Is anyone intersted in a dark site trip this winter to central NSW (over the ranges and within a day's drive of Sydney or the Central Coast/Newcastle area)?
Bretti can be great, but it is subject to school holiday crowds, coastal weather patterns, and occasionally fog. I'd like to find a location, similiar to Bretti but much further west.
As a first up suggestion: Going through my Hema Atlas, the Camp7 book, and the internet, scouting locations, it is not an easy task to find a suitable place. Chaffey Dam is nice but gets sky light to the north-west from Tamworth, and really no better Sky Quality numbers than Bretti.
One spot that seems to be similiar to Chaffey but further away from any major town is Burrendong Dam, particularly the Mookerawa Waters Park Campground (Number 872 in the Camp7 book). Mookerawa is about 36kms south-east of the small town of Wellington NSW and and has amenities,phones, and is pet friendly. Orange and Mudgee would be the nearest larger towns and they are 50kms + away as the crow flies. There is a fee to camp there, similiar to Chaffey Dam.
The lake surface sits at 344 metres above sea level, a little higher than Bretti.
Here is a Utube clip of a drive around Moorerawa Waters Park:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1T_QoieHak
You'll notice its a big area, some trees and hills, however, (about half way through) that there are large flat open camping areas on the lake foreshore and there is no area lighting in these areas - very much like Chaffey , and Glenbawn Dam in the Hunter Valley.
I am not saying that this has to be the spot but would welcome similiar suggestions, the criteria being: big area, well away from major towns, pet friendly (for Toby, Bundy, Megs, and Jakob's dog) and dark!!!
Put your thinking caps on, and consider alternatives and post them up here. We need to do something about finding a suitable location further inland and less at the mercy of the coastal weather patterns. I'd be up for spending a week out there this winter.
