Sunrise 10 - HAY to TUMUT
Backtracking to Hay – a digestible necessity for last nights stay – we turned east again to follow the Overland Stock Route. More colloquially known as The Long Paddock, this 2 million hectare corridor traversing NSW comprises open stretches of unfenced land that anyone can use to move stock or feed in times of drought. Surprisingly, only a few miles out of town, the landscape changed significantly with the flatlands of yesterday soon replaced by wooded wetlands. The Birdcage River Reserve at 100km/h could easily be missed, but Morrison’s brakes are more than adequate – when tested – and we pulled over for a few photo opportunities. Besides the click of the DSLR shutter opening and closing, the cacophony of countless birds and water life made this stop enchanting and memorable. While the mid morning light was pretty harsh, we made the most of what was available and came away with some captures well worth the print.
Birdcage River Reserve. Darlington Point, NSW
Onward we ventured into the more travelled pastures of Narrandera and Wagga Wagga, towns equally impressive, but nothing as promising as what awaited us a few hours beyond.
Tumut is an absolutely beautiful town, but on a Sunday afternoon is as lively as an Amish wedding, highlighted only by our visit to the local BWS where the patron before us – undoubtedly the town wino – paid for his $6.00 Lambrusco in gold coins forcing the attendant to politely, and without drawing too much attention, wrap them in a baby wipe before placing them in the till. Having inadvertently passed judgment, we reflected on our own consumption, where a quick check of receipts ashamedly highlighted we had thus far spent more on alcohol than diesel. Morrison is a thirsty beast, but then again so are we.
Joining the Snowy Mountains Highway out of Tumut, only 30 minutes further south was our next stop at Humes Crossing in the shadows of the Blowering Dam. Located on the Tumut River, the dam was competed in 1968 as part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme, and utilised for flood migrations, hydro-power, irrigation, and conservation purposes. Famously, Ken Warby set a world water speed record in 1978 in Spirit of Australia on these very waters.
Part of the Kosciuszko National Park, the campgrounds while spartan are more than required when travelling off grid, offering lakeside sites, designated fire pits and a drop dunny not dissimilar to the one that little Indian chap fell into in Slum Dog Millionaire. We found an appropriate slice for ourselves and quickly settled in. The beauty of Morrison is the ease in which camp is made. Within minutes we were done, so we took a leisurely stroll along the banks of the reservoir before mixing our customary afternoon G&T’s.
The wind followed us across the plains so we sheltered beneath the towering Oaks to cook up some lamb back straps, with a cheeky Shiraz, and for the first time in over a week, see the sun fall behind the adjacent hills almost an hour before fully setting.
Tonight we continued our homage to George Miller and the town of Silverton by downloading Mad Max 2 for a night of delightful Australian nostalgia.
Blowering Reservoir, Kosciuszko National Park