TRIP HELP PLEASE????

The kids have been doing research on Echuca and they told us they would like to go on the paddle boats. I went on them years and years ago maybe when I was their age and I can still remember it, so I hope my kids will enjoy it to.

Buy yuorself a book called camps australia,will help with free sites and lots of info,enjoy your trip

Dubbo Zoo is a wonderful place, you should allow a full day there. A good free camp on the north side of Dubbo is at Mendooran on the town common (turn off at Coonabarrabran) and to the south of Dubbo is a lovely free campsite in a Nature Reserve on the banks of the Macquarie River - cant remember the name but the following is a grid reference: 32 deg 30.152'S, 148deg 54.404'E

If going through Coonabarrabran a side trip to the Siding Springs Observatory and the Warrumbungles NP would also be very rewarding.

Further south there are some delightful free campsites in the Barmah-Millewa red gum forest along either side of the Murray River between Tocumwal and Echuca. A good gravel road running west from Tocumwal provides good access to many side tracks leading to the river.

In Victoria the Grampians NP is wonderful with good bush camping (free) available in places. Ask Parks staff for further info.

Enjoy your trip.

Val.

With ref to FollowUp 2 - Do not get Camps 3 - Camps 4 is being released at the end of this month.

PeterD

In Echuca you can camp at Echuca Regional Park right on the banks of the Murray about 4 - 5 k out of town - dont know the name of the road - but in Echuca itself find the Autobarn store - turn down beside it (following the river) keep going till you see the Regional Park sign - don't turn in here - keep going till you get to Rennie Road (I think thats it) on your drivers side - turn left and follow tracks to the river - free - pit toilets and entertainment from the boaties on the river, plenty of room to find yourself a quietish spot.
Take a look at the Beer museum - just out of town directions from tourist office near the port - great place to spend a couple of hours and the owner gives you a guided tour - never seen so many different beer cans and related stuff (can't seem to spell para - whatever that word is) - also the Holden museum in town is pretty good, and kids and adulst alike will love the maze.jules

Hopefully we will enjoy the trip. The mine sounds great. Last year we went to Chillagoe and went to a cave and the kids enjoyed it, maybe the mining museum will interest them as well.Thank you for your help.

Some good free (at least last time I was there) campsites not far from Armidale at places like Point Lookout (New England Nat Pk), and Apsley and Tia Falls (via Walcha). Warrumbungles are definitely worth a day or two.

Rich

Hi Batman

Sorry we should have said that to. We were heading to Ballarat to see Sovereign Hill, the kids are looking forward to see some of the old times.

Lisa

We managed to fill in the whole day there without too much effort (we didn't really look at many buildings... kids loved the gold panning so we did spend awhile at that), so I suggest getting the schedule of attractions and planning ahead. You need to book the mine tour and it takes 30-45mins (I can't remember exactly!) so need to take that into account in relation to some of the 'events' that take place in Main Street. If you've got a Big4 card, it gets you a small discount to get in. We had a 'buy 1 get 1 free' voucher so used that... can't remeber where it came from though.

oops, forgot to say... if you're in the market for a frypan, we bought a couple of the ones they sell in the metal turning shop *whatever it's called). We've used ours for several months now and it's blackened up loverly... works better than any 'non stick' thing we've ever had. About $26 (for the largest size), quite solid and has a large wooden handle. I think they have a website that sells them also.

we had an interesting stop at Parkes. They were moving the dish around which was interesting, moves faster than I thought it would.

In the gardens in front of the visitors building are various space related things... one of them is two dishes set some distance apart aimed at each other. If you stand in front you can hear people taking into the other one... I let rip a decent burp which cracked my sons up big time! The wife wasn't impressed!

By all accounts its not a good idea to stay at the caravan park in the middle of the town at Dubbo. Its a good park and convenient, but there have been reports on a caravanners web site of thieves being active in the park. People have had stuff knocked off from the boot or in the car while they are in the van, and the park management unable to do anything about it.
FWIW

Max