Canberra A.C.T. 13th February

We just love the drive from Dubbo to Canberra as it passes through a range of pasture, argricultural and woodland, interspersed with many charming outback towns. We’re heading mainly south east down the Mitchell Highway through Wellington to Molong before turning onto a secondary road that leads south through Canowindra, Cowra and Boorowa until we intersect the Hume Highway about an hour from Canberra.

The Mitchell Highway is for the greater part over undulating hilly country full of grazing cattle and sheep properties. It’s an easy drive, good road with plenty of vision across the landscape. We have a brief stop at Wellington to check the car and van, tyres, electrical connections etc. Then another more personal stop at Molong. Both these townships were settled in the mid 1800’s and feature some good colonial buildings, very charming.

At Molong we turn west then south off the main Highway onto a good but secondary road, and immediately the traffic volume drops dramatically as we climb and dip through yet more pastoral landscapes. As in the past we play “count the chimneys” on the old farmhouses, that gives you an idea of how grand the house is. Here the creeks are lined with river gums and willows, crystal clear water and beautiful countryside, though it is unusually dry for the region, at least in our experience. Down through Canowindra and Cowra then stopping at Boorowa for quick lunch before hitting the Hume Highway on the run east and south to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Canberra.

Canberra, well it’s different to other Australian cities, from nothing the city was planned with several large ringroads fed by excellent 2 and 3 lane highways to new outer suburbs and distant towns. In the middle sits our Federal Parliment House with a distinctive towering flagpole. Money well spent?

We spent only one night in Canberra as guests of longtime friends, and caught up with another couple as well at the German Club for dinner. Names withheld to protect the guilty.