Days 16, 17, 18 19 & 20 Broken Hill, Wilcannia & Cobar

Day 16 Broken Hill to Bush camp 85 km

What a day! 114 km covered on beautifully sunny day. 

I left the caravan park shortly after sunrise and rode down to

Argent St looking for coffee and sandwiches. Found a cafe and ordered a mug of latte and sandwiches to go. 

The latte powered me out of town and I was out on the Barrier Highway very quickly. The road was mostly flat and I did have some wind assistance. I enjoyed some lovely freewheeling and using gears that haven’t previously been used on this trip.

Breakfast was excellent 

Passed by a facility with large satellite dishes. It was well fenced off without signage. I speculated that it was either UFO research or otherwise just really good television reception.

I am enjoying the contrasting colours of the outback, the red dirt, the grey green foliage and the grey blue shades of distant hills. There were a number of mobs of emu. I love seeing them because they are curious and kooky.

The road kill has mostly been red kangaroo although I have also seen a couple of very large feral pigs beside the road. There are goats everywhere but they seem to have good road sense.

I stopped for morning tea after 40 km, 1 round of sandwiches and half a litre of water. I only stopped for 5 minutes because I was enjoying the riding conditions so much. 

At 12:00 noon I arrived at Little Toper Roadhouse. 80 km covered time for lunch. John Cooper had warned me the roadhouse has closed so I wasn’t disappointed when I rolled in.

I set up my stove in the picnic shelter and boiled water for coffee. Actually I wasn’t sure what I was boiling water for. I thought about 2 minutes noodles and then I thought tea but the coffee was at the top of the food bag. I ate my remaining sandwiches and an apple and then had the coffee.

Back on the bike my weariness vanished and I was rocking along at 24 kph (no wind assistance). That is fast for me on the fully loaded touring bike. A double shot of caffeine at lunchtime made all the difference 

Around 3:00 pm I pulled off the road to look for a campsite. There was a rest stop a further 10 km down the road. I could have kept going but decided I would have  a more private camp here in the bush.

Rest stops often have toilets and picnic shelters which can be useful but I prefer quieter locations. I’ve had nights in rest stops that have been quite noisy particularly with trucks stopping for their logbook breaks. Worst of all is refrigerated trucks because they leave their engines running.

Camping at this time of year has it’s challenges, it gets dark early and can be cold as well. Being able to a fire helps a lot because you can sit outside and stare up at the stars. 

I have brought a transistor radio with me for those times when I am out of mobile range. You get an amazing range of radio stations out here. ABC stations dominate as they have the most powerful transmitters but I have also heard commercial stations as far away as Western Victoria.

I have been listening mostly to ABC SA and Broken Hill but ABC Melbourne and ABC Sydney come through clearly at times. As atmospheric conditions change stations fade in and out requiring me to fiddle with the tuner. Sometimes I lose a station completely and have to find another which means I miss the end of some programs and the start of others.

Day 17 Bush camp to Wilcannia 85 km

Another clear cold night. I woke around 6:00 am. I stayed in the sleeping bag until almost 7:00 am. I emerged, stoked the fire and put the kettle on the stove just before sunrise. 

By the time I’ve had my coffee and muesli the tent was dry and the temperature had risen 6 degrees. The northerly breeze was back. For most of the day it was a crosswind that slowed me but not too much.

On the bike I passed Spring Hills Rest Stop where there was still half a dozen grey nomad caravans. It did seem like a particularly nice spot. I thought briefly that I missed an opportunity for some social interaction last night but I was happy to be on my own,

After 40 km I pulled off the road for lunch. 2 minute noodles and an orange. I had some snacks earlier so I wasn’t hungry however I was craving the salty sweetness of the Mi Goreng broth, a sure sign that I needed to drink more.

With 20 km to go a car stopped ahead of me and Laura hopped out for a chat. Laura and Marjoliane were driving from Port Lincoln to  Sydney. Marjoliane is a French working visa holder getting to experience some of the Outback.

They had booked a site at caravan park next to the river in Wilcannia so I agreed to catch up there. An hour later. I arrived after a visit to the grocery store and was invited to share dinner.

I found some wood for a campfire and we had a lovely evening, we were joined by Clancy a 36 year old mine worker on holiday. Chicken Curry followed by Lemon Meringue Pie, best meal  I have had on the trip so far.

Marjoliane on a cold morning 

Laura took this picture of me coming up a hill

Two glasses of Pinot Noir and a glass of Port ensured I was able to ignore the music drifting across the river and the barking dogs to fall asleep after 10:30 pm. Unfortunately when I woke around 3:30 am the music was still going. It finally ended about 5:00 pm.

The weather forecast has framed my decision making around my route north. Tomorrow night 20 millimetres of rain is predicted. This rules out riding on the unsealed roads toward Packsaddle or along the Darling. I am heading toward Cobar and the Bourke on the bitumen.

Today was the 5th anniversary of my retirement from full time work. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunities that have come my way. I enjoyed my working life and are thankful for the financial security it brought.

I could not have imagined working in the outdoors as a guide. My new office is the forests and coastline of  Victoria. I get to work with and meet an amazing variety of people and to show them fabulous places.

Lisa’s support and encouragement has been amazing. She allows me to go and do these things generally without question. 

Day 18 Wilcannia to Emmdale 100 km

I was out of the sleeping bag at 7:00 am. Packed up and enjoying breakfast when Laura and Marjoliane emerge.  Clancy came over and restocked the fire.

Marjolaine, Joe, Laura, Clancy

Joe loading his bike

Lots of chat and then photos before I was on the bike heading toward Cobar. Todays goal was Emmdale. My map suggested there is caravan park there. It is 100 km from Wilcannia along the Barrier Highway.

About 10 km out of town I cross Talyawalka Creek. It is an anabranch of the Darling river. Two years ago when the Darling was in flood I paddled from Bourke to Menindee. Another paddler Alan Davies was paddling Talyawalka Creek at the same time. An amazing feat not possible at any other time.

I make good progress for 2 hours, there is no wind and the surface is good. After 35 km it suddenly becomes harder. I’m struggle to keep good speed. A car pulls up and 2 wonderful women jump out and give me mandarins and licorice. I look around and realise I have been going up hill.

I push on to 50 km right on 12:00 noon when there is a rest stop. I had planned to go on until 12:30 pm however I can’t pass a picnic shelter and table. I quickly set up my stove and make lunch. 

I’m happy as I am half way and appear to be at the top of the McCulloch Range (a lot of rest stops have been at the off hills). At 12:30 pm I am back on my bike and freewheeling downhill until  I have to start pedalling up hill again. Another rest stop comes into view.  

I go to ride past the rest stop but some blokes call out to me. There are 8 of them travelling in 4 4WD utilities. They are all of Middle Eastern appearance but speak Aussie. They ask where I am going. When I say Cairns one queries me, “you know where that is, right?”

They ask about the next town  Wilcannia. Is there a Bunnings there? I bite my tongue. A servo, a grocery store, a cop shop and 2 caravan parks. It is clear they are a long way from Sydney.

Before I leave one of these blokes gives me a pomegranate drink and 2 sealed containers of what looks like water each 200 mls. I thank him and go on my way. I am carrying 10 litres of water. Later when I examine the drinks the water is from The Emirates and the Pomegranate drink is from Kirkuk in Iraq.

After the rest stop I am again freewheeling downhill, this time for longer. The afternoon continues to up and down but I am feeling strong and reach Baden Park rest stop after 88 km. It has a picnic shelter and I briefly consider stopping there. Emmdale is only 12 km away so I keep pedalling. 

At 3:50 pm I arrive at the Emmdale Roadhouse. There is no caravan park. There is camping but no shelter. I pay the fee and get given a key to the amenities. I set up my tent and gave a shower. 

Facilities at Emmdale Roadhouse 

My campsite at Emmdale

I cook dinner early conscious that the rain is due around 6:00 pm. I have just finished cleaning my cooking gear when just after 7:00 pm the rain arrives. Into my tent, it is going to be a long night.

Around 10:00 pm the rain becomes a downpour. The sound of the rain pounding on the tent drowns all other sound including the refrigerated truck parked nearby. Inside I am warm and dry, happy that I chose to bring my 4 season tent (One Planet Wurley). 

The rain has stopped when I wake at 3:00 am. The refrigerated truck is 7still there.

Day 19 Emmdale to Meadow Glen Rest Stop

I’m awake at 6:00 am but lie in until 7:00 am. Pack up quickly and then push the bike over to the roadhouse. There are large pools of water everywhere. I go inside and order coffee and breakfast. 

Outside my Middle Eastern friends from yesterday have arrived. There is lot of noise as they organise to refuel 4 cars. One of them comes in to borrow a knife. They are cooking breakfast outside.

Lindsay and Virginia who run the roadhouse are bemused. I explain that my friends are from Sydney. Lindsay says there should be a fence around Sydney to keep Sydneysiders in. The cultural gap is huge.

I finish breakfast and head off down the road. There is a southerly wind. Mostly it was a crosswind although there are some stretches where the road swings South. 

I arrive at Bulla Park Rest Stop after 45 kms. There are caravans bogged at the back of the parking area. They parked there before the rain and now can’t get out.

Brian and Lynn with their dog

The next stop is 26 km away. I’m not ready for lunch so I push on.

At 1:45 pm i reach Lillyvale Rest Stop. As I pull up a campervan parks alongside. Brian asks if I would like a coffee. Yes please! Lynn offers to make me a wrap. 

We have a lovely chat eating lunch. Brian and Lynn are from Rhylston near Mudgee. They made my day. I ride on feeling very happy.

There is lots of roadkill. Nearly always kangaroo but I did see another enormous dead pig. Distressingly I have seen 3 feral cats feasting on kangaroo roadkill. Cats eating kangaroo just seems wrong until I remember Henry our aging pet cat gets fed kangaroo from a can.

I complete the remaining 31 km to Meadow Glen Rest Stop around 4:45 pm. There are lots of caravans and campers already encamped there. I find a spot to put up my tent just near a couple tending a campfire. 

After I set up I go over and introduce myself to Geoff and Jo from Broken Hill. It is going to be a very cold night. I am welcome at their fire. 

We chat until it is time to make dinner. I make a pasta meal. And then we reconvene around the fire until bedtime. Another day done.

Day 20 Meadow Glen to Cobar 63 km

Very cold night although I am warm in the tent. My mattress seems to have developed a leak. I had to reinflate the mattress 3 times. It is a nuisance as I will struggle to replace it unless I hit a town with a good camping store.

Ice on the tent

There is ice on the tent when I emerge. The fire still has hot embers so I throw a few sticks on and fan it into flame. Jack who is my neighbour wanders over for a chat. He is travelling around fishing. He is hobbling as he broke his ankle fishing out near Mount Beauty. 

Geoff and Jo are packing up. They have been sleeping in their station wagon. Geoff asks whether I heard the car horn going off in the night. Apparently Jo rolled over in the night and kicked the horn off. I didn’t hear it.

I’m slow packing up, most of the caravans leave ahead of me. On the road there is a series of rolling hills. The sun breaks through eventually and although the breeze is cold it is very pleasant riding.

Just after noon my phone pings, I am back in range. I ring Lisa who is on her way to

work. We have a good chat. All is well in our world.

Shortly after I am in Cobar. Budget cabin, grocery store, laundry done.