The hard launch - Cowra to Goolgowi, NSW

Day 2

As much as Stephen is in denial, a big part of this trip is about parkrun adventuring — so it seemed fitting to start the parkrun tour with Cowra parkrun. Held in the Cowra Peace Precinct, this small event (88 participants) was friendly, hilly, and hot. I enjoyed the views and the artwork on the water towers… then we headed back into town to buy the chairs.

Yes. We bought the chairs. The whole package — chair, padding, head cushion, footstool and drinks pocket. Will we regret the extravagance? Probably not. These chairs are likely to be our most-used items for the entire trip. Jack kindly stored our old ones in his garage for eventual return to Sydney.

Still no set destination for today — just a general direction and more time getting used to the truck. 

We passed through Weethalle and saw our first silo art. Painted in 2017 by artist Heesco Khosnaran; the murals pay tribute to the region’s agricultural heritage: a shearer, a grain farmer and a flock of sheep. The silos are massive — 21 metres high, 31 metres across, and capable of holding 2400 tonnes of grain.

More art appeared in the tiny town of Caragabal (pop. 174), with a beautiful bird mural showing local native species and highlighting the region’s biodiversity. Small country towns have such character — quirky houses, local pride, and events like the annual sheep races and camp oven cook-offs. Sadly, we missed both… perhaps a reason to return.

By 4 o’clock — traditionally “beer o’clock” — we like to be off the road and relaxing. A bush camp near Goolgowi became home for the night. This was the hard launch: first outdoor kitchen setup, first proper meal, first shower, first use of lights and air conditioning (it’s still very hot).

Everything worked beautifully. Day 2 - a success!