Day 19 to Jerilderie

Once more an early start saw me leaving in the dark. The weather forecast suggested a fine day with temperatures in the range of 7 – 18 degrees.  So I dressed accordingly, but realised it was colder and I discovered, by the time I reached Darlington Point that the minimum was 1 degree and it took me approximately an hour in Darlington Point to warm up again.

It was still dark when I rode past the Griffith VIC. Not surprisingly the Griffith VIC was closed.

 Local traffic before sunrise was busy in the Griffith area and I was encouraged to move off  road onto the road verge on a couple of occasions when I saw traffic come up behind me as head on traffic was passing.

I have wondered for a number of years what this building I reached around sunrise is all about.  There is no business name on it but the gates appear to have the initial ‘N’.  I think the sides of the building are plain bessa block grey or concrete walls.

Given its prime location some 30kms south of Griffith, on the Murrumbidgee and on the intersection of the Sturt Highway and Kidman Way it is a wonder that Darlington Point has not benefitted more from its location.  It appears that any development/expansion of Darlington Point within the Murrumbidgee Shire over the past 10 years or so has happened because individuals have taken the initiative. 

I also don’t understand why the unique local sculptor and artist Ron Clark does not have a higher local profile.  Not only did this man create the Kidman Way statue north of Griffith and the Memorial to Pioneer Women at Merriwagga, he is also responsible for the amazingly detailed Iroquois Helicopter silhouette on the side wall of the entrance to the Leeton Ex-Servicemen’s Club as well as a number of other prominent works.  On a previous visit to the Leeton Club I was able to have a close look at this metal sculpture and noted the increasing amount of detail within it that I was able to discern as I stepped back from the wall it was hanging on.  Ron Clarke’s work is amazing and worth having a close look at where ever you can find it.

Just before the Coleambally turn off.

Had planned to have an early lunch at Coleambally and who should be waiting, standing next to her car at the entrance to Coleambally, but Kerri Weymouth editor of the local paper.  Kerri and I shared contact details and various bits of information about the region and the Kidman Way.  I dare say that we will be in touch again in the not too distant future.

19kms past Coleambally I passed another flat tyre stop from my previous ride north on the Kidman Way a month earlier and still no flat tyres on this tour south.

I had a long way to ride, with the last 15 or so kilometres on the Newell Highway, but managed to get to Jerilderie before 5.00pm and stopped at Ian Sneddon’s business, an upholstery and canvas workshop, opposite the Jerilderie Council offices.  As a past Mayor of Jerilderie I first met Ian on the Kidman Way Promotion Committee and then more recently at the Melbourne Caravan & Camping Shows where he would volunteer at the Kidman Way stand.

My last stop in Jerilderie was the Jerilderie Budget Motel at the southern end of town.  This very neat and tidy motel run by very friendly Jean and her husband was very comfortable and a $70 for a single per night, very reasonable and next door to the BP Roadhouse where I had dinner and my breakfast the following morning.

Give the man...dinner at Jerilderie.