Beginning again.

Tomorrow we continue our paddle from the Hume to Echuca once more, after stopping to return home on news of the death of our beautiful little dog, Chloe. Because time is short, we will leave out the section from Corowa to Yarrawonga and do this another time. 

This section is particularly beautiful, with winding river channels and flooded billabongs. It is also where the Ovens River enters the Murray. The weir at Yarrawonga causes the river to bank up artificially high and providing both natural and human communities with a steady river level as far upstream as Corowa.

How oxbows form.

It surprised us how much expensive development there was on the NSW bank near Corowa. It reminded me of Gol Gol, near Mildura, where there are many elaborate waterfronts. The whole thing is reminiscent of the French Riviera. Corowa is not as developed, or opulent, but the steady water level provided by the weirs at both locations gives people the confidence to develop. For the natural environment it means that there are permanent wetlands.

Billabong wetland in a stand of remnant River Red Gum forest, lower Ovens River.

 another Youtube showing how meandering streams move and change.

The lower reaches of the Ovens River offer some of the best still water canoeing in the state among a maze of channels and wetlands. With care, power boats can explore the river for several kilometres upstream from Camerons Bend. Parks Victoria: Cameron's Bend

Lower Ovens River Environmental 
Flows Project 

Fishermen call it the Everglades of the Murray. Old river courses and flood plains of both the Murray and the Ovens rivers are full of life. I always wondered when driving along the Murray Valley Highway through Bundalong (a small town with a transient, or semi-permanent population of retired fishermen in caravans and holiday units) why people came: all the more so after a tornado almost destroyed the community last summer. Seeing the mosaic of habit in satellite photos I can understand. The attractions are rather on water than in the land - and I can't wait to spend a bit if time exploring there myself.

Bundalong was hit by a tornado in Mar 2013, which almost destroyed the town.

• Witnesses say tornado was like a bomb going off. ABC News.
• Tornado aftermath at Bundalong. Gallery. ABC News
• Clean up after 'devastating' tornado. The Age.

Lake Mulwala and the Yarrawonga Weir.

• When full, Lake Mulwala holds 1/4 as much water as Sydney Harbour.
• The primary role of Lake Mulwala is to store water for irrigation, its secondary role is flood mitigation. YarrawongaMulwala.com.
• The Mulwala Canal is 2,880 kilometres long and is the largest irrigation canal in the southern hemisphere. YarrawongaMulwala.com.

http://www.oasisholidays.com.au/

• A feature of Lake Mulwala is its dead gums. In 1937 the first suggestions were made concerning the clearing of the red gum forest, to create an open area in the lake. As the River Murray Commission refused to clear the trees, a group of local men took up axes and cross-cut saws, and in 1938 began the enormous task of felling the trees, at the cost of 10 shillings per acre. The River Murray Commission gave no financial assistance to the project, and were concerned that if the felled timber was not burnt or removed, it would prove a hazard to the weir. YarrawongaMulwala.com
• Hydroelectric generation, fishing, swimming and boating has been hampered by the growth of an aquatic weed (Egeria densa) in the past. The most effective way to control the weed has been to lower the level of the lake to dry out the weed. Lake Mulwala.
• Water storage levels and management documents. Murray Goulburn Water.

We will put in at the weir in Yarrawonga; the start of the Murray River Marathon. Over the years we have shared time, stories, memories and struggles in that race. For 40 years it was organised by Red Cross as a fundraiser for their world wide humanitarian deeds. Since 2009 the YMCA has used the event to fundraiser for local communities. Time has seen it develop from an adventure between mates to an international level competitive endurance event with strictly defined classes. Now it may be going back to its roots, with classes of ocean going boats challenging what racing boats should look like, schools and community groups entering relays and less formal rules for competition, encouraging completion rather than fastest times. In 2014 the event will be held for the first time in November, rather than between Christmas and New Year - a consequence of a tightening of state regulations and insurance conditions around times of high fire danger following the tragedies of a Black Saturday bush fires in the summer of 2009.  In what some consider a knee jerk reaction, insurance companies refused to cover events that were held in isolated bush areas on Code Red Days, or days of Extreme Fire Danger. YMCA, covering insurance organisations and responsible government bodies became even more wary following the disastrous Kimberly Ultramarathon in 2011 where competitors were overrun by bushfire. An inquiry damned the organisers and competitors sued for $10 million. It has not been easy for the YMCA to find another time slot: river closures are not popular with local tourism industries. We wish them every success. One thing is for sure, we will not be able to avoid thinking about the marathon, it's many characters and the fantastic memories it has left us, as we paddle the home stretch into Echuca.

Travelling home to bury Chloe.

Corowa is the birthplace of federation. The leaders of NSW and VIC, as well as the other colonies, met here because it was on the Murray and close to halfway between Sydney and Melb. It could well have become our capital. I wonder why it didn't.

Cover of ‘Official report of the Federation Conference held in the court-house, Corowa’, 1893. NAA: R216, 298

http://constitution.naa.gov.au/stories/quick-steps/pods/corowa-conference-1893/index.html

Corowa Main Street.

http://www.murrayriver.com.au/event/182-australian-billy-cart-championships/

According to a taxi driver, the shops in the main street (Sanger St.) are empty because there are two supermarkets, Target and two big clubs. It is hard for the others to survive.

The expensive homes that Ruth and I saw are from people who live in Albury and Wangaratta - housing is cheaper here and they get to live on the river. According to the taxi driver, who picked me up at the camping spot and took me to the bus stop, it's less than 40 minutes to both places.

Corowa doesn't have the tourism success of Rutherglen which is just down the road and only has a population of only 1800. However, the population is growing; currently 4000. There are six functioning pubs (and quite a few that have closed down). One is the Globe Hotel which was where the heads of states met to decide that Australia would become a federation. The Globe Hotel is currently for sale. Asking price 360,000.

http://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/club-histories/corowa/01-1.php

The community seems an active one, the two rowing clubs 1, 2 (with sheds as big as those on the Yarra) train everyday on Lake Moodamere (where there have been regattas since 1860). Corowa has the Australian Billy Cart Championships, where kids race down the hill on the Main Street and there is a triathlon coming up. In the Main Street is a really good bakery and as I sat there getting a morning coffee while waiting for the Albury bus, tradies came in and ordered gourmet sandwiches, always a good sign of health in the community. So, despite the empty shops, things are happening in Corowa and perhaps the empty shops are an opportunity for something really creative to happen. The town just needs to get a strategy going like in Rutherglen where apparently something is happening every week, attracting the tourists. More shade in the Main Street would help. As the lady in the bakery said, "it is going to be a lovely day, nice and hot."

No more posts for now. Have had to postpone the rest if the trip. Just had word that our lovely dog Chloe died of a stroke last night and am on my way home on a Vline bus to pick up the car. This trip is to be continued. More photos and posts then. Thanks for following and sharing in our appreciation of the beauty of the river and the people that live along it.

Chloe in the front, Harry in the back. He sat by her side when it happened. 

Sometimes we need the quiet.

Watching the river change and spending time reflecting on Chloe's life with us while waiting for Peter to return with the car...

7am Sun kisses the trees. All quiet.

8am 

Noisy cicadas, chatty ducks, the first boat and neighbours still asleep. 

Ducks silently swimming in a row into the current, keeping their position and grazing off the surface.

9am

The wind has picked up. Not sure what it would have done to us on the river, a bit of head wind, a bit if tail wind, I guess...I can hear cockatoos screeching in the trees across the river; however, only just... The cicadas dominate the morning chorus presently other than that all feels quiet as if nature knew that a hot day was coming... It's good to be still and to think of Chloe and thank her for her life that she so loyally and lovingly shared with us. I'm not sure we did her justice but she accepted us how we are graciously.

A gust of wind must have pushed a sleeping moth off its perch in the tree. It flew clumsily about the tree, bumping into leaves until it found a vertical branch where it could continue the interrupted sleep.

10am. 

Cicadas have swapped to the other side and I can hear wrens twittering around our tent.soon the sun will hit the tent.

11am

Ducks have disappeared. Leaves are falling off the trees - elegant in flight, twirling and turning like a ballerina; quite in contrast to their plump thud when they meet the water surface only to be carried downstream by the current. Yesterday, I saw a Christmas beetle holding on to a gum leave in the big water. I wanted to rescue him but went past too fast and also did not feel confident enough to pick him up with my paddle... Sorry.

12pm

Just had another swim and also cooled down the boats with a bucket of water. I have moved my mat about three times already, trying to stay in hen shade. Made me remember the bungle bungle afternoon in 1989 where I thought I had moved my towel in anticipation of shade to come. I was mistaken. I had the northern hemisphere in my head

1pm

I have had lunch. Same lunch as on paddling days except I have swapped my boat for a sleeping mat today. Coo koo s echoing on both sides of the river. Where do they get the energy in this heat to sing and the actions connected to the bird song? Peter will be on his way soon...

2pm

More speed boats, more heat but I feel safe and cool under my mighty gum. 

He has seen it all before.

3pm

Time for another float. I have the yellow floating noodle tied to a little flooded red gum. We are working well together.

All is quiet except for man made noises and cicadas, this time back from the Victorian shore.

Journey's are a risk. They take you away from support networks, often out of the reach of medical help and there are limited opportunities to repair gear. In addition, unexpected situations can arise, a cutting could have dangerous currents and snags, not apparent as you paddled into it. Fuel stoves can easily cause burns. Sparks from campfires can damage tents. You may become injured, or fall ill. Part of good planning is to minimise the risk of these things happening, or to be able to cope with them when they do. However, it is important to realise that whilst you can plan, you can't stop some things from happening. Life is a risky business. When you take on a journey with periods of isolation, as much as others are not there for you, you are not there for them. You must accept this. Ruth's family is in Europe, mine is in Australia. When someone close dies, one of us is always far from home. We do our best to support, to be there to help, but in the end it is your personal strength that gets you through and helps us to support others. Journey's like these build resilience and surrounded by so much beauty, they give us hope. 

Howlong - Corowa (Stanton Bend): Iced coffee + floating in the heat.

Monday 13 Jan

Starting point 4 km from Howlong, at 2124, not far from Kismet Caravan Park.

Finish point 12km downstream of Corowa at Stanton Bend 2070km.

We had a disturbed night. At about 1am there was crash, disturbingly close to our tent. On further investigation, we found that a 4 m long branch had fallen from a young redgum adjacent to our tent. It missed us, but not by much, instead it landed flat across the front of our boats. Thank god they are not made of fibreglass. We could not find a mark. Gopro and all other equipment fine. We had been careful with our tent site, but the fall was disturbingly close, all the more so because it was from a young tree and in the middle of a near vertical branch. In addition it happened in a time of absolute wind still. Needless to say, our antennas will be even more sensitive in future.

http://www.murrayriver.com.au/about-the-murray/river-red-gums/

Parks Victoria advice on camping around Redgums. According to some research, mature trees are the most likely to drop branches. The most common branch size dropped is between 10 and 30cm in diameter, and that only 25% of tree drop their branches. Those that have dropped branches in the past are likely to drop them in the future. Location also has an effect, the following study found that if a tree drops its branches in a particular location, other trees in that location are also likely to drop their branches. 

http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/park-management/fire,-flood-and-other-closures/tree-risk

I have noticed that trees in saturated ground topple easily, no matter how large. Along beaches, root systems are flat and unable to penetrate the soil further than the water level. These are easily blown over in the wind.

An Adelaide tree surgery report suggests that limbs fall because of minor structural flaws, such a cracks on limbs that reach above the canopy and are thus exposed to more wind than the rest of the surrounding trees, limbs that extend horizontally rather than vertically, branches which do not taper, but remain the same diameter, or those that have been damaged and include hollows.

University of California Professor Richard W. Harris found that high humidity in the tree canopy and a reduced flow of water in the xylem (i.e. the wood) caused a build-up of pressure weakening cell wall strength. He found that breakages usually happen between 1 and 4m from where branches join the trunk.

Locally, limbs seem to fall just as much during the night as during the day. Perhaps changes in humidity have something to do with it. Hot days and the nights following them are known risks - so take care.

After that luck escape... and a few hours sleep... finally, we were on our way.

Early morning departure to beat the heat.

It is nice to be able to share the journey.

We did not sleep well for a couple of hours after that incident. Not surprisingly, when we got up at 5:30 for our planned early start to beat the heat, we were still quite tired. The early morning light was beautiful.

Cockatoos

Every tree is an individual in its own way. each has its story, a reason for being the way it is, a reason why it has been able to withstand the floods and droughts which are inevitable on the Murray. 

Our first stop was 'cow beach' downstream from McVean Island at about 2108. Cow beach because of its friendly inhabitants. Whilst we rested, a large group of cows decided it was time for a drink. Once in our boats a few curious individuals needed to find out more and had a sniff, first of Ruth's spray deck and then the front of my boat. The cow that sniffed my boat turned out to be her mum, she brought her calf along a minute or so later. I almost fell out of my boat laughing. I have never thought of cows as cute before, but these definitely were.

Years ago on a round Australia trip, we came across a man sitting on the side of the road in a deck chair. We were driving from Darwin to Cairns and were looking for a place to spend the night. Company is good in that part of the world, so we decided to pull up near this man and his caravan. After settling in, we wandered over to say hello, to find the man now leaning on the barbed wire fence alongside the road, binoculars in hand. He had been there most of the day. He was a retired farmer, he told us, and he missed his cows. It is funny the things that you learn in a trip down the Murray. I felt that now, so many years later, I finally understood this man.

Cow lick beach.

Curious cow.

From there we made our way to Corowa, practising our cooling down technique for the four days where over 40 degrees celsius is predicted from tomorrow. This involved wetting ourselves down regularly, a break every 10km, and best of all, floating with the boats for a hour in the hottest part of the day. After the float we did some synchronised paddling, in time and only a meter and a half apart. We listened to music from my iPhone as we paddled the last 8 km into camp at Stanton's bend. These last two things were the highlights of my day. Loved sharing them with ruth. Wonderful experiences.

Refreshing milkshakes - worth the walk into town.

Corowa's historic bridge. The 1892 John Foord bridge in Corowa is the only iron lattice bridge on the Murray river. It was the fourth bridge built across the Murray and established Corowa as a centre of commerce. It is the only bridge named across the Murray named after a pioneer settler. Though a second bridge has been built, it is such a part of the heritage and identity of the town that it is still in action. it is also the shortest way a very popular fish and chip shop across the river in Wahgunyah.

Floating 4 km in the heat of the day: refreshing and fun.

Evening swim at our campsite at Stanton Beach, 12 km downstream of Corowa.