Bago Forest and Paddys River Dam

Gotta love April. THE best month for trips into the bush..
On the road early heading east through Borambola to Mates Gully Road for the run up the valley to Tarcutta.
Westbrook Road behind the Police Station runs up the Oberne Valley. The paddocks are remarkably dry so they haven't had the rains that Wagga has had.
Into Tumbarumba for 5-star coffees and bacon and egg rolls at the Bakery.
East out of Tumbarumba on to West Burra Creek Road. This is a dirt road through farms and eventually into the pine forests. Lots of clay that is baking hard in the current dry spell but would not like to be here in the wet...
This track winds up to 900m ASL through some beautiful alpine forest until it reaches Parkins Road. Along this trach was plenty of evidence of the local brumby population and eventually we found some. So why do they do their droppings in the middle of the road???
Another easily navigated track leads down to Paddys River Dam passing a grave in the bush of 9 year-old girl and a story about the old village of Quartzville that used to stand here.
At over 1100m high, this area does get very cold at times, even during spring and autumn, however summer is magic.Paddys River Dam is a great little trout dam and is a perfect spot for kayak fishing. Launching is easy right from the campsite and some big brown trout can be had. You will need a NSW fishing licence to angle here.

It is a very attractive area with bushwalking tracks, and plenty of forest trails to explore through the state forest. We had lunch at the Dam. Occasionally you can spot a platypus here but we saw none today on the walking track that passes around the dam.
Out to Bullongra Road, then up to the old navigation tower on Mt Granite. At 1440m ASL this spot is covered in snow in winter but makes for a good stop.
Out past the delightfully named (but badly vandalised) Big Bog Hut and out on to the Powerline Track south to pick up the Elliot Way back to Tumbarumba.