SWAN HILL TO RENMARK

As we last advised we attended the Swan Hill Rural Field day. Very interesting with load of farm machinery indicative to the area. Things such as mechanical pruners for the vines we had never seen before! I had my shoes cleaned twice to demonstrate a leather cleaner and we bought stain remover spray, tried wonderful strawberries, could buy yabbie burgers and we could view much of the craft work in the community hall. All in all a very interesting day!

Whilst in Swan Hill we visited the BIG COD and the Burke and Wills tree. This tree was purported to have been planted at the beginning of the fateful expedition of these two well known Australian explorers. It is now listed as the largest one of its type in Victoria and of historical significance.

From Swan Hill we drove the 139 kms to Robinvale. This is another cute little town beside the Murray, rich in vines, olives and citrus. There are over 40 different nationalities now residing in Robinvale. We had a beaut site right on the bank of the river in a lovely park. Bird life was prolific and we also tried for that big cod! On booking in the owner told us that the guys camped just down from us caught a 90cm cod the day before from the bank with a yabbie! Well that got us excited and gave him a customer for bait too! Needless to say over the week we only caught a carp each and taught a lot of worms to swim!
We went on lovely rambling walks along the river first one way then the other. Whistling kites haunted the river early each morning and on nightfall hunting for their dinner and during the day herons and egrets along with purple swamp hens stalked their prey. Lovely golden rosellas and white wing chuffs populated the trees around us. We had a fire bucket (an old beer keg cut in half) and the owners of the park provided us wood for a small sum, delivered to us on site.
We had heard about the Robinvale Olive grove and their variety of products so we drove out of town through the asparagus, vines and citrus to visit them. Their olives were great and so was their hand cream. 3 jars of olives and one hand cream now live in the van.
One area that we both had read about for a long time and never visited was Mungo National Park. The park lies 110km north-east of Mildura and150km north-west of Balranald. So we left the van in Robinvale and with the 4WD, tent, wine and necessities we travelled the 150 kms north to camp for a couple of days.
Mungo National Park covers most of an ancient dry lake bed on the plains of south western NSW. During the ice ages, Lake Mungo was one of a chain of freshwater lakes strung along Willandra Creek, then the main channel of the Lachlan River. These dry lakes preserve one of the longest continual records of Aboriginal life in Australia, dating from around 50,000 years ago through to the present day. Dating of ancient burials shows that these are the oldest known fully modern humans outside of Africa.
We set up camp in the main camping area. Basic facilities there, only pit toilets. We had taken our change tent with us so we could boil the billy for warm water and wash down! We first visited the Information centre where we found we could also buy cheap fire wood and picked up the maps for the following days tour around the park. There are many interesting features in the park, but none more so than “The Walls of China”. These are also known as the lunette. It is a crescent shaped sand dune developed over thousands of years. The layers of soil and the different colours typify another era and time frame.
The Pink soils at the base is the Gol Gol unit, laid down between 120,000 and 100,000 years ago, a dry period.
The brownish cream and white sands are the Upper and Lower Mungo units, 60,000 – 37,000 years ago, formed when the lakes were full.
The grey clays which cap the residual pinnacles are the Arump/Zanci units 37,000-18,000 years ago, a period during which the lakes filled and dried out several times.
Within the latter 2 units extensive evidence of Aboriginal occupation can be found. Then beyond the main lunette are the white dune crests which have formed over the period since the lakes finally dried some 15,000 years ago.
Early next morning we packed our lunch and drinks and drove the 10 kms across the old lake bed to the lunette. The vision of the lunette and the fantastic shapes makes you feel that you have landed either on the moon or Mars! We spent 2 hours wandering over the lunette, discovering old bones, shells and fossils. Then back into the car for the drive the 70kms around the lunette, through the Mallee country, the white sand dunes, the old water tanks and evidence of station properties. There are even old wheel ruts where the old Cobb & Co coach used to pull up regularly at a perennial well. We ate lunch at the other camp site (no camp fires allowed here as it is Mallee country).
After getting back to camp we had afternoon tea but arranged to drive back to the lookout over the lunette for sunset. Check out our photos for the amazing colour changes – it was definitely worth doing.
Back to Robinvale where we then spent a day washing and ironing ready for our trip into Mildura. We stayed on the NSW side of the river at Buronga. Another fabulous caravan park, again on the river bank, with a fire bucket and this time the wood was free. We had a great view across the river to where the Paddlesteamers left for their cruises. Two friends, who used to reside at Cobar, now live in Mildura so we were able to catch up with Peter and Chris. They arranged to pick us up on the Friday night and we went out to the Coomiealla Club for dinner. Lovely club and nice meals. The following day again picked us up and drove us around the area. We visited Woodsies Gem Shop, the old Pysche Pump House, around the river to where old barges have been just left to rot, a great old country pub for hamburgers for lunch, then on to Red Cliffs to view Old Lizzie. Now how to describe Old Lizzie? It is a monster piece of machinery made to clear the paddocks of stumps etc. It was planned to take her across the river but it was found that she was too heavy for any of the river vessels at the time, so she stayed on the Victorian side.
On another day we met Pete and Chris at the boat ramp to go with them on the river. We drove up stream past many houseboats and amazing river front properties. Bird life on the river is great and this time we saw Mum and Dad swan with 6 little cygnets. We pulled up about 32kms up river and Pete was prepared with the Eco Billy , the BBQ for a sausage sizzle, coffee, tea and bikkies. After relaxing for an hour we then headed back down to Mildura.
On the Friday, Pete again picked us up (without Chris as she had Grandmother duties) and drove us north of Wentworth to where his son is Production Manager in the Gingko Sand Mine. Tim had organised to show us around the mine. It was about 1 ½ hours drive to the site. Now this is one big sand pit! With big boys toys too! They extract the sand and then they are able to separate it into about 8 different minerals including titanium. Most of the finer breakdown is done at Broken Hill after being trucked there. We left there and drove the 60kms to Pooncarie, had a drink at the pub before heading back down the Pooncarie road to Mildura. Two other friends who also used to live in Cobar, now have “retired” to a property on the Pooncarie road, 23 kms north of Wentworth. So we opted to drop in for a cuppa on the way through. Sheryl and Allan have a lovely 105 acres right on the Darling. They gave us a quick look around and we had coffee with them and arranged to bring the van up and stay for a couple of days.
We left Mildura and headed towards “Sullivan’s Run” on the Pooncarie Road, via Dareton. We arrived at lunch time, set up the van and Allan & Sheryl decided that we would have lunch on the “party boat” on the river. Lovely sunny day so we loaded up the boat and headed off up stream. Here the Darling looks quite healthy as the water is still under the influence of the lock at Wentworth. Check out the difference of the river at Pooncarie though. It was so lovely cruising slowly up the river. Again the bird life was great. Whistling Kites, egrets, herons and even a Royal Spoonbill and a juvenile Rufous Nankeen Night Heron.
The next day we repeated the exercise but this time down river after the horses were fed and the chooks released from their pen, allowing them to roam free. Sheryl and Allan are living in their “up market” shed at present. Their plans for their new home are lovely and the building of it is just about to commence.
The following day, Sheryl & I dropped into Wentworth to pick up the mail and get a few provisions. She took me down to where to two mighty rivers, the Darling and the Murray meet so I was able to get some photos of that plus the memorial to the Fergie tractor. These tractors built the levee bank that saved Wentworth from a flood. On return we again packed up the boat with the BBQ this time to go further downstream and find a nice bank where we could pull over and cook lunch. About ¾ of the way down, it was discovered that not one of us remembered the matches. Having No smokers certainly can have its disadvantages! We cruised on until we found some habitation and Allan went up to the house and begged for a box of matches – otherwise no BBQ! From now on they will have matches or lighter on the boat and we will have one packed up with the BBQ! Much laughter over this I can tell you.
With a bit of sadness we left their lovely property on Friday and crossed the border into South Australia. Whilst in Mildura we did pick up a brochure about what you could and couldn’t take into the S.A. Riverland area. My herb garden that has travelled up to Cooktown and back was a casualty. So I left the herbs with Chris in Mildura for her garden – just taking the empty pot with me. When we arrived at the border, it is a mandatory stop at the Quarrantine station. The inspector went through our glove box, our frig in the car and everywhere in the caravan. I had cleaned out just about everything at Sheryl’s but found I also could not take in my garlic or the chilli! So first stop in Remark after setting up the van was to the shops to re-stock for fruit and vegies!
One of the reasons we had timed our run into Renmark for the June long weekend was that it was when the Riverland Balloon festival was on. So Saturday after picking up the info at the Information Centre we drove out to the No 2 oval where they were launching. As the winds were in the wrong direction, they decided to launch at another site called Talda about 27kms from Renmark. So we dutifully tailed the procession out there. It was well worth it. Nine balloons of varying sizes being unloaded, laid out and going through the procedure of getting them inflated for flying. After they all flew off we went back to Renmark where again we are camped right on the river. The river is huge here and so much houseboat traffic. We overlook the old 1927 built Paringa bridge that opens twice a day to let the river traffic through.
At 6.30 pm we headed back into town to the No 2 oval for what they call “Night Glow”. All 9 balloons are again inflated but this time do not leave the ground. They use a yellow flame to “glow” the balloon. Very spectacular at night, with the varying balloon colours, all glowing in the dark! All this made us decide to opt for a flight the next day. So up at 5 am in the morning, down to the oval for the briefing, then back out to Talda, as again the winds were in the wrong direction. We had to help get the basket and balloon ready for flight, then into the basket and away. It wasn’t anything like I expected. It is very calm, quiet and amazingly serene. Initially we were travelling about 30 knots about 150 metres from the ground then we often dropped down to within 10-15 feet of the ground to cruise at lower speeds. Cruising over properties, trees and stock. The flight was about 1 ½ hours before we landed, packed up the balloon and treated to Langhorne Creek Champagne and chocolates. Then we were driven back to Renmark and the Renmark Hotel for a slap up breakfast. This didn’t finished until 12 midday! The Renmark Hotel has amazing history. Built by the Chaffey Bros. they only allowed it to supply meals and accommodation and NO Alcohol. This surely must be the original Pub with NO Beer!
We had a quiet afternoon as the weather came in and overnight we have had about 1 inch of rain. So today it gave me a chance to update the web site before we go off rambling around this beautiful area tomorrow. So much to see here including 25 acres of roses, over 50,000 of them, wineries such as Banrock Station, and Angoves. Berri with its almond shops and fruit juices, lookouts and lochs, old homesteads of the Chaffey Brothers. And so on, and on……

Until next time, enjoy life as we are
The Happy Travellers Rob & Walter

Birds Eye View of the Landscape from the Balloon