Re: Copeton Dam
As we all know - Jedo and the Navigator/Cook/Organiser/Financial Controller et al, took a 2 week sojourn up to New England from 9/5 - to 24/5: mix of work and pleasure... And very nice it was (unique to experience 3 days heavy rain Wed 20th, Thu 21st, Fri 22nd whilst in Armidale since that is a rare phenomena in the Hill...)
Trip report to follow but just wanted to comment that we drove up to Bingara and easily found the road to Copeton Dam... Nice enough road - paved all the way and scenic, but a little disappointing to reach the NP entrance to Copeton Dam and see a Pay-Booth... Bit like Dubbo Zoo... Nicely built brick cubicle with a uniformed person sitting behind a cash till... You pays your money and you drive in and all you see is a large expanse of grotty sand and dried grass and a small area of water...
The Co-Pilot and I have experienced a great many of the awesome delights of this magnificent land... Alas - Copeton Dam is not on that favourite list... Split Rock Dam and Chaffey Dam were well ahead... And unless we find ourselves in the general area of Manila, Baraba, Bingara, Inverell, etc in October - we won't be attending the muster at Copeton Dam...
However - Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder...
Jedo

Happy to go somewhere rather than copeton. Some nice caravan parks at nundle, armidale, glen Innes perhaps.

If it is within about 400 clicks of Southport I may turn up!
As I am still working, I dont have the luxury to amble along to long destinations YET!!!!!

We stayed at PENROSE CP - on Waterfall Way, just out of Armidale... Good amenities... Internet access, library... Nice grassed area and ponds... $27 a night... I was there primarily for the 2 day neuro-stroke at UNE so didn't get to sight-see much... Plus it rained for the 3+ days we were there... But Wollombimbi Falls was WELL worth the visit...
Sound like a whingeing POM - but Nundle was dissapointing... We didn't stay there but eyeballed the CP and agree that IT looked snug... The town itself was quaint, olde worlde, but neither the "olde-tyme-shoppe" nor the Wool Mill was open on the day.
We did Hanging Rock - the lookout - magnificent... and then the 180 (or so) km 4WD drive track (with 22 Creek Crossings) down to Scone... Great...
Didn't get to Glen Innes: Stayed at Manilla - nice park - close to the Manilla River... growling possums... and day trips to Baraba and Bingara and Copeton Dam... Did a bit of fossicking (seen's we were on Fossicker's Way) but didn't scratch either gold, sapphires nor rubies... Interesting though... Look for "Ruby Hill" (signposted) south of Bingara - and shift into Low 4WD before you attempt to climb the hill...
Some folks (no doubt) will love Copeton Dam... But I agree that there are plenty of other locations that are more appealing...
Depends on your desires - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
And, anyway - just being Away: in the Van, is satisfying in itself...
I'm sure All would agree...
Jedo

Well it looks like i have some catching up to do! So i will read your posts, gather some info, make some calls and see whats doing!!!!

Watch this space!!!!

May -June 2010 leaving Tassy and going from Melbourne to Port Augusta before going up the Centre so if some thing is on at that time and near my route will definatly attend