Balranald, Hay & Tocumwal, NSW

Balranald is one of those out of the way places that has a few surprises. Situated on the Murrumbidgee River the caravan park is a delightful spot with lawns rolling down to the river. There are walks too, through the river surrounds. For a quick overnighter the Information Centre allows camping in their car park and toilets and showers are available. A drive north into the scrub reveals the Homebush Hotel, your typical bush pub decorated with shearing paraphernalia and a few clucking chooks wandering about the veranda. It’s always good to meet the girls who produce those big orange googies that ooze lazily from your lunchtime burger. And yep, the burgers are good here.

Much closer to Balranald, Yanga Station is large, so large that it has 160kms of river frontage to the Murrumbidgee River. The homestead is situated on a peninsula overlooking Lake Yanga and that’s big too, 1200 hectares in fact. And from the homestead one can see both the sunrise and the sunset over the lake.

Chiefly a sheep station it was established in the 1840’s. Construction of the homestead was commenced in the 1870’s of drop log design. But this is no log cabin. For most of its working life the station was owned by an English shipping and pastoral family. It was sold completely intact to the government and is now managed by the National Parks of NSW.

Agatha Christie once stayed in the homestead, one could say that it’s a mystery as to what drew her so far from home. Just like Agatha we were treated to tea and scones (cooked in the old kitchen) on the veranda overlooking the rose garden and lake.

This station was once so huge that it was the largest freehold property in the Southern Hemisphere, and it had Australia’s first telephone system to communicate with the outbuildings. And who installed such a modern wonder? The nephew of Alexander Graham Bell no less.

Also on the Murrumbidgee River, Hay has a history of wool growing, though these days cotton is the preferred crop. Situated on what is known as the Hay Plains, or should I say the ‘bloody Hay Plains’ as most drivers call it with a loud and descriptive groan. It’s flat around here, flat as a night carter’s hat and a shocker when driving into a rising or setting sun.

There is an excellent freedom camp in Hay, Sandy Point Reserve. On the river and a short walk from town it’s a good swimming spot and pleasant bush reserve.

One of our all-time favourite little towns, Tocumwal is a cheery little place on the banks of the Murray and it’s a perfect first night after leaving Melbourne. By stopping here you can say “well at least we made it to NSW”. A short walk from the shops is the Town Camp, a paid campground on a sandy bend of the river. You’ll always see kangaroos here and there’s plenty of birdlife. All the pubs around town are good and the golf club. If you want to stay longer the Boomerang Way Tourist Park is a home away from home.