Fri, 5th Sept, 2014 Singleton Rest Area to Broke

Warmer night – 15 degrees in van at 7am with no heater, so up early and headed into Broke. Passed Glencore open cut and underground coal mines – huge. Passed a defence training area, even had some soldiers running etc. Large area of land – firing ranges etc.

Got a nice spot at McNamara Park in Broke – not many vans around and it is a big park.

Steve found a camera in bag near where we parked. I took out the usb and put it in the computer to find a clue to the owner. There was a photo of a motorhome and it had the company and I could read the rego so I rang the company and they gave me the chap’s phone number. He was most excited to hear we had it and I got his address in Tenterfield and will post it on Monday when I find a post office.

Prepared my stew in the Ecopot for tonight’s dinner then headed into Pokolbin for lunch with Rebecca and Clive. Megan & Andre’s wedding is at the Hunter Valley Gardens then at a winery for the reception. The buds are just starting to come out on the pear and plum trees – white and pink – lovely.

 Plum tree

Pear trees

Had a delicious lunch and coffee at a Country Café. Very filling burger. Great to catch up with them before the wedding.

  Great sayings etc on the walls.

Wandered around the village checking out all the shops – could have spent some money but have nowhere to put anything – oh well!! 

They even provide a chair for patient husbands (read the sign on the chair).

Could have bought a warmer coat at the Alpaca shop but I had to draw the line at $1000 for the coat, even if I am freezing!!!

There is a great shop for Andrea – Hunter Valley Christmas Shop – she would be in heaven. I photographed their business card (a gingerbread man – they are painting the outside like the gingerbread house) for you and they are on Facebook too.

But did try some ports and ice wine. The ice wine is from New Zealand and they don’t pick the grapes till they have ice on them. We bought a bottle of Palmers Tawny Chocolate port from Echuca, Vic – yummy and a bottle of local Wollombi port – Dr Jurd’s Jungle Juice, sweeter & fruity.

Learnt about the grape season, buds start coming on now (Bud Festival this weekend in Cessnock) then the greenery comes, then grapes and they are all picked in January/early Feb. Then the vine trimmers come in and the vines hibernate for the winter.

It is a lovely set up with bars, restaurants, cafes and lots of nice gift shops etc. There is plenty of green grass parkland and Aqua Golf (driving range into the lake) and mini golf.

 Brokenback Mountain Range in the distance

 Helicopter Wine Tours are all the rage

Water hens and ducks everywhere.

Lovely swamp cypress tree too.

The gardens ($20 entrance) is Australia’s largest display garden. We will check it out tomorrow as the wedding is in the garden itself and we will have time to wander when Megan & Andre are having their photos taken.

As they are predicting rain (which it did when we were wandering around the village), there is a Chapel they can use instead of the garden.

Drove around the Valley checking out the wineries and vines. I would have thought the area would be covered with them but there is still a lot of empty paddocks or with cattle in them.

Lovely rainbow but no rain for tomorrow please

Poor old building – good fixer upper!!!

Found the reception place – Tamburlaine Organic Winery.

Stopped for afternoon coffee on a hightop overlooking the valley and Lindemans Winery.

Close up of a vine – looks dead but I did find a new bud.

Got the story of the Cockfighters Ghost – the label for the Pooles Rock Winery. Cockfighter was a horse back in Governer Macquarie’s time when they were opening up the area and he got stuck in the creek and drowned. His ghost can be heard in the creek at night.

Just for Wendy we stopped at the Chocolate and Fudge shop and suffered our way through some tastings!!! Ended up with 4 lovely fudges – cappuccino, macadamia nut, salted caramel nut and sticky date. Will have to make them last!!!

The diet is not going so good!!!

A herd of kangaroos went bounding by the lake.

My little camera can take some great shots even if they are going up and down.

Stopped at Harrigan’s Irish Pub on the way back to the van  - the place to be it seemed.

Broken Back Mountain Range looks good – will go for a drive to the lookout on Sunday. Might even get in a walk!!

Back to the van and we went for a long walk around the park. Steve found a wombat hole so we put a couple of sticks at the front to see if he comes home tonight.

Stew was delicious.