Day 18 – Dubbo

After patching together a very tasty meal of “hamburger with the lot” (that’s what you call hamburgers that also have leftovers piled on to them including bacon, eggs, mushrooms, relish and onion), we gathered ourselves and set off for the Dubbo Observatory and an evening of stargazing.

Peter Starr, I kid you not – that is his real name, gave us a very comprehensive talk and look at the the heavens. I’d have to say much of it went over my head, (get it – haha?), but it was still an entertaining evening with quite a few oohs and ahhs as Peter guided us through the night skies. I did learn quite a bit, (some of which I even remember lass than 24 hours on), - we looked at Venus before it set, took a photo through the telescope of Orion nebula (OK, that bit I can’t guarantee to be accurate), was able to identify the saucepan, the southern cross and other bits. The truly amazing thing though was that we saw millions of stars through the telescope that the naked eye could not even discern at all. It’s quite humbling when you think of the sheer numbers of stars, galaxies etc in the universe and the age and size of them. We are a pretty small fish in a big sea.

It was after 9:30pm when we got back so we called it a night and planned our attack on activities for our last day. Gaz was up early to go and grab a coffee with his mate, David. Maz and I waited until Gaz returned as we needed our car to head off in because Gaz and Kev had golf planned for 11am. Let me take this moment to tell you that Gaz and Kev, (yes, I made sure BOTH were reminded), failed to return from golf with a photo. Oh, there were tales of awesome drives, lost golf balls, improved performance but a photo? Nuh, nix, nada. I am now convinced that no actual golf has taken place on this trip and they spray themselves with water to approximate sweat as they come near. What they actually do is, of course, anyone’s guess.

Maz and I, who have plenty of photo evidence of our adventures, took off in search of the Dubbo Regional Botanical Gardens. They were lovely. Mainly a Japanese garden but also some more traditional roses and other purple, red, white, and pink flowers (I generally identify flowers by colour, not species, OK). Maz was somewhat distracted as we wandered around as she was fielding calls and messages … drum roll … Maz and Kev became grandparents again overnight! Little Arlo David Priest was born in the wee hours of the morn, (well, 12:48 am to be exact), to Ryan and Bec, and weighed 3.2kg – everyone well and home already (who wants to hang out in hospitals at the moment). As well as spending a lovely hour or so in the gardens, I once again left some painted rocks for someone to find.

We then spent another hour or so checking out the main street of Dubbo. We considered going into the Dubbo Gaol but a) it seemed a bit pricey, b) my feet were hurting, c) I would have had to move the car, d) we were hungry. So, it was back to the cabin where we ate the last of our amassed bread rolls and salad, meeting up with Kev & Gaz when they returned from golf photoless.

Maz and I were keen to visit a local historic site, Dundallimal Homestead, out past the zoo. I suddenly realised that it closes at 3 pm and it was already a bit after 2, so we jumped in the car and set off immediately. In great anticipation we followed the signs and approached the property, just to be confronted with a closed gate and the inevitable sign that they were closed due to COVID-19. On our return journey, we mused over whether we would have been able to come on this trip at all if the pandemic had started even a couple of weeks earlier.

It seems most things will be closed soon so we certainly consider ourselves lucky to have had the experiences we’ve had. In these uncertain times, we have a lot of memories, OK and a LOT of photos, and we will cherish those memories, made all the more special by the friendship we have experienced along the way. For today, the enforced afternoon off afforded me the opportunity to do something I haven’t done in years … have an afternoon nap! It was great – this could be a sign of things to come!

We are off for a pub meal tonight and then it’s an early start to pack up and head home tomorrow. We have missed our family and look forward to getting home but it has been a blast. So tomorrow we’re back to see how Dusty has fared without us and, indeed if she remembers us at all after being totally spoilt in our absence – thanks Kim and David! Until next time …

Day 17 – The Dish & Peak Hill

Let me tell you, that Kev and Maz can cook! We had another lovely meal of marinated pork and vegies last night, eaten al fresco. Once again, after the clean-up, it was time for Maz and I to clean up the boys at euchre. Which we did … in the first game. They were so far ahead they thought they had us done and then we came home with a wet sail. Maz and I have amended our celebratory high fives to a sort of elbow bump – can’t say we’re not taking precautions against infection. No need to talk much about the second game except to say we were not the winners.

As there wasn’t much on for us today, there was no need to set the alarm. We packed the car at a leisurely pace and drove out of Parkes right on 10am, first stop 20km out of town at “The Dish” aka CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope. As we discovered yesterday, the info centre out there was closed but we did grab a couple of photos. It was certainly worth while just to see it in the flesh. I love the movie “The Dish” and once impressively watched it three times in a row – it was three slightly different versions on the same DVD – some had commentary on the making of etc – and I was just too lazy to get off the lounge and stop it. OK, not so impressive. Disappointingly for Gaz, the Dish Café was closed (even though we were told it would be open) so he had to wait a little longer for coffee.

Next stop was Peak Hill, just a little further along the Newell Highway. We stopped at the first coffee shop which, I’d have to say, looked a bit suss – it was part of a very dusty looking antique shop that also sold lollies – yes, very bizarre. Surprisingly they had good coffee and presented our yummy shared lamington with aplomb, far exceeding expectations.

Just on the edge of town, only 200m off the highway, is an exhibition around a now abandoned open cut gold mine. We certainly weren’t going to miss that! Another interesting piece of history – and quite an impressive hole in the ground to boot.

Having heard from Maz & Kev, who had left earlier than us and already arrived at the caravan park at Dubbo, that we could check in early, we proceeded to straight to Dubbo and were unpacked and in the cabin by 1pm. Gaz was keen to catch up with an old bankie friend who lived in Dubbo. (For those who have heard the story before, this was the very same friend that we were visiting in Dubbo 25 years ago when the infamous Dubbo Zoo incident occurred, forever to be written into O’Shea folklore). Anyway, I spent some time wandering through David, Gaz’s friend’s, toy shop while they chatted and caught up. By the time they had finished their preliminary chat, (yes, more planned for tomorrow), it was after 2pm and we were unlikely to get a feed for lunch anywhere. We found a Woolies, grabbed some food from the severely depleted stocks (!) to cook for dinner and a couple of bread rolls for lunch back at the cabin.

Kev was working this afternoon, so after booking our tickets for the Dubbo Observatory for tonight, Maz, Gaz and I decided a quiet afternoon of rest and relaxation was what was required. Plans are 6pm drinks, 6:30pm dinner, then off to the Observatory for a bit of stargazing. Thankfully the skies are clear of clouds … so far, anyway.

Our cabin here is probably the best we've had this trip - the most spacious, and the kitchen is very well appointed, and there are two bedrooms so lots of storage options. The park is very quiet with apparently a lot of cancellations in recent times. As we were driving out to head back to town after unpacking, I said to Gaz "Is that ... could it be? ... a drive-in?" Yep, there is a drive-in across the road - now, THAT was unexpected!

Day 16 – Parkes

Thankfully I managed to make my favourite Italian Fettuccine last night without the aid of the povomix – had 3 burners going on the stove at once – this was the first cabin with the facility to be able to juggle all the bits. Anyway, was quite tasty and we ate al fresco and had quite a feast. The euchre tournament is really hotting up with Maz and I victors yet again. I hope someone is keeping count, ‘cause I have no clue.

With the announcement of the special opening times for the elderly at Woolies, our resident elder, Gaz, set the alarm and was off at 6:40am. If you know Gaz, you know that he is rarely up before 9 normally so this could be a record. The lure of toilet paper (that we do genuinely need) was too great … though he did say he also bought a few pieces of fruit so he wouldn’t look like a dick. You gotta laugh!

With a leisurely start at 10am, we, of course, set sail for the main street and coffee. Maz and I wandered the shops while Kev and Gaz stocked up on caffeine. Maz was unsuccessful at procuring chicken thighs to cook for dinner and had to settle for pork (which will be fine as far as I’m concerned), - the shop shortages are a bit unsettling. Gaz continued his support of local businesses by buying some clothes and a hat and grabbing a lotto ticket in the hope of regaining some stock market losses from recent weeks – wish us luck…

We set off for the Henry Parkes Centre, housing the Tourist Information Office and a number of museums. We watched a 15-minute DVD on the life of good ol’ Sir Henry and then we spent an hour or so in an Elvis exhibition and (another) motor museum. You may recall that Parkes hosts an annual Elvis festival so there is a good reason for them to have such a thing as this museum here. Strangely, Greg Page, the original yellow Wiggle, is the owner of the memorabilia and has loaned it to be put on display. We were then told the devastating news that the interactive display at “The Dish”, the famous Parkes Radio Telescope, closed from today due to Covid-19 concerns. The lady said they were also considering closing the Henry Parkes Centre from tomorrow! Phew – we just made Elvis…

After trying to recover from the shock of that news, we went in search of a place to picnic and found Kelly Reserve where I left some painted rocks after we had feasted. There is also an old train engine there which we had a bit of a squiz at.

Next stop was Bushman’s Hill – not much there but Maz and I hiked up the hill and got a look at some pretty nice views. We then pressed on to Memorial Hill which was a little more impressive, both in views and monuments.

Back into town for the search for Sir Henry Parkes and Elvis and both were found pretty easily. Sir Henry was gesticulating outside the impressive NAB building and Elvis was discovered rocking away in the very pretty Cooke Park. That seemed to be it pretty much for Parkes, so we headed back to the cabin for a quiet afternoon. Kev and Maz cook tonight and then we’re off to our last stop tomorrow, Dubbo.

Day 15 – Barellan, West Wyalong, Forbes

Last night saw the long awaited “choose your poison” take-away night. Kev couldn’t resist and went for the KFC option while Maz, Gaz and I went for pizza (Kev has decided he’s definitely not a fan of pizza). On the way to pick it up we did a bit of a drive around the nearby streets behind the caravan park and were astounded to see some really magnificent homes, all with lovely gardens and sometimes orchards, and on about one-acre blocks. This delightful detour unfortunately made us late to pick up our pizza and then some stuff ups by “very disinterested kids” at KFC ensured that we were presented with cold pizza on arrival back at the cabin. The microwave did the trick and Kev found an extra chips in his pack, so all was not lost.

Packing up and on the road by 8:45am, we headed off on our adventure. As mentioned yesterday, we were going via Barellan and the others wanted to see Weethalle. Gaz and I stopped very briefly at Barellan for a quick look at the “Big Tennis Racquet”. It’s certainly the biggest thing in Barellan, a very small town indeed. I think it’s great that they have that tribute to Evonne Goolagong … and it puts them on the map.

The roads out this way are pretty good and mostly have a 110km speed limit, so it didn’t seem too long and we were in West Wyalong. What a lovely town. I walked up and down the main street, and Gaz shopped (surprise, surprise), while we waited for Kev & Maz who were about 15 minutes behind us. We then found a coffee shop, where some cake and Lemon Meringue Pie also found their way to our table, and watched the world go by. We admired some of the old buildings including the old CBC Bank and Bank of NSW. On the way back to the car, Gaz and I popped into the Shire Building that houses the Tourist Info and Library, ostensibly to use their bathroom facilities – well, that’s what I thought we were doing. When I came out Gaz was nowhere to be seen so I assumed he was at the car, but alas, nowhere to be seen. I made myself a cup of tea from the thermos, waited a while, and then drove off looking or him. Oh, there he was, sheepishly exiting the Tourist Info with purchases in hand. He seriously cannot help himself!

Agreeing to meet in Forbes for lunch, we set off about the same time as Maz & Kev. Upon reaching Forbes, we did a recky, decided on a park venue, shopped for picnic stuff and met them at Apex Park, a nice spot near the town at Lake Forbes. Looked a bit more like a river than a lake, but a sign said it was fed by bore water and that’s what keeps its water level up. Nice fountain in the middle too! I dropped some painted rocks for any passing children, and we hightailed it off to the nearby McFeeters Motor Museum.

Wow – this place was pretty awesome – a massive two-storey shed chockas full of vintage cars, mostly in pristine condition, and many still driveable and registered. The owners, Mr (Bill) and Mrs McFeeter were very welcoming. Bill took us around on a personal tour – and boy, could he talk. He had a story for every vehicle – it was quite entertaining. There were mannequins all around, suitably showing the fashions of the times and these apparently were adorned in Mrs McFeeters old clothes, including her wedding dress! All in all, a good hour or so … and Buddy had a drive of the car outside. He is so invested in this trip!

Our next stop was the Forbes cemetery – no, it wasn’t my bad driving – this is where Ben Hall, the bushranger is buried. Don’t recall much about him, but I guess it is a bit weird we are ‘honouring’ a crook with such a memorial. Also buried within 100 yards or so is Kate Foster (nee Kelly), Ned’s sister. Apparently, when alive, she didn’t like people to know she was a Kelly – can’t say I blame her.

Kev and Maz decided to explore Forbes a bit more while Gaz & I were keen to get to Parkes and unpack. Our cabin here is a bit more spacious and with a full kitchen which is handy as we are cooking tonight.

Day 14 – Rotary Markets, City Park, Hermit’s Cave & Lake Wyangan - Griffith

A fairly leisurely start to the day this morning. We had decided last night, during the euchre battle won by Maz and my humble self, that a 9:30am start was completely adequate, and so it was. Our first stop was the Rotary Sunday Markets where Gaz managed to root out some fresh produce that made him very happy – lovely fresh, local produce at reasonable prices – he loves his fruit, our Gaz.

It was then a quick look at City Park, a fantastic public facility that seems to cater for everyone. A few different children’s play areas, including a water park, lots of picnic areas and just general well-kept park areas. Most impressive. I left a couple of painted rocks there for someone to find. 

The call for coffee went out and we were back in the main street to top up the caffeine reserves of Kev and Gaz. Maz and I had a bit of a look in the local Bargain Shop – great el cheapo shop but I held myself back – there is only so much room in the car, especially one that has to now be packed from the side doors and not the rear one! Meeting the boys back at the café, I succumbed to temptation and ordered some carrot cake, hoping for something as yummy as the one we had in Wagga. Alas, this was not to be and that’s me done with carrot cake for another decade … I knew I shouldn’t have been sucked in by one random positive experience.

We briefly stopped at the Tourist Information Centre to get some directions and suggestions. While there, we looked at a memorial erected to Donald Mackay, the anti-drug crusader murdered in 1977. I must admit this was all I knew about Griffith before we came here – it’s most infamous moment in history I dare say. Maz had her eye on a very nice hat, but in the end decided against it so I jumped in and bought it as it fits perfectly and seemed just the ticket. We are here to spend money and boost the drought affected economy after all. Gaz also contributed with some purchases, including a Griffith fridge magnet – I had to remind him we stopped collecting fridge magnets when we travel about 6 or 7 years ago. Oh well…

Following the directions provided by the helpful lady at the Tourist Information Centre, we travelled up the only hill in sight near Griffith, past the Pioneer Park Museum and then found ourselves at the Hermit’s Cave Lookout and Heritage Trail. Great views and a bit of a story about an Italian guy who lived in the “cave” before WWII. It was a bit of a tricky track down stone steps, so Gaz stayed up the top with Buddy while Kev, Maz and I braved the rugged conditions and explored the area for 30 minutes or so.

Back in the car, and we were off to Lake Wyangan, a recreational lake about 10 minutes or so outside Griffith. We drove around a very large camping and picnicking area and were quite surprised how big it was. The Lake water level is very low – the boat ramp stops about 100m short of the water’s edge – so it’s pretty quiet but I could imagine it would be a very popular destination for day trips or camping when it’s a bit more full.

So, this afternoon has been very quiet – a bit of reading, some early packing, laundry done, watching the Prime Minister’s announcements (!) and a bit of footy. It’s take-away night tonight – pizza and KFC most likely – and then off onto our next stop tomorrow. Our plan is for Maz & Kev and Gaz & me to take different routes, meet up in West Wyalong for morning tea, Forbes for lunch, and then onto Parkes. I’m keen to see the big tennis racquet at Barellan and Maz wants to see painted silos at Weethalle so this should cover all desires!

Day 13 – Altina Wildlife Park

It was the last night before Wayne and Vicky left us so last night’s dinner needed to be on the mark … and thankfully it was. The euchre that followed also made it into the hall of fame as one team after the other would take the lead, fighting it out neck and neck. Ultimately, I think we won one game each which, of course, put the team of Kev, Vicky and Maz at the head of the leader board. Wayne, Gaz and I were valiant in defeat and actually claim that the tournament is not yet finished and will be resumed next time the six of us are together again. After farewelling Wayne and Vicky, I had hoped that I’d get an early night, but of course I read in bed ‘til almost midnight … oh well. The other excitement occurred when a cold change arrived at about 7pm, resulting in rain, wind and a temperature drop of about 15 degrees.

It was an early start for Maz and I who were leaving at 7:50am to travel to Darlington Point, a small town about 35 minutes from Griffith, where there is a zoo, or indeed a wildlife park – Altina Wildlife Park. The shorts and singlet tops were abandoned in favour of jeans and multiple layers – it was freezing – a lot colder than we expected with an icy wind and cloudy conditions. The zoo (sorry, I’m calling it a zoo), is structured around group tours. You can’t just turn up at a random time, there are set times for tours, well, two set times – 9am and 1pm. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, we chose he 9am option.

The way it works is when they open at 9, you can walk through the mini-zoo and check out the exhibits there – think Meerkats, Tasmanian Devils, Lemurs, Monkeys and so on. There is also an educational inside exhibit with some stuffed animals with info etc. You basically have half an hour to wander around and check this out (which we certainly did successfully) before you gather for the ‘wilder’ part of the tour.

Travelling on horse drawn carts, with the driver acting as guide, you then spend a couple of hours touring the rest of the park – think Giraffe, Rhino, Lions, Hyena, various goats, bison, deer, wild dogs etc. It was fabulous! Our guide, Bec, and horse, Audrey, were exceptional. Audrey, at only four years of age, is apparently still on L plates so she was carrying less passengers as she’s still building up her muscles. That meant we had tons of room on our cart and lots of opportunity to ask questions. Even though she’s a novice, Audrey was admirable in the face of an aggressive run from a lion, albeit on the other side of a fence, and an equally passionate run from the Clydesdale stallion in a nearby paddock. She’s a star.

Bec was an impressive guide who is clearly very experienced in relation to the animals on display. She did say, after determining none of us had been there before, or were vets, that she could say anything and we would have to believe her, and I suppose that was true. If she was telling porkies, they were convincing! We heard a lot about their breeding program, managing the animals, the tourist side of things, and the history of the park.

At the end of the tour, everyone was invited inside for a cuppa and a bickie and we grabbed a couple of souvenirs. I would thoroughly recommend this place – I think it may be the best ‘zoo’ I have ever experienced – being guided around and not having to walk miles is a massive bonus. The cost was pretty good too – an adult ticket was $38 which I thought was very reasonable considering the level of engagement. Get along and visit if you are nearby – just remember to ring and book first.

It was then back to the caravan park where Gaz & Kev had apparently had a pretty quiet time of it, except they had, of course, gone into town for coffee. They were booked for golf in the afternoon so it was the girls turn to put in some quiet time – I finished one book, started another, went through the 180 photos I took this morning and managed to cull them to 154 (OK, that wasn’t so successful), and also caught the last of the Knights win when I realised I could watch it on my phone using mobile data. That could come in handy for the Jets tomorrow!

Once again, Gaz had one job to do at golf … take a photo! I’m starting to think they don’t really go to golf… It’s leftovers for dinner tonight and then our last day in Griffith tomorrow.