Louth to Tilpa 175 km

 

Day 7 Louth to Campsite 54 km past Louth

Up early and on the water by 7:10 am. Paddled until 11:00 am and then had early lunch having covered 35 km.

After lunch passed the Trilby Station. Chatted with guy camping on the bank, he suggested I should have my own YouTube channel . He said it could be lucrative claiming he had been given $10k worth of sponsored camping gear for his own camping series.

Spent 45 minutes finding campsite with suitable get out.

Bird Highlights: White Bellied Sea Eagle, Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos and some Pelicans. Some Jacky Jacks (Apostle Birds) stopped by my campsite to check me out too. Such entertaining and social birds.






Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos



Day 8 Campsite 54 km past Louth to Campsite 100 km past Louth

Another sunny day with persistent cool breeze. Bird Highlight: 5 pelicans gliding in formation. Birds were sparse today. Found a great campsite as soon as I started looking. 46 km seems short – I think the current has slowed through this section.

pre dawn 







Day 9 Campsite 100 km past Louth to Campsite 155 km past Louth.

 7:30 am on the water – very cold 0 degrees. Fingers and toes frozen – sunny cool day with occasional cold breeze. Paddled until 11:30 am then had early lunch. Back on the water at 12:30 pm. 

Bird Highlight: Watching a small bird harassing a kite that was too close to its nest. Took a picture of Fairy Marten (swallows) nests. Lots of Darters today and some more Pelicans.



Fairy Marten Nests (Swallows)


Australiasian Darter




Day 10 Campsite 155km past Louth to Tilpa (170 km past Louth)

Very relaxed start today – Only 15 km to Tilpa so slept in until 6:30 am. On the water at 8:30 am Arrived Tilpa at 11:45 am. Only a pub here – hot shower in the public amenities and then lunch in the pub. 

Lazy afternoon until it started to rain. Shifted my tent from camping area to picnic shelter opposite pub. Excellent decision as it was a wild night. Lots of rain and wind. All unsealed roads around Tilpa are closed.



Boat Ramp and Bridge at Tilpa





    


Day 10 weather forecast suggested more rain which did not eventuate but was enough to make me opt for a rest day. I had internet access here so I spent day reading and browsing. Had an excellent chat in pub with Jason (Bar) Rob and Tom (father and son who had working nearby) and Deano a local I had met who I had met previously at Shindy’s. 

Like a lot of pubs in remote places there were walls in the pub where visitors could write their names to memorialise their visit. Deano was happy to point out Tilpa's most infamous visitor, Ivan Milat had passed through here in 1994.


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