Hillston to Balranald

30th April 2006 We bought a Blue Ice Cooler at Rosehill Caravan Show in 2006, I was sceptical but Fiona thought otherwise and the cooler had a very successful run to Mungo NP when it kept frozen meat, frozen for a week, with the addition of only a few small ice packs! A quick pit stop on the way to Mungo to make sure the camper was still attached, with a very happy Fiona hiding behind the Subaru on the road across to Rankin Springs. We headed north to Hillston from Rankin Springs on the red dirt road which was in pretty good condition and travel was easy. Hillston is a very interesting place and we had good stop over at the Caravan Park (we have stayed many times since) on our way to Mungo or Menindee via Ivanhoe, there are many great places out here in the bush I can tell you. We headed west from Hillston for Mungo on more red dirt but the information we got from Hillston Information Centre wasn’t all that helpful, but to be fair, this was our first excursion into this part of NSW and we had no idea what to expect. I had 20 litres of spare fuel on board and a full tank when we left Hillston (that wasn’t enough). Never rely on what you are told with regard to distance, do the sums yourself! We needed another top up before we got to Mungo and we decided to try Booligal General Store who could only sell us 10 litres (waiting supply), which put us back to square one, still 290km to get to Mungo and there was no fuel at Mungo. It was 100km to Mossgiel on the Cobb Highway, but Mossgiel was just a place with one nearby homestead, a couple of km up the Cobb Hwy to the Mungo turnoff and meant another 190km on red dirt just to get to Mungo, we just could not do it! So it was back south along the Cobb to Booligal where there was a small general store and post office, with fuel! But, it was about 90km to Booligal, there were no easy short cuts to Mungo from there so we continued south to Hay and across the Hay Plains to Balranald. As it turned out we didn’t visit the Information Centre at Hay, because I knew where we were going! Well I did but mother nature had a few tricks up her sleeve still to play out. Away we went to Balranald Information Centre where they told us the road to Mungo was closed because of rain, hang out overnight and check again next day as the road may have re-opened. Off to the Balranald Caravan Park to do a quick setup for one night and who should we run into but John & Jan Buttle (we were both counillors with NSWVGA - Veteran Golfers). Well the CP was below and beside a bridge across the Murray River, and, lots and lots of interstate trucks used this route. this is where Fiona said no more! Balranald to Mungo NP  2nd May 2006 The following morning we were up early (Fiona -v- Truck noise) and needless to say we were keen to get to the Information Centre, where around 9am the attending young lady very assuredly told us that the road to Mungo was still closed, so we packed up and headed back across the Hay Plains 135kms and we stopped to have a coffee next to the Hay Information Centre. We went in and asked the question about Mungo and the young lady informed us the road had re-opened at first light that morning. We were determined so back we went direct to Mungo NP via 100km of red dirt including some very rough and corrugated sections. We arrived OK however and the trip was enjoyable as the rain had cleansed the mulga scrub and gum trees to show bright fresh colours. A few stops so Fi could check out the foilage and wildlife, the country was flat and Fiona loved it and has done ever since. Of course driving on the red clay with very overcast skies had me on edge a bit, although I said nothing to the bride, I had to trust the forecast from Hay that all would be well for the next 8-10 days, they were right. Down to Mungo Information Centre to fill in the forms, check out the showers and the public telephone (which did not work) and grab some firewood, then up to the campsite area which only contained a few other vehicles and a small busload of scouts or whatever. Setting up the camper was much easier this time because Fiona was in control, so all was good at the campsite for the next 24 hours. Early next morning it was another cooked breakfast - life was good!