Narrandera NSW
We stop in at Narrandera so we can have a look at the Koala reserve and their wetlands.
So on our push bikes and out to the wetlands where we find not much water but there is birdhides placed around the track. This place would be good when it has water in spring, as it is: it looks ok , has some resident birds and is kept well. Council put in the wetlands to improve the quality of the water entering the Murrumbidgee river,whilst providing a haven for water birds,flora and fauna of the area.
 
 
 
Koala reserve
40 years ago the first koalas were introduced to the reserve on the Murrumbidgee river. Since then they have spread up and down the area living in the river red gums. We found 4 koalas out side the reserve as we walked and cycled around the surrounding dirt roads beside he river.We finally got to the gates to the reserve only to find I had a flat tyre. We decided to walk the 9km straight back to the caravan, repair the puncture and try again the next day.


 
 
 
   
When we got to the van we went to the aquatic centre with its 3 pools and 2 water slides on Lake Talbot. We had good swim and wanted to play on the slides but they were clossed for the day, maybe tomorrow. One slid is the Rampage a shot one designed for speed into the water, the other a long 100m slid.

The next morning we cycled around the wetlands before breakfast. The idea was wetlands, breakfast, ride to koala reserve, pool. Well on the way back to the van from wetlands I hit a rock, lump dirt or something and came off my bike, hitting the ground with my right side with the handlebar somehow under me.I thought I would be just winded and a bit bruised so we had breakfast and set out on our ride. We got to the koala reserve and walked the 4km track, got back to our bikes for the 9km ride back and by this time I was feeling a little worse for wear. Very sore and having trouble moving right arm with lots of pain when I laughed or coughed. We made it back to van and went to the pool, I could not swim more than a couple of laps but the water was good. We did not see any more koals just the same ones , no lizards but some birds.

We move on to Mathoura and the Edward river camp ground, so we could visit the wetlands. We had to drive up to next to the caravan park, a few kms away, to go for a swim. This is in the Edward river from the ski ramp and down stream with the current to a sandy beach. As this did not take to much arm movement we did this 3 times, it was fun.
 
 
 
 

 
The radio news was saying there was a bush fire in the area so we moved out of the bush to beside the Murray river at Barooga.
We spend 4 nights here waiting for the 45c degree days to pass, walking morning and night and sitting in the river at a sandy beach during the day. Here again, the river is flowing fast so to break the boredom of just sitting, lying in water, we walked up stream jumped in swam back down. We even put on or snorkels and masks and floated downstream , but it was to murky in the deeper water to see any fish, but you felt them occasionally.

 
 
 
 
On the friday before leaving and coming into Benalla to see family our son brought the youngest grand daughter to stay the night and play in the water. It was a shame we had to move on , but appointments and family are waiting.

After a stay with family we are to spend 5 weeks in Tasmania returning for easter with family before heading to west Australia.