Lyn and Jim, thanks for the interesting read. I often go through Temora. When I used to live in
Canberra I did some work out at
Hillston and went through Temora, West Wyalong, Rankin Springs, Monier Gap etc. Now I live in
Echuca I return to
Canberra every four weeks for work. There are at least eight different ways to go. Basically the trip runs along the Murrumbidgee Valley, the variation lies in where I cross the river. The Hume crosses at
Gundagai. I hate the Hume - its like sitting on a cement
conveyor belt surrounded by large transports. There are average speed cameras and police hiding in the bushes. Sitting on 110kph is very soporific. I am sure its falling asleep that causes most of the accidents on the Hume. My favourite way, though, is to head out through Harden, Temora then Narrandera either via
Ardlethan or Coolamon. One day I had time on my hands and I headed from Deniliquin to
Hay,
Booligal,
Hillston, Lake Cargellico, West Wyalong, Temora,
Canberra. That took longer than the usual six hours that every other drive takes. My least favourite track is along the Hume to Benalla, then across to
Echuca via Shepparton (a la Google Maps). The shortest route is to leave the Hume at
Gundagai, then use the Oura Road to Wagga, Collingullie,
Lockhart, Urana,
Jerilderie, Conargo, Deni,
Echuca. Last week I cut through from Coolamon to
Junee then Cootamundra to
Jugiong. Noting Deb's comment, the only bushrangers you will see these days are either effigies promoting Kelly's exploits in particular towns, or wearing uniforms and leather caps.
The point of this tale is not to
bore you senseless but to highlight how many brilliant small towns and varied landscapes there are to visit and discover if you are prepared to avoid the main roads (in this case the Hume). Planning trips to include my favourite pie shops etc has turned what could be a repetitive chore into a bit of an adventure, and something to look forward to. I'm up to some 30 return trips in the last two years and still finding new ways to go, and enjoying the drive.
Bob