Across the Border by van

Sunday 27th June

After several days of birthday celebrations and organising we were ready to depart from Lismore. Our initial route was over a path well travelled but we did get to use the new Mallanganee Bridge for the first time. It certainly felt safer than the old single lane bridge it has replaced. 

Once we passed through Tenterfield and headed towards Glenlyon Dam it wasn’t long before we ventured in to new territory for us, at least at ground level. In the days when Michael was trying to keep up his flight hours to maintain his pilots licence he flew over this area a few times. 

Plan A for our first night was Bonshaw Weir but thanks to some COVID inspired restrictions we changed to Plan B. As Ballina is in the designated Blue Bubble with Queensland we weren’t concerned re our ability to cross the border, but as of 1am tomorrow morning we are also required to have a Travel Pass. We applied for them on Friday and mine came back in 25 minutes but by the time we left home Michael’s still hadn’t come back!

By the time we reached Bonshaw Weir it was time for lunch so we pulled in to check it out. It is a very pleasant, quiet free camp with plenty of birdlife.  Several hundred Little Corellas would be quite an alarm clock and we were entertained by a dozen Superb Fairy wrens playing chasey and serenading each other. We explored the surrounds, even walking over the causeway to put our feet on Queensland soil, but as Michael’s pass had still not come through we decided we would go the next 30km and cross the border at Texas to be on the safe side.

 We were comfortably settled in to the free camp by the river and about to get our fire started when Voila! Michael’s travel pass came through!

Bird species total. 31

Monday 28th June

After a minimum of 2degrees overnight we were in no hurry to leave the warmth of our bed. Thank goodness for hot water bottles, a smart investment when free camping. 

Once again we were greeted by a glorious day and after a stroll around the camp site we headed in to the village of Texas for a morning coffee. The village is well presented and has a number of historic buildings each with an information board about its history. 

It was certainly pleasing to see that they are a community that will welcome us back in our declining years🤪

Opposite the Art Deco Style Hall is a a sculpture “The Spirit of Texas”. It was commissioned after the devastating floods of 2011 to honour the resilience of the people of Texas. The sculpture was influenced by the abundance of water birds that appeared following the floods.

From 1920-1940s a rabbit plague crippled farms across Australia with Queensland being particularly hard hit. The people of Texas saw this as an opportunity rather than a disaster, and in1928 developed a local industry based on trapping, processing and selling rabbit meat and skins. Trappers became wealthy merchants and their kids out-earned their teachers! The original Rabbit Works is now a museum which unfortunately is not open on Mondays.

Our stop for tonight was not too far away at Lake Coolmunda so we had a wander around the streets of Inglewood on the way, a pleasant little spot where the highlight for Michael was the cost of diesel….$1.26/litre.

At Lake Coolmunda we booked in to a powered site before heading down to the lake. Hard to believe that not long ago it was basically dry. Next time we head this way we would stay on the lake as it has all facilities, just no powered sites. We walked out along the wall picking up some more birds, including red-rumped parrots as we went, before it was time for our nightcap….and the temperature started to fall again.

Bird species total. 51