Day 11 Sunday 26/12/21 Chiltern to Whorouly, overcast 29

Xmas night was another roaster. Gosh, was it a hot night! We’d like to have a few more days on the road but if we do, we’ll need to find somewhere quiet and away from water that isn’t popular with families.

We pack up slowly and farewell K & P. They’re catching the Spirit of Tasmania tomorrow. I do hope we meet them again on the road somewhere.

Once more we drive to Rutherglen before turning roughly south. We discover a beautiful piece of wetland called Black Swamp which is a haven for birds and stretches both sides of the narrow road.

We’re always on the lookout for good spots that would appeal to members of our caravan club. At a little dot of a town called Boorhamen we check out the golf course camping facilities across the road from the Buffalo Brewery. The grass is well mowed and it’s very spacious, they charge $20 for camping but provide no power or water. It’s still early in the day so we move on.

Crossing the Hume Highway near Wangaratta we head for the Ovens Valley and Oxley Recreation Reserve. The GPS is in the mood for a little rough and tumble and finds a couple of gravel roads for us. Hell, they must be the only gravel roads in this region. She’s good Gabbi Garmin, like having a mother-in-law in the back seat she’s good at raising Woody’s frustration levels. The gate into the reserve is tight and we can see that others have clipped it in the past. Some fine Angus cattle are grazing on the reserve and thankfully the bull is snoozing because he’s nearly as big as the Jeep. This is a good spot for horse floats and the like and there are basic bathrooms but the grass is long.

Finding ourselves not far from Whorouly we decide to have a look. There’s plenty of green lawn space available and only a cheery couple who spent Xmas here all to themselves. We’ve got a top spot overlooking the paddocks and hills. It’s quiet, so quiet with birdsong and buzzing insects. We reckon 3 nights here would be ideal. The pub is a short walk away but sadly it isn’t open until next Thursday. They’ve done themselves out of a dinner, but the walk is nice. The paddocks are green and high with grass and there’s water in the creek.

We eat Xmas leftovers outside for dinner. As we settle down inside to see what’s on the TV a camper trailer and 2 utes pull up close beside us, very close beside us. As they pitch the tent they tell us that they’re expecting mates and come here every year to ‘get on the booze’. Looks like it’s time for us oldies to go home.

Accom: 15.00