Thursday 21st. We awoke to pouring rain and it rained until lunch time. We took the opportunity to visit Mamma Coffee shop where Allan bought one of their blends. Afternoon and showers came over and strong winds. After dinner, I was sitting in the van when the wind started in earnest!!!! It really blew - was a tad anxious but it abated after 1/2 hour or so.
It was not until we woke and listened to the news that we heard about the tornado that had hit the nearby towns. Some of the accounts of the strength of the wind left us amazed - one man said that it lifted his Toyota Landcruiser up into the air and onto two wheels.
Allan & I drove out to the Wonga Wetlands and spent an hour or so there. It has been really well set up with hides. Saw lots of wrens but they were very elusive.
We then set out for Tocumwal via Rutherglen as we intended to try the famous pies! However, the electricity was out in many parts of the town so no famous pies. Windows were blown out and a whole brick wall had collapsed. Workers ere everywhere trying to clean up. At Rutherglen Estates Winery, the guy told us that their winery had been hit and the glass shattered on the tractors.
The worst devastation was at Bundalong - there were huge trees down everywhere and in one paddock, a whole row of young gums were just chopped off about 8 feet of the ground. We intended going to the Big Strawberry at Koonoomoo for one of their famous pancakes but it was closed as well. This area seemed to have been hit hard as well.
We are in Tocumwal tonight and will stay another night. Hope to do the Farm Gate Trail tomorrow.
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