We have grown quite fond of Orange with its wide range of eateries, coffee shops, open parklands and friendly atmosphere but, after our extended stay in Orange, it is time to move onwards on our great adventure. Next stop Dubbo.

A little diversion

During our visit at Molong we were made aware of an alternative route to Dubbo avoiding the highway but with the opportunity of seeing plenty of ‘wildlife’. We were advised it was a narrower road than the highway with few places to pull-over and stop once on the road with the exception of the townships of Cumnock and Yeovil. As it was Anzac Day there was also little chance of anywhere open to eat so Catherine prepared some cheese rolls for the trip.

Molong… again

The route took us initially to Molong again and hope of a coffee stop before we reached our turn for our alternative route. No chance there, the town was closed for an Anzac Ceremony and the road partly blocked by horses so we had to do an about turn with the caravan in tow. It’s fortunate that roads are so wide in the old towns and just wide enough for us to turn around without too much embarrassment. We were to have a similar issue at Cumnock with a Ceremony taking place and spilling out onto the high street.

Animals on Bikes

Just past Molong we turned-off onto Obley Road and onto the Animals on Bikes trail. I’d better explain: In 2009 local farmers, farmers’ wives, Men’s Sheds, a bus driver, pre-school children and playgroup mums created 45 sculptures made from scrap materials scavenged from local farms and depicting various animals riding bicycles. The idea being to help boost the region and attract visitors from the Mitchell Highway to the suffering country towns and farms following years of drought. There are now over 100 on display and more added every 2-years. It’s a very creative way to make use of scrap material and have a lot of fun at the same time. And it has to be the best ‘I-Spy’ to keep the children (and most of the adults too) occupied along the drive to Dubbo.

Practice your A to Z

For the kids there is also an A to Z of animals to spot spaced every 4KM, although it appears there was an issue trying to find an animal who’s name began with an ‘X’ and so a Fox had to do. Well, what about the Xiangcheng toothed toad??

We passed Rosie the Redback spider, Elvis the Kookaburra (that’s one for Parkes), Evil Ken the Weevil and Camouflage the Emu – though we never saw the Emu.

It’s not the best of roads, narrow in places, rough in many and a short section of dirt road currently being prepared for the black top. I’m sure it is a lot more comfortable in a car not towing a large caravan, but with all the ‘animals’ there are plenty of distractions to keep you and your passengers occupied for a couple of hours. And so from that perspective we’d recommend taking the side road and avoiding the Mitchell Highway.