Forbes to Lake Burrinjuck

Although we had intended staying just one night at Forbes we hadn’t even set up camp before we decided to stay for two nights. The Apex Riverside Tourist Park is on the banks of the Lachlan River and was a very small, quiet and well equipped park. That decided, we put up the tent and made ourselves comfortable. Too lazy to do anything we were content to relax beside the river and watch the many parrots, cockatoos and magpies as they flew down to drink perching on a log protruding in the river.

Two days later, feeling relaxed and refreshed, we were on the road again this time taking the Henry Lawson Way through Grenfell where we paused to see the grave of Henry Lawson, one of our great poets.

Henry Lawson's memorial

Then it was on to Young, a beautiful town in the middle of a fruit, grain and sheep producing area. Here we took a long lunch break and left town, stopping not far out at a farm roadside shop where I bought the most juicy and sweet cherries I have ever tasted. As we had been warned not to rely on the ipad maps as they had been proved to be very wrong with users becoming lost in the desert area of South Australia, I set the Navman for the location of our intended camp on Lake Burrinjuck. All was well until we passed through Harden when the voice instructed me to turn left. Several turns later I realised that I had been taken around in circles so Navman was off and out came the old fashioned map book and we eventually found the Hume Highway.

St Columban's Church, Bookham

Feeling the need for a stress relieving coffee we took advantage of a break at a very small place, Bookham, where not only did we get excellent coffee and pleasant conversation we were also directed to the nearby turn off for Lake Burrinjuck.

Echidna, Lake Burrinjuck Road

From the Highway, a sign informed us that we had 31 km to go so we happily enjoyed these last few kilometres looking forward to setting up camp and enjoying a glass or two of our favourite wine while enjoying the view of the lake as the sun went down. Spurred by these happy thoughts we went down the narrow road stopping to see a couple of echidna feeding by the roadside.

Lake Burrinjuck, New South Wales

After 15km the road began to climb and twist and the lake was visible through the trees. At one point I was startled to find a black rock wallaby on the road in front of me but with a couple of hops he was nimbly scaling the rocks up the mountain, followed by his mate who emerged from between some of the lower level rocks. Those we saw looked like the one below - not my photo as it happened all too quickly to get to the camera!

Black Rock Wallaby

 On our arrival at the Lake Burrinjuck State Park we found that we were not where we had intended but instead on the opposite arm of the lake! Never mind. It looked so lovely we decided to stay- a benefit of Freedom Travelling!

 

Our allocated site gave us views out over the lake and as we hammered pegs into the rock - hard ground we decided to extend our stay beyond the planned three days. Before long we had erected a simple camp and were sipping our promised glass of New Zealand wine while getting to know our camp companions, the kangaroos, cockatoos, parrots and several other types of birds.

Our camp at Lake Burrinjuck

This kangaroo was so daring and persistent that we had to retire to the van to eat our breakfast!

Kangaroo at breakfast

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

Red Wattle Bird

King Parrot

Crimson Rosella

Australian King Parrot

One morning we followed a track along the lakeside.

Lake side track, Lake Burrinjuck

As we live in a big city we appreciated seeing the kangaroos hiding in the bush. This big daddy kept us under observation while Mamma quickly took their youngster deeper into the bush.

In the absence of his mother his young one was unsure what to do as we walked right past him only a metre or two away.

A number of orange butterflies flitted from branch to branch, pausing so briefly it was difficult to photograph them.

Butterfly, Lake Burrinjuck

I was intrigued by this gum tree with its hard knobs of gum with roots growing out.

Gum tree

Our three days stay became five as we relaxed and did nothing other than to watch the kangaroos and birds and take a relaxed walk around the lake. No phone signal, no internet and no TV. It was just what we needed at the start of our lengthy camping tour.

Lake Burrinjuck, New South Wales

[ As I finally publish this post bush fires are burning near Lake Burrinjuck. No human lives have been lost however I am thinking of the many animals that will have suddenly lost their battle to live.]