First we was, then we wasn’t, now we is

Saturday 8 July 2023

Every year in September our caravan club, “Bushtracker Owners Group”, holds its AGM Muster somewhere in Australia. This year it will be held at Horrocks Beach on WA’s west coast, just north of Geraldton. Carol and I had always planned to go, with our planned departure date the end of May (First we was). We had moved into our new property in Taree at the end of May 2022 with plans to make some significant changes around the yard. Come February this year we began to feel that we didn’t want to be away for 5 months with our yard half baked, so we pulled out of the Muster (then we wasn’t). Lo and behold, come early June, with many of our friends on their way to the Muster and sharing great pics on Facebook, we realised that we had completed the major works in the yard and decided to change our minds again and head off. Carol quickly secured a house sitter, we booked the van in for a service and were on our way on 28 June, one month after our original planned departure date (now we is).

I had prepared a complete itinerary (as I do) for the May departure, which has now been severely altered due to the one month delay.  I had to ensure that we would arrive at Horrocks by the 4th of September, with sufficient allowance for storms and tempest. Our journey also includes a must do, being my son’s marriage to Nadera in the Adelaide Hills at the end of November. That provides us with a leisurely 10 weeks after the Muster to reach the wedding.

First task was to get Blake serviced in Coffs Harbour, then over the range to Dubbo to see Nicole and family for her and Patrick’s birthdays, followed by a short trip to Orange to catch up with friends Ron and Sue, then on to Forbes, the venue for our 2024 Muster, to check out the showground which will be our Muster campsite, and to ensure café coffee in Forbes is up to scratch for 200 discerning club members.

With chores and catch-ups behind us, camped beside Lake Cargelligo, we now feel we are on our way to WA.

Our planned route to and from WA. Subject to constant change.
Ready and raring to go. Henri is washed and polished, and Blake is washed. First stop Coffs Harbour for Blake’s service at Abco Caravans.

 

I had hoped to reach Ebor after picking up Blake from his service in Coffs Harbour. However he wasn’t ready until late afternoon, leaving us only enough time to reach Bellingen before nightfall. And a chilly night it was, with morning frost still evident in the shadows.
We had hoped to reach Dubbo after leaving Bellingen, but 600km is a bit of a stretch when the days are short, so a stop at the 150th Meridian Rest Area near Mullaley was in order. We were the only ones there. Nice and quiet.
Celebrating Patrick’s 3rd birthday. A day early, but he didn’t mind.
Our next stop was Forbes to do a little research for our 2024 Muster. Checking out the showground and one of the cafes. Very important research.
As with so many regional towns, the architecture is great, showcasing their past.
There’s a few interesting and bazaar sculptures in Forbes’ township. Pyramid of Dogman and Rabbitwoman by sculptors Gillie and Marc is a symbol of a perfect balance of community and friendship (of course it is). There’s a sculpture trail along the Lachlan River which we’ll explore in 2024.

 

Before leaving Forbes we checked the map to decide where next to stop. We’ve never been to Lake Cargelligo so decided to swing by. We’re camped right on the side of the lake in a freedom camp called Frog Hollow. Beautiful vistas but too windy at the moment to sit outside. The name Lake Cargelligo is a variation of “Cudjallagong” which in Wiradjuri language means “Lake”. So the town is really “Lake Lake”. An aboriginal  quarry containing red and yellow ochre exists at Frog Hollow.

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