Monday, January 4, 2010

The Snowies!!!

After spending 3 nights at Shannon’s Flat (on the Mann Clan’s Block) we headed off in convoy through the Snowy Mountains! At this point the Mann Family decided to extend their camping trip to a couple of days on the road with us, much to our collective delight.

What a beautiful country we live in.

Not far from Shannon’s Flat was the town of Adaminaby (known for it’s trout fishing!). The township had been moved to make way for Lake Eucumbene, the largest of the Snowy Mountain Hydro-Electric Scheme Lakes. So we went and had a sticky beak. Apparently, the roofs of the houses that got left behind when they relocated the town have been peaking through the top of the Lake. But with the Christmas rainfall the water level had risen considerably. It’s a pretty cool Lake. It holds 9 x as much water as Sydney Harbour.

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Eucumbene

From there we took our time winding our way through the Snowies, being mildly amused at the signs screaming warnings of Snow And Ice! And passing numerous lanes set aside solely for the use of applying snow chains to your vehicle! Not something us Queenslanders have ever encountered before.

We stopped for lunch in a small town nestled at the base of a very windy trek down the mountain called Talbingo, that none of us had ever heard of previously. This is where Miles Franklin was born. It seemed so random and took us all completely by surprise…the perfect place to stop for a snack, a run and a toilet break!

Back on the Mountainous roads again after picking up some sweet succulent black grapes in Tumut. We decided to press on through the townships of Batlow and Tumbarumba to camp on the banks of The Murray River at Towong, right on the border of Victoria and New South Wales. It was a large road-side campsite boasting one long drop toilet (that was hmmm interesting). There were numerous people swinging out into the Murray, and letting the swift flowing current drag them downstream. Great spot for teenagers but not so good for kids aged between 10 1/2 and 4!!! We decided this would be a one nighter!

Leisl did crack us up here. She was walking along with us and randomly came out with… “the winner of the smallest caravan in the world competition is….cha ching” (she pointed to a tiny A Frame caravan at this point)!!! Too funny.

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