Wednesday, 2 December 2015

Tues, 1st Dec, 2015 Finley Beach, Tocumwal Regional Park, Vic side to Barmah State Park, Vic


Lovely morning – cooled off in the early hours. A few fisherman are on the river trying to get the first Murray Cod of the season, which started today.

Packed up and headed off. Passed Boonagong Station, established in 1878 on the banks of the Murray River. Lots of alpacas for sale around here.

Passed a few strawberry farms. Stopped at The Big Strawberry, Koonoomoo. Bought a couple of punnets at $2 each.

Through Strathmerton where there is a big Bega Cheese shed and a Cactus Garden.

Turned off at the intersection that turns south to Shepparton and headed along a dirt road towards the Murray again in the eastern end of the Barmah State Park. They were resurfacing it and we had to drive over a bit the truck had just dumped!! We were running beside an irrigation canal and then we crossed over it – the water level was higher than the road.

The track then followed a levee wall. We followed a creek for a while on the other side of the levee bank. Lots of the track has been chewed up when people have pushed through during the wet. Came to a shed with a few vans used as a weekender. Parked and walked over the levee bank to check out the camp area. The creek comes out to meet the Murray here.


Walked along the high bank then we heard a loud grunting sound from across the river – koalas in NSW.

Steve then found a new friend. He is so cute.


He turned as we went around the tree, keeping an eye on us.


Further along Steve found another two more.



Not the most comfortable looking spot.

This tree was marked (GMW 2006 W4) and I saw another one across the creek with the triangle cut too.


The levee bank goes for miles.

Crossed a canal gate – not much water in this one.

Pulled into another cleared area with a boat ramp and chatted with two couples and their very aggressive little dogs. They had caught a 600mm Murray Cod this morning.

We drove upstream a bit and found another nice area where we can get down to the water easily.


Set up and even got out the fly net as I am going to do the washing and the flies are getting annoying.

Steve got the fireplace organised for the bush cooker tonight while I got the washing done. The wind has picked up so it is drying the clothes quickly. The flies still got in but they just huddled in one corner and left me alone!! Steve found a mum and bub high up in the tree down by the water. They must be 40 foot up.


Later they climbed further up the tree to eat. Bub stayed low and mum went right up in the highest branches – hope she can swim if the branch breaks.




Steve got the fishing lines set up and we sat down by the river with some cheese on the hook (apparently that’s what the cod likes). What a life sitting here with a drink, hoping a fish will grabbed my line while we watch the koalas above us eating their leaves.

A nice photo – will send it to Mum in case she wants to paint something.

The wind still blustery but Steve got the fire going in the bush cooker and cooked dinner. After a nice warmish day (25 degrees) it is now cooling off a lot and the wind isn’t helping.

Into the van for dinner. It’s going to drop to 8 overnight!!



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