Well another month on the road has whizzed by. We spent the first week of 2021 in Cowra catching up with friends. In fact the whole month has been very social for us and this is reflected in our expense report.
SHOWGROUND CONVERTS
I have been following the Showgrounds Sports & Rec Grounds Camping Group on Facebook for quite some time now. But we had never actually stayed in a showground until we stayed at the Race Course in Broken Hill last year.
So when we were in Cowra after Christmas, we booked into Cowra Showground. Even though we have family in town, we didn’t want to outstay our welcome!
So for $20.00 a night for power and water or $100.00 for a week we thought it was a pretty good deal. Since then we have stayed in Showgrounds at Gulgong, Mudgee, Singleton and Cessnock.
Most have great amenities, level spots to park and even a few trees. Mudgee Showground had the best amenities I have seen. But the biggest bonus was they had FREE washing machines.
RETURN TO HILL END
A couple of years ago we spent two nights in Hill End and absolutely loved it. So when friends invited us to join them there for a few days we jumped at the chance.
We got the chance to drive the Bridle Track which was closed on our last visit. The Bridle Track is a very popular 4WD track that leads down to the Turon River. There are also some awesome camp spots along it.
We also got a crash course in metal detecting from our mate. Sadly, we didn’t find anything more than bottle tops!
PUB CAMPS – IT’S A TRAP
We love country pubs. They are all so unique. What we love even more is the country pubs that you can camp behind or next to for free. But beware – the free part is a trap to suck you in and get you to buy beers and food!
We had two of the best pub stays we’ve ever had. Firstly at the Hair of the Dog Inn at Ballimore just outside of Dubbo. And secondly, at Merriwa RSL Club where we even won a Breaky Tray in the raffles. It really is a great way to support small communities and have a great night out as well.
ACCOMMODATION AND KILOMETRES
- With family – 1
- Showgrounds – 14
- Free Camps – 3
- Pub Camps – 2
- CMCA Park – 3
- Caravan Park – 4
- National Park – 4
This month we travelled a total of 2,115 kilometres.
INCOME
Our total income for this month was:-
$419.51
EXPENSE REPORT JANUARY 2021
Our total expenses for the month was $3,765.48. Even though we have had our van for awhile, we are still making a few adjustments here and there. Plus I (Mel) bumped a post and cracked a tail light! (Not happy Jan)
- Car Maintenance/Accessories $428.98
- Fuel $373.75
- Insurance $183.42
- Alcohol $319.24
- Eating out $391.53
- Groceries $624.81
- Laundry $10.00
- Accommodation $446.40
- Health Insurance $281.84
- Chemist $24.99
- Caravan Maintenance/Accessories $227.20
- CMCA Membership $44.00
- Gifts $239.03
- Museum/Tour Entry $73.00
- Mobile Phones $63
- Website $50.28
- Clothing $14.00
We are heading back to Cowra for a few weeks where we will be house sitting for a couple of weeks. Our son is also coming to visit and Brenden also has some casual work lined up.
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