20.03.2023 from Gilgandra to Apsley Falls

20.03.2023 from Gilgandra to Apsley Falls

It has become a bit chilly again during the night, the warm blanket is a blessing in the morning. We pack up, do some shopping for the next 2 days, as we have booked camping in the NP and we have to be self-sufficient. We head towards the coast and it's more kilometers than we actually want, the country stretches on. At least it's more inhabited, agricultural farms dominate the landscape, cows and sheep (no goats) crowd around the few shade-giving trees. At least the livestock is no longer standing on the road. The larger towns are functional as supply bases, but also well-equipped, picnic areas and public clean toilets are available not only in every small town but also at most rest areas. And there are plenty of them, every 50 km we are reminded "tired drivers don't survive" or "don't fight against tiredness, take a break".

We also use these rest areas for lunch or to stretch our legs.

Today we stop at a place where an explorer, Mr. Oxley, strolled around in 1850, a highway and roads are named after him.

Our destination is the Oxley Wild River NP, it boasts a waterfall and beautiful hiking trails. And we are impressed, the river carries only a little water and yet a waterfall plunges from a great height into the canyon. A few meters further we see the pools filled with water in the depths and a few meters further a empty canyon. What happened here? In 1987, large boulders fell into the canyon and created a dam, so to speak. The water finds a new way, under the boulders and eventually reappears. Only when there is enough water, it sometimes spills over the dam. That is not the case today. Our campsite is in close proximity, today we are not alone, half of the 12 sites are occupied and fires are allowed again.