I left at 7 this morning for my walk as the forcast was for a 39 degree day and hotter tomorrow. I zig zagged through the streets of my childhood. They had changed little but they had changed. A new house here, the old garden gone, the police station, the building still there but no longer a station. Like the train station, still there but not. I crossed the Murray Valley Highway which runs parallel to the railway line and walked out along the line. It is now overgrown with weeds, once again still there but not.

I turned right into Pethard Rd or as we called it the Lock Rd. On the far side of the road where I left the railway line and the Murray Valley Highway a Solar Farm. How wonderful to see the solar panels soaking up today’s glorious sun.

The properties on the right hand side along Pethard Rd showed character.

While grapevines added greenery to the other side of the road.

Lock and Weir no. 15 was started in 1932 and completed in 1936. My grandfather worked on its construction during this time. The grounds are immaculately kept with manicured lawns and picnic tables. The Denall fish race which is installed here allows the fish to swim upstream and to be monitored. Robinvale is one of only two places along the Murray where the fish race is monitored. Breeding stock of Murray Cod, Perch and Silver Perch are collected from here because of the healthy size of the fish stock.

Looking downstream from the Weir there are beautiful red cliffs. Many pelicans can be seen in the waters below the weir. I guess they have found that it is easy pickings with the fish using the fish race.

I returned to town the way I came but this time on the other side of the railway line. It was so nice to see the hop bushes where they lined the track. Hop bushes grew in profusion outside our property when I was young and it has been a long time since I have seen them, and in flower.

I continued walking into town, this time past the silos that dominate the skyline of many country towns.

After shopping for our dinner I stopped at the monument to the people that make up the town, to the immigrants, the settlers, the travellers and the locals. The heading on a sign explaining it sums up the town. They Came From Every Country in the World.