Bathurst 500:lap 3

Lap 2 is here.  Readers familiar with The Great Race will be glad to know this manifestation concludes after 3 laps rather than 130 (as it did in the 500 days) or 161 as is now the case.

A far better night's sleep, although at one stage I did think a large freight train was coming into the camper with us!  Elaine did comment that it was the main Sydney-Perth line!

A much clearer morning and not too cold.  We took our time setting up, being distracted by Tammy finding a different friend.  It was most interesting that this dog came and – with no instruction sat and inched towards the restrained Tammy.

Packing up was completed, the camper hitched and off we went to Bathurst town for a look round the bits of the centre we didn't get to the previous day.  By and large there has been a fair bit of the history retained so well done that Council.  I'll start with a couple of bits of art deco.

The Catholic cathedral was open so we checked it out.  A somewhat older building than the bit of the  Anglican version I visited (although some elements of the Anglican one were 19th century) with an interesting relief on the front of the altar.

The Cathedral is opposite a very good park which includes a Begonia House.  They were in full glory .

The outside of the buildnig is also pleasant.

These next two images are included to show the difference in appearance between buildings with no advertising signs on the front ...

..  and those endowed with such crap sorry, hoardings.

The folk of Bathurst also seemed pleasant, and were generally interested in, and amused by Tammy.  Being so small she seems to excite interest in people wherever we take her.

The road to Blayney was found and off we went. It seemed a bit strange to see snow warning signs along the road, but in places we were probably >1000m so that would be reasonable.  At one point we passed a J L Pierce fuel tanker and wondered if that was our camping neighbour, but didn't get a good look at the driver.

Blayney was an perplexing town.  The commercial centre on the highway seemed way too big for the residential area in the middle.  Perhaps we didn't see it all?  Whatever: a very pleasant lady in the VC pointed us to the War Memorial a tad off the highway.  This was a quite common 'gatepost style' memorial and a new set of gates were to be installed – with a deal of ceremony – a little later in the year.

On, on to historic Carcoar.  This is apparently well represented in art history but we couldn't find any details.  The War Memorial was well maintained ... 

.. although the colored figurine on top was a little strange!

We ascended to the railway station and got a good view over the town.

Then on, on to Cowra (already visited) to top up with diesel and then down the Lachlan Valley way to Boorowa.  We kept a close eye out for Superb parrots but not one was seen.  Just after Boorowa much smoke was in the air.  Not a bush fire but some rustics burning off the stubble.

A few kilometres further and home!