Have been very wary of heading east as its been raining all along the coast for awhile and I’ve been avoiding wet weather like the plague. (this blog could be a joke) I have to get over to Byron Bay to hang out with Imo, Tilly, Adogg and Maddie so I have to get my big girl pants on and make a move. Washpool was on my hit list and about half way from Pilliga so figured I’d go there for Easter. I was also a bit anxious because the “talk” was... it’s Easter… It’s the school holidays… you wont get a spot there! Blah blah blah

Kaputar National Park with cotton plantations

The drive over to Glen Innes was pretty spectacular taking in the Kaputar National park and walking into Sawn Rock, fabulous rock formations like organ pipes. Travelled up through Inverell and was tempted to stay there. What a gorgeous little town with old milk bars and picture theatres. Stopped at Glen Innes for a night, which was bloody freezing cold, stocked up and visited the rangers office to get the lowdown. Again was told I'd be lucky to get a spot with it being the holidays. I channeled Doris Day, sang que sera sera and hit the Gwyder highway for Washpool. Visited the Standing Stones, a sort of tribute to the Celtic population around the area, a couple of lookouts and eventually the rainforests of Gibraltar and Washpool National Parks. STUNNING! There was a bit of traffic around and already I could see camping areas filled so my heart was racing.

God fingers ~ when I found the high ground

Arrived at Bellbird campground and only one out of the fifteen spots was taken. What luck! Birdsong is the background track and lyrebirds everywhere. I chose one that was handy to the camp kitchen, wood heap and toilet and set up post haste. Feeling accomplished sat down for a fag and a glass of wine when out of nowhere a torrential downpour. My so well thought out campsite was a lake and water was lapping at the floor seam of my tent! Fuck! I had to move. Skulled the wine, then peg by bloody peg I resurfaced in a ‘by FAR’ better site on higher ground. Pretty glad I accomplished that feat and then experience allowed me to light a fire with wet wood… Wooden ya know it!! And whilst I developed some excellent techniques over those 5 days of getting fires going I know that I will be buying fire starters for my essential camp kit from now on!!! Everything got damp!!! But boy could I write a whole blog on fire lighting… seriously everything was damp!!

The place did fill up over the next day and I was glad no one was around watching my antics. It is a rain forest, so rain is on the table and it’s so green and beautiful. I did end up in the best spot, went on a couple of walks and found so much colourful and weird looking fungi, spotted more lyrebirds and avoided leeches by spraying aeroguard on my shoes.

Now to dry out!!!

Leaving Darwin was easier than the 3 grand worth of straight desert roads klm’s that lay in front of me. It takes two days just to get out of the Territory. I was tempted to go east just to see some green and a few different vistas but I stuck at it down through dinosaur country Winton, Longreach and when the road was still moving whilst stationary, I figured it would be time for a good break!!

I stayed for a few days in Mitchell so I could frequent the artesian baths daily. How EXCELLENT are they!!! Dipping into 40 degree pools and soaking in the healing minerals then popping into a <19 degree pool… seriously could have been a Turkish baths in Budapest.

The camp was a lovely riverside camp and it was totally a revive/survive stop. Crunched another grand just to get to Coonabarrabran. What a treat driving into country with hills, gullies, sheep, emus, shacks, chimney’s and winding roads! Very Stimulating!! From here on in it will be easy drives under 4 or 5 hundred km’s at best.

I was really looking forward to getting out to the Warrambungles to test drive my studio set up! The park is so beautiful and I was totally inspired to get drawing. Scored a yearlong All Parks Pass and wound down into this gorgeous campground. Then the apocalypse came! I had almost finished getting the tent up when I heard a bit of a rumble. Looked up and saw this pinky, orangey, dirty brown cloud bellowing up over the mountain.

My first thought was bushfire, but there was no smell and it was moving in and fast. I literally started chucking shit in the car and tying down all the canopy sides when it just hit! 120kph dust storm. I was in Interstellar! It just ripped through pulling out my tent poles and making my tent look like a tissue as it flapped wildly with the wind. I was shitting myself … where was Matthew McConaughey???? And is my tent going to get shredded???

I few tree’s got stripped and The rangers came round to check on us, warned there was a massive storm front coming through and we’d probably be ok. At that point it was as clear as! I totally tied that tent down with every available guy rope and seriously drilled those pegs in proper.

Some other campers pulled in and I was very happy that they stayed camped next to me. Uta, Jorge, Linda and Benno… in a van! If it got hectic… I was jumping in with them!! had an excellent evening with red wine, cheeses and fruit and laughed and laughed… till about midnight when the storm lashed down. Again shitting myself!!! Blair Witch Project came to mind at about 3am as I sat inside the tent and feeling like a sniveling, scared old lady using up all my data looking at bloody weather maps!!!

Seriously THAT’S when I grew some balls and went to sleep for a couple of hours.

The following day I gave Bertha a clean out. Sorted the dust and had a very good nights sleep… with one thought in my mind… TOMORROW I’m test-driving the studio!!!!