Coonabarabran golf club – Spruleswood travells

Burren Junction to Coonabarabran, not a long road but we were surprised by the amount of climbing we seemed to be doing, I was expecting a flatter area, although it is a easy and

Interesting drive there was not much action, but plenty of Emu around and some very large cotton farms on the way.

We arrived at Coonabarabran golf club, a bit after lunch time on Thursday; its a free bush camp with plenty of room for 30 or more vans, we had almost finished setting up, when I thought that I had better go down to the club house and let them know of our arrival, and I wanted to have a sqiz at the course. The staff had just started, so I signed in and commented that this was a good set up considering it was free, the young lass behind the bar then explained that it was not really free and I would have to pay $5.30, I was a bit surprised, she smiled and said of course you also get a beer for that price what are you having, thinking straight away, bugger! Jackie is up there setting up, well I paid for it didn’t I ? And only had a XXXX gold, really! Only one.

Well I finally escaped from there but on the way back I bumped into a couple of golfers unloading a buggy, and asked them who I had to see about playing in the comp on Saturday, one of them “Chris” (he had trouble maker written all over him) told me that all I had to do was front up at 11:O’clock and Bobs you uncle, having said that he asked me if I had played here before, “answer” negative, he then suggested that I grab my clubs and join them in the Thursday comp. Well there wasn’t much setting up left to do, and anyway why not, and we are out to make new friends. After 9 frustrating holes of golf, no help from my new mate Chris, a beer to test the Toheys old tap, then I wandered up to our site to find that there were now 10-15 new campers there, popular spot.

It is a bit cooler here than Townsville, but at least its not raining “yet”, very peaceful camp, Friday we are looking around Coonabarabran or (Coona) as the locals call it, really not much to do on good Friday, Just have a drive around.

Like so many of the old New South wales towns the village of Coonabarabran, has a variety of homes although Coona, is mostly of the older variety. You really have to drive up to the lookout to get an idea of the size of the place. WE had a late start and it had not really warmed up by the time we ventured out to look, so being good Friday with nothing open we headed back to the camp, and besides I had to rest, a big day on the course tomorrow. What can I say about golf Thursday; I did not hit the greens, couldn’t putt, comp day, Billy came out to play 4th overall I met some great golfers, won a ball (closed club day visitors couldn’t win major prizes) gave the Toheys old tap a work out, back to camp to get ready for dinner in the clubhouse, in their very good Chinese restaurant.

PILLIGA POTTERY FARM

SUNDAY we are visiting Pilliga a region in New south wales known for its unique pine flooring timber cotton and so we find out some very classy pottery, the drive takes about 40 minutes and about 10K is dirt pretty good but you would not want to have to drive it after an inch of rain, Pilliga Pottery and farm comes as a bit of a surprise if you haven’t looked it up, Getting there you drive through scrubby red soil country then you start getting glimpses of this weird looking building through the trees.

The farm gives you the impression that it is or was built a a community property, the web site says that it was built with community help, there are a lot of people working here and must live here, as there are no properties nearby and a few different nationalities serving and working around the place, given that it is a well maintained property and the pottery is excellent there is so much stock that there must be an outlet in a major city, a great place to visit.