 Coastal ranges meant we were getting close to home:  Gunnedah:     |
Lightning Ridge to Gunnedah
Another bright and sunny morning greeted us. We organised ourselves quickly,
my only break in routine being a chat with an Irish grandmother I met in the
washroom. By now I was wondering why any woman would want to live in
Lightning Ridge as it is rough country indeed and I questioned her. Now
well into her 60’s, she has lived in Lightning Ridge since she was 27. Even
divorce did not discourage her, she likes the heat and dust, enjoys her
grand-children and engages in charity work. I was impressed and again mused
on the many different ways people choose to live.
I took the first drive, taking a short excursion around Lightning Ridge
suburbia. The gardener in me was dismayed. It is clearly impossible to grow
much in the parched, sandy soil. Homes were generally very modest. One, a
castle built of bottles fixed in cement, exemplified for me the weird taste
of some who come to live in this desolate place.
We headed for Walgett which is a pleasant, old-style tree-filled country
town, though most rivers and creeks are drought-dry. We noticed piles of
grain under huge sheets of blue plastic – is this a new grain-storage
technique? – and vast fields of golden canola blooms. Bruce drove next to
Burren Junction and on the way, we passed miles and miles of yellow and dark
green crops. In one place I noticed an apiary. How sensible of the farmer
to make the most of his canola flowers! The road, rather rough, accompanied
the rail line for many miles. On the cotton-fluffed road edges, a sure
reminder that we were in cotton country, we detoured through Wee Waa, the
regional cotton centre, complete with huge gin. The town centre is a tidy
town, abuzz on this Saturday morning with people taking coffee in the
tree-lined streets, such a contrast to the vast open spaces all around it.
Pressing on to Narrabri, we stopped for lunch and on this Saturday afternoon
in a major regional centre, we found it was so busy that we were reminded of
home. Waiting for some time to order lunch in the crowded ‘Maccers’ full of
local children on their Saturday lunch treat, we decided to try KFC, also
crowded, across the street, and eventually devoured our chicken while
watching a game of lawn bowls going on in the nearby club.
Feeling relaxed and satisfied, we set off for Gunnedah not far away and were
delighted to find our resting place for the evening in an immaculate small
caravan park. Truly ready for a cappucino, we found the nearest ‘Maccers’
and once refreshed, took a stroll down the long main street of this
obviously wealthy, well-endowed and well cared-for town. We admired the
buildings, many very old, some new and built in the old 19th Century style
complete with awnings supported with columns. The street paving was in good
order, there were lots of new street benches and plenty of rubbish bins. It
was a pleasure to walk through.
On the way back to the van park, we stopped to admire the old Catholic
Convent and associated college building, new but built to match the old
style Convent. I paused to admire the gardens and entered to view a small
grotto with a statue of Mary. It was a welcome moment of tranquillity in our
busy day.
Back at our van, we relaxed outside and listened to the sounds of the local
greyhound races still going on. As evening fell, a light rain shower
prompted us indoors where we continued relaxing and reading before taking an
early night.