Trevor's Travels

Beside the Lachlan River

No Comments »19th September, 2007; Category: Holidays, New South Wales

Our holiday in New South Wales

September 2007

From Lake Cargelligo we travelled on towards the town of Condobolin. Here we bought fuel for the car and a special treat from the local bakery. As we travel we love checking out local bakeries. We often compare the vanilla slice made in various bakeries around the country with the slice made by our local bakery back in Murray Bridge. Many fail the taste test.

Just a few kilometres out of Condobolin we had a minor accident. A small flock of Galahs feeding on the side of the road were too slow getting out of our way. One of them clipped the very edge of the windscreen and was probably killed instantly. I didn’t dare look back. The impact took a small chip out of the glass but it did not shatter. I’m thankful for this. If it had shattered I would have been wearing a mouthful of glass, feathers and blood. The Galah didn’t get off as lightly, and that upset me.

Lachlan River crossing, Waroo, NSW

Mid-morning we stopped at a locality called Waroo. We crossed a small rickety bridge and found a lovely picnic spot next to the Lachlan River. At the moment it should be renamed the Lachlan mud gutter. There is precious little water to keep it flowing. Rain is desperately needed in the catchment area.

Lachlan River crossing, Waroo, NSW

Old but not forgotten

2 Comments »18th September, 2007; Category: Holidays, Museums, New South Wales

Our holiday in New South Wales

September 2007

Right next to the caravan park in Lake Cargelligo, central New South Wales, is a museum. We didn’t take the time to visit the museum; you have to leave something for second and subsequent visits to places like this. What we could see just over the fence from the cabin we stayed in during our stay was a collection of old farm equipment on display.

Museum in Lake Cargelligo, NSW

This display included old tractors, ploughs, harvesters and a variety of other old pieces of machinery used in the early settlement days on this farming district. I recognised a number of items similar to those used by my father on the family farm back in South Australia.

Museum in Lake Cargelligo, NSW

I didn’t have time to get all nostalgic for the old days on the farm where I grew up. We had to be on our way to our next destination on this holiday.

Museum in Lake Cargelligo, NSW

A splendid encounter

No Comments »17th September, 2007; Category: Birds, Holidays, New South Wales

Our holiday in New South Wales

September 2007

Before leaving the Round Hill Nature Reserve we found another lovely spot for afternoon tea. I set up the folding chairs and we sat back enjoying the beautiful afternoon and the peaceful setting. We were almost ready to set off back to our cabin in the Lake Cargelligo Caravan Park when I heard the familiar call of a wren. I knew that the beautiful Splendid Fairy-wren was present in this park and hoped that this is what I had heard.

Splendid Wren (male)

For the next half hour the wrens played a game of hide and seek with me, flitting in and out and around the nearby bushes. Patience eventually paid off and I was able to not only identify the birds as Splendid Fairy-wrens, but also to get a few reasonable photos of the stunning male in full breeding plumage.

It was a splendid end to a splendid day.

Splendid Wren (male)

Around and around Round Hill

No Comments »16th September, 2007; Category: Birds, Holidays, New South Wales, Picnics

Our holiday in New South Wales

September 2007

One of the target places to visit on this holiday was Round Hill Nature Reserve. I was keen to visit this spot after reading about the many birds that can be see in the reserve and surrounding areas. The reserve is about 60km north west of the town of Lake Cargelligo in central west New South Wales.

Round Hill Nature Reserve, central NSW

We arrived in time for lunch. Driving through the park-like eastern end of the reserve we soon found a lovely spot for a picnic lunch. The birds were calling all around but few came near to where we sat eating our lunch. It was a bright, sunny, cloudless day with a gentle cool breeze. The early chill in the air had long since disappeared and it was not long before we had discarded our jumpers.

Round Hill Nature Reserve, central NSW

After lunch we wandered around the general area where we had parked for lunch. My wife was busy identifying and photographing the plants she found while I occupied myself chasing up the local birds. I managed several good shots, including one of a Pallid Cuckoo, one species I didn’t expect to get a photo of without a lot of effort. Just proves that one can be wrong. This photo was taken leaning out the car window. The bird sort of posed just for me.

Pallid Cuckoo, Round Hill Nature Reserve

Later we drove through a part of the park before turning around and heading back to the main road. About an hour later we found an interesting track to take through the park. This led us right back to where we had turned around. We had come full circle! At least I didn’t get lost.

Red-capped Robin (male)

A lake and a small township

No Comments »15th September, 2007; Category: Birds, Holidays, New South Wales

Our holiday in New South Wales

September 2007

Lake Cargelligo Caravan Park, NSW

The third day of our holiday in New South Wales was spent in the small mid-west town of Lake Cargelligo. This lake acts as a storage dam for the surrounding farming districts. At the moment it is far from full but there is still enough water there to make it attractive to the native birds – and to birders like myself.

After breakfast we drove down to the local Tourist Information Centre which we found closed. We decided to take a short drive along the lake to see what water birds were around. In a very short time I added many species to my trip list. We checked the information centre again but it was still closed. We managed to obtain a detailed map of the area from the shire council.

Pied Butcherbird

We drove to the little town of Euabalong and then on to Euabalong West. Here we stopped for about a half hour to do some birding in a picnic area on the bank of one of the creeks in the district. We also had morning tea and my wife took some photos of wildflowers growing there.

Euabalong West, central New South Wales