Dubbo to Jerilderie

Unfortunately the rain hadn’t stopped the next morning by the time we had eaten breakfast so I moved quickly to pack things up. Just as well we had left the caravan connected to the Hilux and only had to disconnect power and wind up the stabilising stays. As I finished the rain ceased. Out on the streets of Dubbo we soon found fuel at a reasonable price.

We eventually headed south after missing a turn. Rain coming down again.

It didn’t take long to reach Tomingley. It’s pub dated back to 1880.

The countryside here was pretty bleak.

Next town was Peak Hill where we had stopped on the way north.

After that we started to see crops growing in the fields alongside the road.

As we came closer to Parkes we noticed the rain easing but the roads were pretty slippery. You really have to slow down and drive to the conditions when it’s raining.

We decided to stop at the Tourist information Centre in Parkes for a break and to swap driver. The cottage of Henry Parkes, one of the founding fathers of Australia becoming a federated country rather than individual states is now located here.

Inside the centre there is an Elvis display. Each year in January Parkes hosts an Elvis festival.

Back on the road again we noticed lakes in the paddocks.

By 12:30 we were becoming hungry so we stopped in a roadside area near Marsden for a quick sandwich.

Back on the road there was the ever passing parade of trucks, fields of canola, and silos as we drove past West Wyalong.

Another hour or so and more canola fields.

Finally we approached Narandera with it’s silos.

Crossing the Murrumbidgee River

we found ourselves driving through flatter land. Yes again there was a sign warning us about kangaroos

but all we saw was one emu to the side of the road. Sorry but it looks smaller than it is.

Now we were seeing road trains heading north. They’d probably started there day early in Melbourne before coming north.

By 4pm we were crossing over the creek at the edge of Jerilderie.

We pulled into the motel/caravan park and were soon set up. We took Mel for a quick walk before heading over to the Jerilderie Sports Club to order some of their delicious Chinese food which we enjoyed eating for dinner back in the caravan park. (Sadly, and probably appropriately, no dogs allowed in the club.)

Distance travelled – 505 kms

Next post we are homeward bound to Dromana.