MONDAY JULY 22     WALLENDBEEN TO TOCUMWAL      350kms

After a really cold night, we woke to sunshine and blue sky.

Breakfasted with our friends, who were planning to head back to Canberra later today, and left their place at 10.15am.

A comfortable overnight stop

Knowing the proximity of the larger centre, Cootamundra, to our friends’ intended retirement home, we paid more than usual attention as we travelled south through there. It seemed a sizeable centre, with interesting old flour mill buildings.

Wagga appeared to be growing fast, from what we observed as we took the ring route that avoided the town centre.

Took the Narrandera road west, then turned off that at Collingullie onto a road that would take us directly to Jerilderie. This was a way we hadn’t gone before; not a major road but perfectly fine for our rig.

Stopped at Lockhart for lunch, pulling in at a park by the swimming pool, where there was also a toilet block. Pleasant spot for our purpose. I made sandwiches from the makings I had in Bus.

John decided to let Couey off the leash for a little run on the grass. But the great swamp dog sniffed a distant puddle of water and took off for a wallow in that, coming back muddy, smelly, but oh-so-happy. I wasn’t.

Lockhart park

After Lockhart, the country became flatter with less natural vegetation and more obvious farm activity. For quite a while, trees were almost a novelty.

Trees!

At Jerilderie, joined the Newell Highway, a very familiar route. Decided to stop for the day at Tocumwal, where we had stayed on previous occasions.

Took an en-suite site at the caravan park, costing $37.80, after chain discount.

Tocumwal site

This is a park that has a dedicated, fenced, dog exercise run – something I’d love to see more parks adopt. So, after setting up, dog got a nice ball throw session in the run.

The carvavan park dog run

Lazed about for the rest of the afternoon.

Tea was a concoction made in the frypan, from mince and some vegies – kind of a stir fry, but without rice.

Had we realized then that this was to be the last night we would spend in Bus, probably would have made a bigger occasion of it.