The Mosquito Coast
Trip Start
Oct 11, 2010
1
6
8
Trip End
Nov 28, 2010
Where I stayed
Balranald Caravan Park
Picnic Point Van Park
Yanga National Park, Balranald
Balranald, New South Wales, Australia
Sunday, November 14, 2010
On Thursday the Nelsons, exhausted from all the socialising, headed back to the calm of running their farm and tyre business in Maffra and shepherding their son Rhett along the path of righteousness. Lou and Dicko meanwhile, eager for more, more, more, hit the road again and headed off towards Yanga National Park near Balranald (Scottish it is said, Bal - home, Ranald - Ranald) and home not only of Ranald but also of the famous barking frogs. Lou, by the way, had started to sound a little like a barking frog having picked up a nasty cough. The restless reprobates had arranged to meet there with Bill and Kath again. Bill and Kath had already arrived at the park and set up camp on the banks of the Murrumbidgee. They had selected a nice spot for the new arrivals beneath the spreading limbs of an aged red gum. Very hot, very windy at Yanga. A rope to aid in the entry and exit of the water and they were away. Bill had yabby pots in the water and they all sat around eating fresh cooked yabbies with cream cheese and dill on Jatz. Another tough day in the bush. But boy, those mozzies, did they follow the blooded buddies up from Picnic Point? They sure were hungry.
The local radio had been talking about the probability of heavy rain, an event which the local wheat farmers were definitely not looking forward to, being just about ready to harvest the biggest crops in years. That afternoon a couple of rangers came by and said that they were also not looking forward to it as if the roads got a big dump there would be no traffic in or out - including the fearful four - so were they prepared to stay for a week or more or did they want to leave the next morning before the rain arrived? "Hmm (bzzzz - slap) that's a no brainer" says Lou, (slap) "I'm outa here." Now here's the interesting part: Bill and Kath have a little problem. Their Jeep having dutifully brought them to Yanga has decided to kark it. Yes, the NRMA has been out and its an electrical/computer problem. Parts have been ordered but ..... Next morning the two loyal loiterers have hitched up and transferred themselves into town - the Balranald Caravan Park; still on the banks of the Bidgee. The Jeepsters arrive in style on the back of a tilt tray tow truck later in the day. This could be the way to travel in future, no fuel costs and a great view from up there.
While waiting for the arrival of the Jeepsters our 2 hysterical historians have whipped out to the old Yanga homestead to do the daily 10.30am tour. They are greeted by Poona the Parks Ranger and tour guide. Poona is 60ish and has been on the station since he was a kid. His mother and grandmother were both born within sight of the homestead. When Parks bought the property in 2005 he was lucky enough to be offered a job and so continues to work there. A wealth of info and a nice bloke to boot. It seems Poona has adjusted well but is having trouble learning to work the pooter.
Everyone's settled in at the Balranald Van Park now, but bloody hell there's a lot of mozzies here! Too much stress today so off to the Servicemans club for the Friday night buffet (how come all clubs in NSW have Chinese restaurants?). All goes well until Dicko comes back to the table with his 6th plate of fried something and says to the gobbling gourmets "I wouldn't have any more calamari or crab claws if I were you, I just saw a cockroach crawling through the tray." Lou yells at him "Don't tell me that!" Bill gags and the half eaten calamari ring falls from his hand to the plate. Dicko wolfs into his fresh plate of prawns and lemon chicken. The cockroach keeps scurrying around in cockroach heaven. In to the main bar after that culinary treat. There's not too many in the club tonight, so Bill reckons he might have a chance in the meat tray raffle. A meat tray could come in handy, too, if they have to hang about Balranald for a few weeks waiting for the car. The van park manager had said earlier in the day "See that long grass? Bloke was stuck here for 5 weeks waiting for his Nissan Navara's engine to be rebuilt." Bill didn't win the tray so maybe that's a good omen. Anyway the reason the club is half empty is that the primary school, St Knickers or some such, is having its annual fete and half the town is there. As soon as the last raffle number is drawn in the club the place clears. It's like the word has got out that there's a cockroach in the calamari rings! So the unlucky punters are out too and up the street to the fete. The fete's a bit of fun fairy cakes sagging under glad wrap, secondhand books, everything. There's a local band playing, a minute or two after the gang arrives the power pops. No PA, no lights. A bit of a walk back to camp - far too much excitement for one night!
The rain arrives during the night and continues through the day. Good move not being out in the bush. Got power, hot showers, dunnies at the park. A good day for a bit of reading. Too wet to cook for dinner that night (what an excuse) so off to the pub. Beat the trousers off the insect buffet at the other place. Bill and Dicko got into the Tooheys Old, a nice drop. Finished off back at the vans with one of those disreputable black label Bundies. None for the blonde this time though!
Sunday morning the two faithful friends, mobile still, abandon their marooned mates to the wailing of a bagpipe!! Where did that come from? It's down by the riverbank: unbelievable but true. Perhaps it's Ranald staying in one of the cabins. More tales from the wild soon.
Comments
Michael,
Get it right!!!! DENI NOT denni
Oh, OK Princess. SORRY!!
As u should be.
Princess Pam