Blog 15 - Silverton - home of Mad Max filming - Mildura -Tuesday 21st July & Wed 22nd July 2015

Tuesday 21st July 2015
The day begun with Moose heading outside to fit his new mud flaps, they are actually called Rock Tamers, onto the car. A few moments later he came back inside swearing and looking for his keys. Swearing because the “Rock Tamers” didn't fit and keys because he needed to take them back to the shop.

A short time later he returned.  I looked up as he popped into the van to put is keys back on their hook, without a word from me, he raised his eyebrows and said “don't ask”. Well you know my response to that ......”WHAT?” He went on to tell me he had to buy a new longer tow-bar for his Rock tamers to fit the car. Pfftt, as a man - of course he did. As a woman - just give the bloody gadget back! Like flies to honey - another guy comes over to have a look saying "got yourself a new toy ". What's the bet he'll have his own set by the end of the day

While Moose has been out purchasing accessories, I have set George (Foreman) to work and have a meal cooking nicely. We are off to Silverton for the day. This is the town “Mad Max 1 & 2”, along with a pile of TV shows were filmed. I tell you this area keeps surprizing me.

Long boring road to Silverton

The road to Silverton is long and slightly boring. Nothing but some cows and emus to break the desert landscape though there was a lady walking very fast, you know like those race walkers, in front of a man driving a 4wd with its headlights on. Either she’s incredibly sporty or she’s had a doozy of an argument with her hubby.

An impressive display of shovels

A spread out town

Only enough power for the Eftpos machine and instant coffee

We arrive at Silverton a town that looks like it should be in an old western movie. Old buildings spread far apart with ruins in between. We head to the top of the hill, where yes there is a café but we are informed there is no, or rather limited electricity. Only enough power from generators for essentials like eftpos machines but there is instant coffee and tea. So we order that and chat to other visitors while we wait. The beverages are brought out along with 3 slices of fruit cake. Moose has one, I another with the third left on the plate. I got talking to a lady who told me about a costume display in the old goal when I next looked at the plate the cake was gone, 

Moose had scuffed the third slice! 

These donkeys appeared when you least expected them to

We walked Bonnie around some ruins and checked out some of the many buildings in the area. There were so many galleries but I was focused on the clothing displays at the old goal while Moose seemed to have his mind on how to get to a river, rather than looking at more artwork.

Now I feel old!!!

The Goal was in semi darkness but “be prepared” is Moose's second name so he presented me with a torch from the glove box. The museum was full of the usual pioneer displays though there were a few things that I didn't think were old enough to be in there like the model of type writer I used as a junior office worker.

Moose had headed off to check on Bonnie who was tied up outside. I couldn't see the "costumes" I'd been told about so went off with my trusty torch to hunt them down. There were a few false turns but eventually I found them in the pitch black isolation cells.I think Moose just followed my "oooohs and aaahhhs" until he found me. We spent a fair while with me pointing the torch and him taking photos. I couldn't believe the beautiful veils which went with the wedding dresses were packed up in boxes, at least they had clear lids but their magnificence was hidden from sight. There were photos of the brides wearing the full stunning outfits. I wanted to get at them to see how they were made and which fabrics had been used.

 

Moose thought this was suitable safety gear for the guys back at work to wear.

Not so sexy 100% wool bathing costumes

Parked outside the pub

Lunch was had at the Silverton Hotel. Stepping inside to order I was amazed at how many people crowded in around the bar. The walls were covered in photos of the filming of Mad Max.

Horses everywhere

The road home is extremely bumpy with horses just wandering in the bush. I’d say they were wild horses except they seemed pretty tame.
Once we hit civilisation, Moose drove into the parking lot of the local shopping centre and dropped me off to do a food shop while he and Bonnie napped in car. We also picked up a thicker mat for Princess Bonnie as the cold air seeps into the van at night and she would rather it didn’t.

Arriving home the smell of our dinner cooking welcomed us.  I put shopping away while moose filled water tanks ready for our move tomorrow.

He watched the “Tour de France” while I wore my head phones and listened to my iPod while reading my book. Harri gave us a call on face time but then decided he didn’t want to talk which is usual for Harri (he hates talking on the phone). The signal dropped which meant we could see him and Ash but they couldn’t see us so they pulled faces at us before hanging up. 

Bonnie tucked in for the night

We headed to bed and just as I fell asleep at 12.30 pm, we had a call from Yak re suspicious activity at our place this was the start of a comedy of errors with the company we organised to provide security while we are away. To cut a long story short I can report the security company have found our keys and all is right with the world as off 2.45 this morning.

Wednesday  22nd July 2015  (3 weeks away)

I feel like I've been run over by a truck thanks to the ongoing phone calls with the security company in the wee hours this morning. So the pack up van dance is happening at a much slower pace than usual.

Hard at work

Moose puts the final touches on the “Rock Tamers” I feel he took too much inspiration from Mad Max yesterday!

Moose is pretty pleased with his handy work!

In the meantime I sit and write a long email to our security people then it’s everyone in the car and off we go. Though the GPS seems to be lost. Moose asks it “where are you taking me" and as if by magic a bakery pops up in front of us. Of course we stop and have lunch. Our plan was to head to Medindee Lakes but rumour has it there is no water in them so we are now heading for Mildura.

About an hour out of town a sign instructs us to add 30 mins to our clocks as we are in NSW. Broken hill holds central time, maybe this is why sleep is so elusive my body clock has no idea what time it is. With the rhythm of the road and the crooning of Brian ferry on the iPod, I nap.

Electric light orchestra woke me up with "it's all over now". The bright green grass and weeds running alongside the road stand out from the grey dried nothingness.  It's a flood plain which the GPS says is water. It couldn't be further tom the truth.

As we drive past Coomibah which basically consists of a road house
I ask Moose to turn the music down. He says but "it's nearly over" - he thinks he's funny! Moose starts telling me there's baby Nannie goats. I look up nothing. He swears there were baby goats with their mummies and daddies. I am so bored. I've read my writers mag, had a nap and typed blog notes. I often think of the early settlers travelling out here on their horses and wagons or possibly wagons pulled by bullocks or camels. Did they get bored or where they just grateful to sit down? I see goats, lots of goats.

The Popiltah rest area is busy. Several vans camping with awnings out and clothes drying on the wire fencing. Moose is straining his eyes for a river - couldn't see any This whole time Bonnie has been sleeping. She’s curled up in her mat, on the back seat with her head resting comfortably on the high sides of the mat/basket.

More goats. Goats everywhere. Black, white, mixed , long hair, curly hair and /or short hair. I used the time to tidy up my entry in the Rockingham
Short story competition. About 115 km before Wentworth we pulled into a rest spot beside the road. Put on the kettle and made ourselves a cup of lemon and ginger tea along with a scotch finger biscuit or two. Moose and Bonnie had a quick walk while I did my stretches for my arm and back. 

Once driving again, Moose is smiling contently and passing comment "caravannings great isn't it?" His Rock savers are making too much noise which is a sign they need adjusting.

Of course because we have entered NSW there is a bin with instructions to check our vehicles for any of the fruit and veg on the long list of fruit and some vegetable provided. If we have any to put it in the bin, so as not to cause the spread of Fruit fly. Moose suggestion is to eat it all.

Shortly after this we enter the town of Wentworth. We pull over for a work call and Moose spies the river. You can see him visibly relax. It’s a nice size town on the riverbanks of the Murray. House boats are moored along the banks. We drive over Tucker's creek heading towards Mildura. Next little town is Curlwaa which sits on a road with the river running alongside it. A large sign declares it is Sultana country. 

Once across the river we are in Vic

At Abbotsford bridge moose says he's in heaven as he looks at water on all sides of him. Once across this bridge besides being surrounded by grapevines and orchards, we are now in Victoria.

The signs promoting power naps are constant, the one in front of us at the moment says: "Droopy eyes, power nap now ". There is one vineyard after another and little towns popping up between them. We pass them before I have time to write their names down. There are quite a few wineries too but they seem to be purely working without tasting rooms or cafes attached. Once past a huge lake and we hit the outskirts of Mildura. Moose is getting hungry and spies a fish and chip shop so we pick up our fish and chips, park the van near a park and enjoy our dinner.
We don’t enter the centre of town but turn right towards Bendigo. Bonnie has woke up and is sitting checking out the view. Moose is fiddling with the heater, his feet are cold. Maybe if he wore shoes he wouldn’t have a problem.

The sun gives a last burst of orange across the sky before disappearing for the night. It’s only 6pm and darkness is enfolding us as we drive along a dirt track looking for the free camping spot Moose found on his Wikicamps app this morning. 

Once we found the spot at "Red cliffs" next to the river, it took 39 mins in freezing cold conditions to direct Moose reversing the van onto the plastic ramps so that it was level. The whole time I stood well clear as I feared it was going to topple on top of me

Long way down

Okay we are level and I'm inside. Moose asks is the step too high. One look at it and I say "yes I'll need a ladder". He comments it doesn't help that the stool keeps sinking into sand. Guess I'm not going outside for a few days! At 7.29 pm, we are inside with heater on and watching the news.

Texting Jess and I realised our phone signal keeps dropping in and out. Considering last night’s security's issues at home, we wanted to be able to be reached if needed; so Moose climbed all over the van hunting for a better signal with his super receiver box, thankfully he succeeded. Go moose 

Rock Taming Moose & Moose Taming Moz signing off x