Tailem Town 20 March 2007

Rained overnight and in the morning – a rare experience! Had a long look at Murray River as we crossed the Murray Bridge a number of times. It was a significant moment, (with our interest in Australia’s current water crisis as we have encountered this river and its tributaries so many times in the past and now we saw it at its end, were looking directly at. It still seemed a big river with a few paddle steamers chugging along for tourists. Left in the late afternoon and the headed for Old Tailem Town. We arrived late in afternoon and the owners Peter and Margaret, invited us to stay the night overlooking the wetlands of the Murray on their huge property. We looked across to a colourful orange sunset with pelicans, black swans and ducks settling in the reeds. After dinner we shared a cuppa with Peter and Margaret in a heritage house which reminded us much of our own. Peter surprised us with his Australian bush poetry, especially his interpretation of a relatives experience at Anzac Cove. It was very moving and especially so when he read us the original letter on which he based this poem.