Debbie & Geoff's

Australian Safari

August to September 2021

Winter getaway, go west to travel the Darling River Run

We started planning a trip for winter 2021 to go to Birdsville and then down the Birdsville Track. We would be going with friends Brad and Malcolm who would travel north from Sydney. They would fly into Brisbane rent a 4x4 and we would meet on the 10th August in Warwick Qld. and then to travel west through Qld.
Well as Australia has been getting used to in the last year Covid broke out in Sydney so it got put into lockdown. At first we thought it may be over in a few weeks. Debbie and Geoff were not affected but Brad and Malcolm were locked up. Then as time went on Qld. locked the border to NSW, Debbie and Geoff were still OK to cross the border. We were by then on Ver.4 of the plan.
As the days passed it became obvious that the lockdown was not going to end any time soon so the decision was made that Brad and Malcolm were not going to make the trip. Debbie and Geoff were still going to do the same trip but a bit slower so Ver.5 of the plan.
Then as time went on Covid did not give up, it was closing in on us, the Qld. border was closed to all NSW. So Ver.6 of the plan. We set a departure date of 8th August and everything was on track. As the days passed it became obvious that the lockdown was not going to end any time soon so the decision was made that Brad and Malcolm were not going to make the trip. Debbie and Geoff were still going to do the same trip but a bit slower so Ver.6 of the plan.
Then as time went on Covid did not give up, it was closing in on us, the Qld. border was closed to all NSW. So, Ver.6 of the plan. We set a departure date of 8th August and everything was on track. We packed the Lotus Van and extracted it from beside the house and hitched up the Ranger.
We departed at about 10:00 on the 8th August heading for Tenterfield, NSW. Arrived there in the afternoon setup in the Tenterfield Lodge Caravan Park, everything is going well.
We had a walk up to the Railway Museum but it was about to close so just scouted around the area to the west of town. Next day all over the news, Ballina, Byron, Lismore and surrounds go into lockdown. Some F-Wit came up from Sydney out of full lockdown and was positive. So, we had to self-isolated for a week. We discussed this with the managers of the Van Park, they were OK with us being there. This meant we could not go to restaurants, museums or any place there was people, except the supermarket. So, we left town each day and headed out to the State forests and National Parks, no people there.
After a week Burke, Broken Hill, Walgett were all going into strict lockdown, that is where we were planning to go. Inverell LGA was still open, we packed up and headed 143km to Ashford. Council Caravan Park nice grassy sites, sleepy little town but a good place for a base to explore the National Parks and waterfalls. Two hours after arriving NSW goes into lockdown, bugger. We did sneak out to Pindari Dam on the Severn River but with two people in the car if you got stopped by the police it could be fines. We could not even go shopping together to Inverell 55km south. There were a few caravaners in the park all trying to dodge the Covid lockdowns but we were all trapped now.
After a few days we decided to just go home to Ballina a 6 hour drive, that is what we did. We did get 10 days away which went in a flash. Better luck next time to get to Darling River Run and Menindee Lake.

Photos from around Tenterfield