Emu Creek Station

 

Monday 5 July 2021 – Emu Creek Station

We were a little slow to get going this morning after out late nights.  L&J were ready first as our van takes less time to pack up so we headed back into town to the hardware store to buy some more wood, and having done that, and H&M having been to the pharmacy, we reconvened at the truck stop back on the main highway where we packed the wood away into the bag on the back of the van.

We then drove and drove south-west passing an unending line of cars and caravans/camper trailers or cars with roof top tents/swags etc heading north.  Covid restrictions are over and school holidays have obviously begun!

We stopped at the 24 hour rest stop at Bow River for morning smoko and what an absolutely charming spot – especially if you are one of the lucky handful who can get there early enough to nab a river side spot far enough from the highway/bridge.  We had a cuppa and some ‘pillow biscuits’ because as Jenny says, what’s a car trip without pillow biscuits?  (Spicy Fruit Rolls for the uninitiated!)

Back in the car and another hour or so of driving got us to Nanaturra Roadhouse to refuel.  We timed this really well as we only had to wait for one van in front of us before pulling up to the bowser.  L&J did their usual trick of having one ready to pay as soon as they car was fuelled up so we were able to move the car away from the bowser in record time.    So it was not our fault that after we had moved the car and van and gone back to the roadhouse for hot chips that, by the time we came out again, there was a queue stretching way back out onto the road of people waiting to refuel.  Wow.  Lots of people in the roadhouse wearing masks too.  We will be glad to get off this main coastal road as quickly as we can.

So it was with some relief that after another hour or so we turned left and onto the Emu Creek Station road.  A quick stop at the gate to drop our tyre pressures a bit and then it was back on to the gravel.  This road has obviously seen some rain as well and they are in the process of repairing it as there are nice neat piles of road base dumped on the side of the road next to every washout and hole which gives you advance warning that you are about to hit one!

We made it up to the homestead and checked in and L bought another stubby holder to add to his collection.  We headed down to the creek but even though it was only early afternoon all the good sites which were level, grassy and down next to the water were taken.  Obviously if people reversed in and didn’t park parallel to the water a few vans might have been able to appreciate this area but there is, unfortunately, always a bit of ‘blow you Jack, I’m alright’ about anywhere that doesn’t have designated spots or camp hosts to suggest appropriate ways to set up.

So we were a bit up from the creek on a rocky slope but we did have a vista of the river between the closer vans and also, more importantly, a good campfire ring AND we were closer to the amenities (which were surprisingly nice and clean albeit rustic with a donkey heater for the showers).  We happily spent the rest of the afternoon wandering along the water’s edge or sitting enjoying the view until it was time to dump the load of new wood into the fire pit and to get a good blaze going.  H&M’s dinner turn tonight so it was yummy roast chicken and salad with potatoes (and sweet potato to L’s dismay) done in the coals.  Jenny had one last recipe to try from her campfire cookbook and, not knowing if we may have another fire on this trip, volunteered to do dessert.  Unfortunately the golden syrup rock cakes weren’t that successful.  We decided that the fire/coals had been too hot and they had burned on the outside and dried out a little too much on the inside.  Also, by the time we got around to eating them after dinner they had gone a bit too cold which made them even less appealing.  Still everyone made a valiant attempt at eating them and the fire pit only scored the most inedible, burnt bits.  We washed them down with a few toasted marshmallows on the coals and then let the fire die right down before putting it out and heading to bed.