Hi RF. No idea about Chillagoe at the moment, except that I might have extremely high dead weeds by the time I get back. Have a feeling I'll have missed a very meagre wet season.

Visited friend at Warrnambool in southern Victoria. Cold, damp & windy. Drove to Kiama south of Wollongong NSW, hid inside from smoke, cold & rain. Quick visit to Sydney, no smoke I noticed, & a bit of light rain. Drove from Kiama via western Sydney to Windsor and the Putty Road to Singleton and the New England Highway to Armidale. Through Windsor the day before it flooded. Interesting, and uplifting, to see the regrowth on most of the blackened vegetation.

Leaving on Thursday, driving up the ranges or further west. Like an umbrella, that is sure to keep Uesi away from the coast...

Cant wait to get home. I actually miss our 38°+ days. Not needing to be in multiple layers while everyone else is in shorts.