Another set of school holidays have arrived and we need to find a way to fill almost 7 weeks of time. So what better way than imposing on family!
We rolled out around 8ish, fuelled up in Canberra and pointed the car down the Hume Highway toward Cowra. Not long into the drive we passed a truck with its back end literally on fire — always a comforting start to a road trip. Ollie, unfazed, settled in with the Switch while I enjoyed a surprisingly smooth run, traffic included.
A stop in Boorowa for Driver Reviver delivered the goods: free Chicken Crimpys and a lollipop for Ollie. Spirits high, we pushed on to Sofala for lunch — nuggets and chips — in Australia’s oldest surviving gold mining town. I made Ollie be a tourist, admired the loveliest little general store, and suffered through truly terrible coffee. Highlights included a phone call to Santa from the old phone box and watching the landscape shift from sheep to *so many goats* as we climbed the mountain.
Just outside Mudgee we spotted a big fire and assumed it was a burn-off… which felt odd given it was 35°C. Around the next bend, six fire trucks flying in the opposite direction suggested otherwise.
By the time we arrived it was a scorching 40°C. The kids barely paused before launching themselves into a jumping castle waterslide at my cousin’s place. Hours passed with everyone playing — adults included — feet parked in the water, pretending we weren’t melting.
That evening we braved the very, very warm walk to Mudgee Christmas Carols. Slushies were an immediate priority, followed by pizza and nuggets for dinner. The kids ran wild chasing a Grinch — presumably part of the show, not just a random local in costume. The walk home was far more pleasant without the sun beating down, and after showers we all collapsed into an early night, sweaty, tired, and very happy.
We were up by 7ish and eased into the morning with a proper chill-at-home start. With it being the last day of cherry picking at Roth Cherry Farm, we headed out and struck gold — heaps of trees right at the end and a very successful haul for the two kids. Sticky fingers, full buckets, happy vibes.
After goodbyes we hit the road, with a sneaky Maccas stop in Orange (as all good road trips require). Next stop was Canowindra and the Age of the Fishes Museum — such a cool space. Ollie discovered a sudden love for chess, while Rosie discovered she no longer remembers how to play it. Personal growth all round.
We rolled into Cowra around 3pm and went straight for the pool. At 30°C it felt absolutely heavenly after surviving 40°C the day before. Ollie had requested a motel night, so we ducked into Coles for supplies. Microwave mac and cheese turned out to be one of the biggest hits of the entire trip — officially an Ollie highlight.
The motel delivered an unexpected bonus with a free Netflix account, so Elf was the movie of choice. Early night, no complaints.
The next morning we took our time, checked out around 10am and headed to the Cowra Japanese Gardens. They were stunning — beautiful landscaping, thoughtful cultural details, and an overall sense of calm. The clear highlight was feeding the massive koi and the adorable baby ducklings.
After a quick caramel slice, we jumped back in the car for a very uneventful drive home — always a win.
Huge shout-out to Amy, Claire and the families for having us. We had the best time and can’t wait to see you all again at Easter 💛
