2008 Road Trip: Murrumbidgee River
Murrumbidgee River, Hay, NSW
On the second day of our 2008 Road Trip to Sydney we left Hay early in the morning because we had a long drive of over 700km to our son’s home in Sydney. Having three drivers – our daughter came with us on this trip – helped ease the burden on driving. Normally we would not attempt such a long distance in one day; we like to stop frequently and look at places.
Before we left Hay in western New South Wales, we went to take a few photos of the Murrumbidgee River which flows through the town. This river is one of the many tributaries of the Murray River which flows through our home town of Murray Bridge.
We were rather disturbed by the liberal use of water in the local gardens. On our walk the previous evening we saw numerous expansive lawns being watered by sprinkler. In South Australia we haven’t been allowed to use sprinklers for several years. I believe that ALL people drawing water from the Murray-Darling river basin should be on the same level of water use. It is not only morally wrong to have different rules for different states – I believe it is environmental vandalism. The lower lakes in South Australia are dying – perhaps are already past the point of being saved, yet here people continue to waste huge volumes of water so that their gardens can look beautiful.
Murrumbidgee River, Hay, NSW
2008 Road Trip: Hay, New South Wales
Main Street of Hay, New South Wales
On the second day of our 2008 Road Trip to Sydney we packed up our gear and drove down the main street of Hay, a large rural centre in western New South Wales. This large town has many old buildings (by Australian standards). We needed to buy some provisions for the day.
Sometime in the future I’d like to stay a few nights, not just overnight. On all previous occasions we have merely driven through on our way elsewhere. Historic towns like Hay deserve a little more exploration.
Main Street of Hay, New South Wales
2008 Road Trip: Hay, western New South Wales
Caravan Park, Hay, New South Wales
On the first day of our 2008 Road Trip to Sydney we stopped for the night at a caravan park in Hay, a large rural town in mid western New South Wales. As soon as we had arrived we booked into the cabin shown in the photo above. Because it was a few days before Christmas we made the precaution of booking ahead.
The day had been very hot and we were pleased that the car air conditioning made travelling very pleasant. The cabin, however, had heated up during the day and was very hot. The tiny air conditioner really struggled to bring the temperature down. Still, we were very pleased with the facilities and size of the cabin.
After dinner we went for a stroll along the banks of the nearby Murrumbidgee River. I made the mistake of not taking my camera nor my binoculars. The birding was very good and I added several new species to my trip list. You can read about the birds I saw here.
Caravan Park, Hay, New South Wales