The Diggings campground on the Turon River
In this post: The peace and the pain of camping.
This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 40-year-old bookmark (give or take a few years) and I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).
Today’s travel notes
The TC, bless her cotton socks, has a new favourite place to camp. It’s The Diggings campground in New South Wales, Australia. It’s beautiful and peaceful, so she claims, tucked away between the hills, right on the bank of the Turon River. “Peaceful?” I retort. “Hah, read on!”
“Everything in Australia is trying to kill you.” That’s what they say. Here come the 5 hazards that the TC encountered on this short two-day trip. Plus a bonus hazard!
The book I’m in
Gone for Good by Harlan Coben. A good fast read full of twists and turns. Perfect for bookworms like yours truly, who prefer their hazards presented between the covers of a book.
Travel tips
Get out there and enjoy life. It might be shorter than you think! (I’m voicing the TC here.)
The photos
Ah, camping. This worm doesn’t know why the TC does it!
Hazard 1: Aggressive ants. At the slightest provocation, they’ll barrel out of their nest on the ground, climb up your legs as far as possible, and nip like fire pokers. Also, it’s important to point out that these particular ants had built their nest right across the doorway of the dunny. (Australian terminology: a dunny is a toilet, especially a long-drop like the ones you get at campgrounds, if you’re lucky to get any at all.) So, just when you’re in a hurry, there’s a hazard in your way.
The peace. A smooth green sward of grass, surrounded by tree-covered hills from which birds sound their music:
Kangaroos abound, bounding around, with several little joeys both in and out of the pouch. Crimson Rosellas feed on the grass seeds, adding their rich reds and blues to the scene:
Hazard 2: Being chased by a kangaroo. Those roos may look cute and cuddly. But… The TC stopped for a moment to listen to some birds. Suddenly a peremptory bark sounded from higher up the hill. She looked up to see a big male kangaroo loping towards her. Not fast, but purposefully. With its chest and arms all muscly and strong. She took the wiser course and walked away. The male stopped near his clutch of females and joeys to watch the TC retreat. She does confess that her heart bumped painfully for a while.
Hazard 3: Aggressive birds. Not all birds are as peace-loving as the Crimson Rosellas in the previous photo. Earlier in this trip, before getting to the campground, an Australian Magpie did an uncomfortably close fly-by. Once again, the TC had stopped to watch some birds, though not the magpie. Suddenly, she heard and felt a loud clap just next to her head. Just a warning pass, no contact. The TC looked up to see a magpie fly off, land on a nearby branch, then turn round and ready itself for another go. On this occasion too, the TC took the wiser course, with her umbrella raised above her head in defence.
More peace. The early morning sun glows behind a wall of mist:
Hazard 4: Deep mineshafts. Beware where you tread, in the misty eery light. Deep mine shafts are scattered at random, remaining from the days of gold mining in the area. The shafts within the campground are fenced off, but a dreadful drop lies in wait for the unwary who wander off the beaten path:
Yet more peace. The Turon River flows past the campground, reflecting sky and trees, home to ducks, kingfishers, and other wildlife:
Hazard 5: River and terrain. You need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to get to The Diggings campground. Depending which route you take, there’s one river crossing and a steep, dry-weather-only descent on a dirt track, or at least four river crossings. Beware the river rising. It can be fast-flowing and deep.
And the promised bonus hazard: In the video at the start of this post, the TC mentioned a spider in the dunny. Yes, it was a redback. A good one to avoid!
On this trip, yours truly stayed safely tucked in a book. Hence, no photos of me in this post. My apologies, dear reader, I know you miss my noble physiognomy.
That’s all for today, folks.
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