Our Christmas 2008 Trip

We had a wonderful time between Christmas and New Year. Three goannas on the block; lurking about camp. Lace Monitors, one of which had broad yellow and black stripes across it's back and is called the "Bell's Form" Lace Monitor. Supposedly it is a recessive gene in the Lace Monitor and only found in far Northern NSW and SE Queensland. Well, we can inform the globe, there is one on the Wakool! Don't know why they have turned up but maybe because we are getting more ground cover and there are a lot of little geckos, skinks etc. A bit of food, shelter and quiet.

Donna went shooting and fishing (below). She loves camping and the bush; going without a shower for days on end and just snacking on bush tucker. Or at least that is what she told us.....!!!!

Geoff and Julie Rogers dropped in for two nights on their way to Broken Hill. Julie has an art exhibition at Heathcote and we are hoping that maybe, one day, a painting of Cartwheel Bend will emerge in watercolour! Weather was nice, albeit windy. A small cod caught; carp and one silver bream.

Only one of these fish returned to the water and I will leave it to the reader to theorise which one! Anyway, the small bits of cod we all shared were beautiful. Jill and Donna cooked them up.

Lunch time at camp below. Allan and Gill, mighty Morgan in the background (Robert behind Mum) and Hugh chatting with Geoff. Geoff, again with the lifejacket on in case the river rose rapidly - a 7 metre rise in five minutes would be the type of threat Geoff would be planning to overcome.

Another lovely trip. Hugh and Diana left on Monday to get ready for Flinders Island, Geoff and Julie on Tuesday and the rest of us on New Years Eve (Wednesday). River at about 0.65 m and pretty windy conditions - albeit sunny. The little yellow Suzuki managed to get the boat and motor down that steep slope; Robert and Morgan drove the little yellow ute but Aunty Jill and I thought Morgan went way too fast.......will have to watch him Mum and Dad! Robert was much more responsible but, really, we also had to watch him closely. Both were really good drivers.

We went spotlighting, fishing, spider chasing, we ate frutata, Gill's stew (beef with chicken sauce - voted meal of the trip) and we had (mostly) warm showers.