Thurs, 12th November, 2015 Morley’s Creek RV Stop, Gundagai (Mt Parnassus Lookout etc)

Overcast and 23 degrees this morning. I started on my blog again as thunder rumbled in the distance. It slowly got closer and then down came the rain. Steve chatted with David. They are packed and ready to head off when the rain eases. Said goodbye as the sun started to peek through again. Lovely couple.

Had some lunch then headed into town as the sun is shining well now. Drove up to Mt Parnassus Lookout. Looking down on the lush ground of the race track across from where we are camped.

On the other side of the lookout, looking over the town etc. The sign needs redoing. Site of the original township which was washed away in the 1852 flood was on the floodplain that Prince Alfred bridge went over.

Walked down to the picnic table to look at the old mill, which is the only remaining building to survive the 1852 flood.

Sheahan Bridge opened in 1977.

Zoomed in on the substation next to the Rotary Lookout we were at yesterday.

Doing the scan around over the countryside.

Drove out onto the Hume Highway to find the fuel station down the road. Over the Murrumbidgee River on the Sheahan Bridge.

Back down on the floodplains to check out the old school cairn we saw yesterday. Sad reading how the family were trapped on top of the school then the walls collapsed and they all perished.

All that is left today is some of the foundations.

A thistle in flower.

No one has mowed around here other then the wandering cows. This sign was in the long grass so Steve drove to it rather than walk, in case of snakes. Shows the plan of the original Gundagai on these floodplains. Our pet hate is they place signs facing north not facing the direction the thing is describing. The river is to our left and they have it on the bottom so the plan should have been tipped to the right.

The poor old bridge is sad.

Up into town to check out the old Gaol which is above the Court House.

The Post Office looks grand.

Back to the van and it is lovely outside again. Another van from Qld has pulled in where Jan and David were. They came over for a chat when I asked where they were from – Proserpine. Norm and Audrey have been on the road for 12 years. I offered Audrey a chair as we saw the scars on her knees and then we got chatting about knee operations etc. They said they owned units at Seaforth and Steve said he went there when he lived at Eungella. Norm said he worked in timber and then Steve said his father was Terry and they knew him. What a small world. They had also seen Terry and Erica at Sapphire as they had a lease there. Audrey told us the story of Snow who found a valuable sapphire that was worth so much he couldn’t sell it. When he discovered he had cancer he decided to bury it again so that someone else can have the joy of finding it. There is Lasseter’s Gold hidden somewhere – now there is Snow’s Sapphire to find!! Audrey then said she did party plans and asked if I knew Andrea Gregory – truly is such a small world. She also knows Alan’s friends, Trevor and Clair in Rubyvale. Will send Erica and Andrea emails with a photo of them and their phone number.

Kept on chatting as the black clouds came over then the thunder started. Then a few flashes of lightning and the rain started then it just chucked it down and was blowing in so hard we retreated back into the van and they went back to theirs.

Sent off the emails. An hour later the rain has all gone and it is lovely again. So amazing the people you meet on the road.