It was back on the road again last weekend. It was supposed to be a Friday getaway but it hosed down rain here in Wollongong so hit out was delayed for a day. Come Saturday morning it was clear and sunny and predicted good conditions for the weekend so off we went. As our last few runs in the Minibago had all been down the coast we decided we’d head north this time. At Windsor, instead of following the road oft-travelled and heading up the Putty Road, we headed east instead to McGraths Hill then up through Pitt Town, Maroota and Wisemans’s Ferry. Some research on the net before we left gave us a couple of options around the area but the lady who answered the phone at the first park was very abrupt and her attitude gelled with the review that I read which said that the people there were very rude. Their prices were also slightly higher so we headed across the ferry and north along the road till we hit the Riverlands Caravan Park. First impressions were good. The Wombat Cafe at the gate looked very smart and the lady was very helpful. Down a steep hill behind the cafe and across the river flat brought us to the park and it was a bit of a let-down, to be honest. There were probably 20 on-site vans in the park, most in pretty shabby condition. The area for camping was right next to the river and a lovely jetty jutting out into the Hawkesbury River.
The grounds were very damp and showed signs of having taking a huge amount of water recently so finding a dry spot to set up camp was a bit of a challenge. We found out soon enough that the camp had actually been flooded out in the recent storms and that most of the on-site vans had sustained water damage. The facilities were basic but OK. The whole place had a “worn down” sort of look with barbeque shelters in disrepair and most of the infrastructure needing urgent maintenance. You had to be careful where you walked as the ground was still very waterlogged and shoes and socks soon got wet.
Nevertheless, we set up and set about making the best of it. The scenery along the river was superb and a couple who holiday there regularly told us that the new owners were working hard on upgrading the place. We were also told that fishing from the jetty was excellent with bream, tailor and flathead being plentiful. Note to self, bring bait next time (the lure didn’t attract any attention at all). The night was very cold with the campsite rapidly being shrouded in fog as soon as the sun went down. In the morning we awoke to a winter wonderland with fog drifting along the river and our table and chairs being soaked from a heavy dew. Serves me right for being lazy and not putting up the tent. A leisurely breakfast and late check out “Stay as long as you like; there’s no formal check-out time” and we flipped the coin and voted to stay around the area and do some more exploring.
A coffee and muffin at the cafe in town and a rubberneck at about 200 Toyota Celicas who had descended upon the town and then we were on the road, heading back towards Windsor. The lookout over Wiseman’s is always worth a look but is rather disappointing at the moment as the council has allowed dozens of little saplings to grow up in front of it. Consequently, the magnificent vista that it used to be is now rather less so. I would have thought that it wouldn’t have been a real problem for the council to trim said trees and open up the view for everyone’s benefit.
Passing down through Maroota we passed a sign pointing to Sackville. Since we hadn’t investigated the road we decided to stay on the main road and head back to Ebenezer and see if there was a camping area around the church somewhere. My reasons were partly practical and partly selfish as the church at Ebenezer, the oldest church in Australia in continuous use, was built by my ancestor in Australia, George Hall, in 1809, so it has quite and attachment for me.
We stopped at Wilberforce and I was hoping to ask Charlie, the always friendly guy who runs the servo there, for some information. Sadly, he wasn’t on duty but the guy behind the counter hooked me up with a local who was just in filling up with fuel. “Ask her,” he said, “She’s a local, she will know.” The young lady was very helpful and told me that, if I followed the road through Ebenezer right to the end, there was a great caravan park on the right, right on the river. “Don’t go right to the end, though, as that will take you onto the Sackville Ferry.” Eh? My ears pricked up.
Sure enough the Sackville Ski Gardens was great. Cheap, accommodating and providing a camp site right on the end of the row overlooking the river and with a shelter shed next to it. It didn’t take long for muggins to figure out that, had I taken that Sackville Road at Maroota, this is exactly where I would have ended up! Oh well, the drive was nice. It was Sunday afternoon and the park was packed with on-site vans as well as visitor who were there competing in a speedboat racing carnival on the river. So, as well as the accommodation, we got an afternoon’s entertainment for nothing.
All good fun, for most of them…
It was going to be another cold and dewy night so we put up the annexe and settled in for the night. Sure enough the morning came with the river shrouded in fog and everything clammy to the touch. Pancakes and coffee for breakfast and time spent watching the river change appearance as the day set in. Ah, the serenity.
Once again the nice lady running the park had said that we could checkout whenever we liked so we took her up on the offer. Breakfast at Windsor then a leisurely drive home through the Highlands saw us home late afternoon after completing another successful shakedown run for the Minibago. Just a few little wrinkles showed up, but nothing that can’t be easily (and cheaply) remedied.
By sheer bad luck, both the campsites had very poor/minimal phone access (even with Telstra) but who needs technology anyway?
Soon we will try some longer and more extensive trips in preparation for a major run through Tasmania in the Summer. It doesn’t really matter if the roads being traversed are familiar or brand new, it’s still a wonderful way to spend ones retirement.
Can’t wait for the next one.
dunc says
the setup looks like your getting the travelling comfort bit sorted out phil
right idea to do some shakedown runs before a longer trip
hows the usa one panning out
getting excited
Phil Hall says
That is the plan, yes, both in terms of packing/camping/unpacking techniques and also assessing the mechanical reliability and suitability of the van. Getting excited about seeing the family in the USA. Less than two months to go and it’s going to go fast, I think.