25 June 2026

September 02, 2026

25 June 2026

25 Jun 2026

As predicted, it was another early morning; there is no soundproofing at these motels at all. The roadworkers got up, nattered and joked, struggled to open the locked gates, and utes roared to life, heading out for the day. If you can't beat them, may as well get going too. Tonight the stop will be in Cobar and we are going via Bourke.

Bourke is a larger town than Walgett, so you would think more going on, but it was surprisingly quiet, a sleepy downtown area and a lot of closed and empty shops, very pretty though.

I have stayed in Bourke before, and they too lock the car park gates at night to keep the visitors' cars safe overnight. There is the old Port where the paddle steamers used to dock and carry cargo in and out, and it's a nice enough small town, seems to have everything you'd need in a small town.

Headed out to the Back of Bourke, which is the tourist information centre as well, mostly just for the pic of the Count in the car park with all the 4WD beasts. I find it funny: this small car and all those (comparatively) huge 4WDs that everyone "needs" to travel out here.

We then went past the local bakery for some important supplies and headed out of town in the direction of Cobar, where the stop is for tonight. I stopped long the way roadside to eat the bakery supplies. You forget just how red the dirt can be out here.

Along the route, there are herds of wild goats; they are everywhere! Must be loving how green it is out here after all the rain (I know the pictures above don't look too green, but there is much more roadside grass just a bit further along). There was never any problem with hitting any of them, though, as at 80 kilometres an hour they hear you coming and have time to decide if they will move away of even pay you any attention long before you get to them.

Next up along the way is Cobar, and another relatively short day's driving is done again. Checking in done and another oil and grease session for the Count, then off for a quick look around Cobar before night (no locking gates at night and all that here!).