SOUTH TO WENTWORTH (WE WENT) (6 - 8 OCTOBER 2016)

As usual, we were off bright and early. For the first time in our travels we left Broken Hill through its southern suburbs,

past the workings of the South Broken Hill mine













and the last of the tailings dumps

on out into the open expanses of stunted scrub country which stretches for vast distances south from the town.

The surface of the Silver City Highway is well fit for purpose and we made good progress in the still morning air. For kilometre after kilometre there was very little to challenge the unbroken distant horizon until this line of power poles marched into view, striding imperiously across the flat grazing lands.

Not far beyond this spectacle more stubby trees began to line the highway together with a return of the roadside Salvation Jane.

Some 150 kms into our journey for today and the flat landscape gave way to a series of low, red sandhills, and the trees suddenly gained a bit more credibility as far as size was concerned.

We even passed the odd patch of verdant grassland as we approached

the small highway oasis which is the Coombah Roadhouse.  This was soon a distant speck in our mirrors

as we drove on through more sandhill tracts. By now we had covered more than half the 250 kms between Broken Hill and Wentworth. 

The Shire boundary was a welcome sight as we approached the area which is covered by a series of large, shallow lakes. Disappointingly, none was really visible from the highway, and my expectation of travelling for some distance with shimmering water views was a far cry from reality.

Here, once again, the landscape reverted to a flat, featureless plain 

which surrounded the 'Seven Tree' rest area where we pulled in for a short break.

As we wandered about this small rest area, some 85 kms north of Wentworth, we could not help but notice that this spot may soon have to be renamed.......one of the seven trees had well and truly curled up its toes.

So, after a stretch and a chuckle we headed further south yet again and within an hour we found ourselves on the approach into Wentworth township, and, after a cautious progress through the centre of town

we emerged at the other end of the CBD (more of that later) and the entrance to our chosen park.

With a levee bank negotiated, it was off down the quite long entrance roadway

where we duly hove to 

at the quaint little park office. Here we were greeted most warmly and told that we could wander off down into the park proper and pick any site we liked.

Riverside sites were an option.

These were already well populated, 

(some clearly for the long term)

but many of these were quite small, so we chose one of the very large, flat and grassy patches onto which we manoeuvred with complete ease.

And even from here, with the benefit of space and shade, we still had good river views past the imposing eucalyptus tree which, according to the sign on its impressive truck

has some significant local provenance.

Here at Willow Bend the amenities were more than adequate

as was the nearby outdoor camp kitchen (which we suspect may be a little challenging in wet and windy weather!)

This is a park of large open expanses.....a row of small cabins can be found at one side,

whilst a select few are dotted along the water's edge,

where views across this reasonably wide section of the Darling River are free to enjoy for all those who chose this accommodation.

Others were also taking in river views from a mobile platform as we set up our van on site. What was once a magnificent houseboat now plies the river as a local cruise boat, and from what we could see business was brisk.









Apart from us transients, the Willows Bend Caravan park is home to a plethora of bird life, some of which I suspect is equally itinerant, like these pelicans roosting on a fallen tree at the far end of the park.











As for the ducks.....well they ranged from this somewhat eclectic group










to those of a far more common species, but in this case they impressed with their numbers. We have never seen so many ducklings in one brood. We counted twenty-three youngsters in this one family alone, and they were far from unique.









What a breeding season this has been, something confirmed by all the locals to whom we spoke about it.







As a couple who spent many, many hours stooging up and down the River Murray in various houseboats, we have developed an affinity with big rivers. It was just lovely to be sitting on the banks of one again. The Willows Bend was all we had hoped it would be.....would the town of Wentworth also deliver the goods?  Tomorrow will tell.