Road to Gulgong

THE ROAD TO GULGONE - Tuesday 26/4/2010
We left Singleton at 1.30pm and headed north towards Muswellbrook before turning west for Sandy hollow where we stoped for coffee with our friends Loraine and Dave at the Sandy Hollow Art Gallery. After an enjoyable break we headed off again for Gulgong where we booked into the local caravan park and managed to get the last powered site. Our plans were to stay here for three nights but “The Clay Festival” for Potters was being held in town this week and Wednesday night was booked out so it will be on the road again on Wednesday Afternoon.
Gulgong is the town with its picture on Australia’s first ten Dollar note. It is also referred to as the Ten Dollar Town. One of its favourite sons was Henry Lawson, probably Australia’s best known writer of Australian stories, who grew up here. The town first settled as a mining town when gold was discovered here in the early days. The narrow streets and existing buildings still show the signs of those early days. It is a quaint town of character with friendly locals. A new mining boom caused by the large deposits of coal in the area will probably be the reason for Gulgong to lose its quaint character and become like all other places that have undergone this type of change.
Dinner was at the Prince of Wales Hotel as cooking was not on the agenda, or so I was told. We immediately noticed the temperature drop as we moved further inland. This was the first night that we have worn a jumper this year.
Wednesday 27/4/2010
It had been a cold night and the temperature in the caravan was Bloody Cold. Neither of us had a good night’s sleep because of this. It was up at 5.30am for me and off to work. Coba stayed snug in bed opening one eye to say goodbye as I left. The temperature had dropped down to 5 degrees C as I got into the car for work. The weather change overnight went from a beautiful summer’s day on the Tuesday to a dull overcast and cool winter’s day this morning. It remained this way for the rest of the day. While I was at work, Coba walked into the city centre for some supplies and hose fittings that I had forgotten to bring from home. We needed these to connect our caravan to the local water supply when we stop in caravan parks.
That evening we ate at the Post Office Hotel with Graeme Elliott, a good friend who I have worked with for several years. Graeme is a person like me, and we relate well to each other and have the same sense of humour. He bought in a couple of bottles of Olive oil that he grows on his property and sells as a sideline business. He markets his oil as Gulgong Gold and Mudgee Gold.