Day 9 – Lightning Ridge to Brewarrina

… Been out of contact for a few days, no internet…..

The park is still busy as we pack up.   We check the radar for rain, but fortunately most of it is south of us, around Coonamble.  Just before 10 we head off.  One last time through town and we hit the road to Walgett.   About 7 or 8km out of town is Stanley, a huge Emu Sculpture made of amongst other things several VW beetles, so we stop for a quick photo opp.  

• 

Back in Yarrie lake someone warned us the road from Lightning Ridge to Walgett was pretty average.  It’s all tar, but very uneven and the van is kicking and swaying.   Hard to even average 80km/h on this road.

80km later we come into Walgett, we’re stopped for a few minutes on the bridge over the Namoi river,  I can see some blue and red lights on a cop car 20 or 30mts up, but can’t see what issues is.   Shortly we’re on our way in a long queue of cars, and there a queue coming the other way too.   The procession heads south to Pilliga, we turn off to head towards Brewarrina.  Never did find out what the issue was.  We pull over to get some milk at the newsagency, although this one appears to also sell guns and ammo, let’s just say our newsagency doesn’t sell the same stuff.  I wonder what happens when they lose lotto?  In Walgett it’s 21° sunny and nice and warm.  

• 

We continue on the next 130km to Brewarrina.  As we drive the clouds get darker and it’s not too long before it’s raining.   While it never got heavy, it was pretty constant all the way into town. This really puts into question the plans over the next few days.   With this amount of rain, I’m sure they will close some roads.

• 

Brewarrina is a small town, our plan was to freecamp at a site about 4km out of town on the banks of the Barwon River.   With no idea what it will be like in this weather, we take the trip out.  There are a few vans as we enter near the boat ramp, but there does not look like there is any free flat space.  Like Collarenebri, I can see some vans further into the bush along the river, but the road is a bit rough and soggy.  We push in and eventually find a spot on a bend in the river.  It’s a bit muddy, but we figure that it would be just as muddy in the caravan park.  So we pull up, extend the awning to keep the doorway dry.  If anything the rain is getting heavier.  Getting out might be interesting.

Back in Brewarrina, Justine went to the information centre, they said that the rain should ease tomorrow.   We’ve got no signal so we can’t check out here.  Let’s hope it not too bad.

A lazy afternoon, with the kids playing on their tablets.   A couple of families in Subaru’s pull up just before us and setup some tents, I would not like to be out here today in tents.   

• 

• 

We try the diesel heater, again a voltage issue.  I’ve done some reading and I think it is drawing too much current and the wires are not thick enough, I’ll need to run direct cables when I get home.  As the afternoon gets colder, we pull out the generator and run it for 5 mins to get the heater started.  After 10 or 15 mins the van is toasty.  I also got the BBQ out and under the awning to cook dinner.

While it’s cold outside, it also great here by the river.  The kids are happy inside on their tablets, but I’m happy outside, beanie and jacket on, looking at the river.  Beats a caravan park hands down.  Although looking at the track, it could be an interesting drive out.

I understand there may be a weir downstream, so what river we may be seeing is like Collorenabri and really a lake behind a weir. I guess we’ll see tomorrow.