Moving on today, heading for Millmerran. We've still got a week before the Camp Oven Festival, so we are looking at Yarramalong Weir on the Condamine River as potential. Yarramalong is about 22kms from Millmerran and last time we stayed it was just after the area had been flooded. The river had gone down, but the site was over-grown, and quite damaged. It's way better now. Well kept, and room for a number of vans or camper trailers. Also, the toilet block has been rebuilt and bins installed. All very well done by the local council.
Going through Millmerran, we picked up accumulated mail. With all the packages, it was almost like Christmas!!
At Lake Coolmunda last night, the owner, Troy told us a story about some visitors to the park who were staying in a cabin. They wanted a fire in the camp kitchen area, and asked Troy to lend a shovel so that they could dig out the area. "Not a problem" he said. Sadly, he had to chase them the following morning for return of said shovel. That night, they asked for the loan of an axe to cut up some wood. "No problems, but please return, unlike the shovel!!" The following morning, after non return of the axe and departure of guests, Troy and Idalia were shocked to find out how their hospitality had been abused.
Troy and Idalia have only had the park for 3 months, having taken it over from Troy's Uncle. Since that time, a lot of improvements have been made to the park, including installation of brand new mattresses in the cabins. These 'charming' guests, had decided to drag the mattresses out of their cabin and set them up around the campfire – DICKHEADS!!!!!.
It took Idalia (Troy's wife) 3 hours to clean out the cabins. They are both devastated, especially by the mattress problem, as they are filthy dirty, and will probably need replacing AGAIN.
These are the types of idiots who give the travelling community a bad name.
27 Sept
Rick's 65th birthday today. We had a quiet day, but the weather was lovely and he got to try out his birthday present – bird-watching binoculars – on the local fauna (feathered variety of course!!)
Making the birthday dinner produced an interesting result. A couple of years ago, I bought a couple of Maxwell & Williams Microstoven dishes which have served good duty as saucepans and casserole pots. Tonight, I was designing a beef casserole, and had browned off and added all ingredients. The next step was to put a simmer plate between the gas and dish, so as to cook nice and slowly. As it happened, as I picked up the dish by the handles, THE BOTTOM FELL OUT!!!!! Instant chaos.......I stood in front of the stove for a good 5 seconds just gawping at the mess on the stove. Just could not believe it! But a picture is worth a thousand words!!!
28 Sept
Drove into Millmerran today to shop and booked into the Millmerran Village Caravan Park for the night before going into the showgrounds for the festival. That will give us chance to do some washing and and shower properly.
Good day today. Sunny again.
29 Sept
Today is AFL Grand Final Day – Swans vs Hawthorn. Wouldn't you know it? Today, needing the sun to recharge batteries for the TV, cloud came over and the bloody rain started. We needed the generator for most of the day (that's why we lug it around???).
Eventually, the Sydney Swans won the match, after a tight game.
During the day, some local (?) youngsters arrived and camped further up the creek – by the sound of the music, it could be a noisy night. Additionally, a couple of camper trailers arrived, loaded with kids and young teens (and parents of course).
