On our way down the 265km stretch of the Silver City Hwy from Broken Hill down to Wentworth we saw the new pipeline adjacent to the road that provides water from the Murray River to Broken Hill. The line runs beside the Western side of the road all the way. Broken Hills water supply used to come from the Menindee Lakes but it has become unreliable over the past few years. https://www.waternsw.com.au/projects/wentworth-to-broken-hill-pipeline/factsWe stayed 2 nights at Popiltah Rest Area approximately half way between the two towns. The country was incredibly dry, almost eerie with some sections looking like they were coated with white/grey volcanic eruption ash.
Popiltah Rest Area
Water pipeline easement.
White dust landscape.
Golden Moon - Popiltah.
A further 130kms down the Silver City Hwy & we arrived in Wentworth at the junction of the Murray & Darling Rivers. After being in extremely dry habitat for the past 6 weeks it was a lovely sight to see a substantial stretch of water! Staying on the Northern (NSW) side of the river we travelled East towards Euston along the Sturt Hwy turning off 18kms past Buronga & after 2kms of dusty road we arrived at Bottle Bend Nature Conservation Park free camping area (24hr limit)right on the river. Bottle Bend is a very attractive area with extensive camping along & near the river, the wildlife/birdlife is great too.
Murray River Bottle Bend.
Crested Pigeon.
Red-backed Kingfisher.
Our next destination was Yanga National Park near Balranald, we stayed at Mamanga campground on the Murrumbidgee River, it also has The Willows campground. There are no fees at both of them. The park used to be a large sheep station, we visited the historic Homestead, the large shearing shed & Lake Yanga which held a good amount of water. Consequently it held lots of aquatic birdlife for us to photograph.
Mamanga Campground Yanga National Park.
Yanga Woolshed.
Yanga Woolshed.
Yellow Rosella.
After 7 enjoyable weeks away it was time to start slowly meandering our way back home to Melbourne. We crossed the Murray River back into Victoria at Tooleybuc & then headed further South staying at the old timber town of Koondrook for 2 nights, a quiet alternative to many other popular tourist towns along the river. The caravan park is at the beginning of the redgum sculpture walking track along the river, over the bridge & into Barham. The old Arbuthnot saw-mill which is still functioning is along the way as well. Gunbower Island has some great drives/walks, over the river near Barham we went to Barham Lakes & Federation Botanic Gardens
Arbuthnot Sawmill.
One of the many carvings along the river.
Gunbower Island stockyards.
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, merry merry king of the bush is he!
Our final night of camping before arriving home was spent at Greens Lake which was very quiet, we chose site number 1 right beside the launching ramp.LOL.
Greens Lake Site 1
Thanks for reading/viewing. Thanks for your replies to our previous postings for this trip.
Regards Keith & Judy
-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Friday 5th of October 2018 07:21:50 PM
Voyager00 said
11:34 PM Oct 5, 2018
Excellent blog DD with wonderful pics . Have added some of the places you have visited to our agenda for next time we are up that way . We have just returned from doing the Darling River Run , wow fantastic trip . Very corrugated roads but worth every bump . We live in a truly beautiful country .
-- Edited by Voyager00 on Friday 5th of October 2018 11:34:57 PM
-- Edited by Voyager00 on Friday 5th of October 2018 11:35:53 PM
Dougwe said
09:03 AM Oct 6, 2018
Good read and pics again. Greens Lake looks low and the area looks dry. Also seems quiet for a school Holiday time.
DMaxer said
11:27 AM Oct 6, 2018
Thanks so much for the information and those wonderful photographs DD. I am heading out to Broken Hill and then south in about one week's time and you have given me some great ideas for places to visit.
STRETCH ARMSTRONG said
12:46 AM Oct 7, 2018
Very good read DD. Thanks, enjoyed your great photos.
Desert Dweller said
05:51 AM Oct 7, 2018
Dougwe wrote:
Good read and pics again. Greens Lake looks low and the area looks dry. Also seems quiet for a school Holiday time.
Very quiet for school holiday times Dougwe. About 8 nomad type couples & around 6 family groups.
We were rapt though as the Brolgas were everywhere early in the morning.
Plenty of other birdlife around too.
Only 1 jetski & 1 speed boat so it was pretty serene.
Still has 4 portable loos as the toilet block has been condemned.
Greens Lake Sunrise.
-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Sunday 7th of October 2018 03:54:56 PM
rayaroundoz said
12:06 AM Oct 9, 2018
Fantastic read Keith and your photography is amazing. Some great camp sites to add to my future plans. Thanks so much for sharing.
Possum3 said
03:07 PM Oct 9, 2018
I heard a rumour that the Bottle Bend area was closed for overnight stays - obviously wrong information.
Desert Dweller said
04:25 PM Oct 9, 2018
Possum3 wrote:
I heard a rumour that the Bottle Bend area was closed for overnight stays - obviously wrong information.
Definitely a viscous rumour Poss. Plenty of people camping overnight when we were there.
Stretch60 said
09:25 PM Oct 9, 2018
Great stories and photo's D D, showed them to the missus who is a keen photographer of plants and sunsets. Hopefully this will give her the incentive to take some wildlife shots during our trip east in the in the new year.
On our way down the 265km stretch of the Silver City Hwy from Broken Hill down to Wentworth we saw the new pipeline adjacent to the road that provides water from the Murray River to Broken Hill. The line runs beside the Western side of the road all the way. Broken Hills water supply used to come from the Menindee Lakes but it has become unreliable over the past few years. https://www.waternsw.com.au/projects/wentworth-to-broken-hill-pipeline/facts We stayed 2 nights at Popiltah Rest Area approximately half way between the two towns. The country was incredibly dry, almost eerie with some sections looking like they were coated with white/grey volcanic eruption ash.
Popiltah Rest Area
Water pipeline easement.
White dust landscape.
Golden Moon - Popiltah.
A further 130kms down the Silver City Hwy & we arrived in Wentworth at the junction of the Murray & Darling Rivers. After being in extremely dry habitat for the past 6 weeks it was a lovely sight to see a substantial stretch of water! Staying on the Northern (NSW) side of the river we travelled East towards Euston along the Sturt Hwy turning off 18kms past Buronga & after 2kms of dusty road we arrived at Bottle Bend Nature Conservation Park free camping area (24hr limit)right on the river. Bottle Bend is a very attractive area with extensive camping along & near the river, the wildlife/birdlife is great too.
Murray River Bottle Bend.
Crested Pigeon.
Red-backed Kingfisher.
Our next destination was Yanga National Park near Balranald, we stayed at Mamanga campground on the Murrumbidgee River, it also has The Willows campground. There are no fees at both of them. The park used to be a large sheep station, we visited the historic Homestead, the large shearing shed & Lake Yanga which held a good amount of water. Consequently it held lots of aquatic birdlife for us to photograph.
Mamanga Campground Yanga National Park.
Yanga Woolshed.
Yanga Woolshed.
Yellow Rosella.
After 7 enjoyable weeks away it was time to start slowly meandering our way back home to Melbourne. We crossed the Murray River back into Victoria at Tooleybuc & then headed further South staying at the old timber town of Koondrook for 2 nights, a quiet alternative to many other popular tourist towns along the river. The caravan park is at the beginning of the redgum sculpture walking track along the river, over the bridge & into Barham. The old Arbuthnot saw-mill which is still functioning is along the way as well. Gunbower Island has some great drives/walks, over the river near Barham we went to Barham Lakes & Federation Botanic Gardens
Arbuthnot Sawmill.
One of the many carvings along the river.
Gunbower Island stockyards.
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, merry merry king of the bush is he!
Our final night of camping before arriving home was spent at Greens Lake which was very quiet, we chose site number 1 right beside the launching ramp.LOL.
Greens Lake Site 1
Thanks for reading/viewing. Thanks for your replies to our previous postings for this trip.
Regards Keith & Judy
-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Friday 5th of October 2018 07:21:50 PM
Excellent blog DD with wonderful pics . Have added some of the places you have visited to our agenda for next time we are up that way . We have just returned from doing the Darling River Run , wow fantastic trip . Very corrugated roads but worth every bump .
We live in a truly beautiful country .
-- Edited by Voyager00 on Friday 5th of October 2018 11:34:57 PM
-- Edited by Voyager00 on Friday 5th of October 2018 11:35:53 PM
Thanks so much for the information and those wonderful photographs DD. I am heading out to Broken Hill and then south in about one week's time and you have given me some great ideas for places to visit.
Very good read DD. Thanks, enjoyed your great photos.
Very quiet for school holiday times Dougwe. About 8 nomad type couples & around 6 family groups.
We were rapt though as the Brolgas were everywhere early in the morning.
Plenty of other birdlife around too.
Only 1 jetski & 1 speed boat so it was pretty serene.
Still has 4 portable loos as the toilet block has been condemned.
Greens Lake Sunrise.
-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Sunday 7th of October 2018 03:54:56 PM
Definitely a viscous rumour Poss. Plenty of people camping overnight when we were there.
Great stories and photo's D D, showed them to the missus who is a keen photographer of plants and sunsets. Hopefully this will give her the incentive to take some wildlife shots during our trip east in the in the new year.
What a great read, thank you for sharing with us.