Zupano Cafe and a walk with the hiking gang

So lovely to catch up with everyone. I had the most delicious lamb shoulder for lunch. Then we went for a glorious walk to and through the Botanical Gardens. A fantastic day out with good friends.

Dinner at The Spice Room with Elna, Hanlie and Maria

Elna's sister, Hanlie, who lives in Cape Town, is visiting Sydney, so it was great to meet her and have a wonderful dinner at the same time at The Spice Room, an Indian restaurant in Circular Quay. Lots of wonderful conversation and the food was delicious.  I even had a Margarita!

Sandy Bay Cafe and Clontarf Reserve with Xenia

It was a beautiful, sunny day for a lovely outing to Clontarf. I love this beautiful spot. I forgot my swimmers, otherwise I would have had a dip! 

Rainy walk at Dee Why with Sharon and Lydia

We met up in Dee Why, intending to walk to Manly, but it was raining quite hard. We chilled out at Girlders Cafe, which does very nice smoothies and food, before venturing for a short local walk.  We had a rather memorable interlude with an incapacitated sea gull.

Mildura

Mildura makes an ideal gateway to the NSW outback, with Mungo National Park around an hour and a half’s drive away and Broken Hill about three hours to the north. I didn’t spend too much time here, as I was keen to head out into the outback proper, but I found it a very pleasant town. For me, it was at its most beautiful down on the banks of the Murray River, where the water and riverside greenery invited me to slow down and linger a little.

The highlight of my time in Mildura was an early morning visit to Kings Billabong—a lovely introduction to the natural beauty of the region, and an experience deserving of its own separate post.

7th Street Motel 

I bookended my trip with nights at the 7th Street Motel in Mildura—a comfortable place to land after the late arrival from Sydney, and a convenient base before the very early departure back. For the rest of the trip, I camped. The motel was a good spot and even had a pool, which I made use of on my final day to wash away some of the outback dust. After all those days of camping and exploring, a swim and a proper bed felt quite luxurious! 

Walking into town to collect my rental car

On my first morning, I walked through town to the Avis rental depot to collect my hire car. It was a pleasant half-hour stroll and a lovely way to get a first feel for Mildura, with time to look around and stop for a few photos along the way. After the long journey the day before, it felt good to stretch my legs. The outback adventure was about to begin!

Mildura on the Murray River

It was only at the end of my trip that I got to explore Mildura Wharf and stroll along the banks of the Murray River. It was a beautiful spot and a lovely place to slow down after my outback adventures. There were several boats moored along the river, including a paddle boat—always a favourite subject for my camera. There is something wonderfully evocative about these vessels, so perfectly at home on the Murray.

Like Wentworth, Mildura owes much of its early development to river transport. Paddle steamers brought supplies to the growing settlement and carried produce away, making the Murray a working highway. The wharf was built in 1892, during the heyday of river trade, before the arrival of the railway in 1903 began to diminish its importance. Looking at the paddle boat, I could imagine a much busier waterfront, with cargo being unloaded and boats preparing for long journeys along the river. It added another layer of interest to an already lovely setting.

Paddle boat Coonawarra

I noticed that the paddle boat was for sale and looked in need of some tender loving care. It reminded me of the PS Ruby at Wentworth, another beautiful old vessel now sitting idle rather than plying the river. Keeping these historic boats in working order is a costly undertaking: Ruby’s future has involved council deliberations over whether to preserve her as a static attraction or fund a much more expensive return to cruising. It felt quite sad to see them like this. They are so deeply woven into the history of these river towns, and there is something particularly special about heritage that still moves, steams and carries people along the waterways that gave it life.

Brunch at the Mildura Boathouse

I treated myself to the most delicious mushroom toast for brunch at the Mildura Boathouse. After so many days of simple camp food, it tasted positively heavenly, and I savoured every mouthful. The setting was just as lovely, right on the banks of the Murray River. Good food, a beautiful view and time to linger—a delightful little indulgence at the end of my trip.