20121123 Texas, Warialda, Narrabri, Albert to Hillston

20121123 We hit the road heading to Texas along the Cunningham Hwy crossing over the Great Dividing Range and chugging to the top, which could have something to do with the 160kg of beer and wine we carry and hopping it’s enough. Arriving at Ross and Heather in Texas we camped up then Heather was telling me of their trip to WA so, out came my notebook and Camp 6 to record all of the highlights and camp spots to look out for. Heather invited us for tea, and we had the best silver side, it just melted in your mouth, we had a lovely dinner followed by a long chat over a few drinks before hitting the sack.

20121124 After a shower and a last chat we said our goodbyes heading for Rocky Creek to camp for the night, no creek so we went in search of Paleroo Rest Stop, which we also couldn't find, stopping at Warialda for lunch when I saw a Nature walk only Des didn't won't to do it in the midday sun.

Warialda is a historical town in a rich farming district located on Warialda Creek. The origin of Warialda’s name is uncertain but is thought to mean ‘place of wild honey’ and is presumed to be in the language of the original inhabitants, the Weraerai people.

Wild flowers are abundant in spring and the fauna is plentiful for those with keen eyes, so they say.

The complete loop is only 6.9ks walk but not recommended in 40 deg heat.

Arriving next in Narrabri for our 2nd time and the last place we wonted to be (not a safe place to free camp) we camped in the show growns with other campers which seamed safe and enjoy the air con after a long bloody hot drive.

As this is our 2nd visit we didn't tour the town just relaxed and enjoyed the air con but I did find this leaning shed an interesting shoot.

25-11-2012 Leaving Narrabri and travelling over old routs only much hotter, we headed for Albert to catch up with the publicans from the Rabbit Trap Hotel only to find they had sold the lease and moved on, “Bugger” the atmosphere is just not the same, we had a couple of beers and returned to our van to camp up and get the air con pumping, man the heat thank god for air con. Des put some yabby pots in then we sat in the cool reading and snoozing, there’s not a lot to do in Albert, the town X Factor, Jason comes from, nop he’s not here.

26-11-2011 Des pulled his pots and caught quite a few yabbies so he cooked them up ready for lunch. We left Albert but not before calling in to visit Allen, one of the locals we befriended on our last trip. Allen was very surprised to see us, I gave him some photos from our last visit, we had a good chat then left for Cobar.

Allens home in Albert on 35 acres.

This is Allen opening the gate for us as we leave, he's not one for photos so I snuck this one in.

Due to the heat we stayed once more in a caravan park just for the air con but it is well worth it. The clouds are getting thick and black and the wind is picking up, we could be in for a big storm, hopefully it will cool things down.

27-11-2012 We woke to an overcast day after a shit of a night sleep and feeling like crap, were tossing up weather to stay another night. Des is kicking himself for travelling to WA at one of the worse times of the year, school holidays, the heat and the winds can get up to 30/40 knots and more so we threw around some ideas and decided against WA at this stage, we going to head to South Australia to catch up with some friends we meet at the Nindigully Hotel. As it's an over cast day and cooler we decided not to stay and left for our new destination Hillston. Driving along Des spotted a spot near a creek and turned around, not bad. We set up dropped some pots, got out our chairs, a beer and read our books, even Des has a book Deli gave him called "Hell's Angle" (biker book of cause). We brought a Webber, set it up when the clouds came in fast, followed by the wind, we quickly packed everything away just in time then the storm hit, best we get out of here so we drove to the top a parked near the road ready for a quick exit. Once it passed we settled back in and prepared tea and just finished cleaning up when another storm hit only this time there was no turning back, were sliding in the mud as we left. We found our way to Hillston and parked next to the Tattersalls Hotel and fell to sleep listening to the music from the pub.

28-11-2012 The earliest that is known of the area of land now known as Hillston is taken from exploration of John Oxley who traversed the land along the Lachlan River and left a carving 'Oxley 1817" on a gum tree on the then "Nellywanna" now known as the property "Rivernook" in the Parish of Nellywanna.

This is a very clean neat friendly town with many back packers working there way picking Citrus, Almonds, Cherry’s and various other crops.

This was High Street in the 1930s which is the main street in Hillston, once the site of various Theatre Halls. Houses build in 1935 cost £850.

The Club House Hotel built in 1929.

The Mural depicts Hillston in the late 1800s and was painted by Hillston creative Art Society.

Until 1962 when Hillston swimming Pool was opened countless children were taught to swim in the river and it was the host to many swimming races and carnivals. Access was via swinging bridges and the“river pool” boasted dressing sheds, platforms and diving boards, aquatic facilities were added to in 1972 when the local community built Lake Woorabinda.

Looking in the window the Butcher points at us to come in, Ok, have you ever seen how sausages are made? No I can’t say I have, go out the back Tony is making some now.

The first part of the lessing is to grab the skin which is the intestines from the cow and pigs and sock them in salt water this is so the meat will slide through.

Attach the skin to the machine, turn on the machine which pushes the meat through the skin.

Once the meat is through the skin cut off the skin and tie it off.

Now for the tricky part, tieing the sausages and there is a real knack to it, Des and I watched over and over and still couldn't get it, but at the end they are all the same size and are hung ready to sell.