Mildura on the Murray

The Apex Riverbeach Caravan Park, on the banks of the Murray River in Mildura, was a lovely place to spend three days. It was busy there, with the "Jayco Journey" rally attracting 95 caravans from all over Australia, but there was plenty of room for everyone and the facilities and park managers were really great.
We had a spot right opposite the river and enjoyed the views and walks along the riverbank to Mildura Homestead and Lock 11. The city of Mildura offers every convenience and we were keen to make the most of being there to stock up on everything we may need on our trip to more remote destinations.
On Monday, after a 5 km walk before breakfast, we spent the morning ensuring "Vanooka" was ready for travelling; filling gas bottles and water tanks, cleaning, washing and making minor repairs. That afternoon we did a big shop, visiting hardware and auto stores, supermarkets, bottle shops and convenience stores, and even the local op shop! By day's end we had food supplies for at least five days and every other thing we required. That night we cooked our very first cake in the little convection microwave - and it came out smelling delicious! It will go well with custard and cream or a cup of tea in the days to come.

The Darling joins the Murray

Tuesday was exercise day - the first time in over a week! After breakfast we took off in the car for some touring, following the Murray to Merbein, then crossing into New South Wales and driving to Wentworth. Our first stop was the junction of the Murray and the Darling, however the difference in river colour this time was not obvious, as it had been when we visited in 2011. We visited the Information Centre, where the staff were most helpful, giving us updates on all local road conditions (good) and suggesting some places we might like to visit while we were in town.

Captain Martin

We made a beeline for the Paddlesteamer Ruby, currently undergoing maintenance in dock and open for viewing on Tuesdays. There the volunteers were very keen to explain the intricacies of the lovely boat and gave us a full tour of everything from the engine (very impressive!) to the cabins and even the wheelhouse. "Captain Martin" certainly enjoyed that!

We bushwalked through Junction Island to see the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers from the eastern side. There is a lot of water at this location, held in place by the weir and lock ten. A few fishermen were out in tinnies trying their luck and there were plenty of pelicans too. Later we had lunch at the Wentworth Wharf before our trip back to Mildura via Dareton. Vineyards and citrus orchards line the road back, a testament to the irrigation channels everywhere. A cool night had us eating indoors and going to bed early - tomorrow our next adventure on the Darling River begins!

Murray River meandering

We left Melbourne on Wednesday morning, after the morning traffic and the end of the school zones, heading up through Bundoora to join the ring road around to the Hume. Life will be easier when the North-East link is built! We followed the Hume then turned north, bypassing Nagambie and Shepparton on the way, enjoying lunch from the bakery at Numurkah before arriving at Tocumwal just after 2pm, when the Information Centre shuts!

Fortunately, there were signs pointing out way to Town Beach, our destination for the night. We were amazed to see 30 caravans there already, almost filling the riverbank! Luckily we found enough space for two vans, and set ourselves up with the caravan roof popped, awning out and chairs and tables ready for the arrival of our friends Ian and Jo-Anne in their "big rig". It wasn't long before they drove in, parked and we could open the champagne! We had planned dinner that night: salmon steaks, salad and lemon delicious for dessert, and we all thoroughly enjoyed it in Vanooka, retiring early to bed as the night got chilly.

Tranquil picnic at Ulupna Island

On Thursday morning we started our day with a walk to town, visiting the now-open Information Centre and enjoying coffee in a quirky antique shop. Returning to Town Beach, we made a picnic and  piled into Ian and Jo-Anne's 4WD, headed for Ulupna Island, one of their favourite "free camping" spots on the Victorian side of the Murray. We were the only ones there, so the tranquility was beautiful! After lunch we took another walk along the riverbanks, then Ian raised all our blood pressures with some four-wheel-driving along an empty creek bed before our return to camp, where Jo-Anne cooked a delicious roast turkey, followed by Eskimo Pies with black cherry sauce; we know how to eat well when camping!

Friday started with a drive to Forges Pump, to check out the camping there. While there was already a few people enjoying the location, there was certainly room had we wanted to stay in another beautiful  spot on the Murray. Instead, we returned to Cobram for coffee and muffins, then back to Tocumwal, where "the boys" did a few maintenance jobs and "the girls" went window shopping. A lazy afternoon was completed with happy hour, then the Golf Club shuttle bus collected us and a few more for dinner at the club. Very pleasant! We returned and retired to bed reasonably early, as cool nights preclude sitting outside.

Saturday was pack-up day for us, while Jo-Anne and Ian were playing golf in the morning. We were gone just after 9am, following quiet country roads from Finley to Deniliquin, then Wakool to Swan Hill and onto Speewa Ferry Crossing, our quiet campsite on the river bank. Apart from a few cars crossing the river on the ferry, we saw no other people, the only other sounds were the birds in the trees and the rain for about an hour on the caravan roof at night. It was magical.
On Sunday morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we packed up and headed back to the Murray Valley highway, pausing for morning tea in Robinvale before continuing to Mildura, arriving just before lunch. We found a lovely spot facing the river at the Riverbeach Caravan Park, where we intend staying for the next three nights before we meet our next river, the Darling, and continue north.

We're back!!

Manookatoo adventures and more!

It's been a torrid and traumatic 18 months since our last post, when we left the boat in Cairns for the summer and flew south, planning to be back in March. Anyone who knows us knows the details, so I won't bore you by repeating them here....
After almost a year and a half of terror, trauma, trial and tribulation, we have been given the medical all-clear to continue our nomadic life! Support from family and friends has kept us going, with special thanks to Kirsty for travelling to Germany to support both of us, Julie, Janine and Jill for playing “nurse” when Martin wasn’t around, Glenda and Peter for supporting me with transport "hither, thither and yon" when I needed it, and our many friends and family who made both of us feel loved and supported with meals, laughs and love when we needed it most.

Jack loves "Papa's house"!

"Vanooka"!

But it is the medical attention that has been the “lifesaver": Dr Andreas and the team at ICU burns, Nuremberg hospital, the burns unit and outpatient services at The Alfred, Anthony and the team at Re-Wired Hand Therapy Clinics, East Melbourne, Kerry at Gold Coast Hand Therapy, Riain and others at Pinnacle Health, Docklands and Lina and her staff at TSL Australia. We wouldn’t be where we are now without their care and attention!
Early last year, when we were feeling low and wondering if life would ever return to where it had been, our friends Ian and Jo-Anne offered us the "deal of a lifetime" on a small, off-road, pop-top caravan, which we have christened "Vanooka". It's had a few small "shake down" trips; to Albury to see Harry and his parents, to Canberra to stay with Benjamin and Nicholas and their parents, as well as trips to Yea, Eildon and Jamieson, Peterborough, the Omeo Highway and Rubicon Forest, to name a few.
But now we're ready to "hit the road"! We are starting in Tocumwal, then following the Murray to where it meets the Darling, then following that River to Bourke, then north into Queensland! As we go, I'll post updates on our travels, until we reach Manookatoo on the Gold Coast in a few weeks time. Exciting times ahead!! Now on with the blog...