Tues, 8th Dec, 2015 Masters Landing Campground, Murray River Reserve, near Gunbower, Vic to 'China Town' bush camp, Gunbower Island, Vic

Light showers through the night, hot night though the breeze is cooler this morning. 29.4 degrees at 8am. Heavy overcast sky. Thunder is rumbling in the distance. Better get out of this dirt before any heavy rain as it bogs up quickly apparently.

Back through Gunbower – cute letterbox.

It is getting cooler as the storm builds but it looks like it is heading east away from us. We are going in the other direction luckily.

Turned off to find Mt Hope. Crossed over a channel with old wooden gates. Will come back and check them out.

The storm had passed over here as the road is wet. Mt Hope etc in the distance.

Passed Suicide Rock which is used for rock climbing and abseiling.

Stopped in the car park next to an old well and info boards (120m elevation). I wish they would put the boards as you are looking as this is upside down!! Major Thomas Mitchell climbed the granite formation and named it Mount Hope on 28^th June, 1836. He could not resist the opportunity to explore the promising new country to the south. Immediately he changed course and continued south-westwards.

We followed the homestead road up the hill. The rock wallaby just sat and watched us.

No path signs, only a private property sign so we got to the top and found the homestead gate. Interesting guardians to the property.

Went back down a bit and followed a track up to the rocky outcrop rather than Mt Hope itself. Up and over the boulders.

Good view over the homestead with Pyramid Hill in the background.

Mt Hope has a survey marker and towers. I suppose we were to find our own way up.

Mainly came for a view over Kow Swamp. It is now a permanent water body 15 kilometres in circumference with an average depth of 3 metres and is used as a Mid Murray Basin water storage for irrigation. It is still supplied with water from the Murray River via the Gunbower and Taylors Creeks on the east, diverted there by Torrumbarry Weir, whilst from the south water enters the swamp via Bendigo Creek. It is also the site of one of Australia’s most significant archaeological finds. A large burial ground uncovered on the edge of Kow Swamp contained human remains dating between 10,000-15,000 years.

Our van looks very small.

As it is so flat around here you can see for miles.

A big skink.

The boulders look green but it is the lichen on top. The granite is quite pink.

Drove back to the channel to have smoko under the big trees. Getting a lot hotter today, probably because of that storm which has now disappeared. We are on the edge of Kow Swamp.

The old timber gates are looking a bit sad and a bit leaky too. The water continues on down the Box Creek.

On the other side is a set of new concrete gates. Another channel comes in from the side just before the bridge and all the water then continues down the channel.

Walked back to where the Swamp water separates to go either to the concrete or timber gates.

Looking back at the concrete gates.

Crossed over the bridge then turned onto the back road towards Cohuna. Followed the channel for a while – it was lined with black plastic.

Turned off to go through Leitchville, which was named after Duncan Leitch, manager of Gunbower Station, following his death in 1888. The area was gazetted in 1929 as a township. Passed a big Devondale Milk Factory. Some of the highest production herds in Victoria are located in this region. It was also famous for the Murray Goulburn Cheese Factory but after good productions in 2006, producing 140 tonnes of bulk cheddar per day and employing 120 staff, it closed in February 2010 with a loss of 80 jobs.

Into Cohuna and we parked near the Info Centre which is on the banks of Gunbower Creek which I would call a lake area really, as it is quite wide.

Great map of the State Forests on each side of the Murray River though parts are now under National Parks – very confusing.

Went into the Info Centre and chatted with the ladies about the fruit fly zones. All good if we purchase as we travel along – just don’t take any to Kerang or over the border into South Australia. They also had a big map of the State/National Park which showed all the closed tracks. A lot of the middle section is still too wet and the tracks haven’t been opened yet. They gave us a box of chocolate biscuits too – put them in the fridge as they would melt quickly in this warm weather. Must admit it was nice in the air conditioning!! We are still travelling along with the a/c on in the car as the breeze is cooling enough.

Walked down to the end of the ‘lagoon’ to cross over the control gates which feed into a channel.

The next three gates let Gunbower Creek continue on its way to rejoin the Murray River at Koondrook further downstream.

Info about the Cohuna Weir. The ‘lagoon’ area is wide because there was a channel running beside the creek. When they put in the new gates they made the two into one hence it got wider.

The gates make a great plant box too!!

Walked around the edge of the ‘lagoon’ to the bridge.

Good use of old water tanks – now toilets.

Lovely park area beside Cohuna Apex Lake which of course is Gunbower Creek.

Across the bridge and around the other side of the ‘lagoon’ to a cairn for Major Mitchell and lots of information. We have seen lots of these on our travels but not always with good info.

Steve said this tree looks like one in Albert Namajuri (however it is spelt) paintings.

A big fish in the ‘lagoon’.

Back past the Info Centre – all decked out for Christmas. It will have to get some baubles!!

Cute cow and calf out the front. During the Apollo space missions, locally produced casein, a protein derived from milk, was supplied to the USA to make energy good sticks for astronauts.

The lady suggested crossing over the bridge over Gunbower Creek onto Island Road then down Nursery Track. We are back on the ‘island’. Very dry even though it is swampy area.

I didn’t read the map correctly and didn’t notice we were to turn off Nursery and go down 84 track but we made it to the Murray River with no problems. Stopped at Nursery Bend No. 1 for a look. An extensive experimental nursery was planted here by the Forest Commission. A variety of trees such as Mountain Ash and Monterey Pines were planted.

Very open here and hot so we decided to keep meandering along River Track which hugs the river edge. Passed all the tracks with ‘road closed’ signs.

Stopped to check out a car and trailer as Steve wondered how he would get his boat out with the high bank. Rope and drag it up apparently.

Had to detour around following High River Track and I spotted a koala low in the tree right beside the road. He is so cute.

Stopped at the Grey’s Mill Site which was originally called Block 24 from which a mill operated in the 1870s. A fire in 1919 destroyed everything in Block 24. The area is now known as Grey’s Mill after Frederick Charles Grey who ran the mill from 1905 until his death in 1912. Only a part of an old boiler, some concrete foundations and a few bricks remain.

Further along we crossed over a channel which is called a Regulator.

Even has a boat ramp.

Very tea-tree stained – easy to see as it flows into the Murray.

Continued along to check out Iron Punt but there was nothing there except some bee hives.

Nearly at the end of Gunbower Island.

Found a shady spot with a handmade sign – China Town (no vacancies). Actually it was empty. 3pm and it is 40 degrees in the van though it dropped a degree once I got all the windows and vents open.

Steve set up his fishing rods.

We are putting our new fly swats to good use – great to keep the flies away from my face!!

Got out my book as it was nice and cool by the river. The cockatoos came down for a drink.

Then the kangaroos over in NSW. They drank for a long time – bit like a camel.

8pm and it is still 37 degrees. No TV reception so watched one of Dan’s movies. The wind has picked up which has cooled it down a bit so it was 30 degrees by bedtime.