Day: April 4, 2024

We had four great weeks in Alstonville New south wales, caught up with our friends and ex neighbours Leane and Ken, revisited the Alstonville bowls club. and had some success in getting some relief for Jackies hip and foot problem. Before leaving we had decided to visit the Artesian basin west of there, originally we were going to a couple but the extra weeks with Jacks Chiropractor means we will have to shorten this part of the journey. The drive was really uneventful easy going, the Amarok hauls our van easily, there’s not much to see on the way and on getting there we really had our pick of spots to camp, and as it turns out the next two days are free because the opening is not until Thursday which is the day we leave, the baths have just been refurbished and are in great condition not to hot and clean. Two days and nights really were not enough but we have to push on, nights are really great floating in the hot springs looking up at the stars, really special.

On the last night we met a Burren Junction local, who gave us a run down on the town and some history about the local area, we were not originally going to drive the few Ks to the town but some of the things that this woman told us sort of got our interest, this town has a water problem in as much as there is only one bore to supply the town and not all houses have town water so some residents have to go to the local park and fill containers, she also said that most of the houses were shanties and anywhere else would have been condemned. So this town is one of the older towns in the northern region, the school headmasters house is over 150 years old and is heritage listed, the town cannot afford to put down a bore, but the NSW education department spent $200,000.0 renovating this house, there are between 35 and 40 students here, mostly from outlying cotton and wheat farms, she also told us to look for the tennis courts as they are ru down now but in times past state championships were held here.