Wed, 10th Jan, 2024 Woomargama Rest Area, north of Albury, NSW to Bush camp by Reidy Creek, near Beechworth, Vic (Woolshed Falls)

Cool morning, 18 degrees but it warmed up very quickly with the bright sun and clear sky and no wind.

As we packed up the thermometer said it was 30 degrees as it was on the sunny side.

We headed back to the Hume Highway and towards Albury. Steve spotted a dead wombat by the roadside.

Nice view over Lake Hume as we crested a hill but didn’t have the camera ready.

Turned off before Albury to head to Beechworth. The lady we sat with at Gundagai for lunch was saying how lovely it was so off we go.

Across the Murray River and into Victoria - no pull over areas to get border photos here. We crawled along from source to mouth of the Murray back in Nov 2015 to Feb 2016 - fabulous.

Through yellowing grass grazing land and hills covered in trees.

Into Beechworth - sign says Gold discovered in 1852). Stopped for a cuppa in a park with huge trees and lots of birds life - the Kookaburras are laughing too. Lovely old table and bench seats which had two planks at angle which was very comfortable to sit on. Cockatoo came down for a drink.

Where the limbs come out then fall away leaves lots of small holes that I suppose little birds etc turn into homes. Plaques on the trees are very helpful. 

These are a Sierra Redwoods.

The Bunya pine have unusual dangling branches and needles.

I rang Janet to say we were on our way. They have had 100mm there so there are some road problems to be wary of and flooding still as the rivers fill and head down to the Murray. She has organised with Uncle John and her siblings to meet at his house Sat 20^th for lunch with us. Will be great to see them all. We will stop at Janet and Geoff’s place first though at Smith’s Gully.

Walked around the corner to the Info Centre in the old Town Hall. Old water trough with stone gutters by the road.

The nice lady suggested to visit Woolshed Falls and said there was free camping out along Reidy Creek where people still pan for gold and gemstones. They had about 80mm of rain last week so should be plenty of water in the creek and falls. There is more rain to come so we decided to go out to the creek and do our washing (which was building up) while the sun was out and come back to do the history walks later. There are a two walking tours from the Visitors Centre, Gold Rush & Ned Kelly (had 3 stays in the local gaol and members of his gang grew up here) and also a few of other types of guided tours as well (Asylum Ghost Tours etc). Burke Museum, Telegraph Station and Forestry Museum. The Gaol has tours too.

We checked out the Town Hall main room (built 1859). Fabulous tapestry. The organ had a ‘travelled’ history. Not sure what the ‘tap’ story is.

Back out the way we came in then turned onto the Chiltern Road then left onto the Woolshed Road. Into the Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park - no camping fees or day visit fees here.

Drove into the falls first. Popular on this hot day. Short walk down to the top of the falls.

People are enjoying a slide through the boulders.

Upstream.

Another short track up to a race the miners blew and dug to divert the water for their sluicing etc.

Back to the car park then along another track to the Falls lookout and info about all the gold found in the pool below.

I think this is another race cut through the boulders.

Back out and onto a gravel road which follows the creek to Eldorado. There are lots of tracks going off to camp spots by the water. We found one and Steve walked down to make sure we could get through ok - tree heights etc. All good. Set up camp.

Only a small gap in the brush to get down to the creek which was shallow and tannin stained.

Got the washing machine out. This is a new one as the old one was starting to make grinding noises after all the years of bore water etc.

No wind at all. 31 degrees in the camper at midday. Big puffy clouds are coming over but move on quickly so not blocking the sun for long.

3pm it was 37 degrees, washing all dry of course. Fans working well in the camper. I got another day writing of my blog - takes a bit sorting photos etc.

A chap had wandered down with his pan and he said over Christmas it was packed all along the creek with people, camping and fossicking.

Steve dug out his pans and tried his luck in the creek but only found black stuff that could be tin. His back doesn’t like it much either.

Checked out the tourist brochure and worked out our sightseeing for tomorrow.

Drinks outside in the shade of the camper listening to the birds ducking into the creek for a drink and flittering about.

Jon sent a text - in Innaminka and it was 40 degrees at 7pm. We had got to 38.3 here at 4pm. Still 32 at 7pm.

A few mozzies moved in so we had dinner inside.