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--- 193408 [2014/09/03 13:46] – [SOCIAL NOTES] emmanuelle_c
+++ 193408 [2014/09/03 14:07] – [WIFF'S SECOND GOLD HUNT] emmanuelle_c
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 house, and polished off the usual steak and eggs. Then we set off at 7 p.m. north, which puzzled me as our way was south. Soon turned west and about a mile and a half along turned in our right direction until we struck a branch road, stopped and talked over which one to take, and decided on the wrong one. Only went a few paces and struck a camp called the "Four Mile Camp", a father and son camping there for 3 years for the benefit of the old man who had a nervous break down. They made us welcome, put us right on the track, and we camped there for the night, having a good yarn at the fire in a small hut.
-Sunday a very hard day on a hard road with nothing to see. We dined at Grattai Creek and pushed an to Coorangore Creek and camped with very sore feet. Monday we started with a 3 mile climb to the top of Tucker's Hill. Had a yarn with an old resident who told us about Mrs. Tucker picking up a big nugget on top of the mountain. Call it a hills Well, Kosciusko is only a mound on a high range compared with Tucker's Hill. Dinner on top and a dip in a waterhole by the road. Vic kept nit while I went in, and then I took his place while he washed the tiredness out of his legs. Hargraves was reached at 2.30. Called in at the Pub for a ginger beer as they did not stock anything stronger. We camped near an old cemetery for company. These cemetaries seem to have some attraction for me, as it is the third one I have camped in; so I made my wife promise she would have me cremated so that I could not worry her after I am gone.
+Sunday - a very hard day on a hard road with nothing to see. We dined at Grattai Creek and pushed on to Coorangore Creek and camped with very sore feet. Monday we started with a 3 mile climb to the top of Tucker's Hill. Had a yarn with an old resident who told us about Mrs. Tucker picking up a big nugget on top of the mountain. Call it a hills! Well, Kosciusko is only a mound on a high range compared with Tucker's Hill. Dinner on top and a dip in a waterhole by the road. Vic kept nit while I went in, and then I took his place while he washed the tiredness out of his legs. Hargraves was reached at 2.30. Called in at the Pub for a ginger beer as they did not stock anything stronger. We camped near an old cemetery for company. These cemeteries seem to have some attraction for me, as it is the third one I have camped in; so I made my wife promise she would have me cremated so that I could not worry her after I am gone.
 Tuesday we took a 4 mile walk to Mt.Anderson and saw where the Louise Falls sometimes fall over the rocks, but they were very dry. We had dinner and I washed about 6 dishes of dirt, but not a colour, while Vic went out shooting with his camera with better results.	Back to the cemetery for tea and bed with the spooks.
-Wednesday - raining, so decided to ride in the mail car to Hill End, much the same sort of country as Mudgee-Hargraves section, only Green Valley made a pleasant change. Then we came on the historic spot where 30,000 Chows, had been camped - Tambaroora. I don't, know if the name is Abo or Chow, but the number of them made it Chinese, and they didn't all grow peanuts, as there were some laundrymen amongst them. They had washed all the soil off the paddocks and left the place a wreck. I bet the Whites had a bit of fun pulling their pigtails.	Then Hill End or the "End of the World" was reached - a place all turned over looking for the precious metal. The paddocks are bare and only roots of the grass left. They tell me that the sheep and cattle in the early days used to have their teeth filled with gold biting into the ground to get at the roots. We spent half an hour in that place while picking up a bit of fresh food, and dropped 1500 ft. into the Turon in a 1 1/2 miles, like Badgery's Crossing. I could not stand the cold on the hill. Made camp right on the Turon.
+Wednesday - raining, so decided to ride in the mail car to Hill End, much the same sort of country as Mudgee-Hargraves section, only Green Valley made a pleasant change. Then we came on the historic spot where 30,000 Chows had been camped - Tambaroora. I don't, know if the name is Abo or Chow, but the number of them made it Chinese, and they didn't all grow peanuts, as there were some laundrymen amongst them. They had washed all the soil off the paddocks and left the place a wreck. I bet the Whites had a bit of fun pulling their pigtails.	Then Hill End or the "End of the World" was reached - a place all turned over looking for the precious metal. The paddocks are bare and only roots of the grass left. They tell me that the sheep and cattle in the early days used to have their teeth filled with gold biting into the ground to get at the roots. We spent half an hour in that place while picking up a bit of fresh food, and dropped 1500 ft. into the Turon in a 1 1/2 miles, like Badgery's Crossing. I could not stand the cold on the hill. Made camp right on the Turon.
-Thursday we decided to stock up for 10 days and push on. Vic volunteered to climb back to Hill End for supplies, while I watched a flock of goats that they did not eat our tent and sleeping bags. I did a bit of washing and found my first nugget. No luck with the fish, I could not lose a bait, so came to the conclusion that they had gone west to their winter quarters. As it was Dole Day on the Hill, Vic had to fight to get served at the shops. The storekeeper nearly collapsed when he put  a £1 note down to pay for the supplies.
+Thursday - we decided to stock up for 10 days and push on. Vic volunteered to climb back to Hill End for supplies, while I watched a flock of goats that they did not eat our tent and sleeping bags. I did a bit of washing and found my first nugget. No luck with the fish, I could not lose a bait, so came to the conclusion that they had gone West to their winter quarters. As it was Dole Day on the Hill, Vic had to fight to get served at the shops. The storekeeper nearly collapsed when he put  a £1 note down to pay for the supplies.
 Friday - pushed on through what was Root Hogg, a thriving township of 13000 souls, with 26 pubs, and a public school. When they went they must have taken the town and level ground with them, it must have been all gold, as I could not see where they could have had a township. Struck the Macquarie River after 3 miles of walking and the road had disappeared from view, easy going until a good camp site was struck at 3 o'clock. No fish, no gold, so pushed on.
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 Saturday - passed 2 tunnels where gold was found, but now occupied by unemployed looking for gold. Saw the remain of a crusher with 12 stampers for reducing the stone to powder for washing. Plenty of rabbits but no gun. I think this trip would be a glorious one in the right time of the year, when the fish are about. We saw plenty of remains of camps and fishing sticks in the river. With Old Sol shining, a perfect place for the Nude Cult. The stinging nettle only just comes above the ground and is very rare. The water was a bit too cold for much washing. The poor chaps who were washing had to have a fire going to warm their hands after every dish they washed. Another great blessing, there would be no women to worry about popping around the corner catching you sunbaking. We were on a wonderful road, soft under foot, dug into the aide of the mountain and built up on the other side sometimes 30 ft. of solid stones, lovely grade, a credit to its makers. Then the road disappeared away from the river, so we left it and stuck to the river.
-Sunday was spent walking further along.
+Sunday - was spent walking further along.
-Monday it rained, so we slept in.
+Monday - it rained, so we slept in.
 Tuesday passed some wonderful rock formation - rapids and fall which stop the cod from going further up the river, a splendid fishing place with several made rods standing up against a cliff. We overstepped our mark and landed at Killenbutter Station. They could not show us where they were on the map, but told us where the road  was, or used to be. They used another road via Fremantle, as they were on the other side of the river.
-Wednesday we tried to find the road and got properly bushed as I don't think there ever was a road. We got the ridge and walked about 5 miles along until we came out on a trig station. Only being two on the map about that part, it had to be the Black Mountain or Mt. York. We could not make it the Black Mountain, and Mt.York seemed too far from where we thought we were. So we decided to make it down to the river again and follow it up to the crossing near Fremantle, thinking we had a good distance to go.	Hunger set in at 2.30, could not resist a billy of tea and scones. Splendid going along the river, the miles flew past and the road crossing was reached at 4.30, greatly relieved as I wanted to land Vic at work on Monday. I felt that I had led him astray up the mountain. Up till now we had not troubled anyone for supplies. We barely had enough to see us through. Called in at the first house and purchased a dozen eggs and half a loaf of bread, and we were eyeing two lovely Turkeys. If I had been nearer Bathurst I would have brought one home. We were offered fish and other food but did not want it. Hillside sheep station was just down the paddocks, run by Mr. Prior whom we met on Friday. He gave us a lift 7 miles along the way, and told us we were on Mt.York and we ought to have called in on him and he would have been pleased to put us up for the night.	We had a wash and clean up at Rankin's Bridge.
+Wednesday - we tried to find the road and got properly bushed as I don't think there ever was a road. We got the ridge and walked about 5 miles along until we came out on a trig station. Only being two on the map about that part, it had to be the Black Mountain or Mt. York. We could not make it the Black Mountain, and Mt.York seemed too far from where we thought we were. So we decided to make it down to the river again and follow it up to the crossing near Fremantle, thinking we had a good distance to go.	Hunger set in at 2.30, could not resist a billy of tea and scones. Splendid going along the river, the miles flew past and the road crossing was reached at 4.30, greatly relieved as I wanted to land Vic at work on Monday. I felt that I had led him astray up the mountain. Up till now we had not troubled anyone for supplies. We barely had enough to see us through. Called in at the first house and purchased a dozen eggs and half a loaf of bread, and we were eyeing two lovely Turkeys. If I had been nearer Bathurst I would have brought one home. We were offered fish and other food but did not want it. Hillside sheep station was just down the paddocks, run by Mr. Prior whom we met on Friday. He gave us a lift 7 miles along the way, and told us we were on Mt.York and we ought to have called in on him and he would have been pleased to put us up for the night.	We had a wash and clean up at Rankin's Bridge.
 Bathurst was reached at 12 o'clock. A good look around, pictures at night and train at 12 o'clock. Home at 6 a.m. Saturday after a very enjoyable trip with a splendid mate. Vic could not have been better, as he was always considering me, and covered about 20 extra miles to find out just where our position was.