Flight to the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme

4,200km, 2,270nm, 

This flight was in late November, which in Australia is the start of summer and a time of hot and unstable weather with lots of big thunderstorms, so not a good time for long Xcountry flights..... But continuously rainy weather in the south had prevented earlier plans. It was a heck of a rough and challenging trip...... 

But I did want to get a look at the Snowy Mountains Hydro and Irrigation Scheme. Built from 1949 to 1974, it diverts the Snowy River from flowing down the east side of the mountains into the Pacific Ocean and tunnels it under the mountains through several power stations and down into the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers to irrigate a vast area of previously dry land.  Not that there's a lot to see from the air, cause much of it is underground. 145km of tunnels and two of the power stations are underground. 16 dams and 9 power stations in all. An enormous engineering project. 

The story at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2FTBPIrcKk

 A good start down the east coast to Port Macquarie, smooth and good tailwind. But I had to go inland at Newcastle to avoid Sydney, and ran into heavy smoky haze and getting really rough over all the coal mines in the Hunter Valley. I had planned to stop and camp at Wellington, but a line of thunderstorms confronted.

Bless OZrunways navigation app on the iPad for the radar overlay. Made it so much easier to find a way between the developing thunderheads. Had to keep going west to Peak Hill, south of Dubbo to get clear. A long rough 8hr day so very relieved to be down on a good campsite.....

 

Next morning back to Orange for fuel, but too early for the only refueler Wade Air, so on to Bathurst. Then backtrack to Cadia gold mine for a look around.

 Cadia gold mine.

There's the largest underground mine in Australia below this pit.

Then riding a strong northerly tailwind to Tumut for a look at the Blowering and Talbingo Reservoirs, all full now after all the rain earlier.

Then to Khancoban to view the power station and penstocks down the mountain.

This the last power station in this chain, 

and the water now goes into the Murray River for irrigation downstream.

From here that northerly became a violently rough Xwind to Lethbridge, west of Melbourne. But had to press on because the windy.ty.com site showed a sharply defined front line coming through late afternoon. It showed a 20kt northerly with temp 34 degrees on the north side and a 20kt southerly with temp 14 degrees on the south side, so inbetween would be wild..... Made it to Lethbridge in plenty of time, but while waiting ages for fuel, the gust front of a wild thunderstorm hit. I sat in the aircraft with the door open, ready to jump out and grab a strut. The aircraft danced and slewed around, but just enough protection from the buildings to stay right side up. As soon as there was a lull, Gary, owner of Lethbridge airfield kindly put me in a hangar just before an even more violent cell hit. Safe at last..... Then holed up at my daughter's place for three days while Melbourne's **** weather did it's thing.

Friday cleared up so rode the 15kt  southerly across to Leongatha where I ran into low, drizzly, very dark cloud, could be flying into a trap so landed to sit it out. Later got through to Latrobe where it all improved. On to Benambra and a cup of tea and a yarn with legendary Ben Buckley. Finally over the mountains to Mt Beauty.

Just a few remnants of snow this time of year.

Wild 'Tiger Country' below......

Mt Beauty, nestled against the mountains.

One of the prettiest inland towns in Australia.

The weather for the 'Gathering of the Moths' fly-in was perfect, and a really good turn-out of good flyers. Some STOL demos from the Supercubs and Savannahs, then lots of interesting visiting with the boys. Excellent hospitality from the Mt Beauty folk, thank you.

Sunday was also perfect weather at last. Landed on reputedly, the highest airstrip in OZ. This strip belongs to the Forestry service and is listed 'Emergency Only' but this was an emergency, eh - just had to do it! 

But it's still only 5200ft altitude, about the same as the city of Denver, Colorado.... Called 'Alpine' or 'Snowy Range'. Not challenging at all, cause it's a long open strip also used by heavy fire-fighting aircraft when necessary. But lots of very ominous 'tiger country' all around, with tall forest and steep slopes.

Then on to Mt Kosciouzko, the highest mountain in Australia, only 7,310 ft.

 Australia misses out on really big mountains these days,

all eroded away eons ago....

Landed at Cabramurra airstrip and walked to the 'Highest Town in Australia' (4884ft). There's a really interesting electronic display in the shop, showing the complex layout of the Hydro Scheme and a real time elecronic display showing which generators are operating and where the water is flowing.

On to Leeton to camp the night. An ideal campsite, soft grass, shady tree, toilets and shower.

Next day a good run to Narromine for fuel. Hundreds of glider trailers there for some gathering. Increasingly rough to Moree, then the windy.ty site showed a narrow but very strong band of northerlies ahead, so diverted east and found windy.ty was exactly correct, so a wild Xwind ride across to Ashford. Unloaded my bike and rode into town for a sandwich and a rest. But rapidly developing storms so had to press on. Once again thanks to OZrunways and that radar overlay I was able to find a path between the now fully developed thunderstorms. Clifton was clear so landed there to watch developments.... Watched a storm on Bureau of Meteorology radar site headed for Kilcoy, until it cleared away to the north. Sure is wonderful this modern technology! So finally back home to Kilcoy, feeling relieved, and battered around as if I had just played overtime in a rugby game.....

So just proved that it isn't a good time of year for long flights..... Need to start first light and plan to stop by 1100, then retire to aircon accommodation cause it's too hot to tent out under a wing. And have a hangar space arranged for the aircraft because of those late afternoon thunderstorms.....