After returning from our trip to the SW of the USA we had a few weeks at home tending to our garden and catching up with family. As winter set in and the weather cooled down we confirmed our plans to head north to warmer weather in Queensland again.

Dromana to Jerilderie

Leaving mid morning on a wet June Saturday we missed the city traffic by travelling through eastern metropolitan Melbourne and made good time to Lilydale, where we swapped driver and stretched our legs. Rain was a constant feature as we drove through the Yarra Valley.

So were roadworks.

At Yea we swapped driver again. Heavy rain meant whichever one of us was driving had to really concentrate. In Seymour we stopped for our picnic lunch- in the car due to the rain.
By 15:30 we were approaching the NSW border and more roadworks.

We passed through Tocumwal and Finley and made it to Jerilderie where we quickly checked in, leaving the caravan hooked up in a drive through site. Dinner was pasta with a veggie mince mix I had made in a cook up in the preceding days.

Distance travelled – 410kms

Jerilderie to Peak Hill

Sunday morning saw us eat breakfast and head off out of sunny Jerilderie, passing the well maintained golf course.

It seemed strange looking into the sun after all the rain the previous day.

We stopped in Narrandera to refuel and swap driver. The day continued in similar fashion as we drove through flat farming land in sunny conditions.

Loved this mural at West Wyalong.

We stopped at the far end of town and gave Mel a quick run in the leash free area. We would have stopped for lunch there but it was wet and muddy from the rain from the previous day.
So we drove on a bit more, stopping at the Wirrinya rest area for lunch.

We continued on after lunch for a while and stopped again in Forbes for a stretch. We took Mel for a quick walk as we grabbed a few things at the supermarket. On our way back we couldn’t help but notice some of the magnificent old buildings.

Now one thing we spotted that wasn’t old was this very modern sculpture in a small garden opposite the post office.

Back in the car we continued driving north, passing through Parkes. Not long after we passed the ‘Dish’, a telescope that featured in not only the movie of the same name but also played a crucial part in the 1969 landing on the moon.

Once we had arrived in our destination of Peak Hill and set up the caravan we enjoyed this dish, a chicken curry, for dinner before heading to bed to read a bit before taking a well earned sleep after another reasonably long day of driving.

Distance travelled – 428 kms

Next post we continue our roadtrip north.