Tilpa

Our friends Jon Grahame and Salli-Ann Ward are due to be married on April 4th and Jon, being an older "buck" than many getting married, decided on a different location for a bucks night. Karalla Station is on the banks of the Darling River about 100km north of Wilcannia. The local "town" of Tilpa consists of perhaps half a dozen buildings, most importantly the Pub. The pub, like the one at Birdsville has great character with a corrugated iron walls and ceilings, covered entirely with autographs and comments (for a small fee you can add one). Look up Tilpa on Google earth and you will see the town in great detail.

Anyway, the plan was to arrive at the Pub for lunch and then adjourn to Karalla Station for a roast dinner, a few drinks and an evening beside the river.

Peter Navin went with me in VHBLF and we departed Bathurst at 11am Saturday climbing to 6500ft direct to Cobar, passing overhead Molong, Peak Hill and Tottenham. We landed at Cobar for fuel just behind friends in VHPFD, a C182, and just ahead of a REX charter returning bushfire fighters from Victoria. Fully fuelled we did the last 40 minutes to Tilpa and landed with a gusting crosswind and tied down beside PFD. The next few hours were spent at the pub as various other members of our party flew in,a total of five aircraft. At 5pm we transferred to Karalla Station and settled in for an enjoyable evening. The Darling River driven by heavy rains at Bourke was running at 5m and a great site in this parched western area. Roast Dinner was based around local lamb, a darker than normal meat due to the sheep subsisting on salt bush, and very tasty. To bed at 1am and up at 7am for a walk along the river and a country breakfast.

We were back in the air at about 10.30am and after a low (1000ft) run along the river and over Karalla station, pointed the nose east, climbed to 9500ft against clear blue skys and cruised home in 2.5hrs. Had to descend down to 5500ft near Orange to get below cloud. Home for lunch and back into other chores!

A few photos below, having left the camera behind they are courtesy of the mobile phone.

Tilpa Weekend

Lost in Space

We now understand the Star Trek team, being lost In Glenmore Park without a map is on a par with being lost in space. Worse really, because the short cut from the Northern Road to Mulgoa Rd, formerly a narrow straight and quiet road alongside the golf club (about 30 years ago!)has transformed into a city of 50,000 inhabitants (none of which need a map), roundabouts aplenty, schools ,shopping centres, suburbs within a suburb and , qaintly,signs pointing the way which disappear at critical moments. Why were we there, in the ute, with the gps safely locked in the car in Bathurst? No reason really, we were just on our way home from Mystery Bay,500km to the south, via half a day at work at Moss Vale. Approaching the M4 we suddenly thought lets go to the Harvey Norman lighting ship in Penrith and wouldnt it be simple to shortcut via Glenmore Park!

While we were in Mystery, everyone else, it seems, were at Windemere Rd, enjoying the DVD and the kitchen while 40mm of rain fell outside, not before time! There were a few showers at Mystery Bay but we managed to mow the lawn for the first time, finish a few small jobs and continue on the huge task of repairing, preparing and painting the timber rails which run all the way around the house. There is probably at least another couple of weekends work to go.

We had time for a bit of exploring, drove in to Handkerchief Beach, next to Nangudga Lake ( a reserve with lots of birds, swans and splashing fish). Walked along the beach and climbed a small headland before turning back in the face of a rain shower. Then drove down to Central Tilba and continued on via the Punkalla Road through forests and discovered the dirt road which you can use to ascend Mt Dromedary (Gulaga to the aboriginals). Gulaga is the mountain with Central Tilba nestled at its foot. It also determines the microclimate at Mystery Bay, Gulaga rises up steeply to 800m and often generates threatening cloud and cool breezes in the afternoon. Anyway, the road was wet and slippery so we saved the ascent for another day. Returned to Central Tilba, and like locals (as distinct from tourists) went to the General store to buy the paper.

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