QI Tour - Warren to Bourke (Day 21)

Nyngan Town Hall

The drive to Bourke - a little less than 300 kms - seemed simple enough, especially since so much of it would be on the almost flat, almost gun-barrel straight Mitchell Highway.

Of course, we have ways of complicating things.

We left camp comfortably early, although a long way short of those who you see a lot of when you are towing a van about the place. The ones who have to break camp first and make sure they toot the horn or call out goodbye and wave at you as you are in mid-task, mid pack up. Still, the bloke who left at 6:30 this morning was in a world of his own.

After a few tasks in Warren itself, we went south for the short trip to Nevertire, where we finally finished our traverse west along the Oxley Highway and joined the Mitchell. Forty minutes later we were parking in Nyngan, in the generous long parking area on the northern side of the railway line. Over the pedestrian bridge and a few snaps of the sights: the Iroquois helicopter which had supported troops in Vietnam at the Battle of Long Tan which was donated to Nyngan to commemorate the role a different helicopter from the Navy played in evacuating the town during the huge flood on 1990 (yeah, I couldn't see the significance either; some wonderfully preserved old buildings; and of course, The Big Bogan!

The BB, a six metre high cor-ten steel representation of ... well ... a bogan ... and his dog ... was the idea of a local minister, so as to attract tourists to Nyngan, which is on the Bogan River. I'm not sure if it attracts people to go to Nyngan but it probably convinces them to cross the railway line once they are there. Pity they didn't think about BB's placement, because to photograph him, you pretty much have to shoot into the sun at any time of day. Still ... All good. Photo opportunity taken. Off for coffee ... until Peter walked into the tail of the Big Fish hanging from the Big Fishing Rod of the Big Bogan and banged his head. 

It wasn't pretty. Peter had a little dummy spit (and a sore head) but still managed to have a coffee.

Needless to say, Sue drove the next leg of the trip - 100 kms) - which was for lunch at Coolabah and the very pleasant surprise that was the Major Mitchell Cafe. A local property owner has taken it on and is doing a good job with a bit of tucker, hot drinks, merch (of course) and a variety of grocery items in premises they have gutted and rejuvenated. 

Onto to Bourke, with Peter's headache subsided. All good ...

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... until the set up, during which, Peter managed to run over the power supply cord and tear it from its permanent mount inside the van. An hour of repairs later, we set up the van. There were some words that are not normally spoken with the grandchildren about but perhaps they weren't heard over the screaming child in the next camp. My tantrum last 3 hours less than his.

Some nights, getting into bed and resetting is a really good thing.