Sunday 29th Day 5

I was up early and got the fire going, it was still burning under the ashes from last night. It started to rain, yipeee, but didn’t last long. We got organized and headed off to do the second half of the mine, 65 feet down. Was great. Got out after 3 hours, I was so cold, came back to camp and had lunch then off to door the Green door tour. Suns out, but windy. Saw the Cactus Garden, I felt really dwarfed amoungst the cactus, some are so tall. Went to art gallery David Braddock, his dad was an artist from NZ. Did Amigos castle. The mine images are with no flash and are not that clear, but it shows what its like down there.

 Desert flowers, I dont know their correct name.  Red door signs.  Cactus Garden.  Some of the cactus are up to 200 years old, the round ones are called Mother n laws pin cushion.  Read some of the signs they are awesome.   Heading out to Grawin and the Hilton.  So baron.  The 19th hole of the golf course.  Miners residence.  Lot of dirt moved from under ground and washed all for opals.  This is what its all about.  The Hilton.   Was a lovely meal.  Thought this was a great idea, lights up the path at night. Read the sign. Heading back to camp, if these walls could talk.

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Saturday 28th Day 4

Got a sunset of sorts, lots of cloud, there will be no seeing the moon eclipse. It has been spitting, not even enough to damped down the dust.Went to go for hot swim but as usual far to hot for safety, dont know why they dont do something about them, even artisan waters can be cooled. Went down the Chambers of the Black Hand Mine, the art works were incredible.

 One of the cabins you can rent.  Mine shafts along side of road, no wonder they say watch where you walk.  Mullock heaps from the mining. You can see the mine shafts.  View from up where the Can and Bottle house is.

Friday 27th Day 3

Our bunkhouse looks like old stables, very comfortable and quirky. The Opal festival is on and town is packed, which is great as the drought is really bad so any money spent in the town it helps. Its not just the farmers suffering, its their workers etc. Ripple effect. Went and saw John Murray’s gallery, wonderful art. Bought a few pieces of rough opal. Got back to camp and chatting with a couple whom came from the town I lived in, in NZ. Went up the mullock heap out the back and what an amazing view. Took some photos, heaps of miners huts/houses.

 From the Mullock heap looking at some miners places.  Again from top of Mullock heap, camp is on the horizon.  This is the dreaded Hudson Pear Cactus. Looking up at the Mullock heap.

25th July Day 1-2

Off to Lightning Ridge but staying tonight at O’Shea’s in Goondiwindi. I have some photos of the last 2 days all in one .

The land is so dry out here, this is on our way to Goondiwindi.

Farmers are having to use the long paddock just to get the stock some extra feed.

Moonie River at the Nindgully Pub and camping for freedom.

Plenty of room for camping and the river is so nice to look at. I hear the meals at the pub are great.

Daggy sign. On the other side of the sign it has Free beer tomorrow.

Silo art work at Thallon.

Hebel Hotel.

Camp kitchen at Lorne Station, Lightning Ridge.

Looking over towards the old shearing shed on the station.

Shows just how much room there is for camping, you can choose powered or unpowered.

Up at the powered sites and the permanents.

Amenities.

Showing the camp fire area.

Hudson’s Prickly pear, dont ever touch it, Don found out the hard way, took pliers to get them out of his foot, the crocks went in the bin.