Week 459 - Jugiong, New South Wales

Seven days ago, we were camped at Moss Vale, a yuppy little town next to Bowral. On the Saturday night, we strolled down town to the local distillary, known as the Taphouse, owned by the Highland Brewery. The joint had only been open six weeks and was doing a roaring trade with beer tastings. All the beers I tasted were excellent and I finished off the night with an English style beer known as Red Ale. You could not have asked for better.

Taphouse - Red Ale brewed at the 
Highland Brewery, Moss Vale.

To continue the beer tasting around Australia, 
I came across London Pride, a lovely drop from 
dear ole Blighty. 

The local constabulary had set up a RBT just outside Moss Vale Showgrounds, although I had only had a couple the night before, the RID was on the left, we departed right, our destination Gunning, a quiet spot beside the river for Christmas. We were the only ones there.

Christmas Day - Camped along the 
Barbour River all on our own on Christmas Day 

We had a knock on our door Christmas morning. A fellow Highway Wanderer invited us to his daughter's house for Christmas dinner, how could we refuse. We sat around a lovely decorated table with all the trimmings of the Christmas fare. A very enjoyable family afternoon.

The George Harcourt Inn - A mock English Tavern 
at Nicholls in the suburbs of Canberra 

Our next stop, only 46 kms down the road was Yass. A town we have visited several times and each time it has shown a different character. The last time it being flooded. We had finally escaped the hustle and bustle of the East Coast of Australia and could now make our way steadily South West to Adelaide.

Yass revisted - On our morning walks,
Rusti and I used to pause and
look at the beautiful scenery.

We are now camped at Jugiong. Another place revisited and we intend to celebrate New Years Eve at The Sir George, Jugiong.

So we lift our glasses to you all and hope you have a Happy New Year and an enjoyable 2018.

Stowaway - This larger than life spider could 
creep into the tiniest corners. It now lives in 
the windscreen rubber.

Week 458 - Moss Vale, New South Wales

On arrival at Salt Ash, we found the place deserted, so we parked the bus up, plugged into power and water and waited for the hosts to arrive. No sooner had they arrived back and Graham had half a dozen large crabs in the cook pot. We had a pleasant happy hour with a couple of visitors, Col and Mary from the Highway Wanderers.

Doin it is for sale - but we need to keep On On Home
for another three to four years

Our deadline to get to the Murray before Christmas was deminishing. So Monday saw another departure and another couple of hundred k's to Richmond RSL's Wanderest. However, because of the heatwave conditions, at 44 degrees, we were grateful to have power, water and a shady tree. The RSL was just 100 yards from our door and their bar and air-conditioning was also welcoming, washed down with a pint or two of Little Creatures of all things.

The eyes have it  - A tug of war for Rusti

Our need to press on, saw another departure towards Moss Vale. In total contrast there was a cool breeze and no need for us to change the temperature of the air. Moss Vale became our base camp so that we could visit Ron and Gwen in Flinders and a rendezvous with Jo's brother and family to make it a day out for Aiden and Rusti (who are both the same age) at Flagstaff Hill, Wolloongong.

Fading Light - A twilight shot of a rainbow and 
rain at the end of a hot day. 

Jo's nephew Aiden - is the same age as 
Rusti and into as much mischief

Wollongong Harbour Lighthouse - A guiding light 
into the tranquil harbour of Wollongong 

We would like to wish all of our readers a Merry and a Happy Christmas and hope that Santa brings all that is wished. We are not sure where we will be Christmas Day but it looks like we might be travelling on the road to Jugiong to spend some time beside the Murrumbidgee River.

Week 457 - Tuncurry, New South Wales

We departed Casino after four days of binge drinking and partying. The standard of pissyness ranged in the top 10, but a good time was had by nearly all. I came out unscathed but Jo was worse for wear on a couple of occasions by being spoon fed champagne.

Maclean Bridge - Steel framed with a 
wooden roadway, how antique is that? 

So we gunned it down to Maclean for some rest and recuperation and take a deep breath to decide how we are going to attack our journey south. We decided the low mileage per day option but set ourselves a deadline to get into Strathalbyn/Adelaide by the 3rd February 2018.

1887 Spectacular architecture from 130 years ago 

From an overnighter at Maclean we headed further south to Kempsey Showgrounds, another night of rest and a reprieve from the pre-Christmas drinking. My liver said thank you.

Ketch me if you can - A ketch in tranquility 

Beach No. 1 - Rusti hasn't seen many beaches 
but she loved this one.

We continued our hop, skip and jump to Tuncurry Sporties Club. $5 per head per night, right next to the beach and a lovely council off-leash area for Rusti the dog. However, our couple of cheap nights at Tuncurry blew out in the Sportsman Club. $150 later we are ready to depart and head slightly further south to Graham and Jennine's at Salt Ash.

The calm before the storm - From tranquil 
clear waters to a cauldron of fire 

On shore breezes - The surf is stirred up by 
a stiff on shore breeze at Tuncurry. 

As you can see, we haven't really settled in to our nomadic lifestyle of exploring and adventure. It seems we have a timeline and a deadline. We are hoping to catch up to Petals in Moss Vale, Gwen in Woollongong and Jo's brother somewhere in Sydney. So until we get away from the big smoke, we can't relax until we get to the Murray River, hopefully around Christmas Day.

Week 456 - Casino, New South Wales

Passing through Brisbane is never calm, always hectic. Dinners, rendezvous, dentists, shopping and unavoidable business. The South East Queensland Hash House Harriers combined Christmas party was a great catch up with old hashers and great friends from the past. Everyone of them has aged, most of them gracefully.

Resting in the shade - We were parked at Peter's in 
Chandler for the SEQ Hash House Harriers Christmas Party. 

Bushy's Creek - The tranquil setting for the drunken 
frolics of hash 

The eskies were supplied by Hawkeye, a wild selection of out of date beer, many of them classics in their own right. So the sale by date didn't really effect their boutique taste. The good thing about good beer, is that it does not give you a hangover, unlike the crap XXXX and the commercial breweries produce.

Before we left Peter's, we carefully packed and prepared the bus for our journey south. We pulled into the weighbridge at Chandler and our weight was well below the weight limit of the law.

Eastern Carpet Python - A friendly non venomous snake, 
often found in the backyard of Brisbane. 

A comparatively short stay in Brisbane saw us heading down the freeway dodging the showers and the scaley's on our way to Casino.

Casino was how we left it. The new owners are still doing a great job of the grounds and facilities. The clientele of the village has certainly matured somewhat and sadly a few faces have left this planet. However, the party spirit still goes on - happy hours, the 8 ball dinner and the village Christmas party, we timed our visit well.

We hope to be on the Murray by Christmas/New Year. So keep a look out for us on the road in that area. On on Horror, Wanger and Ali Achbar (Rusti).

On On Home at home. Our house in Casino is looking 
good and the village made us welcome with 
happy hours every night. 

Week 455 - Brisbane, Queensland

We have finally pulled up our roots in the Wide Bay area and initially headed south to Maroochydore for a long awaited Novemberfest with the likes of Dregs, Whistle, Grotty Whore, Greasy, Blow Jo etc etc. We had a fine day tasting the difference between 11 beers.

Back to the country - We parked up overnight in Kilcoy
and this calf was born during the night. 
Lovely to see nature at it's best. 

On Sunday, we deliberately left late in the afternoon headng towards the country town of Kilcoy. A lovely peaceful free camp at the start of the Brisbane Valley and to our delight a cow gave birth overnight and we spent the morning watching the mother look after her child. It is amazing how the young one soon got on its feet and suckled on the udder of the mother. Rusti too was fascinated and well behaved considering.

Jo junk shopping  - A welcome coffee break at Esk
in the Brisbane Valley, a struggling township on the main drag. 

With no intended rush in mind, we headed on late morning through Esk, Wivenhoe Dam to Lowood for a rendeavous with my mother. Nothing much has changed there, apart from a slight deterioration in her weight, health and diet and I do believe her mental state is not good, probably some type of depression. Not a good snapshot, probably my last images of mum. However, she has had a good and varied life and there is no need for her to suffer for too long.

On the road again - South of Gympie is this 
magnificent road through the Mary Valley. 

Brisbane awaited us once again with its traffic and congestion with a huge downpour to greet us on arrival at Werriwood Road, Chandler. We are camped at Bushy's next door neighbour as there is a big hash function at his place this weekend.

Hash Reunion Dingo, Dosage, Horror and Wanger -
over 100 years of hashing with Halfway Hash

We are only in Brisbane for about 5 days and have already done some catching up and with a lot more to do but at least we have managed to get our blog to you on time.