Tag: Caravanning

Signs of Life5 Comments

What’s in a Name?

Itching for Hitching

I often wonder what the story is behind the naming of some points of interest on the landscape. Sometimes we become oblivious to the funny names in and around our homes having been brought up with them. There is one near us called Sheep Wash Creek. But these long lost stories are history gone forever. Here are a few that have piqued my interest: Turn Back Jimmy Creek on the Newell Highway Conspicuous Cliffs Road Useless Loop Road Mother O’Neil Creek World’s End Highway Brandy Bottle Creek Go Between Bridge Blunder Road Jump Up Creek Bald Nob (sic) The town of … Continue reading What’s in a Name?

Caravan Parks, The Pubs, Vic9 Comments

Rawson Caravan Park

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Now here’s one that is a little different. The town of Rawson was built for the construction of the Thomson Dam. It is situated up in the hills behind Moe and is between Erica and Walhalla. There is a feeling of being in the mountains here. Clean chilly air and tall timber that stretches hundreds of feet above you. Old workers cabins are now family bush retreats and there is a small circular caravan park with space for about a dozen vans. Each site has what can at a stretch be described as a basic ensuite bathroom. There is a … Continue reading Rawson Caravan Park

The Characters You Meet, Vic9 Comments

Turkish mouse mats and dairying superstars

Itching for Hitching

We’re on our way to Lakes Entrance, about four hours east of Melbourne to make arrangements for our Caravan Club’s Christmas Muster. Which I should mention can be quite a shebang, with four or five days of fun filled frivolity and laughter and a bit of over indulging. We pull up at Stratford as I want to buy a miniature Turkish carpet to use as a mouse mat. We stayed in this town a few years ago and I bought one of these little mats for my sister in law and have admired it ever since. I fall out the … Continue reading Turkish mouse mats and dairying superstars

Freedom Camp, Vic3 Comments

Rosedale Willow park

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On the grassy banks of the Latrobe River flats and just below the Princes Highway you’ll find the Rosedale RV Camp. There is a meandering walking trail into the cheery little town a kilometre away. Locals have kindly provided two portable toilets for the campers to use. There is a rustic old tin roofed fireplace to warm cool evenings that I can always remember having been here on this spot. Yes this has been a wayside stop for families for generations. The Rosedale Tavern Hotel is known for its pizza and take away can be picked up easily on your … Continue reading Rosedale Willow park

CB Radios, Qld1 Comment

Quicker than Google

Itching for Hitching

As we drive into Maryborough (pronounced Marybra) ‘D’ is excited as she has just spotted the Aldi supermarket and we haven’t seen one in weeks having been out in the sticks. The boys get to wondering aloud where the Dan Murphy liquor store is when a voice comes over the air “there’s a Dan Murphy’s in Richmond Street.” Yes, these UHF radios sure are handy. Continue reading Quicker than Google

The Road Less Travelled, Vic, Wildlife10 Comments

Not One but Three!

Itching for Hitching

We’re camped at Healesville, Vic with friends. It is the middle of winter and freezing. After breakfast we pile into two cars and set out for Warburton following the instructions of the GPS. We soon find ourselves crossing the shoulder of Mt Donna Buang on a dirt road in thick fog. Obviously it is not a popular road as we see only one other car. But to our joy three lyrebirds scurry across our path and the last one stops and shows us his tail feathers. I cannot contain myself as I have never seen a lyrebird in the wild … Continue reading Not One but Three!

Places, Vic4 Comments

Wycheproof

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We stop to stretch our legs at Wycheproof, Vic. The old railway line still runs up the middle of the broad main street, but the town appears to be slowing and only one cafe is open when we visit. Yet on the site of an old petrol station there is an inspirational ironmongery, where someone very creative has turned mundane pieces of metal (railway lines, springs, plough shares and brake drums) into works of art. It does your heart good. Continue reading Wycheproof

Qld, Signs of Life4 Comments

And the answer is?

Itching for Hitching

There’s a trivia game along the Bruce Highway that’s intended to keep people alert, it is great fun. There are several billboards with a Question followed by the Answer a few kilometres further on. “Rockhampton is famous for?”  We still don’t know what, we missed the answer. Can someone please tell me? And while we’re guessing can anyone tell me what the structure is above this laneway in Rockhampton? Continue reading And the answer is?

Point of Interest, WA3 Comments

Flight Paths over the Kimberley

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The drive from Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek is colourful, we rise up the Ngumban Cliffs and get a view south that stretches for miles. There are lots of mesas and jump ups, red soil, cream grasses and small spindly white trunked gums. There are distant purple ranges and not a town in sight. Apart from the caravans there is a feeling of remoteness out here and now there are more vans heading south than there are heading north, Broome having been the destination of choice for so many. We’ve chosen the less popular clockwise route to WA, but more … Continue reading Flight Paths over the Kimberley

Point of Interest, Qld2 Comments

Bundy

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The main street of Bundaberg is the oddly named Bourbong Street. It is a treat to the eye with grand historic buildings, wide footpaths and manicured gardens of tropical plants, palms, water features and even a sculpture representing cane cutting knives in the centre verge. We joined a tour of the Bundy (the locals call everything in Bundaberg, Bundy) Distillery. The famous Bundaberg Rum Distillery is beside the giant belching sugar mill and as we get out of the car the air is thick with the smell of sugar, you could get fat just breathing around here. Before commencing the … Continue reading Bundy