Just 8k from Cranky Rock campground travelling west towards Moree, still on the Gwdir Hwy. A tiny place at the bottom of the New England Tablelands (320mtrs) , established in 1837, with a main Street of about 300mtrs! It looked as though about 50 people lived there, in fact the population is 1100. I called into the modern Information Centre yesterday before going to Cranky Rock and the ladies where helpful and friendly. It's a designted RV Friendly Town so has a new modern Dump Point just before entering.
The district is devoted mainly to crops with 19 different types grown. The Town centre (one street that is) hasn't much to recommed. There was an Heritage Tour of Old Buildings described but I could only find a couple of any note. After half an hour had seen the lot so moved on to Moree about 80k West.
Note: Internet connection is too slow tonight even though I am in Moree, a reasonably sized Town so I can't upload pics , will do when possiblle.
also I misspelt Warialda (was Warialdra) in previous posts, my apologies to the Townsfolk, again will fix when I can.
Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
CRANKY ROCK & REEDY CREEK via WARIALDA NSW
Cranky Rock
What a wonderful place! If I had not heard about it before I left home I would have missed it. Off a side road 80 odd kilometres West of Inverell and 8k East of the tiny Town of Warialda. This time the road in was 3k of rough, corrugated, potholed, stuff and in the rain too. It shook hell out of the Van but nothing broke and it handled the going OK, I am pleased.
The Cranky Rock nature Reserve is where the Campground is situated, I have stayed 2 nights (25th & 26th February) as it was wet yesterday and I couldn't explore. Today though its overcast with little top no rain, warm and steamy though.
The campsite is great with 4 Powered sites and plenty of non Powered. There is Phone (2 - 3 bars) and Internet but posting takes ages. There is a Caretaker, small Kiosk, Flushing Toilet and Fresh Water Tank, Free gas BBQs (that don't work), Picnic Tables and Shelters. Again except for the Birds not a sound. There are 2 other Vans here, I had a chat with One Bloke, very friendly. They are well set up with a large Motorhome and a trailer with a Rav4 on it. Only to dream!
Cranky Rock is an impressive Natural Formation, balanced it seems without support, there are other similar but smaller Boulders nearby. It looks like they where shot out of a Volcano and just landed there. A track leads from the campsite over a small Suspension Footbridge, one fork to the left leads through virgin bush to Ccranky Rock and another to the right to Reedy Creek at the base of the Formation. The creek in really nice, so calm sitting there on my own. I half expected a couple of Abo,s to come down to the water to hunt. Other than some wild Emus on the track I didn't see any animals, a few brightly coloured Birds where around but were to fast to photograph. (keep an I the blog for an update if I can get some shots tomorrow).
Tomorrow I intend to look at Warialda (more Buildings I expect) then 80Ks to Moree.
The Cranky Rock nature Reserve is where the Campground is situated, I have stayed 2 nights (25th & 26th February) as it was wet yesterday and I couldn't explore. Today though its overcast with little top no rain, warm and steamy though.
The campsite is great with 4 Powered sites and plenty of non Powered. There is Phone (2 - 3 bars) and Internet but posting takes ages. There is a Caretaker, small Kiosk, Flushing Toilet and Fresh Water Tank, Free gas BBQs (that don't work), Picnic Tables and Shelters. Again except for the Birds not a sound. There are 2 other Vans here, I had a chat with One Bloke, very friendly. They are well set up with a large Motorhome and a trailer with a Rav4 on it. Only to dream!
Cranky Rock is an impressive Natural Formation, balanced it seems without support, there are other similar but smaller Boulders nearby. It looks like they where shot out of a Volcano and just landed there. A track leads from the campsite over a small Suspension Footbridge, one fork to the left leads through virgin bush to Ccranky Rock and another to the right to Reedy Creek at the base of the Formation. The creek in really nice, so calm sitting there on my own. I half expected a couple of Abo,s to come down to the water to hunt. Other than some wild Emus on the track I didn't see any animals, a few brightly coloured Birds where around but were to fast to photograph. (keep an I the blog for an update if I can get some shots tomorrow).
Tomorrow I intend to look at Warialda (more Buildings I expect) then 80Ks to Moree.
The Campground and Camp Bird Life
The Footbridge and Track to Cranky Rock
Memorial Stone just before Footbridge
Cranky Rock
THE LEGEND of CRANKY ROCK
"Legend has it that a Chinaman being pursued by and angry Mob, lept to his death from Cranky Rock to avoid capture. According to the Vide Police Gazette of 1875, the events recorded where " In December 1875, Warialdra resident, Eliza Goldthorpe died from the wounds inflicted by one Charlie Young, a Chinaman" The following verdict was returned at an inquest held at Gragin near Warialdra before the District Coroner, touching on the death of a Chinaman found drowned: - "That the deceased was found dead in a creek at Gragin but how he came there, there is no evidence to show" (he was identified as Charley Young). The Maitland Mercury correspondent describing events after the murder reported: "A tracker was at once procured..on some rocky bare ridges all tracks were lost..almost every male in Warialdra turned out...scoured the bush..it is doubtful whether he (Young) would have seen a court of justice, as a very general opinion of lynch law existed among them".
BUT IS IT FACT OR FICTION?."
The Track to Reedy Creek at the bottom of Cranky Rock
Reedy Creek 'Oh the Serenity....'
Finished at last! now I am up to date, it took hours to put up the last two posts with this slow Internet.
COPETON DAM NORTHERN FORESHORE
How's this for a Great Sunset?
It is Sunday Afternoon of 24th February and I have just arrived at the Copeton Dam Northern Foreshore, after a short 17k drive from Inverell. I was a bit apprehensive at first coming in as I came to a stretch of 4k of dirt road, my first try at gravel. I have heard that it's worth going to the Dam so I continued on. It wasn't too bad and pretty smooth.
The dam is quite big, about half the size of Nelson Bay as far as I can tell. There is a Bush Campground right beside the Dam, with Power, Toilets, Shower and a Washing Machine! Not very big but all the sights have a good view of the water. You can swim and fish here, in fact a few locals where out in Boats. It has stopped raining for a while but is pretty warm and sticky, more than 30c in the Van. Cost is $10 per night with Power or $6.00 without. Since there was no phone or Internet I chose an unpowered site close to the edge of the Dam with a nice outlook. Happy I did as it was the perfect spot to catch the Sunset. I think this is my best photo to date. The Dam Site is a Flora and Fauna Reserve and supplies both Inverell and 30000 hectares of Farmland with water. There is only one other Van here but I expect that it would be very popular in the High Season. The edge of the Dam is about 20 mtrs above the water level and it's obvious that it has been much fuller in the past so it looks as though it has been dry for a while.
I really love staying in these places, it is so peaceful with the only sound that of Birds and the occasional outboard motor far in the distance. like Apsley Falls a return someday would be worthwhile.
The dam is quite big, about half the size of Nelson Bay as far as I can tell. There is a Bush Campground right beside the Dam, with Power, Toilets, Shower and a Washing Machine! Not very big but all the sights have a good view of the water. You can swim and fish here, in fact a few locals where out in Boats. It has stopped raining for a while but is pretty warm and sticky, more than 30c in the Van. Cost is $10 per night with Power or $6.00 without. Since there was no phone or Internet I chose an unpowered site close to the edge of the Dam with a nice outlook. Happy I did as it was the perfect spot to catch the Sunset. I think this is my best photo to date. The Dam Site is a Flora and Fauna Reserve and supplies both Inverell and 30000 hectares of Farmland with water. There is only one other Van here but I expect that it would be very popular in the High Season. The edge of the Dam is about 20 mtrs above the water level and it's obvious that it has been much fuller in the past so it looks as though it has been dry for a while.
I really love staying in these places, it is so peaceful with the only sound that of Birds and the occasional outboard motor far in the distance. like Apsley Falls a return someday would be worthwhile.
My Bush Camp in the Middle of Nowhere
Some Shots of the Dam and Foreshore
More Photos of the Fantastic Sunset Tonight
Another One of My Favourites
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