Corryong & Towong

Myrtleford was only twenty something km’s from Everton. We refuelled the car and picked up some groceries there before continuing on.  This way to Corryong was a ‘back way’ as it took us off the Hume Freeway and bypassed Wodonga. It was a nice drive, not too hilly or winding, and very little traffic. The scenery was picturesque.

The road brought us to the Murray Valley Hwy at the edge of Lake Hume, a few km’s west of Tallangatta. We paused at a rest stop for a cuppa, before continuing the last 70 km’s to Colac Colac.

We were pleasantly surprised that the park was busy but not overly full. We were given a site under large deciduous trees, meaning we had shade most of the day.

Preparing lunch, we met the 4 free range chickens who wander the park. I think they smelt our food, that’s if chickens smell much. Either way, they graced us with our presence when the food appeared, one even leaping on the table to take a closer look. The kids thought this was cute, I thought it would make a nice bonus to my salad…

After surviving the chicken onslaught that was lunch we explored the creek that runs along the boundary of the park. Officially a creek, but it runs and flows more like a river, even in the height of summer. It was refreshing. Over the course of our time here, with very hot days predicted (ranging between 37 and 42 degrees) it would become our refuge every afternoon.

After dinner where the chickens again paid us a visit, we rode our bikes along the trail that runs from the caravan park in towards Corryong. The colours of the evening as the sun went down were nice, as was the cooler air in the face… not so much the constant sting of bugs and beetles hitting one’s face!

After our ride, the kids went to the weekly movie night, a screen behind the playground, BYO chair or picnic rug.

The morning of our first full day at Colac Colac we drove into Corryong. There are only a couple of geocaches in town and we decided to find them. The first was at the lookout overlooking town.

The second was in the cemetery where the grave of Jack Riley is. He has become synonymous with the legend of the ‘Man From Snowy River’. Banjo Patterson’s famous poem is said to be based on Jack.

A friendly horse came and greeted us in the neighbouring paddock… (dad joke alert)

NEIGHbouring…!  Keeping the horsey theme going, the Man From Snowy River is all about a horse who escaped and ran off with the wild brumbies and Jack Riley the horseman who went out and captured him again… so this equine welcome was very apt!

We drove a few km’s up the road to Towong. No gags about ‘to wongs not making a wite’ needed here. Towong is right on the Murray River, hence the border with NSW. We found a clever little ‘letterbox’ geocache, paused for photos and then checked out the historic pavilion at the horse racing track. They still hold the Towong Cup each year.

A quick trip to the shops in Corryong on the way through. We especially bought a large cask of water. The water at the caravan park is not drinkable. It’s pumped out of the creek and I noticed a bunch of cows standing in the creek upstream yesterday as we drove in… Not to mention the sweaty, sun screen covered tourists and their peeing children… This is a statue of Jack Riley next to the Tourist Info Office.

After lunch back at the caravan, we availed ourselves of the creek again, utilising a cheap lilo we’d acquired in town. It lasted a few hours before rocks got the better of it… so like the Titanic it didn’t survive it’s maiden voyage…