Day 106 Thursday 18th Sept 2014 Temora to Griffith

Temora was the home to champion trotter Paleface Adios also known as The Temora Torpedo. It’s been a long and adventurous holiday and once more we farewell Double or Nuthin’… at the Temora Dump Point. This makes sense to ever practical caravanners but no one else I’m sure. We continue further west through acres of golden canola towards Griffith.

Along the way there is a tiny hamlet called Ariah Park. It was the birthplace of Bulk Grain Handling and home to writer and journalist Dame Mary Gilmour. The locals call the town Wowsers, Bowsers and Peppercorn trees as the pub is closed, the old petrol bowsers are still in place and the main street is shaded by lovely old peppercorn trees.

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Ardlethan is a pretty little town just off the Newell Highway, about a kilometre from it actually. It is the home of the Kelpie. It has an IGA supermarket, a few shops and the London Hotel. Best of all it has a free short stay caravan park in the heart of town with coin in the slot power at $2 for 12 hours.

We pass through Barellan the home of Evonne Goolagong where there is a giant tennis racquet in her honour.

Wheat and canola give way to gnarled old grape vines at the town of Yenda where the Casella family vineyard (Yellow Tail Wines) has an enormous plant. They are Australia’s largest wine exporters. Further on we pass De Bortoli at Bilbul. As well as the acres of grapes there are orchards of citrus and almond trees in full bloom.

We stay at the Griffith Tourist Caravan Park as it is far too cold at night to free camp without power, we’re getting soft. The main street of Griffith, Banna Avenue is long, a kilometre or more and the shops are of a high standard with an Italian influence. We buy excellent bread and cannoli at Bertoldo’s Pasticceria and tour the town. There isn’t a river as such but the Main Canal of the irrigation system. The street layout here was designed by Walter Burley Griffin. In Banna Avenue there is a moving monument to drugs campaigner the late Donald Mackay.

Towing Kms: 152Kms

2021 Note: Donald Mackay’s murder is an unsolved case and his body has never been found.