Leitchville, Vic

Roughly following the Murray River upstream and travelling southeast along the Murray Valley Highway we find Leitchville. This small town is in an area of dairy farming, tomato growing and the big surprise cotton. Leitchville has a population of 558 (at the 2016 census) and boy have they been busy. They’ve created a pretty little RV Stopover to capture the likes of caravanners like us. We’ve arrived on a miserable wet May day that is gripped in a cold snap to find a garden setting with pleasant parking bays, toilets, showers and a water tap for $8 (May 2021) a night.

With no desire to explore the town in such weather we all lock ourselves away except for Woody. He’s off to check out the local butcher and find some warm socks. The supermarket staff direct him to a haberdashery where the canny lady in charge sells him a pack of Aldi branded socks and they aren’t all that warm either. It’s all about supply and demand isn’t it?

Dragging ourselves out of hibernation in the warmth of the diesel heater we trudge across the road to the pub. The bar is looking like a construction zone as they’re laying new carpet throughout. We’re warmly welcomed by publican Ryan and the locals and we meet his wife the chef, three of their kids, one of whom is a little dot dancing about and showing off her pink hair. Yes, it’s ‘crazy hair day’ at the Leitchville school. An older boy is out the back making spaghetti bolognaise for the family dinner. Thanks to the locals we learn about the crops here, the tomato processing plant in Echuca and an upcoming farm clearing sale. Later in the evening a possum lands with a loud plop on the Prado van roof. I reckon they attract them.

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