Dubbo

I got to Dubbo for a late lunch and then went for a drive to a few of the riverside reserves along the Macqaurie River.

A few short walks here chasing birds.

The next morning I rode my bike along The Tracker Riley Loop. This follows the river out to Dubbo Zoo and then loops bake around into town. 

A pleasant 14klm but after a flat tyre 2/3 of the way around I was stopping every klm to reinflate. Great service and a new thicker tube and tyre from "The Bike Shoppe" in Darling St and I was back on the road in just over an hour.

While waiting I went and had a walk around the Botanic Gardens .

Goonoo National Park

Goonoo National Park is just north of Dubbo and is conserves forests of the Brigalow Belt. Dominant trees are ironbark and cypress pine,

I had a 14klm bike ride along the forest trails around Rileys Dam and then sat and watched the birds and wildlife come in to drink at the dam.

Huge old ironbark tree. Full of Noisy Friar Birds.

White-eared and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters

Goat and kid

Noisy Friar Bird

Breelong National Park

After leaving the Warrumbungles I drove through Tooraweenah and on to Gilgandra for lunch. 

I then went out to Breelong National Park and camped on the banks of the Castlereagh River.

A nice  walk in the afternoon down the bed of the river and then back through the scrub to camp.

The river was running in sections before disappearing into the sand and reappearing again.

Once I got to the park boundary I climbed the levee bank and walked back through the open forest.

Once back at camp I rode my bike through the trails of the park.

Noogoora Burr, dare I say, photogenic but not easy to walk through.

Black-fronted Dotterel

Carp

Yellow-billed Spoonbill

Night on the river

The next morning another short walk on the river in the opposite direction.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo