Berry and Kangaroo Valley

Time is flying by! Left Tumbarumba on the 18th January 2011 and headed for Berry, that quaint little day trip spot for Sydneysiders, just 1.5 hours south of Sydney. Berry is famous for getting money out of wallets and purses, but given its picturesque setting and high quality shops, it tends to be a rather painless experience!

But before we get to Berry, let me digress. The day before we left Tumby, Nancy and Keith rang to say they had made one of their spur of the moment decisions, to take a long weekend in Canberra. After some quick planning it was decided we could meet up for Sunday lunch, and so it was that lunch was had at The Yass Soldiers Club. It was lovely to see familiar faces and share a chat. After all, we have been gone for a month! We overnighted at Yass, and of course included a morning tea stop at The Long Track Pantry on the way to Yass.

We arrived at Berry around lunchtime Monday 19th January, and encountered the first minor hiccup of our journey. Tony, the Manager, had taken our booking for 8 days, but now had the awkward job of explaining that we could only stay 4, as the Berry Show was looming, and the Show Committee, who must wield some real fear and immense power, must take control of the Showgrounds 2 weeks before the Show, and that means all caravanners out on Friday.

Camped at Berry Showgrounds

So we set up camp along with a small group of fellow campers. who had been there for periods of 1 to 3 weeks. Prior to setting out on our journey, we had purchased a publication called "Camps Australia Wide 5". This is a compilation of over 3500 camp sites for both day and overnight stays, all of which are budget priced, and have been researched by the publishers. This was our first stay using the book, but we soon found out that it is a bit of a bible for long term travellers such as ourselves, as it helps keep away from noisy casual campers and day trippers. Everyone at Berry had chosen the place based on the book, so we had some very interesting happy hours, making notes from this interesting group of travellers. Many of the sites require you to be self sufficient as regards power (Berry did not), so it won't be long before the generator is purchased, and the book is widely used.


John's first good snapper.



In Berry, we caught up with Bev and Fred for lunch at Kiama. The day was beautiful and Kiama sparkled. The lunch spot won't be getting a free plug. It was very average, but we have been there before so we'll give them the benefit of the doubt. That night the heavens opened, and we really thought the Show Committee did have some clout! It seemed like the warning shots were being fired! But the morning cleared and John and Fred went fishing off Shellharbour. Had some reall fun, catching lots of fish of varied species, including John's first snapper of a good size. Looking forward to more fishing trips over the coming weeks as Fred and John really get amongst the fish. Stay tuna-ed!



Lachlan's 5th Birthday at Berry



Whilst John was on the high seas, Carol was socialising with the neighbours. Young Lachlan was having his 5th Birthday. Lachlan and his 7 year old brother Cooper, are travelling around Australia with their mum and dad, who have taken responsibility for the boys' education. These were two great kids, who loved to play with April, and it was nice to share their birthday with all the fellow campers, not to mention the fact that Carol got to have fairy bread and cake, as well as play 3 legged races and other games. There were lots of small, fun presents bought by the campers, the best one being the harmonicas that were still being played, albeit quite badly, well into the evening. We later learned that the harmonicas were banned from the car!

Now a lot of you will know that there are a lot of good places in Berry to get a feed. But we have to tell you, we found a beauty, called "The Hungry Duck".

The Hungry Duck at Berry. Yum!



We felt we were in need of a "dress up and hit the town" kind of night, so we picked  out The Hungry Duck, and we were not disappointed. The place was packed, in fact we got the last table, so lucky we booked the day before. Stuffed Zucchini Flowers, Crispy School Prawn Fritters, Char Grilled Chicken with Red Vinegar and Shallot sauce, Red Duck Curry, all cooked to perfection, and served with a warm friendly service, it was an experience not to forget. Of course we had dessert! Crispy wonton with Creme Fraiche and summer berries, and Sesame Crisp Parfait with Goje Berry sauce. We know why it is called The Hungry Duck - you waddle out!! A must do if you are in Berry. Right in the main street, just past the pub with the surf boats on the roof, heading south.

After quite some searching due to School Holidays and greedy prices, we decided on Kangaroo Valley for the second of our 4 day stays, and it is delightful. Another Sydney day tripper spot, other than at weekends, it is quaint and quiet. There is a beautiful Golf Resort just out of town, that is hardly used. Can you believe that on Saturday morning I could book any tee time I liked from 8.30am onwards.

No pressure Golf



We have played twice, at a lazy pace, among the kangaroos and ducks, hardly another person in sight. Although, the 6ft Red Bellied Black Snake, that was slithering across the 18th fairway, was not something I usually encountered in a round at Moore Park!

The rest of our time here has been very relaxed indeed. Watching the cricket and tennis, yes the satellite Foxtel is working a treat, reading, and of couse the obligatory walk around the shops. And of course, our little April is having the best time. Almost worn her nose out with all the new found smells!

Tomorrow it is on to Shellharbour. At the current rate of travel, it is anticipated we will be out of NSW some time in 2013!

Blowering Dam Side Trip



One of the creek crossings.



Given that on most of our visits to this area, Blowering Dam was more like a duck pond, we decided to check it out, as it is full again. After consultation with a local, we were told that the most scenic way to get there from Tumbarumba was via the forestry roads from Batlow. Most of these roads were open again after all the rain, and given we had 4WD, we should be OK. Just keep the 2 Way radio switched on to channel 40 and watch out for Log Trucks and road repair gangs!

 

Logging Trucks



Track through the Pine Forest.



So off we head for our first 4WD adventure. We started down a sealed road that soon gave way to a dirt road, well graded and sign posted. That soon changed! Washed away bridges and creek crossings, rutted roads and tracks, that we couldn't believe the big log trucks use. And not a sign in site!

The scenery was amazing, with glimpses of Blowering Dam in the distance through the trees, getting closer as we descended the various tracks, and by now, I do mean tracks! We only got totally lost once. I put a call out over the 2Way saying I was heading away from Batlow on Snubbes Road. Where will we end up? "Deadend" came the reply, so U turn and a few minutes later we meet the Forestry Commission Ranger who'd answered our call, and he put us back on the right track. We met the water tanker driver, and Carol was suitably impressed when I radioed up the Roller Driver for clearance to pass and get the latest road conditions. We're getting the hang of this! 

We made it to the lake shoreline, and came across the odd camper, waterskier and fishermen. Even came across one intrepid caravanner camped by the lake. He must have known another route to get that caravan down, otherwise he was washed down in the flood and he's been there for years!


Blowering Dam from the Batlow/Talbongo Road


All the way around the lake we were treated to some amazing close ups of a variety of bird life that included 4 or 5 different species of parrots, plenty of screeching white cockatoos and corellas, a flock of black cockatoos, a magnificent wedge tail eagle, who took off just in front of us as we came around  corner and saw a feral cat rush off the road. We think the eagle might also have had an eye on the cat! Lots of finches and countless other birds we couldn't identify, and then one bloody big bird we could identify, and were quite surprised to see in this heavily wooded area, an emu, and just to prove he wasn't lost, a lot more emus.
 We also saw a number of beautiful black wallabies and a large herd of Grey Kangaroos, all of which were too quick for the camera!


Emu at Blowering Camp Area.



All in all, we had a wonderful few hours driving through the forests. We eventually found our way around the lake,  and out of the forest, at the Jounama Wall of Talbingo Dam, which we drove across, and out onto the Snowy Mountains Hwy. 



The Wall at Blowering Dam



A short drive and we are at the wall of Blowering Dam, which we checked out from every angle, including a drive across the wall, in rain and failing light.

We are soon back in Tumut, where we take in a well deserved coffee, before heading back to Tumbarumba in the now heavy rain, having survived the wilds of our first 4WD adventure. What a fantastic day!

How do you end a day like that I hear you say. Well you book a table at The Nest Cafe and Cinema, Tumbarumba's unique entertainment venue, where you share a glass of wine, some pizza and pasta and then take up your recliner chair in the cinema out back, to watch the movie. No popcorn here, you get dessert and coffee! and who cares what the movie is. (well actually it was "The Despicables" or something like that.)





The Big Thingamejig

The Big Merino Goulburn NSW.

We were stopped for coffee under the shade of THE BIG MERINO in Goulburn, when it occured to me that Australians are obsessed with BIG REMINDERS for their local regions, so THE BIG THINGAMEJIG blog page was born, as in our travels we are bound to see many. Keep checking this page for updates, you never know where the next Big Thingamejig may be. So here is the first of many things big.

For those who were facing the back wall during Australian history classes, Goulburn is Australia's fine Merino wool centre, with many famous, historic Sheep Stations in the area. Chances are that the expensive Italian suit you are wearing, started out on a sheep from around this very area.
That's right folks, next time you are playing for sheep stations, you want your opponent to be from Goulburn!

Big Chair at Berry NSW

Technically speaking this item should not be featured as it isn't a claim for fame.
However, Carol was adament that due to it's size it should be included. So here it is in all it's glory.
It is in fact an advertisement for a local Berry furniture maker!
So if you are in the market for furniture too large to fit in your house, this is your guy!!

The Big Trout at Adaminaby NSW

Our unscheduled stop in Cooma has resulted in an addition to our list of BIG things. We took a drive up into the Snowy Mountains, to Jindabyne and Adaminaby where we found the BIG trout to be the biggest, in fact only, attraction.

For those who may be wondering, no it is not a real one that has been stuffed and mounted, though a local tried to convince us he caught it!

Ned Kelly - Glenrowan Victoria

As he is the most famous outlaw or larrikin in Austarlia's history, it is only appropriate that he is immortalised, larger that life. Ned Kelly was captured at the siege at Glenrowan, in northern Victoria, and it is here that you will find this big statue.

Everyone should visit this region at some stage, to re-live the Kelly gang story. We had forgotten much of the history, so it was great to bring it back to life. 

The Big Strawberry

The Big Strawberry can be found at Koonoomoo in Victoria, close to the Murray River at the junction of the Murray River and Newell Highways. As the name implies, it is at a strawberry farm, and features everything strawberry. We enjoyed a nice coffee and shared some of the famous strawberry pancakes. 

The Big Murray Cod

The Big Murray Cod can be found at the Murray River town of Tocumwal, NSW. These are the most famous of the inland river fish of southern Australia. Whilst in this area, we did try some farmed Murray Cod. It is a soft, white fish with a delicate flavour, and contrary to the salesman's pitch we will not be giving up on all other fish, now we have tasted it! It was nice, but not life changing.

Stop 2 - Tumbarumba

We headed down the Hume Hwy on Monday 3rd January 2011 to meet up with Lynne, Paul, Baileigh and Harley, who were travelling from Mudgee at the same time. It is a very leisurely journey, towing the 3 tonne  "Chateau Relaxeau", so we take in the scenery, which is magnificent after all the recent rain.

First stop is Jugiong for coffee and treats at a little gem of a place called "The Long Track Pantry", which we stumbled upon a few years back, and now is a compulsory stop. Nestled just off the Hwy between Yass and Gundagai, it is a must stop if you are passing by. Great food and coffee, and lots of take away treats of dressings, sauces and jams, and with all this on board we crawl up the hill, and continue the journey to Tumbarumba.

Next stop along the way is Tumut. Since leaving Jugiong, we have seen lots of evidence of the recent floods, especially around Gundagai, but the scenery remains green and gorgeous. At Tumut, it is a stop for fuel and supplies. John does the fuel and Carol the supplies. Standing by the caravan with April, waiting for Carol, it never takes long to attract a few locals, eager to talk about the van. "Bloody big van mate!" is the usual conversation starter. By the time Carol returns, John is laden down with armfuls of fresh cucumbers and zucchinis the size of pumpkins! God I love the country!! Carol just shakes her head, and we move on to Tumbarumba, to set up camp. It isn't the most level site at the Tumbarumba Creek Caravan Park, but with a little help from Paul and the manager, Malcolm, we get chocked up level, and set up is completed.  Let Happy Hour begin!

Not sure what it is that keeps bringing us back to Tumbarumba, but by now we almost feel like locals. The blueberry picking season is well under way, so the Park is an eclectic mix of cultures, with this years' crew being mostly Sudanese refugees (how do they find Tumbarumba!), Korean students (how do they find Tumbarumba!),  a few Aussie regulars who keep our blueberry supplies coming, and a few backpackers from God knows where. Never is the mix of cultures more evident than dinner time, when the Park is an amazing array of mouth watering aromas, and there is the constant chatter and banter of scores of hungry pickers. We could be in a bazaar in Khartoum, but no it is Tumby.

A quick walk across the bridge into the showground, where the annual Pony Club week is in full swing, and we soon remember where we are. Here it is small boys in big cowboy hats and riding boots, and young girls in riding britches and denim shirts, all sitting on huge horses and riding like Darren Beadman. Surely they go straight from the womb to the saddle! Boy can they ride. No Playstations and I-Pods here, it is all about the horses. It shouldn't be a surprise really, as we are in the Snowy Mountains where Banjo Patterson brought Jack Reilly, The Man From Snowy River, to life, and where the wild brumbies still run free.

We usually start our day with a dog walk along the river, returning through town with a coffee  stop at the 4 Bears Cafe. We have become quite friendly with Anthony and his Bears over the years, so he usually joins us for coffee and a catch up on local events since our last visit. His food is great, and while his coffee may not equal the best of Balmain, it still goes down well. As best customers, we always enjoy prime position, and have learned that we share the food, as the portions are on the generous side.



Lunch at Jingellic Pub



After brekkie it is either leisurely book reading around the camp, or a drive around the district to one of the many fantastic spots by a river or a creek, all of which this year, are flowing beautifully. A favourite spot is on the mighty Murray River at Jingellic where not only the dogs can cool down but the grown ups can coof off at the local pub, where the beer is cold and the meals great.



Stick fetching is always fun.



From here we can follow the Murray down to Hume Weir, which this year is a delight, as the weir is full and everything looks prosperous. There is so much to see. We venture to Albury and Wagga Wagga, where the floods have left their mark, and then we find a track, winding back (oops that's Gundagai. The poetry has gotten to me again!), and then it's back to camp.

 A week has gone and the weather has turned a little worse, but nothing too bad when we think of the plight of others. We get a pleasant surprise, with a visit from Brain Sainty, a friend of Lynne and Paul, who has been Trout fishing at Lake Eukumbene, and has decided to call in, enroute back to Griffith. Now Brian is quite a character. A retired viticulturist and a avid "bushie", Brian is a bit of Harry Butler, Crocodile Dundee & Steve Irwin, all mixed with a dash of Leo Schofield. He can recount a thousand real life adventures, and doesn't need too much lubrication to get going. He arrives for dinner with an exquisite Italian cheese to try, some fresh picked apricots, a delightful bottle of Hunter Semillon and a "to die for" Coonawarra Cab Sav (remember he has been camping and fishing for a week), that goes down a treat with our Butterflied Greek Lamb and Avocado Tomato and Bocconcini salad. It was a wonderful evening, brought to a close with a vociferous game of Upwords, where the man who is rarely short of a word, ran short of words!

Well, today Lynne & Paul left for home via Beechworth (that's another story), so camp is a little quiet and flat, but we will soon bounce back, and enjoy a few more days here, probably take a look around Blowering Dam, might even head back to Batlow, and see if that lady has any more of those fresh baked cherry pies, before heading on, come Sunday.

A Tale of Things Cricket

Ah, the sound of leather on willow, the heat, the flies, thunder, lightning, a torrential downpour. It must be summer at last!

As many of you will know, John's brother Neil, is a cricket tragic. Now on the north side of 50, he, together with an array of equally, and greater aged tragics, still throw on the the elastic sided flannels, apply liberal amounts of sunscreen and linament, and hit the turf!



The Beautiful Bradman Oval Bowral



The Classic Pose

There was a guy named Bradman who could play the game a bit, and he left quite a legacy. His home town was Bowral NSW, and there is now an oval that bears his name, along with the fantastic Museum, and the Bradman Foundation.

The Foundation has members from all over the world, and from these members are compiled Bradman Foundation Teams who play matches against invited teams, and this year Neil's St. George Old Boys (their own name, not mine!), were invited to play.



Mum, Carol & April at the cricket



The long walk back to the pavilion



So the scene was set. The Bradman Foundation had 6 Poms who had chosen to holiday in Australia, just so they could play in the match (get a life boys!!!), a young Fijian wicketkeeper on a Bradman Foundation scholarship, and a number of local (Aussie) tragics. The 45 over match was split into two halves as the weather forecast was not good. The first 25 hours saw the Bradman Foundation exploit the conditions, and set up a commanding lead, but as luck would have it, the Gods intervened, and the heavens opened.  


A great day was had by all, including the family members who travelled down for the event. There was Mum( who's watched more cricket than Richie Benaud!), Adrienne, Jenny, Dave, Jill, Tracey, Dan, Carol, John & April. Although I must say, that the girls shopping excursion into town, simply wasn't cricket!

Forget the Ashes, the real cricket this summer was in Bowral, where noone cared about the result, and cricket memories were made. Put a big tick in one of those "must do before I die" boxes Neil.

Now, how do I work my way to Augusta???





Stop 1 - Camden

Well we have been on the road for 2 weeks. How time flies. Chateau Relaxeau is up and running, and we are really settling into the lifestyle.



Poplars Caravan Park



The Poplars Caravan Park at Camden is a beauty! What a great way to start. Because we booked late we had to set up in the overflow and general camping area, and it is fantastic! No sqeezy site here. We have acres of land around us on a beautiful lawn that is mowed every week. We could not be happier.



Opening the Presents



We spent Christmas and Boxing Day catching up with family and friends. Really like any other year, except we had further to drive home! Christmas Day we visited our Mums and had a lovely Anderson Family day, at Jenny's on Boxing Day. Christmas night we spent with Cheryl and Chris and their family, which was a real treat and very different for us. It was so good, we did it all again on Boxing Day night!

Since then we have had visitors galore, which has been fabulous. Robyn came down for coffee and a look around the area. Nancy & Keith came down with Robert and Graeme. The boys played golf at Camden Lakeside and the girls did the shops and lunch. Bev & Fred came across for lunch on New Years Eve, and following that we did the movies and had a great night seeing in the New Year at Cheryl & Chris', with lots of swimming good food and wine. The weather has been mostly hot, and we have spent a lot of time at Cheryl & Chris' in and around the pool. We have really enjoyed this quality time, with them and their family, and their wonderful hospitality.

Tomorrow, 2nd January, is our last day at Camden. We will spend the day packing up, but will take a trip to Bowral, to watch a little of brother Neil's special cricket match at the Bradman Oval, which will give us a chance to catch up with many of the family, before setting off for Tumbaraumba on Monday, to meet up with Lynne & Paul.