Wed, 27th Sept, 2023 Bohena Creek Rest Area, south of Narrabri to 48hr Rest Area, Gilgandra, NSW (exploring Warrumbungle Ranges & Gilgandra)

13.6 degrees, blue sky and a few clouds. 

Continued southward on the Newell Highway. Passed a few more farms then into Pillaga State Forest.

More roadworks. Roadwork crews have blocked the access to a rest area which had a big sign about Uranus (part of the Solar System Drive). There are different ones all around this area because of the different telescope places (Narrabri, Parkes etc).

Next stop was to check out the Pilliga Sandstone Caves but that has been closed too. The boom gate was closed and a sign said ‘no walking’ so we didn’t.

Continued on through more roadworks - at least the road condition has improved. Sad to see a dead emu on the road edge.

Spotted another Solar System billboard - got a photo as we passed it. This one for Saturn, as we neared town.

Across the Castlereagh River and into Coonabarabran - Astronomy Capital of Australia for a cuppa at the Info Centre and enquired about the tourist drive to Warrumbungle National Park. The chap said it wasn’t steep - don’t want to get in trouble for another steep hill climb for the truck! We can drive through and check out the lookout without needing a National Parks pass.

Nice brick buildings around town.

Turned onto Timor Road which runs parallel with Shawn Creek as it winds its way to the mountains. Another solar system sign for Jupiter.

Passed a private observatory with its white dome building.

Continued on - sign to watch out for wombats.

Over the Castlereagh River again. Another dead emu. Up into the hills of the Warrumbungle Ranges - Steve isn’t sure that the chap was right when he said it wasn’t steep.

Unfortunately  one section was steeper than he would have liked but the truck was ok with the heating. Will be good when he gets that sorted.

Passed the turn off to Siding Spring Observatory which is up a steep windy road so we aren’t going up. I can see the big white dome at the top. It is Australia’s largest centre for optical astronomy research and has been the forefront of astronomy discoveries for more than 50 years.

The windy steep road continued to 850m (Coonabarabran was about 500m). Into the National Park then we turned off into White Gums Lookout picnic area. Plaque for the chap who made the track up here. Information about the park and the fires of 2013.

Easy walk and more information along the way to White Gum Lookout.

Fabulous view.

Spotted a cute chap on the way back.

Continued on the road down the hill and past picnic and camping areas where the many walks go from.

Continued on out of the NP and back into farm land and scrub. Nice view back to the mountains. You can just see the observatory too.

Turned left and headed back around to Tooraweenah. Passed an Emu Logic Farm - lots of emus in the paddocks.

Through the little town of Tooraweenah. Stopped at the viewing platform and picnic area.

Interesting rocks.

More information about the Warrumbungle Range and the view from here.

Great sculpture.

Back to the Newell Highway where we stopped and checked out another solar system billboard - this one for Uranus. They still mention Pluto which has now been reclassified as a Dwarf Planet due to it not having met the criteria to be a planet (Googled that). Apparently it hasn’t ‘cleared its neighbouring region of other objects (asteroids etc) - meaning it hasn’t absorbed the flying rocks etc like the larger planets have done. Really!!

Continued southward. Back across the Castlereagh River again as we enter Gilgandra. Only a bit of water.

Pulled into the Info Centre. Another solar system billboard - Neptune this time.

Received our free permit for one of the 10 sites in the paddock nearby. Set up and made lunch.

It is very windy and I was rocking inside the camper so I got Steve to put the legs down to stablise us - much better. Wouldn’t be getting good fuel economy with this wind.

I wrote up a bit of my blog while Steve put another little fan he had on to help with the engine temp issue.

Chatted with our neighbours who are from Boddington, WA.

I went for a walk along the path reading the info boards which then went along the edge of the river. The wind is nearly blowing me over but it makes the windmills turn well. Town was known for all its windmills back in the days of having to pump your own water.

Amazing Cactus Garden.

The river mainly runs under the sand hence I can only see a pool along one edge with lots of reeds growing in it.

The sky is looking stormy where the wind is coming from. On my way back it was blowing up heaps of dust in the field further over. I commented to a local about getting some rain and he said ‘probably not’.

Had our drinks outside on the other side of the camper out of the wind. Rang Rebecca to see how her hip recovery is going - all good.

Headed inside as it is getting a bit cool as the sun goes down. Rang Dan & Fran to congratulate them on the house sale and the new house purchase. They have been busy. Rang Jon thinking he would be home with Annalise by now but he was stuck in the airport as the connecting flight didn’t connect! Left at 6am from Moura and won’t get home till 1am now after doing a night shift so he is feeling very tired. Joys of FIFO work.

A heavy band of cloud has come over but the sunset colour is coming through it which is pretty. A few drops of rain fell but that was it - the local was right.

The wind settled by dinner time. Malcolm rang for a truck update.