Day 4, Monday 24/2/20 Vaughan to Broken Creek, overcast 33

A hot night and we slept well, the air smells of dry grass. We leave the others to pack up and we head into Castlemaine. We park beside the gardens and a friendly council worker explains that we qualify to park in the space marked ‘No Parking except for 6 metre vehicles’, it’s right behind the IGA supermarket if you’re interested. Now that’s good to know but at this point in time Woody has just realised that he has lost his car keys and that the car may have been started by my keys. Don’t you hate these press button starters. We crawl all over the car, where he changed his shorts in the van, the pockets of his shorts and embarrassingly he empties the park rubbish bin where he had earlier put some rubbish. We ring Double or Nuthin and Shirley and they check our vacated campsite. Giving up when they arrive empty handed, we take off.

We buy a bottle of gas in Bendigo and revel in being back in one of our favourite cities again.

On up to Elmore, then across to Mooroopna where we bound into the Cricketer’s Arms Hotel for a beer and a bite to eat. The beer is cold but the meal isn’t forthcoming. Why? Because it’s Monday again! Bloody Monday! Gosh we’re slow learners. We stock up on groceries, do a few loop the loops around Shepparton because we were listening to Gary Garmin rather than trusting our knowledge of this town then head for Benalla.

All is quiet and normal until a couple of guys come on the CB, one giving the other directions to who knows where, we fall about laughing listening to a set of directions peppered with F’s. And it went something like “Turn right at the f***ing shit farm.” “Yeah right.”

As we near our destination we are abused by a truckie who doesn’t like caravans, which I must say is a rarity. Most truckies are helpful and often have a chat.

Broken Creek Bush Camp is dry. The lake in the old sand quarry is dry. Host Doc has made great strides since we last visited and there are now flushing toilets. The camp kitchen has been extended to include a library nook and a pizza oven. It’s great to be back, this place feels like home.

As we set up camp I discover Woody’s keys on the floor on my side of the bed. How that happened we’ll never know.

Shirley cooks dinner in the camp kitchen and we’re joined by a couple of retired coppers who tell us that they’re homeless. They’ve just sold up in Melbourne and are on their way to the Sunshine Coast to build a house.

It’s a hot night and we fall into bed with all the windows and hatches open, the mooing of a cow and the warm grassy smell of dry paddocks.

Summary 222kms, Accom $17.00 inc. showers