27 Stitching up the Murray [3b] Robinvale to Swan Hill

Day 20: Robinvale to Swan Hill

The following morning was quite nice, so off I wandered from Lake Benanee, along the Sturt Highway in NSW.

Along the way I noticed a raptor (eagle? falcon?) flying off with a long wriggly thing in its talons. After some pondering I realised it must have been a snake, and quite a large snake given the size of the bird. A few minutes later I noticed another, and concluded there must have been a plentiful supply of slitherin things. Fortunately they didn't drop the snakes on the car.

Now in order to follow the river south east, I first had to drive east to Balranald. After the dry and dusty night, and the dry and dusty drive from Lake Benanee, Balranald's neat and tidy greeniness was quite refreshing.

The CBD was similarly tidy and spacious.

There was a very tidy (and green) café next to the emergency services centre and information centre.

So I bought a coffee and turned right (south) along the Mallee Highway in my quest to use every crossing. Next town on the river was Tooleybuc, another tidy spacious (and green) place.

Not far from the bridge was the old Bridge Keeper's cottage.

 And next to it some ducks, parading especially for people who go "Awwww".

So I looked down-river (towards South Australia) ...

Then up-river ... and there to my surprise was Tooleybuc Bridge.

This was another single lane bridge with traffic lights, so I waited patiently for my turn ...

... then crossed ...

... turned left (south west) along the Murray Valley Highway on the Victorian side of the river.

I reached Nyah and came across the A N Lewis Park by the river, with some rather wooden looking characters staging a nostalgia show.

Around the corner and across the Nyah Bridge

Another bumpy off-road adventure to capture a different NSW view of the bridge.

And then turn right (south east) and a short drive to the Speewa Ferry, with the usual Ts and Cs ...

But this time a miniature version of those South Australian ferries.

I was only just able to fit on behind the little Hyundai, and only then after the ferry man urged the little car forward and edged my ute right up to its rear bumper.

So across the Speewa Ferry to Speewa VIC (there is another Speewa in NSW - 17km away but I didn't go there), the last ferry on my quest, and down the Victorian side of the river along the Murray Valley Highway to Swan Hill where I checked into a motel to shower off the dust from Lake Benanee.