6th August Cunnamulla

 Kms today 37    Kms to date  10041

I worked out a plan for my Transit across NSW over brekkie.  I plan to cross into NSW at 11:30 am.  I will keep my booking at the Warrego Motel and should be able to get to Hillston on or before sunset.  That turned out to be a wise decision.  Then I will leave at first light and head for Hay for fuel and then straight down to the border and Echuca.  I picked up some filled rolls for lunch.

I set off for Bowra at 9:30.  It wasn't far away.  The gravel road into the homestead wasn't bad, but I took it slowly in 2nd gear at 20kph.  I didn't want to fall off and complicate my run home.  

6 Km of gravel road for the Kwacker and a nervous rider

When I got to the homestead, a volunteer for ACF called John, came to meet me and advise on what walks I should do and give me a list of birds.  The property was bought by the ACF and used to be a sheep station.  It is slowly returning it to its original wild condition.  I didn't want to ride the sandy farm tracks on the Kwacker.  So, after writing my plans in the log book, I set off on foot down the Bore Drain Walk.  The first thing I passed was an Artesian Bore that used to feed a dam along this track. 

 

Artesian bore that was used by the grazier

I heard lots of birds, saw some and photographed less.  These birds are very adept at hiding in the trees!  It was a pleasant walk and I got back to to the homestead at lunch time.

Flock of Zebra Finches

While I ate my lunch I got a call from my Motel in Echuca.  Because of the lockdown in Victoria, I couldn't stay there and they asked me to cancel.  That means I will have to go straight home once I cross the Murray.  I'll be riding over 1300kms in two days.

After lunch I walked to the Cottage Dam.  I saw my first Budgerigars and a Parrot, which I think was a Blue Bonnet Parrot.  When I got to the dam, I sat down to watch the birds coming to the water.  I was sitting by a Billabong under a Coolabah tree, but no jumbucks.  The ACF has got rid of all the stock.

 

Yep - that's a billabong with a Coolabah Tree!

Budgerigars or Common Parakeet

I rode my bike back to the gate even slower than coming in and filled up again at the depot.  The ladies there handle the filler hoses and were very careful not to over flow the tank. I had a glass of wine and a nana nap when I got back to the  Motel.

The Warrego River

Pelicans - don't you just love them?

I walked over the bridge on the Balonne Hwy to do a sunset walk on the other side.  The sunset was good, but no wildlife except a dog being walked and not many birds, but it was peaceful.

Sunset over the Western Plains

Back at the Pub it was going off because they were drawing the Friday Raffle.  Bottles of Bundy Rum seemed to be the main prizes, but I was told by a local it had been going since 4pm and all the meat trays had gone.  I had a steak sandwich with the families in the bistro.  MotoGP and WSBK are on tonight!