We left Barraba heading south planning to get to Logan in Victoria in five or six days.
The road to Manila was pretty good and we made good time. At Manila we were misdirected by the road signs and took the minor road to the Oxley Highway. This took us to Lake Keepit where we stopped for morning tea. I had forgotten that we had stayed here before and didn't realise that we would have to pay to get into the park. We rested in the booking in car park and then made our way to Gunnedah and Mullaley.
Vicki had told us that the best way to Dubbo was down the Black Stump Way so we headed south. The road was good and we came across a rest area called the Black Stump Roadside Rest Area. This has got to be the best kept Rest Area in Australia. The grounds are immaculate. There is plenty of room with lots of shade trees. There are free barbecues and picnic shelters and the toilets are as clean as any at home with plenty of toilet paper and paper towels by the wash hand basins. We thought it would be a good idea to send a message of congratulation to the responsible if we could find out who they were, but more on that later.
We had had enough by the time we reached the Nullen Rest Area at the end of the Black Stump Way. This is a big site but is in a pretty poor state with lots of litter, permanently closed toilets, and piles of dirt and rocks. We don't need a view to have a comfortable night so we set up. The weather was exceptionally hot so we were glad of the generator and the air-conditioner.
The contrast between these two Rest Areas is extraordinary, one immaculate, and the other a rubbish tip. The plan to congratulate somebody needs some careful consideration as it would have to be "good news and bad news".