MORE WESTERN VIC PICS

Wyperfeld NP pics

Its springtime!

Spinifex grass plains

Western vic Nat Parks are mostly sand 4wd driving

Shingleback lizard

 Little Desert NP
Went on a walk. There was heaps of wildflowers.  Heres some pics for the flower lovin dudes out there.

Flowering grass trees in the pouring rain

 

Mt Arapales State Park

This is a large spectacular rocky mountain that is stated it is the best rock climbing place in Australia.  It rained and showered the whole time I was there.  First real decent rain since May!

Mt Arapiles

Run Run here comes the rain!!

Crimson Rosella

From the summit, separate 'Mitre rock' with one of the Wimmera lakes behind in background

GOODAY!!!

Have been exploring Nat Parks in western Victoria near the SA border.  Travellin through the Sunraysia, Mallee & Wimmera areas.  National Parks I am checkin out are Murray-Sunset, Hattah-Kulkyne, Wyperfield, Little Desert, Big Desert, Mt Arapiles state park & Grampians.

PHEWWW, thats a lot of parks, I hear you say, well I am a bit of a Nat Park nut!  Every park has different flora, fauna, natural features & oh yeah sometimes water for kayaking which is pretty cool thing to do in a pristine remote environment!

 It has been warmish and windy in top half of  Western Vic but when I got to say near Horsham and then south further its been mostly under 20 deg each day and rain/showers.  I am not impressed that the rain has washed off most of the red mud off rear of the van.  It had some real character so its a shame.  Van still has dirty look though but not red.  Hmmmm.

Finally got in a kayak on the Murray river after 41/2 days of strong winds.  Only problem was the current.  Had to paddle upstream right next to the bank where it wasn't as strong.  Beautiful river,  heaps of red river gums along the banks at 5 different camp spots I camped at.  See Pics.  With all camp sites so far had to be careful not to park under any large red gums as they are known for dropping all size limbs and branches..

HEY CHECK MY BLOG & CLICK ON THE 'INTERACTIVE MAP' PAGE TO SEE WHERE I AM TRAVELLING.   IF YOU FORGOT THE ADDRESS IT IS:
WWW.MERGY60.BLOGSPOT.COM.AU  When you get there only click on the town dots for information.  If you click anywhere else a web page will open to the mapping site which you don't want.

Hattah Kulkyne NP pics

Cute pine trees growin in the sand

See small tree in middle, its all leanin to the right in strong wind. So no kayaking that day on Murray river

Finally the wind eased, did kayaking here on Murray river, had to paddle along right bank as current too strong further out

One of the Hattah lakes in the park that had water left in it

Murray Sunset NP pics

Walking through sand dunes

 

One section of the park is the Pink Lakes. These are salt lakes similar to Lake Eyre in SA.

About 7pm

Late arvo sun glinting on this high level jet

Just before sunset, cute moonrise

WENTWORTH NSW PICTURES

Yellow Rosella

Murray river mist early morning from camp spot

The restored PS Ruby I went onboard for a look, It does trips occasionly.  Bought by the local rotary club then gifted to the community who got together to restore it

20 HP steam engine, got it from Glen Innes

Cabins on both sides with a big saloon at the front, paddlewheel in the box thing on the side

cabins just fit in the beds plus a small corner cupboard. Storage for cases under bed

Saloon, back right a small kitchenite, food comes up from below via a small dumbwaiter lift in there.

PS Coonawarra across the Darling river. Oh yeah the Darling river runs down from western NSW to join the Murray river at Wentworth

Heres a cupla pics from the inland botanic gardens

GOODAY FROM VICTORIA!

Since my last post on 7 Oct I have been back to Menindee Lakes/Kinchega NP for a 2nd time, further south to Mungo NP,  then south again to  Wentworth & Mildura area on the Murray river on the NSW/VIC border.

I am currently approx 80k's south of Mildura at the Hatta Kulkyne NP on the Murray river.  I have spent the past 3 nites on the murray river at 3 different camp spots at Mildura, Wentworth and south of Mildura at Karadoc but have been unable to go kayaking due to the almost daily gale and strong winds this month and most of last month too.  Also today too was blowin a gale unable to kayak on the Murray river here too.  Feelin sad for me yet??

Luckily I got some good kayaking done on the lake and weir at Menindee or I would be spewing by now!!

The Murray river is quite an attractive wide river, lots of houseboats of all sizes and old paddlesteamers too.  I went on a restored paddlesteamer, 'RUBY', at Wentworth for a look.  See the pics below.

Also went to the Inland botanical gardens between Wentworth and Albury.  See a few pics below.

I will be checkin some Nat Parks out in Western Victoria in the next week such as the Pink Lakes in the Murray Sunset NP, Wyperfield NP, Part of the Little Desert NP as well.  Also saw a brochure for some rock climbing in a park called  Mt Arapiles-Tooan state Park.  Could be a good challenge like the Flinders Ranges in SA was.

Hope its all going well for all you blogwatchers, thats if anyone really looks at this very often.

Heres some pics of Mungo NP

Click on the picture to get a larger view of my ned kelly look!!

Across the dry Lake Mungo to the walls of China eastern shoreline

Mungo woolshed built 1869. click on pic for better view

Heat haze across Mungo Lake

Think it is a Falcon?

Walls of china, wind and rain sculpted sand/clay shapes

A permanent water soak. Cobb and Co horse coaches 1800's stopped here for a drink before going over the dunes at rear to the west

Camping on Murray river near Mildura

Old stables at Mungo

Underground cool room and respite on hot days

Paddlesteamer 'Melbourne' on murray river at Mildura