Jan 25, 2013 - Days 7-8...UPDATE NOTES

Hi All, Wow one week in already and how time flies. So far, four different caravan parks with one more to go before we leave the mainland. We have been making our way down the NSW east coast to Near Sydney then headed inland via the Hume Highway towards Melbourne where we catch the overnight ferry to Tasmania. On the way we have caught up, with friends and family. Kim, Andrew and the 3 grandkids near Coffs Harbour, they are on the way to relocating to Cooma so we sort of caught up with them just before they left their staging point. Then...

Dec 28, 2012 - Family and Christmas

Late in the day I realise I’ve had enough of ‘just being’ - for a while anyway - and pack up and drive the 150kms to Albury. I receive a wonderful warm welcome from my brother Grant, his wife Pancharya (Da), Thana (age 15), and my niece Sarah (age 4 – going on 19, I’m soon to discover). Albury is major regional city of around 45,000, situated on the NSW side of the Murray River. Its twin city Wodonga adjoins on the Victorian side, with some rivalry between the two it seems. In the days leading up to Dec 21st I was bemused to read of dire...

Nov 9, 2012 - Keeping the Murray flowing - Hume Reservoir

10th November - an auspicious day Arrived in Albury the 7th in very wet conditions. Lucky we have a drive through site and we could set up during dry times. Spending a week here so we can do some exploring. First trip, to checkout the Hume Reservoir. Hume Dam is located immediately downstream of the Murray River and Mitta Mitta River confluence, 16 kilometres east of Albury-Wodonga. The dam is 305 km from the mountain source and 2,225 km from the Murray mouth at Goolwa. The construction of the Hume Dam commenced on 28 November 1919 and...

Jul 29, 2012 - Lake Hume

Lake Hume is an artificial lake formed by the Hume Weir east of Albury-Wodonga on the Murray River just downstream of its junction with the Mitta River. The small towns of Tallangatta, Bonegilla and Bellbridge are located on its shores. The dam wall is 51 metres high and 1,616 metres long, and at 100% capacity can hold 3,036,500 megalitres of water which is approximately 5 times the volume of Sydney Harbour. The trees are some of the biggest I have seen, the grass is greener and the scenery is breathtaking and just so peaceful. The dam is...

Jul 25, 2012 - Albury

It was hard leaving Wagga, lovely town and lovely place to park the van. We travelled through The Rock, Henty, Culcairn and Gerogery before settling in at the City Gates Caravan Park at Lavington (northern end of Albury) for a week. This is where our friends Robyn & Bob are currently staying. We’ve seen a lot more of the area with their expert knowledge than we would normally have done. Thanks Rob and Bob. For the first time ever, Barry and I went over the border to Victoria – twice in one day. Albury was a bit harder to navigate but we...

Aug 31, 2011 - Wonderful Albury

We are here, in Albury. The bypass is all new to us.... Staying at the All Seasons van park on Wagga Road. Quite a nice, more intimate park. Dog friendly of course. I had a chat to Gracie and explained that in 2 sleeps she would be home and able to wander her yard without a leash. I know she will just sleep (as usuall) though. Seems strange being so close to home with only 1 bakery to visit enroute. Tomorrow ie Thursday is the first day of spring and our 39th anniversary. I'd better get some sleep to ensure I'm fresh and excited for the...

Jan 16, 2010 - Albury

A lovely catch up with Nanna and Grandpa in Michelle's hometown of Wodonga. The kids were so excited to be in Victoria again and we had a big countdown to cross the border and see Nanna and Grandpa after six months. Ugly Betty made herself right at home on Grandpa's front lawn and we fattened up on Nanna's cooking with cups of tea and apple slice until we burst. Saw most of Michelle's brothers and sisters with many fine BBQ's and started to understand just how close to home we were.

Jul 22, 2009 - Albury

After getting a round of nifty haircuts at U-Clipped-Us (say it fast) in Rushworth, we headed off to Albury/Wodonga to check out the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettamogah_Pub. Yes it's a bit of a tourist trap, but we'd never been there and it was a far less distance than going to Parkes and a visit to the telescopes (after all, it IS the 40th anniversary of the Moon Landing)! It started pouring with rain, so we had to make a quick change of plans. Off the agenda was the Fairy Penguins at the Wildlife Sanctuary and on came Beechworth and...

Apr 4, 2008 - 4th April, Albury

Friday Apr 4th...left Yarrawonga via Mulwala over the river in NSW so we could visit an animal farm on the way. Pretty interesting, lots of very tame kangaroos (obviously never been shot at) and deer, eating out of our hands. Also, emus, water buffalos, horses donkeys etc etc...all looking a tad bored with us. Got on our way to Wodonga, stopped for lunch in Corowa and then over the river back into Vic and to Rutherglen for a cappucino. Stopped at Parkers bakery and discovered they made award winning pies. One wall of their large shop was...

Mar 16, 2005 - On the road to New South Wales

after a wonderful week spent in Melbourne with my family i decided it was time for me to move on. I will miss Melbourne and miss my family, i lived like a king for a week but now it was time to put the backpack on and head back out. Albury is my first stop in New South Wales, i have come here to do some fruit picking for a couple of weeks before heading towards Sydney and the Blue Mountains. Its another town, not alot here except for the Murray River that passes by the town where you can take canoe trips and swim etc. I checked into my...

Feb 14, 2005 - Rodeo und so

Ich bin mittlerweile wieder in Albury (diesmal nicht mit dem Zug, sondern mit dem Bus, keine Katastrophen und billiger war's auch), sieht so aus, als ob ich diesmal wirklich ein bisschen arbeiten koennte. Am Wochenende war ich beim Rodeo, das war ne ziemlich lustige Veranstaltung fuer die australische Landbevoelkerung. Und, nein, man reitet da nicht auf Kaenguruhs und Emus, sondern auf Bullen und Pferden wie sich das gehoert. Nachdem ich mir allerdings so ein paar Bullriding Wettbewerbe angeschaut hab bin ich der Meinung, dass man ganz...

Jan 13, 2005 - Albury

Immernoch 40 Grad, ich werd mich nie wieder ueber's Wetter in Sydney beschweren! Wie soll das bloss im Outback werden, ich geh ja hier schon fast ein... Ich bin grad in Albury, genau auf der Grenze zwischen New South Wales und Victoria. Das Staedtchen ist ganz nett, auf jedenfall schoener als Wagga und der Backpacker in den ich abgestiegen bin ist ein bisschen chaotisch aber sehr, sehr witzig. Ich bin ausnahmsweise mal die einzige Deutsche, sonst nur Englaender, Iren und ein Neuseelaender. Abends sitzen wir draussen (kurze Hose und Top bis...