20210322 NSW Yetman to Coolatai

20210322 The clouds are are getting darker and it's starting to rain so with the packing completed we head into town to restock out supplies before heading to Yetman to camp at a caravan park to build up our solar, hopefully dry out a bit and see the rain out.  Here we were all ready to settle in for a few day until we found out there's no reception and if we're going to be stuck in the van we so need TV so Des decided to continue on to Warialda. 

Yetman is a tiny town with very little to see and with a population of 178 but this mural did catch my eye, the artist, John Murray is known for creating artworks with a sense of fun and the recent Yetman work is no exception, with a fishing kangaroo promoting local angling opportunities while two charismatic emus watch on.

And the story goes, a black Panther escaped from a zoo or circus, the Americans brought it over as a mascot in WW2, but it was in Coolatai in 1958 that the biggest “panther outbreak” occurred when a 13-year-old was thrown from his horse when spooked by a “large, black-furred, panther-like beast. Another bloke was holed up in his caravan all night as the panther prowled around outside. In 1995 a book titled “Mysterious Australia” was published and an expert stated the panthers lived in Coolatai and made an annual migratory pattern through-out the north-west. A report in the Coolatai Bush Telegraph a few years ago suggested there were panther kittens living under a local house and fleeting black shapes are common on the road home from the pub, ya that sounds more like it, there were all pissed.😅

Well our plans have changer, Des has decided to stay at Coolatai at the hall for a small donation with showers and toilet but still no reception, but that's fine because I now have Netflix thanks to my son in-law.  It's times like this you so wish we had power with no sun to boost our solar but I'm sure we will manage.  The rain set in heavy over night and Mr Cautious decided to mover the van onto the bitumen, better to safe than sorry.

20210323 We woke to the rain pelting the van  but at least we are on solid high grounds, Des jumps out of bed and makes our morning cuppa and as always mine is delivered in bed before he makes breakfast.👍💘 With not much to do we settle in bed and watched movies on Netflix's, read some magazines and slept on and off, well what else is there to do, but I did manage a few photos as the flood waters  began to rise.

 When the rain eases we duck out for a few pick.

It's hard to beleave just how fast the water rises in such a short time frame, I can definitely see how you could get washed away. 

↑Before and After↓

Just as quick as it rises it quickly recedes.

If you look to the right of the photo you can see there is a road and bridge that runs through to the other side as you can see in the photo below.

↑Before and After↓

And the community comes together to clear the road of sand and rubbish blocking the bridge.

↑Before and After↓ Photos

The only evidence of the rising waters in the grass laying flat. 

The floods path of destruction

Yep, it looks like we're stuck in Coolatai for who knows how long, all roads in and out are flooded but it could be worse at least we have toilets and shower and now power thanks to Shelley, one of the locals who was kind enough to plug us in.

20210324 Ya! the pub opens today and Des is shouting me a counter meal so in between the rain we make a dash and to my delight theirs crumbed lamb chops on the menu, say no more.

The Wallaroo Hotel in Coolatai but unfortunately is closed Monday and Tuesday so we couldn't even hit the pub until Wednesday.

 

The newly renovated main bar has iron bark flooring, matching bar tops and exposed cypress rafters, it's very clean and tidy and the publican was a lovely chappy.

The sports bar features a pool table, jukebox, projector with a 2m screen and a dartboard and leads out onto a shaded deck facing the east.

20210325 The rain is easing and the sun is trying to peak through the scatted clouds but their's still the odd shower but at least we can go for some quick walks in between the rain but we still cant leave. One van left for Texas this morning only to return 10 minutes later due to the road closure.

Des catching some fresh air before he grabs a beer.

Red sky at night is a shepherds delight, or so they say.

A reflection of the red sky lays in this pool of water and makes for a different pic.

20210326 This morning I wake with a not so good hang over as Des laughs and proceeds to tell me about my dancing in the van as he sits back and watches on but he did tell me to go to bed as he opens another drink, but "NO" not me I just had to keep going.  I finally dragged myself out of bed around lunch time and cooked some lunch only to give it to Des, I can't eat this so I decided to catch up on my blog.

We walked the streets taking in the sites and I found out theirs an artiest in town who lives here and has renovated her home that has been carved and built out of all sorts of recycled reclaimed materials and it’s is quite charming, if you're keen you can house swap with them and yes, it’s their real shower.

Collatai War Memorial, I looked up from the van and thought it was Des talking to someone, well from a distance it looked like a little man talking to a tall man.😅

The old church still stands solid but unused, you can stroll through and check it out, this is one church that isn't locked which is how they all were in my day.

We found this cool contraption resting in the tennis courts, who ever created it has done an incredible job.

 

The motor in a Briggs and Stratton and the chain makes the wheels rotate, it was used to roll the tennis courts.

All I can say is tennis must have been a big event in Collatai at one stage to have so many in such a small town.

Des returning from one of his many strolls he takes through out the days.

20210327 Well it's time to leave Collatai, although we were stranded here it has been quite enjoyable with our music blaring every afternoon while sitting back and enjoy the peace and quite (apart from the noisy wild life flying over) followed by our usual happy hour that rolled on to for hours or more as Des told his many stories about good memories from the past and the odd passer by's stopping for a loo break and a quick chat before heading home.

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