We visited the pub at Grabben Gullen. Had lunch at the Criterion Hotel in Crookwell and then on to Grabine Recreation area via Wheeo and Frogmore. Home by the back roads through Boorowa. We travelled from our home in Cootamundra and it was a decent enough distance for a day trip. All up we did about 500km and almost a few hundred of those were on dirt roads of varying quality. It was a good fun day.

Grave Of John Gilbert

We love our bushranger history and one is buried less than an hour from home. For some reason we had never called in to see the grave but today we finally did.

Johnny Gilbert was a member of the Australian Bushranger Gang which was led by Ben Hall. In various parts of New South Wales Ben Hall’s Bushranger Gang committed a number of robberies and hold-ups. They robbed and roamed as far north as Forbes down to Gundagai and Binalong in New South Wales. Their most famous robbery was the robbery of the Mail Coach at Eugowra in Western New South Wales in 1862.

Born in Hamilton, Ontario Canada in 1842 Johnny travelled to the Victorian Gold Fields with his family in 1852. Frank Gardiner the legendary Australian bushranger heavily influenced Johnny Gilbert when he was 18.

You can visit the grave site of bushranger Johnny Gilbert on the outskirts of Binalong, NSW. At the foot of the hill along Burley Griffin Way. There is a place to stop and park. You can walk from there to the grave.

Bushranger Grave Johnny Gilbert Near Binalong

Grabben Gullen Pub

We called in to the pub at Albion Hotel at Grabben Gullen aka “The Grabby Pub” for a quick beer. It’s quite a nice country pub with a bistro. It was a bit early for lunch so we didn’t get to try anything out.

Criterion Hotel Crookwell For Lunch

We called in to the Criterion Hotel in Crookwell for lunch. The meals were excellent. Amanda had a seafood basket and it was quite large and well cooked. I had my usual hamburger and chips and the burger was pretty good. Not in my top ten pub burgers but still really good. It was quite large and the burger pattie was thick and tasty. We will certainly call in there again.

Lunch At The Criterion Hotel Crookwell NSW

Cemetery At Wheeo NSW

We were travelling through Wheeo when we saw a small cemetery and church so we pulled in and went for a walk. It’s quite a small cemetery and it didn’t take us long to read all of the headstones and pay our respects.

Wheeo Cemetary

On To Grabine

We then headed on to Lake Grabine Recreation Park to scope out future camping areas. It was a very nice drive out there along some hilly, winding dirt roads.

Our Route

Grabben Gullen Crookwell Wheeo Grabine

We drove to Wee Jasper today via Adjungbilly on the Tumut side. It was a bit of a workout getting there after the storms six weeks ago. Quite a few washouts and a bit rough through the sections currently being logged. We drove around all of the camp sites at Wee Jasper. Swinging Bridge looked the goods but to be honest they’re all crackers. It was a good day out and loads of fun. A great way to spend our wedding anniversary.

We travelled from our home in Cootamundra and it was a decent enough distance for a day trip. The dirt roads in the area travelling from Adjungbilly were quite rough, a high clearance 4WD vehicle is definitely recommended. A camper trailer would be ok to tow as would a very small offroad caravan. I wouldn’t be towing anything larger than a 13 foot poptop or Jayco Swan.

It’s a good idea to take basic recovery gear with you such as a shovel and recovery boards. Given the number of trees that have come down in the area recent times a chainsaw is also a good option if you don’t want to turn around and backtrack. If you are coming in to Wee Jasper via Yass the road is bitumen all the way and generally in good condition. It does have a lot of twists and turns but overall it is an easy drive.

Wee Jasper Via Adjungbilly On The Tumut Side Pulled Over On Logging Trail

About Wee Jasper

The village of Wee Jasper is situated in a valley which is renowned for its rugged beauty. Wee Jasper is located at the foot of the Brindabella Ranges. It is surrounded by the backwaters of the Burrinjuck Dam. Carey’s Cave with seven chambers of crystal formations is the main attraction in the area. Cave tours are offered twice daily and three times a weekend. The area is extremely popular with caravanners and campers. Many campsites can be found around the area.

Wee Jasper Via Adjungbilly On The Tumut Side Bridge Across Murrumbidgeee River

About Adjungbilly

The village of Adjungbilly is located in the central east of the Riverina at the foot of the Snowy Mountains, on the north-western edge of the region. The town is about 29 kilometres south-east of Gobarralong and 35 kilometres north-east of Tumut. Nadjongbilla is the Wiradjuri word for water and creek, referring to a creek in the area that has a permanent supply of water. At first, Adjungbilly was called Nadjongbilla, meaning water and creek respectively.

Tomooroma Post Office was established on 15 May 1896, renamed Adjungbilly in 1899, and closed in 1974. The Bongongo Public School is near the Bongongo Station and has a community hall as well as a small isolated primary school.

Wee Jasper Via Adjungbilly On The Tumut Side

Where Is Wee Jasper?

The town of Wee Jasper is located 337 kilometers from Sydney, 53 kilometers from Yass, and 65 kilometers from Tumut.

Our Route

Wee Jasper Via Adjungbilly Map

Ulandra Nature Reserve has a great bushwalk to Eulolo Homestead. It’s out along Mahomets Road at Bethungra and then a strenuous 2.5km walk up and down some big hills. It would have been a very isolated location back in the middle of last century when it was up and running.

About Eulolo Homestead

Settlement of the area began around the late 1800s. Most of the existing buildings at Eulolo Homestead seem to have been built in the 1950s and 1960s so are a lot later than the original settlement. There isn’t a whole lot left of the homestead save for a chimney and the remains of the hearth and some foundations. Evidence of the old homestead can be found everywhere though if you have a look. On the walk in there are old water tanks, probably the biggest giveaway to the Eulolo Homestead location as you are getting close are a couple of palm trees. They certainly aren’t native to the area.

Eulolo Homestead Ruins Ulandra Nature Reserve Near Bethungra

Round Poled Galvanised Iron Shearing Shed

The shearing shed is still in excellent condition, it looks as it would have appeared on the last day it was used minus all of the expensive shearing equipment. The shearing shed  has been conserved by the NPWS for it’s a fine example of an almost fully intact round poled and galvanised iron shearing shed. It’s well worth a look.

Inside Shearing Shed Eulolo Homestead Ulandra Nature Reserve Bethungra

Where Is Ulandra Reserve?

Ulandra Reserve is near Bethungra in the NSW Riverina district. You head out along Mahomets Road alongside the railway level crossing at Bethungra. Mahomets Road is dirt but in pretty good condition. You’ll travel about 5km on the the dirt road and eventually you come to a set of gates marking the start of the Eulolo Trail. You can’t miss it. Click here for some maps.

Location Map

Mahomets Road Bethungra Ulandra Nature Reserve Location Map