RENMARK SA
DAY 38
MILDURA - RENMARK
163.59 km
Total Time – 08.10 – 18.30 (10h 20m)
Time on Bike – 8h 45m 12s
Max. speed – 40.5 km/h
Av. Speed – 18.7 km/h
I finished in the dark today.
This is not something I plan to make a habit of even though I rode into the sunset for the last 40 minutes.
Very romantic.
First 160 day of the trip today and not really the best day to sleep in.
I got a late start because of this and was behind for most of the day.
It wasn’t easy riding either with long stretches of uphill and a gusting headwind for most of the day.
It is probably a good thing I’m not still on the road right now.
As I said, arriving in a strange place in the dark is not an ideal formula.
I’ve got myself a camp in an overpriced resort-style park, complete with all the bits and pieces and slap next to the highway so I can look forward to falling asleep to the sweet tune of B-Doubles grunting along in both directions throughout the night.
It does seem as though there is a spa pool on site so I’ll be sure to jump in before departure in the morning – first because I want to and secondly as I’d be best to milk it for the money I’ve parted with to be here.
Destination tomorrow will possibly be Waikerie.
There is an option to take a back road tomorrow, but perhaps this is best left to the day after.
If I can handle just one more day on the Sturt Highway, this will work.
It’s around 75 kilometres direct to Waikerie from Renmark, which is only half a days’ ride.
The traffic today was not so bad at all, despite the scenic drudgery.
I’ve never had so many people giving me the highway salute today – that’s not anything impolite either.
Drivers waving, sounding their horns, flashing their lights – I even had some attention from truckies today – this is almost unheard of.
Give me more of this, a booming tailwind, 70 km of downhill and life will be quite satisfactory this time tomorrow evening.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
DAY 37 - MILDURA VIC
MILDURA VIC
DAY 37
15.08 km
Total Time: 12.45 – 18.15 (5h 30m)
Time on Bike: 56m 22s
Max. Speed: 36.1 km/h
Av. Speed: 16 km/h
All good things must end and I’m out of Mildura at first light tomorrow.
It is also farewell to Victoria for now as I am due to cross into South Australia at some time tomorrow.
Tomorrow is destination Renmark – just short of 100 miles (160 km) and possibly the longest day of the trip.
I am getting better at pacing myself over the longer hauls, in terms of fluid intake and covering distances without a break - food intake also counts but not as much as these factors.
58 km leaving Colleambally a couple of weeks back is the longest stretch I have put in on this trip without rest.
The opening run of each day tends to be the longest, usually 25 - 40 kilometres although mostly, I prefer working in 15 – 20 km stretches once everything is moving.
Naturally, it always depends on prevailing conditions but this is close to what happens on a regular day of say 100 km or more.
Daylight is available at this time of year between 7 am and 5.30 pm, so the maximum day is around 10 hours anyway – 100 miles really is optimum distance in such a time frame.
Solid tailwind and extended downhill stretches are the only factors that can make a difference here.
My final day in Mildura has been pretty well low-key.
I got in fairly late after jamming downtown in a café last evening.
Folkways in 8th Street is run by a Maori guy called Joel and informal jam sessions are the norm on most nights of the week.
Instruments are already set up so it is just a matter of being there.
Informality is the key here and after 2 full years of basically not playing at all, this suited me just fine.
The standard of musicians and equipment was not maybe what I’m used to but like I said, this was very much off the record.
If there was anything to write about here, I was at least able to blow off some cobwebs and play from memory for a few hours and it really wasn’t so bad after all….
DAY 37
15.08 km
Total Time: 12.45 – 18.15 (5h 30m)
Time on Bike: 56m 22s
Max. Speed: 36.1 km/h
Av. Speed: 16 km/h
All good things must end and I’m out of Mildura at first light tomorrow.
It is also farewell to Victoria for now as I am due to cross into South Australia at some time tomorrow.
Tomorrow is destination Renmark – just short of 100 miles (160 km) and possibly the longest day of the trip.
I am getting better at pacing myself over the longer hauls, in terms of fluid intake and covering distances without a break - food intake also counts but not as much as these factors.
58 km leaving Colleambally a couple of weeks back is the longest stretch I have put in on this trip without rest.
The opening run of each day tends to be the longest, usually 25 - 40 kilometres although mostly, I prefer working in 15 – 20 km stretches once everything is moving.
Naturally, it always depends on prevailing conditions but this is close to what happens on a regular day of say 100 km or more.
Daylight is available at this time of year between 7 am and 5.30 pm, so the maximum day is around 10 hours anyway – 100 miles really is optimum distance in such a time frame.
Solid tailwind and extended downhill stretches are the only factors that can make a difference here.
My final day in Mildura has been pretty well low-key.
I got in fairly late after jamming downtown in a café last evening.
Folkways in 8th Street is run by a Maori guy called Joel and informal jam sessions are the norm on most nights of the week.
Instruments are already set up so it is just a matter of being there.
Informality is the key here and after 2 full years of basically not playing at all, this suited me just fine.
The standard of musicians and equipment was not maybe what I’m used to but like I said, this was very much off the record.
If there was anything to write about here, I was at least able to blow off some cobwebs and play from memory for a few hours and it really wasn’t so bad after all….
Saturday, May 3, 2008
DAY 36 - LAKE MUNGO NSW
LAKE MUNGO NSW
DAY 36
I have just visited one of the most important archaeological sites on Planet Earth.
Archaeology is not my strong hand by a long way and I am not about to win any great debates on the vagaries of how human evolution may or may not have occurred, however for the purposes of a deal of personal interest (not to mention quite a unique travel experience), Lake Mungo was a huge must when I decided to journey through this part of the world.
Mungo is the subject of many a University thesis and other rambling intellectualisations, so for the purposes of a humble blog, I will keep my commentary minimal.
From Mildura, the Willandra Lakes area (of which Mungo is the most important site) is around 110 kilometres, making Mildura the perfect place to access it.
90 kilometres of this is along corrugated dirt track, which left the option of a grand triking/camping adventure poorly situated.
The best option was always going to be an organised tour – 98% of the time, this is simply not my preference but on this occasion it was the only way to go.
Graham Clarke is a highly experienced and knowledgeable Koori guide who runs Harry Nanya Tours, which includes full-day tours of some of the main Mungo sites, the information centre, and also includes lunch and snacks.
I was also able to be picked up from my campsite, so away we went as a group of 6 on a days’ adventure to Mungo.
We were on site at Mungo by 10 am, where the entire story was compressed into a 2-hour dialogue for our digestion.
Basically (or not so basically), archaeological findings of human remains throughout the lake bed at Mungo have been dated as the oldest and most original of anywhere in the world – somewhere between 45 000 and 60 000 years old.
The importance of all this apparently puts paid to any evolution theories that humans have directly descended from various ape and baboon species across the breadth of the African continent.
The Mungo findings provide a stronger case that Australian Aboriginals are indeed the oldest and most original surviving human culture that has ever existed.
The theory of our guide was in favour of an original landmass called Gondwanaland (which is indeed widely proven) – this included what maps now call Australia, Antarctica and South America – New Zealand and South Pacific Islands as well).
This leads to the next theory that the Australian Aboriginals most likely evolved from something of what is now South America, but as floods and an Ice Age rolled in, Australia was separated and this is how the Aboriginals evolved in a more isolated and original way.
What is also known is that the Aboriginal gene is very weak – it will be watered down and eventually eliminated over time – this process is already widely activated.
Where this leaves me and my white skinned, blue-eyed and European ways, I’m not quite sure, although given the murkiness of my family history, I could conceivably be 1/512th cast Aboriginal……or something like this.
Yet another thought provoking idea that arose as our guide mapped out metaphorical timelines in the Mungo sand was that human existence counts for perhaps the equivalent of 5 seconds in the continuum of time and space.
Not much at all really and on this evidence, it well may be argued that at present rates of consumption and destruction on our tiny planet, it is highly unlikely that we be around in another 5 seconds…..
And of course, I could not have travelled all the way to Lake Mungo without at least some level of personal disaster.
Photographic opportunities abound at several points, particularly at an area called the Walls of China.
And what better time for my camera batteries to completely run out of charge than the first photo of the day?
Normally the camera will flash a warning, but on such an important occasion, why the hell should it?
With no access to a charger or spares, a fellow tourist fortunately came to the rescue with the use of her own camera (another Canon Power Shot, no less) and now the miracles of email should have these surrogate photos delivered to my inbox sometime in the next days…..
DAY 36
I have just visited one of the most important archaeological sites on Planet Earth.
Archaeology is not my strong hand by a long way and I am not about to win any great debates on the vagaries of how human evolution may or may not have occurred, however for the purposes of a deal of personal interest (not to mention quite a unique travel experience), Lake Mungo was a huge must when I decided to journey through this part of the world.
Mungo is the subject of many a University thesis and other rambling intellectualisations, so for the purposes of a humble blog, I will keep my commentary minimal.
From Mildura, the Willandra Lakes area (of which Mungo is the most important site) is around 110 kilometres, making Mildura the perfect place to access it.
90 kilometres of this is along corrugated dirt track, which left the option of a grand triking/camping adventure poorly situated.
The best option was always going to be an organised tour – 98% of the time, this is simply not my preference but on this occasion it was the only way to go.
Graham Clarke is a highly experienced and knowledgeable Koori guide who runs Harry Nanya Tours, which includes full-day tours of some of the main Mungo sites, the information centre, and also includes lunch and snacks.
I was also able to be picked up from my campsite, so away we went as a group of 6 on a days’ adventure to Mungo.
We were on site at Mungo by 10 am, where the entire story was compressed into a 2-hour dialogue for our digestion.
Basically (or not so basically), archaeological findings of human remains throughout the lake bed at Mungo have been dated as the oldest and most original of anywhere in the world – somewhere between 45 000 and 60 000 years old.
The importance of all this apparently puts paid to any evolution theories that humans have directly descended from various ape and baboon species across the breadth of the African continent.
The Mungo findings provide a stronger case that Australian Aboriginals are indeed the oldest and most original surviving human culture that has ever existed.
The theory of our guide was in favour of an original landmass called Gondwanaland (which is indeed widely proven) – this included what maps now call Australia, Antarctica and South America – New Zealand and South Pacific Islands as well).
This leads to the next theory that the Australian Aboriginals most likely evolved from something of what is now South America, but as floods and an Ice Age rolled in, Australia was separated and this is how the Aboriginals evolved in a more isolated and original way.
What is also known is that the Aboriginal gene is very weak – it will be watered down and eventually eliminated over time – this process is already widely activated.
Where this leaves me and my white skinned, blue-eyed and European ways, I’m not quite sure, although given the murkiness of my family history, I could conceivably be 1/512th cast Aboriginal……or something like this.
Yet another thought provoking idea that arose as our guide mapped out metaphorical timelines in the Mungo sand was that human existence counts for perhaps the equivalent of 5 seconds in the continuum of time and space.
Not much at all really and on this evidence, it well may be argued that at present rates of consumption and destruction on our tiny planet, it is highly unlikely that we be around in another 5 seconds…..
And of course, I could not have travelled all the way to Lake Mungo without at least some level of personal disaster.
Photographic opportunities abound at several points, particularly at an area called the Walls of China.
And what better time for my camera batteries to completely run out of charge than the first photo of the day?
Normally the camera will flash a warning, but on such an important occasion, why the hell should it?
With no access to a charger or spares, a fellow tourist fortunately came to the rescue with the use of her own camera (another Canon Power Shot, no less) and now the miracles of email should have these surrogate photos delivered to my inbox sometime in the next days…..
DAY 35 - MILDURA VIC
MILDURA VIC
DAY 35
27.96 km
Total Time: 11.30 – 17.00 (5h 30m)
Time on Bike: 1h 54m 27s
Max. Speed: 34.2 km/h
Av. Speed: 14.6 km/h
There could be worse ways to spend a day than hanging around Mildura.
I have somewhat of a different approach here already as I am getting around town on the trike.
It is the first time on the trip that this has happened, solely because of my close proximity to the centre in every town I have visited.
Not so in Mildura – my camp is about 5 kilometres out of town and this, in my opinion is way too far to walk when I can ride in about 10 minutes flat.
No problem really, so long as the little beast is chained up nice and tight when I go wandering about town.
It does however, draw a certain amount of attention which I need to be mindful of.
The low key attitude will always be my first priority, which is why I am ever happy to keep the bike locked up as I cruise about in anonymity.
So long as the trike is source of positive responses from the locals, then there need not be a problem.
And that’s the way I want to keep it.
First up though, was an early morning feed around the campfire with new found Adelaidian friends Geoff and Helena before their departure.
Chilli eggs on toast (with optional bacon, mandarin and prunes – not altogether of course) were on the menu and although not an abundant serving, it sure tasted good.
With breakfast settled, few other plans existed for the day in front of me, other than checking out the township and dealing with yet another bag of well worn 250 km laundry.
Oh, and there was also the need to book in my activity for tomorrow, which deserves to be left as a surprise for those still reading this blog.
I am looking forward to it as a very unique opportunity and Mildura is one of the few places in the world that has access to this experience.
My excellent budget diligence will need to be laid aside for just a day and the decision has been made to hang the expense.
It’s not thousands of dollars anyway – just that my current $40 per day lifestyle wouldn’t quite accommodate what will take place tomorrow.
Now I’ve made everybody smell the cheese, tomorrow’s report is compulsive reading.
DAY 35
27.96 km
Total Time: 11.30 – 17.00 (5h 30m)
Time on Bike: 1h 54m 27s
Max. Speed: 34.2 km/h
Av. Speed: 14.6 km/h
There could be worse ways to spend a day than hanging around Mildura.
I have somewhat of a different approach here already as I am getting around town on the trike.
It is the first time on the trip that this has happened, solely because of my close proximity to the centre in every town I have visited.
Not so in Mildura – my camp is about 5 kilometres out of town and this, in my opinion is way too far to walk when I can ride in about 10 minutes flat.
No problem really, so long as the little beast is chained up nice and tight when I go wandering about town.
It does however, draw a certain amount of attention which I need to be mindful of.
The low key attitude will always be my first priority, which is why I am ever happy to keep the bike locked up as I cruise about in anonymity.
So long as the trike is source of positive responses from the locals, then there need not be a problem.
And that’s the way I want to keep it.
First up though, was an early morning feed around the campfire with new found Adelaidian friends Geoff and Helena before their departure.
Chilli eggs on toast (with optional bacon, mandarin and prunes – not altogether of course) were on the menu and although not an abundant serving, it sure tasted good.
With breakfast settled, few other plans existed for the day in front of me, other than checking out the township and dealing with yet another bag of well worn 250 km laundry.
Oh, and there was also the need to book in my activity for tomorrow, which deserves to be left as a surprise for those still reading this blog.
I am looking forward to it as a very unique opportunity and Mildura is one of the few places in the world that has access to this experience.
My excellent budget diligence will need to be laid aside for just a day and the decision has been made to hang the expense.
It’s not thousands of dollars anyway – just that my current $40 per day lifestyle wouldn’t quite accommodate what will take place tomorrow.
Now I’ve made everybody smell the cheese, tomorrow’s report is compulsive reading.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
DAY 34 - MILDURA VIC
MILDURA VIC
DAY 34
ROBINVALE - MILDURA
101.32 km
Total Time – 09.50 – 16.50 (7h)
Time on Bike – 5h 16m 40s
Max. Speed – 42 km/h
Av. Speed – 19.2 km/h
A late start today – no particular reason other than I felt like staying in the bed awhile longer.
Just as well really, as it was coming down rain at 7 am and by 9.30 everything was dry, including the tent.
Good conditions for riding then, with a good cloud cover and cool temperatures, once again.
The light tended on gloomy all day – the sun making only a short appearance around midday.
So after a feed up in nearby Euston, it was away towards Mildura along the Sturt Highway for the first time since Wagga Wagga, nearly 3 weeks ago.
Back into New South Wales also for the entirety of today’s ride – this will be the final time in NSW on this trip, until I arrive once again in Sydney.
The drudgery of the Sturt Highway and its occupants continued for the most part of 70 kilometres before the orchards and vineyards of Mildura began lining either side of the roadway about 20 kilometres out.
I have passed many a fair share of orchards and vineyards on this trip, but would contend that nowhere has quite as many as Mildura.
It is after all, an area well known for its fertile agriculture – citrus fruits in particular - local mandarins have become my standard after dinner fare for the past week or more.
It’s a shame I have had to set up camp about 5 kilometres out of town – simply because there is no camping in Mildura itself.
There are half-a-dozen or so hostels in town, so it was a decision to take on a sterile hostel environment for a few days and keep everything within walking distance, or instead, head bush and bike the extra distance into town for daily needs.
After some brief debate, I have chosen the latter – the paydirt is some beautiful bushland camping in the area I have chosen, right on the Murray River and well away from any roads, arterial or otherwise.
I met up with Helena and Geoff about 10 minutes after arrival and not only did they cook me dinner, but have offered some space on their floor when I get to Adelaide.
They travel around on a 1960’s BSA 650, complete with fully enclosed sidecar and gas cooker – purchased by them in London in 1971 for £115.
Not content to just trundle around Europe, they rode it all the way back to Adelaide, including a stint in Iraq, which was actually still a beautiful place in 1971.
Impressive stuff.
The old girl is still on the road, currently on a return trip from Adelaide to Griffith.
And not only do I now have a game plan for Adelaide, but have also been tipped off on some preferable routes to get there.
With only 400 km to go, the alternatives will likely add a couple of days and a few more miles to the trip, but who’s counting?
Let’s just go ahead and have some fun and I’ll still get to where I’m going in good time.
DAY 34
ROBINVALE - MILDURA
101.32 km
Total Time – 09.50 – 16.50 (7h)
Time on Bike – 5h 16m 40s
Max. Speed – 42 km/h
Av. Speed – 19.2 km/h
A late start today – no particular reason other than I felt like staying in the bed awhile longer.
Just as well really, as it was coming down rain at 7 am and by 9.30 everything was dry, including the tent.
Good conditions for riding then, with a good cloud cover and cool temperatures, once again.
The light tended on gloomy all day – the sun making only a short appearance around midday.
So after a feed up in nearby Euston, it was away towards Mildura along the Sturt Highway for the first time since Wagga Wagga, nearly 3 weeks ago.
Back into New South Wales also for the entirety of today’s ride – this will be the final time in NSW on this trip, until I arrive once again in Sydney.
The drudgery of the Sturt Highway and its occupants continued for the most part of 70 kilometres before the orchards and vineyards of Mildura began lining either side of the roadway about 20 kilometres out.
I have passed many a fair share of orchards and vineyards on this trip, but would contend that nowhere has quite as many as Mildura.
It is after all, an area well known for its fertile agriculture – citrus fruits in particular - local mandarins have become my standard after dinner fare for the past week or more.
It’s a shame I have had to set up camp about 5 kilometres out of town – simply because there is no camping in Mildura itself.
There are half-a-dozen or so hostels in town, so it was a decision to take on a sterile hostel environment for a few days and keep everything within walking distance, or instead, head bush and bike the extra distance into town for daily needs.
After some brief debate, I have chosen the latter – the paydirt is some beautiful bushland camping in the area I have chosen, right on the Murray River and well away from any roads, arterial or otherwise.
I met up with Helena and Geoff about 10 minutes after arrival and not only did they cook me dinner, but have offered some space on their floor when I get to Adelaide.
They travel around on a 1960’s BSA 650, complete with fully enclosed sidecar and gas cooker – purchased by them in London in 1971 for £115.
Not content to just trundle around Europe, they rode it all the way back to Adelaide, including a stint in Iraq, which was actually still a beautiful place in 1971.
Impressive stuff.
The old girl is still on the road, currently on a return trip from Adelaide to Griffith.
And not only do I now have a game plan for Adelaide, but have also been tipped off on some preferable routes to get there.
With only 400 km to go, the alternatives will likely add a couple of days and a few more miles to the trip, but who’s counting?
Let’s just go ahead and have some fun and I’ll still get to where I’m going in good time.
DAY 33 - ROBINVALE VIC
ROBINVALE VIC
DAY 33
SWAN HILL - ROBINVALE
150 km
Total Time – 07.45 – 17.00 (9h 15m)
Time on Bike – 7h 25m 45s
Max. speed – 41.5 km/h
Av. Speed – 20.2 km/h
Second biggest day of the trip today and I’m feeling it.
Most of the terrain was undulating, which got my speed up for some extended stretches but the pay off was some extended stretches of climbing throughout.
It was a particularly dark and gloomy day in this part of the world – the first of its kind I’ve had during the trip.
The experience has basically been an entire month of wide open blue skies and aside from storm fronts on Sunday between Echuca and Kerang, today was something of an anomaly.
Best part of this though was the cool conditions. In fact I picked up some solid tailwind for the final run into Robinvale, late today.
Earlier in the morning, I was stopped along the highway by a fellow who claimed he could not see me very well as I was riding along.
It was the second time during the day he had driven past me and it was on the second occasion he felt compelled to stop.
He had a point.
I was dressed quite inappropriately for the conditions – I probably had underestimated how bad the light was today.
Add to the fact that this same fellow was standing in front of me downing a Jim Beam mixer and I felt 90% sure that he was stoned, then this is the sort of character that needs to paid attention to.
I took it as an appreciative gesture, because if I am to meet an untimely demise on the great highways of Australia, it is far more likely to be at the whim of a whacked out stoner than an impudent B-Double driver.
The B-Doubles just want to show you who’s boss – unless they genuinely don’t see you, they will give you a hard time rather than kill you – even though some of them try it on for a lark.
I have however, noticed a distinct increase of such impoliteness, probably since the town of Jerilderie about a week ago.
I’m not sure what is in the water – maybe it is the extremity of the drought in this area, but the attitude is certainly more hardcore the further I have gone along.
It may also be that the Murray Valley Highway is quite a narrow and well used runway, with little or no shoulder for miles at a time.
B-Doubles (and others) have limited stopping power and it is not necessarily easy for them to crank it down quickly from 110 km/h when I suddenly appear in front of them and there are 20 vehicles coming in the opposite direction.
I will give them at least the benefit of this doubt, even though some of them still need a kick in the face…..
DAY 33
SWAN HILL - ROBINVALE
150 km
Total Time – 07.45 – 17.00 (9h 15m)
Time on Bike – 7h 25m 45s
Max. speed – 41.5 km/h
Av. Speed – 20.2 km/h
Second biggest day of the trip today and I’m feeling it.
Most of the terrain was undulating, which got my speed up for some extended stretches but the pay off was some extended stretches of climbing throughout.
It was a particularly dark and gloomy day in this part of the world – the first of its kind I’ve had during the trip.
The experience has basically been an entire month of wide open blue skies and aside from storm fronts on Sunday between Echuca and Kerang, today was something of an anomaly.
Best part of this though was the cool conditions. In fact I picked up some solid tailwind for the final run into Robinvale, late today.
Earlier in the morning, I was stopped along the highway by a fellow who claimed he could not see me very well as I was riding along.
It was the second time during the day he had driven past me and it was on the second occasion he felt compelled to stop.
He had a point.
I was dressed quite inappropriately for the conditions – I probably had underestimated how bad the light was today.
Add to the fact that this same fellow was standing in front of me downing a Jim Beam mixer and I felt 90% sure that he was stoned, then this is the sort of character that needs to paid attention to.
I took it as an appreciative gesture, because if I am to meet an untimely demise on the great highways of Australia, it is far more likely to be at the whim of a whacked out stoner than an impudent B-Double driver.
The B-Doubles just want to show you who’s boss – unless they genuinely don’t see you, they will give you a hard time rather than kill you – even though some of them try it on for a lark.
I have however, noticed a distinct increase of such impoliteness, probably since the town of Jerilderie about a week ago.
I’m not sure what is in the water – maybe it is the extremity of the drought in this area, but the attitude is certainly more hardcore the further I have gone along.
It may also be that the Murray Valley Highway is quite a narrow and well used runway, with little or no shoulder for miles at a time.
B-Doubles (and others) have limited stopping power and it is not necessarily easy for them to crank it down quickly from 110 km/h when I suddenly appear in front of them and there are 20 vehicles coming in the opposite direction.
I will give them at least the benefit of this doubt, even though some of them still need a kick in the face…..
DAY 32 - SWAN HILL VIC
SWAN HILL VIC
DAY 32
A quiet day by standards, but perhaps the biggest event is that the weather has returned to something resembling Autumn.
Temps should be back in the low 20’s in no time.
More clear skies ahead and farewell to that wind…..
Swan Hill is home to a paddle steamer called the Pyap.
I didn’t ride this one, although it did roll its way up and down the river past my tent more than once today.
Mildura should be the final paddle steamer stop on the tour and I believe there to be a couple of beauties up there to look forward to.
The steamer here is associated with a pioneer settlement tourist attraction in Swan Hill – only 500 meters from my camp in fact.
This area is more an authentic re-working of what a township would have looked like say, about 140 years ago.
A similar idea really to an attraction called Old Sydney Town – not quite a theme park but not at all in the same league as Echuca.
The Port of Echuca is as it was in the 1860’s – just subject to some modifications and modernisations over time – and a finely preserved specimen it is.
Anyway, it is shortly time for an early night in anticipation of a long day on the road tomorrow.
I 'm estimating a 150 day followed by 80-odd into Mildura on Thursday.
There will be a few days in Mildura (which I am hoping will include a very special excursion), with only then the final few days into Adelaide sometime next week.
DAY 32
A quiet day by standards, but perhaps the biggest event is that the weather has returned to something resembling Autumn.
Temps should be back in the low 20’s in no time.
More clear skies ahead and farewell to that wind…..
Swan Hill is home to a paddle steamer called the Pyap.
I didn’t ride this one, although it did roll its way up and down the river past my tent more than once today.
Mildura should be the final paddle steamer stop on the tour and I believe there to be a couple of beauties up there to look forward to.
The steamer here is associated with a pioneer settlement tourist attraction in Swan Hill – only 500 meters from my camp in fact.
This area is more an authentic re-working of what a township would have looked like say, about 140 years ago.
A similar idea really to an attraction called Old Sydney Town – not quite a theme park but not at all in the same league as Echuca.
The Port of Echuca is as it was in the 1860’s – just subject to some modifications and modernisations over time – and a finely preserved specimen it is.
Anyway, it is shortly time for an early night in anticipation of a long day on the road tomorrow.
I 'm estimating a 150 day followed by 80-odd into Mildura on Thursday.
There will be a few days in Mildura (which I am hoping will include a very special excursion), with only then the final few days into Adelaide sometime next week.
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