Yanga Lake

In a separate review, on Willowvale Rest Area just outside Balranald, New South Wales, I have pointed out that the biggest issue facing long distance drivers in Australia is fatigue. There is only one solution to this problem and that is to stop driving and rest. On our regular 1,200kms trips between Canberra and Adelaide Andy and I swap driving at regular intervals. While those in the know say you should pull over and rest every couple of hours we often change drivers more frequently than this. Our bodies tell us when it is time to stop and have a rest.

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Take A Rest Between Hell And Balranald

If you make it to the Balranald area of New South Wales, Australia, you will have invariably driven a significant distance and still have quite a bit to go. Distances from Balranald to:

Brisbane: 1,450km
Sydney: 800km
Melbourne: 390km
Adelaide: 600km
Canberra: 600kms.

I’ve Been To Hell And Back, Many Times

Hells Gate is the entrance to a 13,000 hectares farming property on the flat Hay Plain in outback New South Wales. It lies between Hay and Balranald on a featureless stretch of saltbush, which is generally accepted to be the flattest region on earth.

Cafe Cassaro: “Cafe And Gift Shop”

For many years now, if I arrived into Balranald ( located about half way between Sydney and Adelaide – 600km from Adelaide and 800km from Sydney) around lunch time on my annual drive from Canberra to Adelaide, as I invariably did, I had lunch at the excellent Balranald Bakery (separate review). I have a particular soft spot for their apple slice.

A couple of years ago (in 2014) I noticed that another café had opened next door. In 2016 I decided to forgo my stop – and my apple slice – at the bakery and try Café Cassero which doubles as a gift shop offering lots of ‘stuff’ that didn’t appeal to me. But I was here to find something for lunch.

Balranald Bakery and Cafe: “Fresh Bread In The Outback”

The small town of Balranald, approximately 1,000 inhabitants, lies in the west of New South Wales and is pretty much half way between Sydney and Adelaide, in South Australia.

As I only stop here for lunch, etc en route to Adelaide or back to Canberra (where I live) I have very little content on it to add to my blog at present.