Day 49 – October 19 2012

Up early today, breakfast, packed camp & away by 8.30am from Echuca.  We drove up into NSW to start with, then across to Barmah & back across the Murray River, through Picola & joined onto the Murray Valley Highway in Victoria to continue our journey back to Canberra.  The country is very flat following the Murray River upstream & the roads are mostly long straits with the odd gentle bends.  The paddocks are very green with some wheat & some grapes, with dairy cattle as well. We drove through the major towns of Cobram, Yarrawonga & Rutherglen before joining the freeway a little south of Wodonga where the traffic intensity picked up noticeably.  Some hills at last, they are all green as well, there must have been a fair bit of rain around the Albury region recently.  We stopped for lunch at the Holbrook submarine at around midday & a stretch of the legs & back.  On the road again & we reached home at 4.30pm after driving a total of 606km & a behind the wheel time of 7.5 hours – a long day & a long way.  The country is noticeably drier around Yass – Canberra area, the grass is not as green as we have become used to in Victoria along the Murray River.

We quickly unpacked the car, surveyed the knee high grass, then headed off for grandson Jackson’s 9^th birthday dinner, the reason we travelled all this way in one day.  We surprised Jackson & little brother Austin when they answered the door & we got cuddles & kisses from them all night.  It makes it all very worthwhile – we treasure these moments.

We have spent a total of 7 weeks away from home.

8,741 km              total distance travelled

1,078.03               litres of diesel used

$1,754.45             total cost of fuel

12.333                   litres per 100km fuel usage

Car:                        Mercedes Benz GL 320 CDI 4WD

Caravan:              Kimberley Karavan

The places we have seen:

• Mungo National Park
• Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area
• Kinchega National Park
• Mutawintji National Park
• Flinders Ranges National Park
• Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges National Park
• Lake Eyre National Park
• Wabma Kadarbu  – Mound Springs Conservation Park
• Painted Desert
• Moon Desert
• The Breakaways
• Mt Remarkable National Park
• Flinders Chase National Park
• Western River Wilderness Protection Area
• Lathami Conservation Park
• Cape Gantheaume Wilderness Protection Area
• Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park
• Cape Willoughby Conservation Park
• Lashmar Conservation Park
• Baudin Conservation Park
• American River Aquatic Reserve
• Coorong National Park
• Little Desert National Park
• Wyperfeld National Park
• Hattah Kulkyne National Park

Plus a whole lot more interesting places, towns & people we have met.

It was special travelling with our friends Helen & John plus Rose & Mike for the first part of our journey & being able to share the walks & experiences with them.  It was a special time that Tereza & I shared together.