Wow what a day. A fresh start to the morning, thermometer says 10°, but in the sun it not too bad. We start the 50 odd km drive in to Mt Kaputar. About 20 or 30 km of tar, then we hit the dirt. It’s much rougher that I expect and shortly we pull over and drop the tyre pressures, it makes a big difference.
Surprisingly after another 10-15km of pretty average dirt the road turn into below average tar roads. We push through to the Mt Kaputar lookout, the temperature drops as we climb, in the end as we drive into the summit car park the car is showing 3°, there is very little wind, so it still surprising how bloody cold it is. While we’re there about 3 or 4 other groups turn up. We’re all surprised at how fresh it is.
Mt Kaputar Lookout 
Throughout the drive we have seen the results of the earlier bushfires. Some of the walks we wanted to do are damaged, mainly the boardwalks, so they are closed.
From here we drive the k or two to Dawson’s Spring. It looks like a great camping ground and some fantastic looking cabins. No chance of bringing a Van up these roads. We take the 1.5km or so loop walk. While like the summit, it’s fresh, the track is easy and even the kids are enjoying themselves. Liam seems intent on giving Caitlin as many piggybacks as they can handle. Near the end, this rather large roo jumps across the path in front of us. Did I mention fresh? While the temperature is still around 3°, it is seeping in and we’re getting colder and colder.
Dawson Spring Walk 
See the Roo?
We stop in at the Governor walk, only a short 500m trip, then from here over to the Euglah Rock, part of Barks Hut, to stop for lunch. It’s damn freezing, I can’t recall having a colder ham and cheese sandwich. Another short walk to see the rock and it’s time to leave.
Governor?
We make our way down the mountain, it surprising to find we had climbed up to about 1500 mts from about 200mts. On the way back down we pass over the same tar roads, so narrow that there are many places you’d hate to pass another car.
We round a bend, straddle a small rock in the middle of the road, then not long after the car starts making some strange grinding noises, what the hell could that be? It’s a pulsating sound, like the wheels, but the brakes seem fine, and steering is OK. Figuring it may be a stick wedged under the car we find a place to pull over… no stick to be found, a km or so further on with the front left still making noise we stop again. The wheels are on solid, steering and suspension seem fine. We work out that in reverse everything is ok, but forward it sounds terrible. Back and forth a dozen times. We decide we don’t have too many options but to carefully carry on. We discuss getting to a mechanic, not the easiest thing to do late on a Saturday afternoon, but what options do we have? After another 2 or 3km, the sounds seem to go, and while we have a short repeat, the sounds have gone, nearly as soon as they started. It’s a huge relief. Checking in town and nothing mechanical seems to be open anyway.
From here, we basically head back into Narrabri and then out the north road to the top end of the National park and a place called Sawn Rocks, It’s about 30km out of town, just off the road. We pull into the carpark and it’s a 700mtr walk to the rocks. Nice and flat and easy. The rock/cliff face is are these hexagon shaped columns which some have broken off, it’s super interesting and seeing sections on the ground that have broken off is pretty special. It now late afternoon and everyone is a bit buggered with the long day, cold and walks, so we head back to town.
Sawn Rocks 
Back to the van park and heaps more vans are now here, the strip in front had 1 van, now has at least 6 or 7. It’s seems like its going to get busy out here.
Dinner at the local RSL, then bunker down in the van with the heater on.
Tomorrow I want to go just up the road to a campground called Yarrie Lake, I called the caretaker earlier this afternoon to see if we can get a spot. While the van parks are OK, they are always a bit soulless, so I always like other options, surprisingly they have a spot, so we’ll head off there tomorrow.