Travelling Worm

In this post: Crossing the Macquarie River at Dixons Long Point, from the Hill End side. Plus some pictures of the historic town of Hill End and the Golden Gully gold-mining area.

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

Me, the TC, and Beetle the Jeep spent a night in the historic town of Hill End, New South Wales. Early the next morning, we set out to cross the Macquarie River at the well-known Dixons Long Point Crossing.

The book I’m in

Meru, by S.B. Divya. Excellent SciFi about a human and an alloy who fall in love, and about an experiment with human life on planet Meru. Alloys are post-human beings who share human and AI genes.

Travel tips

You’ll need a 4WD vehicle to complete this trip, because of the river crossing. It’s also good to be aware that the Macquarie River is a large river that can carry a significant volume of water after rain. It can be deep and the current can be strong enough to wash away cars and caravans. Always check the conditions before attempting the crossing.

The photos

Me at Dixons Long Point Crossing:

It’s a trifle tricky to decide which line to take when crossing the river. We were driving from the Hill End side to the Bathurst side. The TC had watched several videos of other people making the crossing. The consensus of opinion seems to be that you should cross on the rougher side of the rocks, not the smooth side. Basically, follow the line between the two rows of rocks. That’s what we did. It was bumpy but fun, and the river level was low at the time we made the crossing.

On the other side, the TC, bless her cotton socks, struck up a conversation with a man who looked as if he knew the area. He said that originally, the intended line was on the smooth side of the rocks, where a causeway had been built. But then a flood moved most of the rocks down off the causeway, which resulted in a deep hole at one end. The hole is about the length of many vehicles’ wheelbase, so you can get stuck, especially if the vehicle doesn’t have much clearance. The rougher line is now the recommended route, although it’s basically bedrock.

Let’s back up, now that you’ve seen the crossing, and start at the beginning of the day’s trip…

A night in Hill End

Before starting the drive to Dixons Long Point, we spent the night at Hill End Lodge:

The photo shows the reception area and restaurant of the lodge. We stayed in one of the cabins nearby. Early the next morning, the TC went for a stroll and came across a group of kangaroos. Most of them fled, but a big male stayed to keep watch, along with couple of others, one of which was a female with a joey in her pouch:

The TC, wise soul, decided that discretion is the better part of valour, and altered direction to keep away from the roos.

After breakfast, we paid a quick visit to the town of Hill end:

The Royal Hotel is another good option for an overnight stay in the town:

Golden Gully

We headed north up Hill End Road towards Ullamulla Road, and came across the enchanting Golden Gully:

Holes small and large pepper the eroded walls of the canyon. Many of them lead to shafts and tunnels dug by hopeful gold miners in the 1850s. The gold in this area is alluvial, washed down in several creeks that feed into the gully.

You can walk down the gully to the point where a sign warns of danger:

Ullamulla Road and Dixons Long Point

Me at the junction of Hill End Road and Ullamulla Road:

A sign warns of the nature of the upcoming crossing:

The road itself is an easy drive:

A sheep with a new-born lamb greeted us:

The next video shows the descent towards Dixons Long Point Crossing, on the Hill End side. At about 30 seconds into the video, a wallaby hops across the track in front of the car:

We stopped for a photo opp when we reached the water:

Tip: To see a video of the crossing itself, go back to the top of this post.

With her usual aplomb, Beetle the Jeep arrived safely on the Bathurst side of the river:

That’s all for today, folks.