6.30am,
still clear sky and 16 degrees!! Amazing the temperature changes.
8am
it was still only 17 degrees. Headed off. Stopped at the Lookout for a morning
sun photo of the Cliffs. They were named after a local family, Headings, who
lived around here. More houseboats are enjoying the views.
Down
through Paringa over the Murray to Renmark and down to Plush’s Bend. Someone
tried making the dead trees into artwork.
Someone
was already in the spot we had looked at yesterday so went for the next best.
More open but good shady trees, as long as it hangs onto its branches!!
Found
some more info about paddle-steamers and barges in the book Erica gave me.
Packed
some lunch and headed off to see if we can get to Lock 6 from this side of the
Murray. Across Bookmark Creek and floodplain.
Stopped
at the Rotary Lookout out of town. Nice view over the vineyards and orchards.
Zoomed
in on the water tower in town.
Some
people are such so filthy. There was a bin at the bottom of the steps too. Did
our bit and clean up their mess.
Onto
the Old Wentworth Road. Passed Cooltong which was an ex-servicemen’s settlement
after WW2. Following a great brochure’s map.
Into
Chowilla Game Reserve which is controlled by the National Parks and is part of
the Living Murray Program.
Continued
down the track heading to Lock 6 but we were stopped at Monoman Creek bridge by
a gate.
Saw
another track on the map so headed down it till we came to the Chowilla
Regulator and no access to that either. Obviously we will need a boat to see Lock
6.
The
track continued on as there are campsites along Monoman Creek (which connects
to the Murray). This one is Little Gums Campground, nice spot for lunch, though
needed to sit in the sun as the breeze was still cool.
It
has another regulator for when it floods they can hold the water in the low
lands.
I
found a ‘boundary’ tree, like at Wentworth but definitely nature-made.
There
was a pile of rubbish on the bank so beachcomber Steve had to check it out. It
was the camp for a chap and they have left it here in his memory with a plaque
in one of the big gums.
Inside
the fridge were biscuit tins filled with notes from people who had passed here.
Interesting reading too. Found one from a couple in Bridport, Tas – will see if
Mick and Anne known them. I wrote one and left it in the box too. Unfortunately
his tree has died.
Found
some random sheep as this area has been destocked.
A
water monitoring spot in another camp site.
An
emu darted out – what a shot!! Then took another video as he ran along beside
us.
A
red kangaroo sat still for a photo.
Back
onto Old Wentworth Road. Great views across to Headings Cliffs.
Then
I got a photo of Lake Merrell then Lake Woolpolool which are fed from Ral Ral
Creek which comes off the Murray. They are beside Calperum Station which is now
an environmental centre. The station covers 242,800 hectares.
Stopped
at the Information area.
Noticed
that South was in the wrong spot then realised they were all wrong so got out
my compass and we put the markers in the correct positions.
Back
towards Renmark where the irrigation channel is now undergrown through pipes
controlled by these pumps.
Trying
to decide if these were levee banks or old irrigation channels and they just
laid the pipes in them and covered them over, making good levee banks.
Headed
into town and parked near the waterfront. Continued on the riverfront walk we
started yesterday.
These
people obviously don’t like fence sitters!! They have beautiful roses though.
The
Rowing Club, formed in 1919.
Memorial
Gardens & Band Rotunda.
David
Ruston, king of roses and his tribute sculpture.
I
walked around to the other side. Certainly a fantastic sculpture.
Would
have been an interesting life ministering on the river on a houseboat.
The
little birds I was calling budgies are the Red Rumped Parrot.
Domestic
water.
Irrigation
water.
Back
along the waterfront to the truck then out into the lovely gardens in the
middle of Ral Ral Avenue – I noticed the streets are like Mildura, the Chaffey
Bros influence as there are 11th, 12th streets etc. Monument
to William Chaffey.
At
the other end are the war memorial and the Soldiers Memorial Hall.
Lovely
fountain though the wind is giving it a hard time and a great Christmas Tree.
The
fountain is on the site of the old Packing Shed – mural on the building next
door.
The
town wharf.
The
willow has wrapped itself around the gum.
The
Renmark Settlers Club has a prime location on the waterfront.
A
lovely mosaic celebrating the Balloon Festival in 2002.
The
Ozone Theatre.
Walked
to the Info Centre and got our tickets for the PS Industry on Sunday. Back
along the road to check out the Irrigation Trust Building and its leaning over
fence.
A
plaque to a founding member of the Trust and one of the original Chaffey pumps.
As
we walked past the shops I noticed a lot had roses painted on them in corners
etc. Probably from the Rose Festival time.
Looking
down Ral Ral Avenue then Renmark Avenue.
Back
across the Murray and down to Lock 5 for a late cuppa.
After
taking the photos I asked the guys in the office if they had history photos etc
of Lock 6 – he said you should get some from the archives. Both 5 and 6 have a
3 metres drop from the weir pool to the river. They didn’t have any boats
booked in for the Lock tomorrow but he said the Paringa Bridge raises at 9.30am
and 2.30pm so we will go and check that out.
An
old crane used to lift out the blocks they put in the flood gates.
There
was also a replica of the barge ‘Bunyip’. No info here but I got this from the
Customs House info boards.
Walked
up to the Lock and Weir constructed in 1927. Flow meter and flood heights. We
are now 562 metres from the mouth and 16.3m above sea level.
Downstream.
Drove
down the road to the end where a few people were camping by the river. I went
around the corner of the bend to look back up to the weir.
Nice
beach area on the bend. The river branches off to the right and circles around
Goat Island.
Back
down the road where two houseboat companies’ boat were moored was a regulator
and fish way on Deep Creek which flows into the Pike Floodplains.
Across
the Murray to Renmark. We had stopped at a newsagency yesterday for Steve’s
Gold, Gem & Treasure magazine and chatted with the chap about the expired
issues of magazines. He said to call in tomorrow and he would get us some. He
wasn’t there but he had a bag full of cars, girlie, crafts and a couple of the
new adult colouring books – so we are all set for a while. Thanked the lady and
asked her to say thanks so much from us. He was so nice to do that for us.
Drove
back towards Paringa and turned down beside the big caravan park – it was huge
and full. Parked in the boat ramp area to take a photo of the ski boats lining
the edge to send to Jon.
There
was a houseboat parked a bit close then we realised he was stuck. Watched them
work at getting off. He tried a few manoeuvres but hadn’t got free by the time
we drove off.
On
the other side was Paringa Paddock which has been managed and maintained by two
volunteer ranges since 1983. They have established interesting walking trails,
removed rubbish and organise ongoing maintenance. We followed the road around
the branch off the Murray that we saw at the Lock, around Goat Island. The
pelicans like it on the island.
Looking
across to the beach area below Lock 5.
Continued
down the track to Margaret Dowling picnic area – looking across to a little
island in the Murray River.
The
track continued across some pipes which joins the water from the lagoon on the
other side of the track with the Murray.
Spotted
some black swans swimming near the pelicans as we climbed back up to the farm
area just upstream from where we were camping.
Back
to the van for dinner. Still too windy for the bushcooker, so I cooked inside.
Weather forecast is for 13 tonight and 31 tomorrow. Apparently it was only 10
last night – no wonder we were so cold!!
About
10pm it became so still and quiet except for a duck looking for his mate.
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