Tropigal Outlook: Off on our trip

We left home on the 18th and drove to Brisbane to catch up with the boys, TBS and Nana. We arrrived in time to watch B and S decorate the tree. Completely forgot to take photos during those two days, many apologies.

On Monday the 20th, we headed to Dalby, where we bought the car, as it was due for its 10000 service and we were passing nearby, so elected to have it done there instead of at home. It had been raining a lot out this way and the fields were flooded.

Because it is so flat it doesn't drain so quickly, the ground was already sodden as it has been so wet lately.

The road into Dalby was already over on our way in. Once we got to the car dealer, we discovered that there was a warning that Myall Creek, which cuts the town in half, was predicted to go over the bridge that afternoon, due to heavy rain in the upper catchment area. We were planning to spend the day in Dalby with a courtesy car and maybe stay the night. They had a lot of cancellations of car services so they finished our car quickly while we waited and were were refuelled and heading out of town by 10.30am. The creek rose and the bridge went under two hours later, as did the caravan park we were planning to stay in. That was the first of many floods for Dalby over the Christmas/New Year period.

We got as far as Narrabri that night. The Newell Highway had only just opened up after flooding. You can see how flat it is out here. The drive was good, the roads were a bit patchy after all the water and we sustained some windscreen damage, but there was not much traffic and the weather was good. Everywhere we went you could see where the water had been.

We stayed the night in a caravan park at Narrabri, next to the river which had only just gone down. We set off early the next day and stopped for lunch at a park in Dubbo at the information centre, again where floods had just receded. The centre was closed as they were hosing it out. The mosquitos were fierce and starving and we inadvertantly took one or two with us. This is what they did to KISA. As a tough old bird, they don't react with me any more.

We spent the next night in Yass. Much cooler down there, and the caravan park was very reasonable at only $64 for the cabin. We met Jdubya at Canberra the next morning at the DFO shops, and we set off after lunch to Narooma.We arrived late afternoon on the 22rd.