Another free camp beside the road, screened by a forest of young eucalypts, alone this afternoon so far. According to our travel bibles, this is the last opportunity for free camping before reaching the big smoke, more particulay Maitland. We have had a good run down the New England Highway and have just left the end of that about five kilometres ago.
This morning after a very quiet and restful night, presented 12 degree temperatures, reminiscent of New Zealand climes.
Our caravan, like many here in Australia, is designed to be filled only by a hose from a tap under pressure. It does not have the facility to just pour water into the tank from a water container. Now this is not a problem when you are plugged into water at a camping ground, but a nuisance if you are need to fill your tank in a bush setting. Chris had worked out a system using the twelve volt camp shower he had brought across from New Zealand, and collecting various plumbing fittings here, and so this morning, with no audience and a water tap right close to the van, we tried it out. Success!!! We can now feel more confident about our ability to source water from the wild.
We left Wallabadah and drove on down from the ranges, stopping at a tiny settlement called Blandford, just past Murrundi, for morning smoko and looked out onto the farmed hills and listened to the crows while we drank our mugs of coffee. Since Armadale, the land has appeared much dryer; the deep green of fresh growth now not so evident. We believe however, that in any of the recent years past, the landscape would have looked much dryer. The yellow of the hills polka dotted with the green and grey gum trees is quite beautiful.
On one farm denuded of trees, I noted that there were a lot of shadecloth structures erected, for shelter presumably and to prove the point in two incidences, I saw kangaroos stretched out beneath them in the shade resting before the activity at dusk. I doubt this actually was what the farmer intended when he invested in what must have been quite an expensive exercise.
We stopped at Australia’s Horse Capital, Scone, pronounced as the pommies say Scone (rhyming with stone, not with a plate of scones). At the park where we lunched there is a lovely statue of a mare and foal. The toilets are marked: fillies and colts. As we walked up and down the street to gain some exercise, we came upon the premises of an equestrian photographer (who also did children and pets), a menswear shop that cowboy hats, a pub named The Thoroughbred, and on and on. Stud farms along the way advertised stock horse and race horses. There were equestrian events going on and advertisements for coming races. Scone is definitely where it all happens for horses.
At Aberdeen less than twenty kilometres south, the Royal River joined the Hunter River, not yet very mighty, and so we were at last in the famed Hunter Valley. At that point we were now down to 190 metres, at last right off the tablelands. With the river not too far away, there was evidence of irrigation on a grand scale and dairying had taken over from the beef farming.
Further on as we approached the town of Muswellbrook (silent “w”) I noted on the horizon a great beige plateau. “An open cast mine” I said to Chris. We debated this issue until a brief call to the Information Centre put us straight. Yes, it was one of many of the open cast coal mines between there and Singleton.
Travelling on between Muswellbrook and Singleton, we saw at least another dozen coal mines, screened from the highway only by a few gums. The towers of the Bayswater and Liddell power stations are obvious to all, even if you were too busy watching the tarmac to notice the workings of the mines. And yet, because these were all scattered through the open gum woodlands, there was a kind of awesome majesty about it all. I am sure any greenies would not, or could not agree, but that is how it appeared to me. Had the surroundings been buildings and industry and evidence of people, I would have found it all to be a giant eyesore. As we discussed this whole subject, we remarked that any greeny strongly disagreeing with these sentiments would probably be reading this blog using power generated by such industry. I am sure that when the mining is done, there will be beautiful freshwater lakes all through this valley, all carefully and thoughtfully landscaped, offering recreational opportunities to all. The coal mined here is semi soft coking coal, unlike that mined at Pike River, and is either used here locally or exported to South East Asia, Japan, Korea, India, Taiwan and Europe.
Singleton appeared to be singly disinteresting, merely a residence for the hard working miners. I say this with no authority whatsoever, however we were singly mindedly heading for a camp for the night and did not stop to verify our suppositions.
Tomorrow we will discover Maitland, the bain of great great grandmother’s life, the place that either flooded or underwent drought, the place she persuaded her husband to take her from, across to Auckland. I am eager to find the padding to the stories I already have. And Chris will find a garage to service or examine our landcruiser which he is not entirely happy with. As mostly happens when we buy a “new” vehicle, it is a "lemon" until proven otherwise. Hopefully we will gain peace of mind on that issue.
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