Oh what a lot has happened since my last post.  It’s been 6 months so I’ll skip over alot so as not to bore you all.

We headed off from Darwin on a circular route to Orange with our first stop at Katherine and another visit to Katherine Gorge.  Here we caught up with Louise & Bruce and enjoyed a couple of days taking in the sights. 

Bruce at Katherine Gorge

Daly Waters Pub

Enjoying a drink with Lou

Sunset near Mt Isa

We then travelled on together to the Daly Waters Pub, where we had a fun night before parting ways.  Rob and I continued across to Mt Isa and then to Mackay, where we caught up with friends Col & Denise.  A quick scoot down the coast and we spent a few days in Kingscliff catching up with friends and doing some work on our house between tenants. 

After much deliberation we bit the bullet and sold the Prado to upgrade to an Izusu DMax Twin Cab.  We still miss the Prado but the extra space in the Twin Cab is just great. 

Back on the road again to get to Dubbo/Narromine and see family and then onto Orange ready to start work for the Cherry season. 

For those who followed on Facebook – we ran a little story on “Charlie the Cherry” this year – giving you all a little insight into the life cycle of a Cherry and the work involved in bringing them to your table. 

Charlie Cherry starts out

Fiona sharing a beer with Charlie

Inside the cherry shed 

Charlie just before picking

The finished product ready for dispatch

It was a busy year, which saw us working up to 18hrs a day in the peak, but unfortunately the bottom fell out of the market for cherries once Christmas was over, along with the market being flooded by cherries from Chile!  Stop these overseas imports and support our own growers I say!

Before the peak time arrive – we enjoyed a side trip to Hill End near Bathurst.  Such a lovely little historical town (Gold mining) with lots to see and do. We took an ‘alternative’ route home which gave the Izusu a bit of a test out – and also answered the question on whether we needed to install a lift kit – which we did!

Golden Gully - Hill End

Old church - Hill End (currently being restored)

Crossing the Macquarie River

Although we only had Christmas and Boxing Day off – we enjoyed catching up with the family and spending the time with them. 

Once the Cherry season finished we spent some more time with family and were on the cusp of heading off to South Australia when we were offered a job “Trench Digging”.  We had 16km of trenches to dig (on machines) laying water pipes to Dams and putting in water tanks and troughs out at Mullaley, near Gunnedah.  Best job ever!   We were working with Michael & Stephen O’Connor and another guy Dale and they were so much fun to work with, whilst so patient teaching us what to do.  We laid the last pipe about 15 minutes before we had about 120mm rain, which put a stop to any further work for the time being.  They had just taken another contract for the same property for another 15km, however sadly in our days off Stephen passed away.  I for one couldn’t face going back out there for the second stint so we spent a few more days catching up with the family before the funeral.  

Rob on his trencher

Stephen & Michael cutting in a join

Waiting on a welded join to cool

Stunning sunrise near Mullaley

We even took the time to travel to Quandialla (Rob’s brother Dennis) and Walgett (my brother Alan) for catch ups!  On the way back from Walgett we stopped in at Pilliga, Gwabegar and Baradine to do some sight seeing.  How funny – living in the area most of our lives and haven’t seen half of what’s out there. 

Beautiful sandstone caves

You just kept being amazed

Stephen’s funeral was huge and it was a testament to him on how many lives he had touched and to what a great guy he was.  We still think about him and share moments (mostly funny) of how he touched our lives and in such a short time. 

So South Australia here we come !!

Back on the road!