Blaney, Gooloogong, Junee

Decided to stay 2 nights in Blaney so had a big sleep in. Nice day – cool and windy. Would love to go roll down the lawns here – lush soft green grass!!!! Have corn beef in thermal cooker. Quiet catch-up sort of day.  Am enjoying having so many books to read on the Kindle. Beats trying to download the Amazon 'free' books - they are not very good ones.

Off to Gooloogong – free camp behind park in town for 2 nights (gold coin for power). 4 other campers here. Pub, shop/fuel, town hall, farm supply, country club, playground  and 3 chruches – that’s it. A town of 400 - or 800 if you include the nearby farming people.

 More lovely countryside – rolling hills, green grass, paddocks, lovely trees. Stopped at a caravan place in Cowra – but all pretty old vans, and some very long 3 axle ones like  small houses.

Found a guy at Gooloogong to repair the red wire (brake!)on caravan plug – has been cut when the caravan was being attached – pinched I guess. I don’t remember doing it – maybe some helpful bloke. Also checked the park light – need a whole new one – rusty. Indicator still works though. Internet pretty erratic so read last night.

Very windy couple of days but did manage to put the awning out to dry for a while. Went for a walk to the shop, and read heaps.

Wednesday

 Very pleasant drive via Grenfell, Young (fuel)  Cootamundra and to Junee Caravan park. Was enjoying the drive so just kept going today.

Stopped for lunch at a rest area selling cherries and a pink van doing good hot food and disgusting coffee. Pity people don’t know how to make a short black! I need to be assertive and ask what I am going to end up with.......  do not expect a mug FULL of tasteless hot water!

Vibrant countryside – golden grain, canola being harvested,  lucerne and cherry orchards. The lucerne seems to be a much shorter variety than what I grew in NZ – maybe only 1/3 of the height when they harvest it, but in flower. They do seem to get at least 2 cuts from it though.

First time I have seen lots of docks on the verges, and wild fennel. So like home. 

Thinking of home – Tongariro blowing up again today! Then checked on the net - nothing major it seems. Just ash. According to the local paper there is a warning out about Ruapeu likely to blow again - I think the scientists might have had their backs to Tongariro!

Grenfell is a lovely old town with many large brick buildings, churches and  built on a hilly area. Very pretty.

Young - struck me as a 'young' town - new suburbs but gets older as you get further in. Another hilly place. I find it quite hard driving through the main streets of these places - then trying to find a fuel stop that I can get into easily. Give me outback roadhouses any day!
Thurs.
Went exploring the country around Junee - photos of the green and gold! Found someone to talk to re lucerne - I was right and it is only a short crop due to lck of rain.
Found the liquorice factory - YUM. Also do chocolate coated ginger - and coffee beans.
Another attractive old town but with the railway line right through the middle. The town is built on the hills on both sides of the track, and has some very old buildings and churches.