From our camp near BRIGHT we backtracked for about 125 km to BENALLA, and then headed west through SHEPPARTON and on towards ECHUCA. Our destination was a camp ground at TONGALA, a small town about 30 km southeast of ECHUCA. We had decided to stay in the TONGALA caravan park because they were heaps cheaper than anything in ECHUCA , which is very much a tourist town. It was our longest haul yet with the van (277 km), but again the van towed like a dream. We have now clocked up our first 1000km towing the van.
Our campground is lovely. The only drawback being about 1000 sulphur crested cockatoos which use our shade trees as a roost. Being the highest trees around, they become a natural target for all the cockatoos in the district to spend the night. They arrive just on dark accompanied by a huge raucous squawking. They keep this up for a good half hour fighting for the best perches, and then individual ones spend the rest of the night arguing about it. Then at about daybreak they all start up again for about another half hour before leaving for their day’s feeding. Apparently they only visit these trees for about 2 months of the year, December and January. And of course we won’t mention the shit, or the fact that our car, caravan and awning are directly under it.
Yesterday we went into ECHUCA to see the sights. The main one being the famous old wharf and paddle steamers. We were just in time to catch a one hour trip on the oldest paddle steamer still operating, the PS Pevensey. She is the same boat that starred in the film “All the Rivers Run”. In the film she was renamed The Philadelphia. She was built in 1911 and is powered by a 20h.p. twin high pressure steam engine. She is 33.5m long, with a 7m beam, and only draws 1.35m when fully laden (120 tonnes).
The ride on this boat was definitely one of the highlights of our trip so far. It was so peaceful watching the countryside slide by, accompanied by the quiet slop slop of the paddles hitting the water and the rhythmic chug of the steam engine. Living a piece of Australian history.
Steering and turning the boat on the swiftly flowing river was an intricate piece of seamanship. The captain had to have his timing down to a split second and watching him at work was awesome to say the least. Talking to him afterwards he said he had to do 18,000 hours apprenticeship before even being allowed alone on the bridge of a much smaller paddle steamer, then progressing to 5 years under a captain on board the PS Pevensey before he could take over as captain. Not a mugs job by a long shot.
He told us the Murray River was presently running 14 feet above it’s normal level, which meant all his normal reference points were under water, and this, coupled with the stronger current, made for a hard day at the office.
After our cruise we spent the afternoon wandering around the old port area of ECHUCA. It has been retained much as it was back in the late 1800s, down to period costumes and a horse and cart plodding along the street. We rounded our tour off with a couple of cold beers in the Star Hotel, complete with its underground escape tunnel, used by illegal drinkers in the old days to escape the police raids. A great day thoroughly enjoyed by all of us despite the 37degree heat.
Today we have had a day off. A bit of shopping this morning and a couple of swims and several beers this afternoon, doing our best to keep cool. The thermometer shows 42oC in the sun with a gentle breeze keeping it tolerable. Needless to say the air conditioner in the caravan has been working overtime.
Tomorrow we head to BENDIGO, about 100 km away, to explore real gold mining country. Hopefully the bloody cockatoos won’t keep us awake too much tonight.
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