Mom and I made it to the Snowy Mountains. It felt like we were driving into Tungsten again, the road had numerous switchbacks, with blind corners, the big difference was that the road was paved. We stopped in a campground and had this momma and her joey for company, I think she was looking for handouts. She was very tame. It was nice to camp in the mountains right by a rushing stream and almost in sight of the highest mountain in Australia.

We headed to a town to visit the museum for the Man from Snowy River but were disappointed to find that it was closed. We have proof that we were in the area though, we were not fortunate enough to spot any wild brumbies either. It was gorgeous country to travel through.



Since then we have been making tracks northward, I think I have done more driving in the last couple of days than I have in a few years. We have been driving up the middle of New South Wales, it seems like the heart of Australia. Mom and I have been really enjoying the place names.


We have driven through Tumbarumba, Gundagai, Cootamundra, Canowindra, staying last night in Gilandra then passing through Coonabarabran. Tomorrow we are hoping to drive through the Waterfall Way again and get to the coast just south of Coff's Harbour. From there it is just a hop, skip and a jump to Yamba and my part of the road trip will be over. This is a little racetrack I found while on a walk in Gilandra. The turf was grass and when I walked on it I could not believe how soft and bouncy it was. If I was a horse I would love running on it. The Aussie love their horse racing and equally as much they love betting on it. I have been wanting to place a bet since I arrived but have not quite figured out how to do it and (believe it or not) I have not worked up sufficient nerve to bother someone to explain it to me.

THE THREE SISTERS

My Mom and I are in Canberra at the moment. My brother Bob and his wife Barb are with Barry sailing the boat north up to the coast to Yamba, New South Wales. That is where our daughter Trish and Graeme are getting married in early March.
We left Middle Harbour and sailed up the Paramatta River to the west of Sydney Harbour for a few days. Then we sailed back up to Broken Bay and waited for my family to show up. Once they had arrived we all went in the motor home they had rented and visited the Blue Mountains. We went up and down a few tremendous sets of stairs and saw some wonderful spots. Barry, Bob, Barb and I climbed down and walked around the bottom of the Three Sisters, enjoying the great path doing some Australian bush walking, known as hiking in Canada.
Once we got back to the boat my Mom and I took off south to Canberra and the other bunch headed north. We will eventually head that way to meet them. I am hoping to drive into the Snowy Mountains tomorrow. Barry has the modem with him so I do not have ready access to the internet any more so it may be a while until the next blog.
Mom and I visited the parliament building in Canberra yesterday, it was an interesting and informative tour. The house of parliament in Canberra