Bland, they have teamed up with Dull in Scotland and Boring in Ontario to develop marketing strategies.

The town is proud of its connection with the painter Russell Drysdale who painted a streetscape that is commemorated with an easel sculpture -

and there is other artwork around the town.

There are plenty of imposing buildings around the town that clearly catered for a larger population than live there at present.

Heading for West Wyalong

 We travelled about four hours through country that had been in drought until recently and is now reaping the benefits of substantial rainfall.

On arrival we set up in one of the parks ready to look around the town.

Last Night In Mudgee

 In celebration of our last night together we took a taxi down to one of the better pubs for a meal.

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.