August 14th…DAY 59

Last night we were certainly glad of my old ‘wagga’ quilt as the temperature dipped below zero. 

Birds and animals started their day in the bush very early..cockatoos always serve as a good morning alarm. It is to be noted that we camped on Cox’s Creek the creek in which the diprotodon was found. I cannot help wondering what other large animals wandered this forest millions of years ago.

Since then, of course, timber has been milled in the forest. An old boiler still sits by the creek, rusted and many years since it has powered a timber mill.

Forest of Grass trees in the Coolar NP.

We walked the lovely bush track to see a forest of very large grass trees. What an amazing sight. They are estimated to be several hundred years old and stand up to 5 metres tall. Cootamundra wattle is blooming amongst them.

Unexpectedly several large coal mines dominated the scenery as we travelled south. They were very big mines near Ulan. Rail lines service the area and bitumen roads were in excellent condition. We travelled through Ulan and  further south to Mudgee which is a well known wine producing area.

The hills through which we have travelled today have been both steep and forested as well as some undulating farmlands. Again these are hills on the western side of the Great Dividing range.

Main Street of Sofala

Tonight we are camped near Sofala which is deep in the valley of the Turon River, and one of the oldest Gold mining towns in Australia. It is a little old town with a very narrow main street and tiny homes very close to the road. Hotel patrons were practically sitting on the street. It is one of the quaintest places I have seen in Australia.