Home Again

It wasn't a long visit to Oberon this time. Finished what needed to be done by lunchtime so we hit the road a little after 12.30pm. The weather was much better today, gone was the low cloud, drizzle and rain. The cross-country run across to the Great Western Highway was a pleasant drive with very little traffic to deal with.

After climbing up the Blue Mountains, it was time to look for lunch. There weren't too many options for a quick lunch at Mount Victoria so it was on to Blackheath for chicken and chips. After lunch it was back on the road, picking our way across the top of the range and the road works where they are progressively widening and duplicating the highway. Yes, the work needs to be done but unfortunately the whole area is losing the character it had years ago as a result.

Filled up the Subaru at Springwood before finally dropping off the range and onto the M4 heading towards Sydney. From the M4 it was onto the M7 and then M5 heading towards Sydney airport. Fortunately there wasn't a lot of traffic yet on the M5 so it was a quick run through the tunnel to the Airport exit. Returned the hire car with plenty of time to spare for catching Virgin's 4.45pm flight to Melbourne. The Subaru was OK to drive and was well appointed but it didn't excite me - it was just a car (or should I say a truck).

The flight to Melbourne was 20 minutes late boarding. It seems that with Sydney Airport, it is no longer a question of "Were you late?" but "How late were you?". Anyway, the flight home and the taxi ride that followed were uneventful, bringing to a close a couple of days working on-site with Oberon Council.

Oberon ... Eventually

I am in Oberon NSW today where I am doing some work for Oberon Council. This is my third visit here and every trip has not been without its dramas. This trip I flew up in the morning instead of the night before. So it was up at 5.00am to be ready for a taxi to Tullamarine airport at 5.45. I got to the airport without much trouble and then things started to go downhill.

All flights into Sydney were delayed. My 7.15 flight had been put back to a 7.58 departure. We eventually got away a few minutes after the revised time. Once we were in the air we confidently advised that the expected flying time was 1 hour and 5 minutes, about 20 minutes faster than scheduled. That seemed too good to be true and it was. By the time we were over Canberra we were advised that we going into a holding pattern due to congestion at Sydney. It was 10.00am by the time we were inside the terminal, 1 hour and 20 minutes late.

On my previous visits to Oberon I have flown on to Bathurst but this time I hired car and drove. I had booked a full sized car and was allocated a Subaru Outback AWD. Compared with the MX-5 at home, this thing is like a truck - big, sitting up high and sluggish. After working out the controls, especially the button operated electric parking brake, we hit the road. Left Sydney on the M5, M7 and then the M4 to Penrith and the foot of the Blue Mountains. Climbing up the range, the overcast weather deteriorated into drizzle and rain. Coupled with roadworks, this resulted in slow trip to a lunch stop in Hazelbrook. 

After lunch it was back on then road, through Katoomba and Mount Victoria before dropping off the west side of the Blue Mountains. At Hartley it was time to leave the Great Western Highway and head off cross-country to Oberon. Finally arrived a little after 2.30 in then afternoon. Hopefully the trip home tomorrow will go better.

Maryborough by train

Yesterday I took the opportunity to travel by train to Maryborough in central Victoria. Maryborough has been without a passenger train service since the 1990's when the Vinelander stopped running to Mildura. Last year a day-return service to Melbourne was re-instituted. However with only train from Melbourne to Maryborough in the afternoon and the only train back to Melbourne in the morning, going there from Melbourne is not particularly practical.

The AREA, one of the many rail organisations I belong to, solved the problem by arranging a special trip there. We traveled in a 6-car VLocity set (Two 3-car sets coupled) on the V/Line 4.05pm service from Spencer Street (they call it Southern Cross these days but it is such a stupid name). It was a slow run out through North Melbourne and Sunshine before we headed off at a brisk pace on the old Western line in rather miserable weather. With intermediate stops only at Bacchus Marsh and Ballan, it was a quick trip to Ballarat where we left the rear 3-car set behind.

Although capable of traveling at up to 160 km/h, north of Ballarat the speeds were miserably slow. Paranoia about unprotected level crossings apparently. We actually stopped approaching one level crossing. At the moment there is only one station between Ballarat and Maryborough and that is Creswick where a few people go off. A new platform is being constructed at Clunes.

After a leisurely ride through the countryside, we arrived at Maryborough a few minutes late. Maryborough station is an imposing edifice on the edge of town. Mark Twain is said to have described the station as a "railway station with a town attached". It is well worth a visit but for now it is advisable to wait until the building restoration works are complete.

The problem of "no train to Melbourne tonight" was solved by the AREA chartering a bus to take us all across the Castlemaine on the Bendigo line. With a little time in hand, we took the tourist route out of Maryborough by driving down the main street. It is a pleasant looking country town. Well worth a return visit by car for a mid-week lunch.

On arrival in Castlemaine it was off to the shops for some dinner. Although there are lots of cafes in town, very few were open for dinner. The fish & chip shop was really busy so it was off to Subway for me. I am glad I did, it took some people over half an hour to get their fish & chips. Although Castlemaine has the reputation as a tourist destination, I liked the look of Maryborough better.

After dinner was eaten, it was time to stroll down to Castlemaine station. There aren't many choices of trains to Melbourne but the majority choice was for the 8.35pm "empty cars". Normally this train travels back to Melbourne from Bendigo without passenger or stopping anywhere. However,because you can when you know who to ask, the AREA organised for this train to stop especially to pick us up and take us to Melbourne. We arrived back at Spencer Street in our 4-car VLocity (Two 2-car sets coupled) a little after 10.00pm where we all said farewell and made our respective ways home.

Country train travel is always enjoyable and this little trip was no exception.

Welcome to my Random Travel Blog

Everyone else in the family has a blog, even the dog, so I guess it is about time I started one too. My blog will cover my random travels for work and pleasure around Australia and the world when I get there.

Read on if you are interested.