Wimmera and Mallee, Victoria. Part 3.

We met up with some like minded travellers during our second stay at Lake Lascelles, this fact caused us to change our travel itinerary and stay on for an extra two nights. The Happy Hours proved too good to miss out on. As we had already booked the caravan in for a service at Halls' Jayco in Mildura there came a time when we had to leave.

This is the final section of our loop through The Wimmera and The Mallee Regions of Victoria. We only needed to pass through Patchewollock, Walpeup and Ouyen on our way through to Red Cliffs Caravan Park. Following the caravan service we travelled on to The Merbein Common. While there, we had planned to meet up with Mick and Bev and camp beside the Murray River for the final time on this trip. As rain was threatening, we were only going to stay one night. We thought that the rain was going to be the following day but it came early, fortunately only reasonably lightly. Even so, we were doing a fair amount of slipping and sliding moving up to the 'all weather track' from our river bank camp site. Heavier rain was predicted later that day, if we had stayed any longer we would have been stuck in river side clay for many days.

This is the most obvious sight as you drive into Patchewollock. The sign refers to last years festival, it hasn't been upgraded as yet, but I am led to believe there will be a festival in 2014.

This is the remainder of the Main Street of Patchewollock, although there is a Post Office General Store at the far end of the street. (behind me) The Hotel Proprietor is the Prime Organiser for the Music Festival and the hotel is booked out already. It's caravans and tents for anybody else.

The Mallee is home to The Mallee Fowl. These two specimens are thriving in the environment. A typical mallee fowl mound is situated between the two here. The mounds are usually 5 metres across and about 1 metre high. 

Behind the Mallee Fowl display is the rail line, silos and not much else.

Walpeup, on the Ouyen to Pinnaroo Road is another very small Mallee town.

Walpeup does have a very good RV camp. Well grassed and good amenities for a nominal fee.

Wimmera and Mallee, Victoria. Part 2

From Jeparit we moved along to Rainbow. In Rainbow we heard the expression. "Many small country towns are dying but here in Rainbow we are Surviving!" The condition of the town and the traffic in the town seems to bear out this belief. There are some empty shop fronts but we were advised that they are owned by an 'Out of Towner' who doesn't want them leased but is using them as a 'Tax Dodge'. Maybe that is the case in many small country towns. After exploring Rainbow's main environs it was time to make camp for the night. We had already planned on camping at Western Beach Camp Ground on Lake Albacutya. That was where we headed. As you would expect, being on the boundary of the Little Desert, this is a desolate place. Very dry and deserted, only one other camp in sight. Also as we expected, there was no water in Lake Albacutya. What we didn't anticipate was the flies! Well, the number of flies. We stayed inside the caravan with the fan pushing some air around inside to make us feel comfortable. After an overnight shower of rain the flies weren't so bad next morning and we were able to do a little exploring. Time to pack up and move onwards, this time our destination is Yaapeet on the end of a branch line of the railway system that services the grain silos there. If ever a town deserves the title 'dead', this must be the place. Everything is closed except for a mechanical maintenance workshop. We spoke to a couple of people who once had businesses here but could not leave the town after the closure. They still had a sense of humour, but that's country people for you. They can see some blue sky in any situation. We are returning to Lake Lascelles (with water) in Hopetoun for our camp tonight and then in the morning heading off towards Mildura through Patchewollock and Walpeup. Tune into the next blog for reports on these out of the way towns.

The symbol marking the entrance to Rainbow.

The median strip between the lanes of the very wide main street hosts the Memorial Garden. This is titled Federation Street, because the town was formed in 1901, the year of Federation.

The Royal is the 'bottom Pub'.

The Eureka is the middle Pub but unfortunately the top Pub is no longer in existence as it has burned down.

Strauss's has been here since the town began and still in operation today.

This was the Picture Theatre, built by Strauss, the proprietor of the General Store across the road. Originally this was the site of a competing General Store owned by a Mr Cust. The story goes Mr Strauss burned Mr Custs store to the ground, and got away with it, so that he could build his picture theatre. Well, it's a great story anyway!

Rainbow has several Murals around town. You can see Strauss's General Store in the original town layout.

Our view of Lake Albacutya from the camp site.

There is a boat ramp here, so don't forget to bring your boat. Looks like the boys have been going for a bit of a drive looking for water!

We had a general sprinkling of rain overnight but even that couldn't revive any spirits in the town of Yaapeet. Officially dead I think.

A few boys were in town with some of their machinery. Looking for repairs, maybe, at the only surviving business, a mechanical repair workshop.

Small park for the tourists who get lost. The Post Office is closed but the PO Boxes are housed in this shelter.

This marks the towns Centenary, 1998 from memory.

Wimmera and Mallee, Victoria. Part 1

Following our stopover in Warracknabeal we decided at the last minute to complete a round trip tour of many of the small Wimmera and Mallee towns that are off the main roads. After refuelling the car and restocking the caravan we didn't leave Warracknabeal till late heading in the direction of Dimboola. We noticed in Dimboola that there is significant building of new homes and units. This must be heartening for the locals, to have people moving into the town. After a walk around the town and a few conversations with some locals who had just as much time on their hands as we have, we continued westwards to our camp site for the night. This was only about 6 km out of Dimboola at a large roadside Rest Area.

The following morning we continued our tour, shortly arriving at Nhill. Nhill seems to be a thriving town, fairing better than most in the region and boasts a large Medical/Hospital Complex. Straddling The Western Highway is probably of some benefit to the town with the volume of passing traffic. Following our morning tea break and a walk around the town we then navigated towards Jeparit. The scenery was the same all along the roadsides, broad acre paddocks covered with crop stubble. This was interrupted occasionally with some paddocks that had been tilled in readiness for the new seasons sowing. Jeparit, sadly, looks very much like a dying town with closed shop fronts galore. Jeparit is of course known as the birth place of Robert Gordon Menzies, twice Prime Minister of Australia. The town has, what looks to be a, reasonably new Hospital. This Hospital really looks out of place in the run down town.

The large Dimboola Hotel was destroyed by fire about 10 years ago, the local council is, apparently, fighting the owner in the courts to have the building demolished.

This is the reasonably busy Main Street of Dimboola.

This was once the Star Picture Theatre in Dimboola.

Rest Rooms and Information Centre in Dimboola.

Ultra wide Main Street in Nhill gives the town an open look.

More of the Main Street which is also the Western Highway.

Well kept parks and this Bandstand add appeal to the town.

The Post Office is a classic old design.

It is easy to see where the Rate Payers money is going in this Council. Very elaborate Council Offices for the employees here!

This is the never ending landscape in the Wimmera and Mallee. Crop stubble.

Lunch beside the Wimmera River weir at Jeparit.

Robert Gordon Menzies memorial plaque in it's own commemorative garden in the centre of town.

This Spire denotes the birth place of R G Menzies. He was born in his parents store that was situated on this street corner.

One of the few significant buildings in Jeparit.

The CFA (Country Fire Authority) Station and the grain silos beside the rail line.