Once again sitting outside my van in broad daylight at 7.40pm in a bush setting with a view over the local river. It is the Murray but is rather narrow here and in the background is the always incessant noise from about 10million white corellars. I had been told that this was a great campsite and on that basis planned to spend an extra day here. However, although it is quite nice, I may decide to move on, decision time 8n the morning.
Dan the van left the camp fairly early this morning, shortly after eight! First stop was for me to take an extended walk through town. Echuca has an abundance of old good looking buildings so the camera worked overtime to take many photos. It is always a pity to see what the commercial activity does to streets like theses with all the great buildings. I know that it is necessary is simply part of progress and I am not complaining, but it is still a pity. I also had a look at the historic old port and here commercial interests have certainly spoiled things. There was a bit to see and lots of relatively meaningless attractions requiring payment. Never the less I did have a good look and, of course, took photos.
Then Dan got on the road with the first stop being Nathalia where they have modified the current fashion of painting silos by painting a mural on their water tower. Water towers in this part of the world are very tall, this one being about 30mtrs, so the mural is rather specie and guess what I did. Then they had a discovery building about the Barmarah Forrest, so I went to have a look. I was met by a gent who, seeing that I was the only person there, gave me a lengthy and detailed explanation of the huge red gum Forrest in the area, details shortly. There was also an extensive display of photos, of the forest and other local activities, dating back to the 19th century with very detailed story boards.
The red gum Forrest covers fifty thousand hectares and is the largest in the world. Red gum is a very useful wood in that it is particularly good firewood, strong for railway sleepers and similar, waterproof for wharfs and boats as well as being rather pretty for use in furniture. As a result the forest was very, really very, actively used so that eventually people complained. In addition to denuding the forest of trees (eventually that would happen) it was ruining the natural habitat for the flora and fauna indigines (I have got that spelled wrong) to the forest. So in its wisdom the government banned logging and any collection of wood from the forest. At that time there was about 30 trees per hectare now there is 300 and the forest is preparing to strangle itself, maybe they should allow limited logging, but that would be sensible!
Then Dan took me on to this campsite and I will move in the morning as the birds are giving me a headache.
Dan the van left the camp fairly early this morning, shortly after eight! First stop was for me to take an extended walk through town. Echuca has an abundance of old good looking buildings so the camera worked overtime to take many photos. It is always a pity to see what the commercial activity does to streets like theses with all the great buildings. I know that it is necessary is simply part of progress and I am not complaining, but it is still a pity. I also had a look at the historic old port and here commercial interests have certainly spoiled things. There was a bit to see and lots of relatively meaningless attractions requiring payment. Never the less I did have a good look and, of course, took photos.
Then Dan got on the road with the first stop being Nathalia where they have modified the current fashion of painting silos by painting a mural on their water tower. Water towers in this part of the world are very tall, this one being about 30mtrs, so the mural is rather specie and guess what I did. Then they had a discovery building about the Barmarah Forrest, so I went to have a look. I was met by a gent who, seeing that I was the only person there, gave me a lengthy and detailed explanation of the huge red gum Forrest in the area, details shortly. There was also an extensive display of photos, of the forest and other local activities, dating back to the 19th century with very detailed story boards.
The red gum Forrest covers fifty thousand hectares and is the largest in the world. Red gum is a very useful wood in that it is particularly good firewood, strong for railway sleepers and similar, waterproof for wharfs and boats as well as being rather pretty for use in furniture. As a result the forest was very, really very, actively used so that eventually people complained. In addition to denuding the forest of trees (eventually that would happen) it was ruining the natural habitat for the flora and fauna indigines (I have got that spelled wrong) to the forest. So in its wisdom the government banned logging and any collection of wood from the forest. At that time there was about 30 trees per hectare now there is 300 and the forest is preparing to strangle itself, maybe they should allow limited logging, but that would be sensible!
Then Dan took me on to this campsite and I will move in the morning as the birds are giving me a headache.
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