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June 2013
01 June 2013
Leaving Talwood we are heading to Toowoomba we stopped in Goondiwindi for some shopping and then turned onto the Cunningham Highway, eventually pulling up at the Carrisbrooke Camping and Fishing Reserve which is a small sliver of land between the river and the highway 15 kilometers out of Inglewood and just upstream from a small weir.
Descending the lopsided dirt track we found three other campers on the riverbank and a nice spot left for us.
Our spot on the river
No real sun to enjoy as the grey skies were in and the silence only pierced by the occasional truck going past and the Cockatoo's screeching as they flew around and nested in the trees on the opposite bank.
02 June 2013
After a peaceful night on the banks of the river our feathered friends woke us up with their screeching. Joanne went for a walk along the riverbank and came back with this picture of a purple sunrise.
A purple sky to greet the new day
Finishing a leisurely breakfast we pulled back onto the highway as the rain began to fall. A stop in Inglewood at the dump point, a fuel top up ($1.44 c/l) and a visit to the information centre and we were on our way. Turning off the highway at Karara we we took some back roads, passing through Leyburn before arriving at Clifton with our windscreen wipers working the whole way.
Clifton's main street was closed when we arrived as they had experienced a fire in the shops early this morning. Fire crews, SES, Police and a heap of onlookers were all standing around watching a very large backhoe demolish what was left of the furniture shop.
Finding our way through town to the Clifton Recreation Reserve we got to the gate to find Football and Polo matches going on despite the rain. The man at the gate looked cold and wet and when we said we were going to camp ($8) he just told us to go on in which we did, finding a spot near a shed and not far from the toilets. We plugged into the power and set ourselves up, even managing to get the TV to work (there is no signal at Talwood).
Both the Football and the Polo continued throughout the afternoon as the rain fell and a very cold wind blew. Horses eventually being walked past us with their coats on and rugged up like their handlers before being loaded onto trucks and floats when their matches were over.
So with the rain washing the motorhome we settled in with rubbish on the TV and people outside getting wetter and colder.
03 June 2013
Camped at the Clifton Recreation Reserve some 40 km's from Toowoomba we awoke early to a cold and foggy morning and made our way into Toowoomba through the fog.
Back in April we took AJ into the VW dealer for a service and at the end of it were told that we needed a timing belt, new brakes and the fuel filter that they did not fit as we asked for in the service. So after noticing a statement or two wrong on the statement (engine pressure washed when it hadn't been etc) we took AJ to The Motor Shoppe on the recommendation of a fellow worker.
We dropped AJ off and were given a lift into town so that we could while the time away shopping, or at least window shopping. Breakfast at the golden arches over we walked all over the central shopping district of Toowoomba eventually ending up a large two story shop and goody filled shopping centre.
Having seen all of the shops and spent enough money we took a taxi back to find AJ in the workshop and the engine being worked on by James. Seems the front timing belt was worn (but would have lasted quite a bit more) and the rear one was almost brand new, so both were replaced just to keep them even. Then we had a look at the brakes which when the wheels were removed revealed brake pads only about 30% worn no where near the "only 7,000 km's left" as informed by the VW dealer, so defiantly no need to replace them or the rotors. James then took about 15 minutes to replace the fuel filter which was well over due for a new one before we knew it we were on our way again. Steven (owner) and James (mechanic) had looked after us very well and we felt that they had been honest in what they told and shown us and that they were very professional in what they had done for us.
Heading back to Clifton there was a change in the way AJ performed and I found myself lifting my right foot more often than not to keep within the speed limit. Arriving back at Clifton we again took up residence and settled in for the night.
04 June 2013
Both of us woke during the night because we our doona was working overtime to keep us warm and a look outside revealed why. The mercury was hovering around zero, there was a frost on the ground and a thick fog in the air. Now having not had this type of temperature for quite some time we had forgotten what it was like to be cold and in the cold.
Leaving a very cold Clifton behind (with several layers of clothes and the heater on) we had an accidental change of plans and went back into Toowoomba to top up the food and wine supplies before heading out again for Millmerran, a nice little town that we have passed through a few times and have even camped at ( near the mural on the water tank back in April). This time however we were able to stop in the RV camp (self contained motorhome's only) and were the only people there the whole night.
05 June 2013
With a not so cold morning we took our time to get going and after a look around town and another visit to a supermarket (this one is located in the old milk factory and has a mural showing its history) we made our way back to Talwood where we have again taken up our usual spot.
Millmerran Mural on the old milk factory
It's back to work tomorrow and having just had a chat with the boss, it looks like we will be here again next week as well (that will help pay for the retail therapy).
10 June 2013
With a long weekend in Qld we decided to take a trip up to Surat (where we did the wheat harvest last year) to visit Vince and Janelle who are working up there and to pick up our satellite TV dish and VAST set top box. They had recently been able to get a good deal on three sets and so we bought one from them.
They are staying in a shed in town that used to be the local garage, so we tucked AJ in as well and settled in to catch up on our respective travels, work and of course how to work the wok.
At home in the shed.
Leaving Surat on Sunday afternoon we were headed back to Talwood but decided to stop at the small locality of Weengallon where there is a very nice free camp. The next morning we drove the final 44 km's to Talwood where we set up camp and after some tinkering got the satellite dish set up (temporarily on the washing line stand while the proper stand is sent to us). So, after 8 weeks in Talwood with no TV we now have all the free to air channels including regional news from around Australia.
The Dish and STB
24 June 2013
Since we last posted we had a visit from our friends Kim and Carolyn and their friends Ern and Val. With the campsite the fullest we have seen it (and no powered sites left) we made camp next to the old Talwood Gaol, enjoying a nice fire, drinks and a catch up before making a hasty retreat into our respective homes for a chilly night and a frost on the ground the next morning.
We are still working at Talwood and still loving it and with two bunkers going under fumigation we opened one that has just come out of fumo to load trucks again this week. Our Satellite TV system is still working fine and we are able to locate the bird in space quite easily each time we decide to set it up, something we don't always do.
Being a small town Talwood has plenty of wildlife in and around it and as we were stopping at the railway line stop sign we noticed this White Necked Heron standing in a pool of water not far from the road.
30 June 2013
Breaking News - The end of the financial year is today and so is the work here at Talwood. This coming Wednesday will se us put the work clothes away to hit the road traveling again (Yay!) on Thursday morning. We have had a great time here in Talwood and have met and worked with some wonderful people and while this work has finished we will be back for the wheat harvest later in the year. In the meantime our loose plan is to head North to where the sun is shining and warm to enjoy some touring, exploring and hopefully some more photography lessons.
Yesterday the weather closed in (thankfully after the washing had been done) and it was looking like a rather nasty evening was upon us, but as we watched it approach it took a turn and went around us providing a spectacular sky as the sun set.
The sky looking nasty as the weather approached
The spectacular sky after the weather went around us
So today (Sunday) we awoke to a thick fog. A lazy morning started with eggs and bacon for breakfast while listening to Macca on the ABC followed by channel surfing via the satellite.
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