20121223 VIC Mansfield, Whitfield & Oura

20121223 Mansfield another town full of history when the first European settlers came during the squatting boom of the late 1830’s.  With no pasture improvements in place, large runs were needed, and squatters were always in search of good grazing land.  In 1839 an employee was dispatched in search for stray horses.  He found the horses but more importantly recognized a green lush valley fed by some good streams.  John “Howqua” Hunter and Hunter Campbell came to investigate; the legend has it they camped overnight and were so frightened by the sound of a corroboree nearby that they called the spot Devil’s River.

We stopped at the information centre to top up our water and collect my pamphlets before walking the town.  Another clean tidy town, we did our usual walk surprised that most of the shops were opened being a Sunday, as most of these country towns are closed. 

Ned & Dan Kelly, & their partners in crime used the Wombat Hills just north of Mansfield as a main camp & for a time were known as the Mansfield Gang. This memorial was erected in memory of the three policemen killed by the kelly Gang at Stringybark Creek in 1878.  Only Constable McIntyre returned to Mansfield alive to raise the alarm.  A large crowd attended the unveiling of the memorial in 1880 while the Kelly Gang was still on the run.

The Mansfield Courthouse

Built in 1876 & following the killing of the policemen a proclamations was made under the Ferlon Apprehension Act.  It ordered Ned & Dan Kelly & their two accomplices to surrender by 12 Nov 1878.  If they did not do so they would become outlaws.  The courthouse opened all day on the 12th but no one showed, they were declared outlaws & could be killed without challenge.

The Spirit of the Skier

The statue has been dedicated to one of the mountain’s great skiers, Bernd Greber.  Bernd was a well-loved instructor and very skilled skier and was the Director of the Mt Buller Ski & Snowboard School when he died in an avalanche in his home country of Austria.

Commercial Hotel

 Originally established in 1875 and rebuilt in 1952 and is situated in the heart of High St Mansfield.

Scarred Tree

 The scar on the tree was created when aboriginal Taungurung people removed bark to make a canoe.  Bark was also used for shelters, baby carriers, string and other items.

I couldn't find any information on this unusual R&B 1948 Smelter but it was an interesting photo never the less.

Des found a campsite about 76ks from Mansfield on the banks of the King River, that sounds nice dear, so I set the nav and off we go.  Travelling along and the Nav is telling us to turn around, what the hell! that can't be wright, Des I think we should have taken the turn off back a bit.  We stop to check the map this seam wright but we turned around heading back only to find out we were correct, were ready to through this thing out the window. 

Gentle Annie Caravan & Camping Reserve $25 for a powered site this will do us, showers, BBQ and a flowing river to top it off, "Nice".

24-12-2012 We woke to the sound of cows and of cause Des was up to check out what the ruckus was all about, Lee he yells! there’s cows all through the park and on the road, so on goes his shorts and he’s out the door, god their only cows but I grabbed my camera and followed.

Our morning wake up call, they were everywhere, the whole park was up and the owner was on the phone to the dairy farmer, Ya cows are in my park can you send someone down to herd them out.  I went in one direction and Des another and all I could here was Des yelling Lee their all down here.

This is the shoot I was heading for, it's not often you see cows being rounded up and running across a bridge.

Des in his Element rounded up the cattle along with another couple and their kids; I think Des was the biggest kid of all.  This is the best morning glory he's had for a while.

Off ya go, on ya way, I honestly think he was disappointed to see them leave.

We cooked breaky on their BBQ, had a shower and left looking for that special camp for Xmas Day.  Checking out his trusty Camp 6 book he saw a camp spot "Oxley Recreation Reserve" for a donation, that sounds alright, "NOT' what a shit hole and we had no reception, not happy Jan.  We left to a reserve we saw on the way into Oxley off the road and beside a creek and I had a very small amount of reception which normally didn't bother me but as it was Xmas the next day I needed to contact my family through Skype. Towards the afternoon the weather was very hot so I put on my togs and we went for a paddle in the creek and I mean paddle, it was freezing so little by little we crept in.

Christmas Day 2012

25-12-2012 Waking to a clear sunny day I gave Des his Xmas present and as for mine I brought from Des only Des doesn’t know "Yet" not that he would care it was only a $20 bangle nothing to fret about. I cut up a lovely fruit platter and all I needed was a bottle of Champagne to top it off, man I'm slipping. We packed up and left as I need reception so we headed in the direction of Wangarratta, only our trusty Nav gave us another bum steer and we missed Wangaratta, o well, being Xmas Day nothing will be opened so we kept going towards Wodonga and again everything was closed although we did see a bottle o opened which was different for Xmas Day and I still forgot to stop for my Champagne, what’s wrong with me. Driving onto Albury which was just over a bridge and looked like quite a large town, now why would they have two large towns so close said Des? I don’t know but it looked like an interesting town but we drove straight through. It wasn’t till further down the road when I noticed the black dotted line on the map that I realised we had just drove over the border from Melbourne hence the two large towns so close together and we missed it, not even one photo, Ok let’s try for Wagga Wagga. With all the phone call and many text messages we were driving into Culcairn and saw a sign for Wagga Wagga so we turned off the main highway, "wrong" we were supposed to keep on highway 41 all the way so we ended up taking the back way into Wagga Wagga which was a nicer drive, Lucky!. Sharyn phoned so we stopped up a side street so I could Skype my family, I really missed not being with then on Xmas day. As everything is closed we drove onto Oura to a camp site called ‘Oura Beach Reserve’ on the Murrumbidgee River and have been here ever since.

We had a report from a couple that a serpent was seen spotted swimming down the river, apparently a Red belly Black. They also saw a guy fooling around in a motor fall out and was yelling for help, it was the same person the drove past us with a Cockatoo on his shoulder and a beer in his hand, see don't drink and drive.

This would be the first time we have used our pushes on this trip and Des can't make out how I am always way in front of him.  We were on a ride and his legs were given out on him, swap bikes with me he said, and after some persuading I agreed.  Talk about a shit bike, the steering arm was loose and the gears were crap and when I finally made it home my only comment was you bye crap you get crap.

Soaking in the fast flowing Murrumbidgee and the water is sooo cold Des is buckling at the knees, he is such a sook.

This amazing large tree stands tall over the river, its washed out roots is evidence of the rising waters of the Murrumbidgee.  The tree give you a feeling of standing up and walking away.

 

 The Sunset over the Murrumbidgee

25-12-2012 to 30-12-202  We had a very relaxing five days, waking to hundreds of white noisy Cookatoos every morning and rising around 9am and going for a ride on our bikes and on some days Des would jump back into bed and sleep till lunch (because he can).  I would blog or lay on the edge of the river reading my book then in the afternoon sit back for a quite ale or three depending on our mood.