Sunrise 9 - MILDURA to HAY
Mildura is a beautiful city and one we think sadly forgotten by many New South Welshmen. Another day could have easily been spent exploring this picturesque town, however duty called and we headed eastward along the Sturt Highway bound for Hay.
Like many parts of this end of the state, the roads are mostly long, straight, and to the untrained eye uninspiring. Just out of Balranald though we discovered the enormous Yanga Lake, a 1,200 hectare wetland home to the endangered Southern Bell Frog. We brewed a coffee along the shores of this strangely creamy lake to take in the vista, but found little photographic advantage given the rapidly increasing winds – a foreboding of what was to come as we crossed further through the Hay Plains.
Derek is a marvel of modern technology, capable of 12MP images and 4K 60fps footage up to 5,000 metres and 44km per hour. Under most conditions flown he performs admirably, but the plains of Hay tested his worth. The stretching farmlands as flat as possible, and as long as imaginable, draw winds from kilometres away along this ancient sea bed. Even getting out of Morrison was an effort but Fatpap was adamant an aerial view was worth it.
The Hay Plains as seen by Derek the Drone
Any tour should balance caravan parks, bush camping, and the more recent rise of Hipcamp Farm Stays. A little out of our way, but when planning this trip one we had to see, was Burraburoon farm stay located on a working sheep station half way between Hay and Deniliquin. Departing the Cobb Highway, on only 15km of private road, this virtual refuge provided powered sites along the shores of a man made lake teeming with willows and bird life. The owner had only that day been pumping gigalitres of water into the adjacent wetlands as part of their own environmental protection zone for the Southern Bell Frog. Not only is this family, like many others throughout the country, rearing food for our table, but they are making it accessible to the traveller while also giving something back to Mother Nature.
Having said that, the cantilevered deck, open air showers and in the round fire pit made this place uniquely special.
Sunset was shite, alas a cloudless sky, but we were happy to drink wine under the cool shade of the aforementioned willow trees. It was here we meet Fugly the farm dog – not his real name but highly appropriate – who competently snapped at the buzzing flies, and yet ate steak from a fork with impeccable manners.