A few weeks ago Adam mentioned his desire to visit Oura Beach – a shallow, sweeping bend on the Murrumbidgee River about 20 minutes drive from our home in Wagga Wagga.
So the other Saturday, on a spectacularly sunny winter’s day, we got in the car and went for drive…
It’s been incredibly dry in our part of Australia, ever since we moved back from England almost six months ago (!). As a result the river is running exceptionally low, which is in stark contrast to how it was when we left on our overseas adventure. The extremes of the Australian climate always amaze me – I’ve seen the Murrumbidgee as a raging, turbulent and powerful brown torrent. However it can also be clear, calm and utterly peaceful.
When I first moved to Wagga I spent many warm weekends hanging out at Oura Beach with my girlfriends. We’d head down at lunchtime on a Sunday and spend our afternoons gossiping, reading magazines and cooling off in the water. It wasn’t quite the same as a day on the coast, but for us it was a peaceful escape from our everyday working lives.
Adam and I made our way onto the rocky river shore and breathed in the smell of the eucalyptus and still cool air. Nothing quite beats the sound of running water and it was ever-so-nice to just wander along, admiring the smooth river stones, watching Hereford cows come down from the opposite bank for a drink and catching the glint of the winter sun on the water.
It’s been a good few weeks since I had a proper wander in nature and our little visit to Oura was such a good reminder about how important it is, to just get outdoors regularly – even if it is only for half an hour or so.
Have a wonderful weekend. x
Wattle and Ash 