Trains, Tractors and Planes

We left Cootamundra and went south to Junee, through some really nice countryside, but there was evidence of the floods everywhere. We thought Cootamundra was nice but Junee was lovely! Amazing buildings everywhere, some from 1880s, some great ones from 1920s and 30s.
We went out to the Roundhouse Rail museum, where we had a delightful guided tour with Neville, an ex train driver of 40 years.
The roundhouse at Junee has 42 bays, ?still the biggest in the southern hemisphere.
Half of the bays are occupied by the museum's displays and the other half are being used by a restoration company, they have use of the turntable to move equipment and stock.

We had a very enjoyable 2 hours there before spending a little more time enjoying the great buildings in town. Then we headed north to Temora, home to one "the best aviation museums in Australia".
There are two caravan parks in Temora, one in town next to the Rural museum, and one out of town next to the aviation museum. We pondered our choices and decided to spend 2 nights in town, and spend the next day at the Rural museum as it was their annual open day. We could then visit the aviation museum on Sunday on our way out of town. The aviation museum has 'flying days' on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month - this is the 2nd Saturday so there's no reason to see the museum on Saturday.

The next day I walked into town to get the weekend newspaper, but... Vinnies (St Vincent de Paul Op Shop) was open and had all summer stock $2 a bag!! I only got 2 tops, and the lady was going to charge me $1 but I happily paid $2. When I got back Michael was just about to phone to see what was taking so long - well at $2 a bag there were a lot of clothes to check out!!

After a coffee break we went around to the Rural museum, and their annual open day.
There was a lot to see and at 1.30pm there was the Grand Parade.
This was in 4 parts - Trucks and Commercials, Tractors part 1, Cars, (Raffle Draw), Tractors part 2.

We were standing near the entry gate, at the start of the parade - what total utter chaos!!
There was one ineffectual old bloke trying to direct traffic, but he kept stopping to talk to people. Tractors were coming back in after their circuit as cars were pulling out into line willy nilly. The number on their windscreen obviously didn't mean anything to the drivers - number 32 pulled out after number 5, was told to back up and wait, when his turn came he couldn't restart the car (1909 Renault) and so missed out entirely! I'm surprised no one got injured, no cars were damaged and at the least that the announcer didn't give the wrong description of a car. It was shambolic chaos, but apparently it's the same every year - and everyone always has a good time.

As we left the museum we checked at the information desk about the latest road closures in the area - still a lot of flood water around. The route we were hoping to travel is closed still so with their help we planned a new route towards Sydney. Fingers crossed that today's glorious sunshine continues and the waters ease. There was a great comparison in the weekend paper, satellite images of the Eastern seaboard from 2009 and now.....I wonder if the West is the reverse - wet then and dry now, they're still having temperatures up around 35 degrees.

For those not really aware of the area we are talking about, the flood area is larger than the whole of France, and the water in some towns was up to the roof eaves!

The next morning it was time for the  'planes', we went to the Aviation Museum - it really was a shame that it wasn't a flying weekend because the $12 admission seemed a little high for just the museum, whereas a charge of $15 or so would have seemed reasonable if they'd been flying. Anway, it is a good museum, and as all of the planes fly at some point they are in very good condition.

The Spitfires were both in the workshop.

Over in the main hangar the Sabre, Winjeel and Wimmaway were all absent, flown away?

But there were others on view, 

including the Tiger Moth which had crashed into the Sydney harbour in its' past.

After the museum we drove down past the Aviation Park homes - the estate enables residents to have their planes in their backyards; we have a big shed but these sheds are enormous!!

Then we drove back through Temora heading west to a little village, Ariah Park, which has the same look and feel as it did back in 1920s.

 It is known as the 'town' of "Wowsers, Bowsers and Peppercorns". 

Wowsers - comes from the locals contesting a licence for a second pub, back in 1926.

Bowsers - the first petrol bowser appeared in 1925 and when a garage opened in 1927 and installed a second pump the local paper observed "Judging by their number and a big increase in dogs Ariah Park will soon be known as the town of Bowsers and Towsers."

Peppercorns - Peppercorn trees have been a feature of the main street since 1917 when the community decided to divide its wide thoroughfare by planting a double avenue between the commercial premises.

There is a small camping ground on the edge of town with a $10 charge for power and a key to the shower block, otherwise it's free (there are toilets), we took the free option and parked up in the shade of some huge gum trees.

After lunch I walked into town - what a really delightful place. I chatted two nice ladies in the op shop/museum (half the building each). It was a glorious sunny day and after the walk we sat out together, reading and relaxing.

After a nice peaceful night we returned to Temora and took the road out to the town of Young, we had lunch and then in the early afternoon set up at the camping ground at Carcoar Dam.

Another free spot. It wasn't too crowded but there were quite a few vans around the water's edge.

We got a little spot with views from each side of the water, with the wind farm on the hill on the other side of the dam.

From here it's edging ever closer to Sydney, but before then we have the Blue Mountains.....