Fri, 13th November, 2015 Morley’s Creek RV Stop, Gundagai to Towong Reserve, Towong (Start of the Mighty Murray trip)

Woke to more rain and then some thunder. 22 degrees. It is Black Friday – hope it will be a good not bad one.

By 9.30am the clouds had cleared and the sun was shining and warm.

Had a cuppa with Audrey and Norm – they have the same Princess House coffee cups – she was a demonstrator for them also. Exchanged more stories about party plans, aboriginals and travelling. So lovely meeting them. Said our farewells and headed off as the dark clouds started rolling across the sky.

Up and down the windy roads to Tumut, hoping the rain doesn’t start.

Stuck behind a log truck, who at one stage was in the middle of the road.

Stopped at the Info Centre in Tumut (280m elevation) and bought a more detailed map showing the source of the Murray River. We will check out the river crossing near Tom Groggin and then it is a rough track down or go into Victoria to Omeo and come up as the source is the end of the wiggly line of the border of NSW/Vic where the border mark goes straight out to the east coast.  We also found out the source of the Murrumbidgee River so when can do the reverse when we come back to this area.

A good display in the centre by the school students. The Yidaki , commonly known as the Didgeridoo. This musical instrument was used for ceremony and education of young children. Originally coming from the top end of Australia, our men traded our basalt rock for the Yidaki. The rocks they used to make axes, grinding stones etc. The Yidaki was primarily used in ceremony for young boys becoming men. Our women are forbidden to play the Yidaki as it is taboo and there would be punishment dealt out by our tribal elders.

Hunting Boomerangs – Made from a variety of young eucalypts and wattles, using the elbow of branches or tree roots to prevent breaking on landing. Hunting boomerangs were used for killing or knocking down larger animals and birds. Either used with a returning boomerang or spear; they could be thrown along the ground or into the air. These were originally designed as a throwing stick, and over time design changed for easier use and accuracy.

Returning Boomerangs – Made from a variety of young eucalypts and wattles, using the elbow of branches or tree roots to prevent breaking on landing.  Returning boomerangs  were designed to fly in a half-circle and landing back near the hunter. Used for spooking animals out of trees, bushes or off water; giving the hunter an opportunity to throw either a spear or hunting boomerang to stun or kill.

Hunting Spears -  Made from a variety of young eucalypts and black cyprus. These larger spears were used to hunt larger animals and used in traditional battles between tribes. Some tips are serrated to inflict greater damage in the animal, resulting in a guaranteed kill. Other tips are made from older, harder wood to prevent breakage and are attached to snap off in the animal.

Fish Spears – Made from the flowers spike of a Xanthorea Australis because of its ability to float for easy retrieval. The tips of the spear are made from harder eucalypt trees and fixed to the shaft with animal sinew or tree fibre, and glued with wattle sap and grass tree resin. Different sizes would depict the different species of fish speared. The three or four pronged tips would aid in gripping the fish when speared.

Bark Canoe – Made from the bark of a talk eucalypt, this canoe represents a vessel that an Aboriginal man by the name of Yarri used to save 40 people in the 1852 flood in Gundagai.  The bark is taken off in one long sheet and seasoned over a fire to shape and harden the bark. Carrying one or two people, they were used to float out onto rivers and wetlands for fishing, collecting water bird eggs and for travel.

Lovely countryside as we leave Tumut, even though it is misty.

Found where the timer truck was going – Particle Board Mill at Tumut.

Further on was another mill at Gilmore.

Climbed up to Springfield Apple Orchard Rest Area on a ridge, just before Batlow, to have lunch (760m). Just got in the van and down came the rain then the sky cleared and we headed off in the sunshine. Looks gorgeous now.

All the apples are covered.

Looking the other way where the rain has gone.

Past acres of covered apple orchards into Batlow (770m) – Famous for Apples. That used to be Tassie’s claim. They have a Cider Festival. All the power poles are painted.

Timber is also a big industry for Batlow and surrounds, with lots of plantations.

Up to 950m and there are more apples. Slowly dropping down through lovely countryside. And the Bago State Forest to 710m. Getting a bit chilly with the windows down.

Drove through Tumbarmba – lovely spot. Will spend some time around here when we come back to do NSW more thoroughly. Passed a couple of emus in a fenced area. There are few nice camping areas around here that you can stay for a month. Up to 770m to Clarke’s Hill Reserve which is has trailbike trails, then a steep descent down to 490m as we head to Towong. Up a bit to the Southern Cloud Memorial Scenic Lookout at 550m for a cuppa. Has turned into a beautiful day and what a glorious view.

Checked out the signs. Lovely day but the clouds are still hanging on the mountains. Great signs as the photos are taken from exactly where we are standing, though with a lot better camera on a clearer day.

Sadly though these beautiful mountains were also the site of a plane crash back in 1931.

Now I wish I had one of those cameras that could do the panoramic wide photo. European settlement of the Maragle Valley started in 1838. The large original station was later sub-divided. In 1948 most of this area was offered to returned soldiers as 14 war service blocks – Maragle Estate.

Another steep descent down to 280m into an open valley and the Tooma River.

Looking back behind the mountains to where the Southern Cloud crashed on the mountain.

Past a farm that harvest seed – didn’t see what type but here is some that has been chopped ready to be collected.

Across the Tooma River again which flows into the Murray River not far away.

Past the locality of Greg Greg – thinking of my little brother.

Such lovely views around here. Lots of mountain names on my map but I can’t work out which is which.

At last we stop at the reserve alongside the Murray River on the NSW side, near the township of Towong which is on the Victorian side. The river is flowing fast because of all the recent rain. Time for a selfie to mark the beginning of our Mighty Murray trip. Erica and Terry stayed here at the start of their Murray River trek in February this year.

Chose our spot – can’t get closer to the river than this. A lot warmer down here at 280m elevation.

The fireplace was right on the edge.

Walked across the bridge into Victoria over the swollen Mighty Murray which will make its way down 2520 km to Goolwa in South Australia to empty into the Southern Ocean. The Murray River is the third longest navigable river in the world, after the Amazon and the Nile, continuously navigable for 1986km. It has 4 dams, 16 weirs and 15navigable locks. Along with its tributaries, the Murray is part of the third largest water catchment on earth – the Murray Darling Basin which covers 1,059,000 square kilometres or approximately 14% of the total area of Australia.

Looking back upstream from the Victoria side.

The NSW welcome sign is on the Victorian side of the river as the Murray River is in NSW. Back across the bridge into NSW to our camp.

Not the greatest looking bridge!!

The red parrots are everywhere.

We spend a lovely afternoon by the river and had dinner by the fire. Got a bit cooler as the sun started to set about 8pm. Steve spotted a platypus making his way along the edge even in the fast flowing current. It was too dark and he was too quick to get a photo.

No TV reception here so watched some things I had recorded.