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Middle of Nowhere, NSW
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From out of Canberra we were heading right across the country, Port Augusta way, having no idea what we'd find in between.
We stopped for lunch at a lookout over a place called Gundagai, which, apart from having quite a hip name, boasted a lookout over the site of Australia's worst flood in 1852, leading to the settlement being entirely rebuilt, apart from the old mill, still remaining today.
I took over the driving into Wagga Wagga (its said "Wogga" amongst the locals, we were told!), which is Australia's largest inland town, leading us to believe that inland towns weren't really what Australia does best as it was pretty underwhelming at best!
The next main place was Narrandera, which was hardly worth mentioning for what was there, but I guess the nothingness of it all is what truly makes these places and the inland Aussie experience. Lucy took over the driving again, driving into the sunset, steaming down the way, reaching the next settlement, Hay, by sundown. We saw numerous dead kangeroos by the roadside for the first time, and the terrain began to truly resemble the outback/the ends of the earth, but for the remnants of grass still remaining. It was just so flat with no other vehicles for miles...
Once in Hay there were handy signs to a free camping site by the river which we followed, and were surprised to find other campers there. Whether this was a regular occurance or not, was unknown, as this was a special night! It was a lunar eclipse, and there wouldn't be another one for 4 years. According to some of the eclipse enthusiasts we camped with, the best place to see it from was out in the country, where the skies were clearest. With the sun, earth and moon in perfect alignment, the earth's shadow over the moon caused it to go a blood red colour, and it was a sight to behold through the dark, arcane trees looming over the Hay river. Yet another surreal experience on the road, and completely unexpected...
528 kms on the road today, steaming along, breaking the 1000 k mark, in style!
After the dreadful excitement of last night we took the liberty to have a mini lie in before hitting the road of nothingness for another full day of driving...
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