Off to Muswellbrook - A Day Trip Shakedown

With the two weeks up and Heather needing to attend an appointment in Muswellbrook, we decided to make this another shakedown trip.

We learnt a lot from our previous short trip and lunch outing - see A Day Trip - Kitchener Poppet Head Heritage Park, and have added some missing items. 

We left home at 7am with both Bambi and Buffy and immediately had a quick walk and doggie comfort stop in Largs Park next to the Ernie Jurd Oval.

The weather was clear and a crisp 7C (44.6F) with 19C (66F) forecast.

Google maps claims that the quickest way to Muswellbrook is by following the Northern side of the Hunter River The trip starts with with Maitland Vale Road and eventually arrives at Singleton, then on to Muswellbrook by the New England Highway.

We headed off and found that the Iveco comfortably managed the winding hills and dales with ease. Bambi and Buffy have settled into motorhome travel like seasoned grey nomads. The countryside is easy on the eyes.

Mitchells Flat, Elderslie Road

Morning Tea at Rose Point Park in Singleton provided another pit stop for Bambi and Buffy, along with ourselves. The addition of a whistling kettle, a coffee plunger and Udder Farm milk and we were enjoying a decent cuppa. Beats the hit and miss of buying one. A tick in the box for the water tank, water pump, sink, grey water tank, gas stove and refrigerator.

Rose Point Park, Singleton

The park is on the bank of the Hunter River and has natural bush surrounding the riverbank, an expanse of sports fields and a large children's play area. The play area has a sensory section with different activities centered around all the senses. There is a garden of plants marked as "Taste, Smell and Touch". 

On the road - Glennies Creek, Camberwell

We made good progress and the traffic was minimal. The motorhome makes traveling present and drives extremely well. Our two passengers were happily enjoying their day.

While Heather is busy, a walk along the Hunter River. The bank is overgrown and the Muswellbrook Waterworks is nearby. Plenty happy dog time spent exploring.

OK we have had our walk - why are we waiting?

We headed out of Muswellbrook and on to Denman Road, past Mount Arthur Coal Mine, 

Drayton Coal Mine

We then cut the corner by turning on to Edderton Road past Mt Arthur, towards Jerry's Plains.

Traffic Lights in the middle of nowhere - Edderton Road roadworks.

Arriving at Jerry's Plains - Time to pull over! 

There are two tight turns in town which would have been interesting! On the eastern side of town is our next stop.

Time for Lunch at the Free Camp at Jerry' Plains.

We bought with us from home the ingredients to make up some chicken salad wraps, along with some treats for our travellers, followed by another round of coffee. Both the girls are happy that the "house on wheels" has a refrigerator. 😄

The new table and adjustable seats were very comfortable and good value being on sale. Thank you Freddy's Fishing & Outdoors!

Jerry's plains School of Arts - Well equipped little township. 

The nearby horses were curious!

The free campsite at Jerry's Plains is well equipped! It has a children's playground, tennis courts, wood BBQ, clean toilets, water, tables, shade and pets are allowed on a leash. The council has provided a RV Dump Point. Within a short walk there is a good pub (so we are told) and petrol station close by. Jerry's Plains is on the Golden Highway, but the road noise wasn't loud at the campsite.

Sitting back and enjoying the moment abruptly changed as dark clouds rolled in and the air cooled suddenly. We decided it was time to leave... Oh well next time..... 

Mount Thorley on the way home. 

This old house at Mount Thorley must have some stories to tell. Some internet detective work found a document with a reference to a Mount Thorley Brick Farm House, the land it stands on was bought by Eliza Glass in 1870 and the home was built approximately a decade later.

The trip home was uneventful. The traffic moved well and there was a bit of congestion rejoining the New England Highway, stopping briefly at Rutherford for fuel. The Iveco's fuel consumption is yet to be calculated properly, but looks good. 

Another successful shakedown trip where everything went very well. We are now excited on what possibilities our motorhome has to offer.

Now we prepare

 

We are not traveling for the next couple of weeks, so we have spend the time becoming familiar with the systems, fitting out and preparing.

Seat covers are a necessity. We have some being made to order. We chose a grey material similar to wetsuit material which will be easier to keep clean and waterproof.

One of the things that is missing from the Sunliner build is to be able to remotely turn on and off the DC to AC Inverter.

Currently (pardon the pun) the Inverter is switched on by accessing the Battery Compartment and reaching awkwardly to the hidden side of the unit. Not at all fun on a cold wet rainy night to achieve.

A quick check with the manufacturer showed a remote panel is available with a switch and status indicator. The wiring just plugs in and the panel is an easy install. 

I will fit the panel next to the double GPO (General Power Outlet) marked Inverter and then it is a simple matter of touching a button.

More on this in a future post where I shall show the install

There has been interest from the fur family members on the goings on.

The things we need to consider is containing the fur family outside and I need to look at the fitting of radio equipment. Besides the obligatory UHF CB radio there is Amateur Radio gear to be fitted.

A Day Trip - Kitchener Poppet Head Heritage Park

We knew that there was a possibility that we would not be traveling for a couple of weeks, so it was time to have the first shakedown trip.

It was decided to go locally for a picnic, take two dogs, Buffy and Bambi and use some of the motor homes equipment.

The trip was pleasant and gave us some indication of how touring will be - quite comfortable. Heather is the driver and she thoroughly enjoys how the Iveco Sunliner handles. The girls, Buffy and Bambi traveled if they were born to it.

We arrived and parked near the pond.

Kitchener Dam across Black Creek has created an large pond and the surrounding bush is now a recognised nature preserve for waterbirds and other wildlife.

The park has facilities such as parking, picnic tables, a BBQ, children's playground, a bushwalking trail and toilets. There are also display boards giving a history of the mine.

Sadly there also is significant damage in the nearby bushland and Werakata National Park by illegal use of trail bikes.

Now off for a walk!

Now this is a dogs life!

The view of the park from the road

The Poppet Head

The Pond

A quick setup, but it did the job

I also successfully performed callbacks for Amateur Radio NSW VK2WI News relayed by VK2RNC, an amateur radio repeater on nearby Mt Sugarloaf.  

There hasn't been time to procure a external BBQ, so lunch was Chicken Salad wraps and the refrigerator was utilised to keep the ingredients and drinks cool and and dishes were washed up afterwards.

We set up a small collapsible table, made up our lunch and had a great time! The refrigerator happily changed from 24VAC at home to 12VDC on the road and LPG when parked. I was able to power a 2m / 70cm transceiver from the house batteries. The water pump and sink did their job also. 

Lessons learnt. We were missing scissors, the table and chairs were too small, elastic bands around cutlery and hand wipes. 

Google GPS cannot correctly pronounce names of roads. "Abber Dar Ray" Road for Aberdare Road and closer to home, "Pit Knackery" Road for Pitnacree Road. 😂

First Shakedown - a Success!