Back to NSW, Four Nights at Four Bull

We left Goondiwindi on Monday morning, almost immediately crossing in to NSW. The road started to twist and turn as it made the slow climb up the western side of the great dividing range, up to Tenterfield where we stopped for lunch and provisions before heading into the little accessed north western corner of Washpool National Park.  Once again we were grateful for Alan’s work on the car steering.  The fire trails to Four Bull Hut were badly washed out after the massive rain over much of 2022.  The driving was way more exciting than I’d prepared for.  The road did say 4WD high clearance only and for stages we felt like we were straight back in the Victorian High Country.  We met one ute coming out, thankfully after we’d finished a steep stepped ascent on a badly washed out and rocky track.  The occupants had just prepared Four Bull Hut for us and said we were lucky that some repairs had been made to the road, and that the other way out was in a terrible state. Most was OK, but the ascents and descents were exciting. 

About 5kms short of the hut there is a locked gate across the fire trail. 

What came next was three whole days and four nights of total relaxation in a very basic yet very comfortable three room cabin. We were totally isolated, no phone signal and no radio.  The hut was off grid with a solar battery really just running lights and gas powering the oven, fridge and hot water.  Heating was via a wood burner and there was plenty of wood to chop up.  It was frosty every morning (helpfully other than the morning we had to pack up and leave).

There was absolutely nothing to do, other than go for walks, play frisbee, play cards, do jigsaws and read books.  Absolute bliss.  The stars were amazing and each night we had longer before the moon rose.

We learned to play some new card games from our card game bible and we also cracked out Yahtzee without any fear of offending anyone within earshot.  When played enthusiastically its a noisy game.  I’m starting to think that Jemma is inheriting my slight overly competitive nature.

Anyway, we didn’t see a soul near the hut over the four days, other than a ranger I met when out on a walk one day.  He was clearing fallen trees from the fire trail I was walking on.  To say I gave him a surprise was an understatement.

We were very sad to pack up from Four Bull, but the next stop was Port Macquarie, and that meant grandparents, and visiting cousins, aunties and uncles - an another birthday to celebrate.