TAMWORTH - POPULATION: 47,595

MONDAY 22 - TUESDAY 23.10.2012: The day dawned and we set off for downtown Tamworth - typical day, "dump point" stop outside of town, visit to the Information Centre and retail therapy. As the day proceeded Carole felt a pain in the area of her left lung. We decided to head to the Tamworth Airport Rest Area and set up camp for the evening. As is the norm with any injury or illness you are convinced that with time it will disappear! As is also the case, once the decision is made to attend to the problem it is invariably outside of "Office Hours". At 11.30pm after a number of phone calls and the pain at an unbearable level, we headed for Tamworth Base Hospital. We finally saw the Doctor at 2.30am and the initial diagnosis was a blood clot in the lung. Had to stay overnight and have further tests completed in the morning. Sybil, along with the poodles was allowed to stay in Poodle Palace in the Hospital car park - a little conspicuous by our presence!  Morning dawned and Carole was scanned and diagnosed with pneumonia - go figure! Released with pain killers and a directive to follow up with the local doctor, we returned to Tamworth Airport Rest Area and slept - struggle with the all nighters!

WOOLOMIN - POPULATION: 469

SAT 20 - SUN 21.10.2012: The intent had been to visit "all things Nundle" - all the tourist haunts that one should frequent. In talking with staff at the Fossickers Tourist Park we instead made the decision to return in January for the Tamworth Country Music Festival and stay for a 10 day period at the same park. The aim is to mix the Nundle activities with the music festival. In having "determined a plan" we thought we would make the reconnaissance drive to Tamworth. Never ones to rush, we drove 20 kms and spent a beautiful two days at Woolomin Reserve Free Camp which of course is beside the Peel River!

NUNDLE: POPULATION: 289

WED 17 - FRID 19.10.2012: Commenced the day with a "short" drive to Quirindi. Plans had not included this visit, but when asking about petrol we were advised that it was in our best interests to make the trip to Quirindi rather than purchasing it locally.

We made our way to Nundle - an historic gold mining town in rugged country. Gold was discovered at nearby Swamp Creek in 1851. It is estimated that between 1852 and 1856 alluvial gold to the value of $1,670,000 was discovered.

Surveyor General Oxley was one of the first Europeans to discover what is now known as the Peel River. He gave the name "Peels River" honouring Sir Robert Peel the British statesman. "Nundal" (Aboriginal name for "mouth"), probably applied to the mouth of the Nundle Creek where it flows into the Peel River, just south of the present township. Stayed at the Fossickers Tourist Park - excellent! The park backs onto the Peel River and offers an opportunity to make your fortune in gold. Nundle was all about "The Peel", Carole that is! For some unknown reason you felt obligated to advise anyone that would care to listen that Carole's surname is Peel! Loved Nundle so much that we are planning a return visit next January.

"THE PEEL" FOSSICKING IN THE PEEL RIVER

"THE PEEL" FOSSICKING
SUPPORT TEAM

PEEL RIVER

Next stop after not having made our fortune was at the Peel Inn Hotel.

1860: William McIlveen builds the hotel.

1862-1863: John Schofield wins Peel Inn in a card game and he and his family members run the hotel until his death in 1922.

 



WALLABADAH - POPULATION: 746

BURNING MOUNTAIN
ANTIQUES

TUESDAY 16.10.2012: Began the day at the Burning Mountain Antiques Australiana Collectables - too many beautiful items, too little space in the motorhome! Next stop the Wallabadah Rest Area Free Camp situated beside the Quirindi Creek. Excellent venue, but unfortunately it was only listed as a one night stop.

QUIRINDI CREEK

Wallabadah is a 15km drive east from Quirindi. The town began to develop in the 1850s and was once bigger than Quirindi. The bushranger Thunderbolt robbed the northern mail coach there in 1867. Australia's first country racing club was established in Wallabadah in 1852. 

The First Fleet Memorial Gardens were officially opened on the 26.1.2005 by Dr Mervyn John Cross OAM a direct descendant of John Cross (Alexander) and Mary Davison (Lady Juliana). The memorial is for the descendants of those who sailed on the First Fleet. Many of the descendants now regularly use the area for family reunions. There is no other Memorial in Australia that list the names of the people who sailed on the First Fleet.

FIRST FLEET MEMORIAL
GARDENS - WALLABADAH

WINGEN - POPULATION: "JUST SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE"



COMMERCIAL HOTEL,
ABERDEEN

MON 15.10.2012: Feeling somewhat jaded after last night (Madison - fresh as a daisy), we set off for Aberdeen (population 1,791). A feature of Aberdeen is the Glenbawn Dam completed in 1958. Located 7 miles upstream on the Hunter River above Aberdeen it covers an area of 3,000 acres. Travelled through some beautiful countryside - not difficult to determine the source of income relative to each area - mining, cattle, horse studs. Onward through Muswellbrook to Aberdeen. What more could you ask for, lunch at the Commercial Hotel, a park next door for Shayden to have his game and adjacent to the park - a dump point! We made our way to Burning Mountain Reserve Free Camp at Wingen. Drove in to a much more inviting venue and at the time only one other van. The couple spoke to us and advised that we had previously met them when travelling in Tasmania - remembered "Poodle Palace". Small world - perfect day! 

SHAYDEN'S PLAYGROUND!

DENMAN - POPULATION: 1385

SUNDAY 14.10.2012: Yet more olives, cheese and soap at the ever so quaint River Flats Estate. We headed down the Golden Highway (akin to the Yellow Brick Road), to Denman - it was amazing to see "behind the native verge" and the extent of the open cut mining. Visited Denman  which was first sighted in 1824 by surveyor Henry Dangar who named it Mt Cupola (for its domed shape). It was renamed by explorer Allan Cunningham, who became the first European to climb it the following year. Settled in for the evening at Cawsey Rotary Park Free Camp. As it was only listed as a roadside stop we did feel a little uneasy, but decided "we could handle it!" Whilst toilets were indicated the "bible" neglected to note it was a designated area rather than a building! The "brave hearts" were tested at 2.30am when the Council garbage truck pulled in next to us and emptied the m-a-n-y bins. Shayden and the humans remained on high alert - Madison slept through the entire event!

DENMAN - IT WAS A NICE VIEW!

BROKE - POPULATION: 540



REBUILDING THE POKOLBIN ESTATE AFTER
THE 2011 FIRE

THURS 11 - SAT 13/10/2012: "Back on the road again........!" How quickly travel memories fade - the driving round in circles with the Navigator and Driver "debating" the ideal location for the stay, then finally exiting the motorhome on the mother of black ant nests. Creatures large enough to carry poodles back to the colony for lunch! After relocating, we settled in for a very relaxing three days at McNamara Park Free Camp. Explorers first reached the Broke area in 1818 and land grants followed in 1824. Revisited our favourite Olive Shop for Christmas supplies, plus spent time reacquainting ourselves with the workings of Poodle Palace. Needless to say, after day one Shayden required a dose of his stomach medicine to pacify his change of routine nerves!