Friday, July 30, 2010
Further news from Coffs Harbour
As our old computer was locking up, we had it checked out and on advice that there could be further trouble down the road the search began for a new one. It is an Acer model and has Windows 7 on it, so we have much work before us getting to know the intricacies of this much later technology, J is doing that seated on one side of our van and I am doing this on the old one on the other couch.
This past week has been largely made of of these things whilst the rain has tumbled down, almost 100 mls of it, after all this is the sub tropics. Of course it found a little place around a window to leak into our van I used many towels trying to keep it off our upholstery. A temporary repair with gaffer tape, then the next day - brilliant sun.
Today we popped up to Woolgoolga for a few supplies, checked out the shops and J had a haircut ! A lovely beachside village once again very alternative lifestyle and needed to be explored, in our 27 deg temperature. We intend to move on to Yamba on Monday.
This past week has been largely made of of these things whilst the rain has tumbled down, almost 100 mls of it, after all this is the sub tropics. Of course it found a little place around a window to leak into our van I used many towels trying to keep it off our upholstery. A temporary repair with gaffer tape, then the next day - brilliant sun.
Today we popped up to Woolgoolga for a few supplies, checked out the shops and J had a haircut ! A lovely beachside village once again very alternative lifestyle and needed to be explored, in our 27 deg temperature. We intend to move on to Yamba on Monday.
Friday, July 23, 2010
After 4 days of this we moved on with all intentions of going to Woolgoolga, but ended up at Emerald Beach Caravan Park. Welcoming staff, gifts of lollypops and marshmallows, a well appointed park with many amenities, our choice of site, so we elected to stay 7 nights at the low season discounted rate next to the camp kitchen and across from the pool and amenities.
Checked out the Jetty Markets on Sunday, very alternative lifestyle, organic grown products, psychic readings etc.
Continuing to Corambirra Point where they quarried the rocks for the breakwater and were entertained by a young lady practicing her saxophone, then around to Boambee
Beach and while watching body boarders surfing noticed along from them were Dolphins surfing the waves also and lo an behold whales just a little further out venting and frolicking, slapping their tails, jumping and rolling, it was a magic.
On our way back to van we took an opportunity to wash off a lot of the mud we had collected over the past rainy week, continued to the seaside village Sawtel lookout where believe it or not we saw more whales.
Monday we had a problem with the awning, John dismantled part of it and hopes to have fixed it.
Tuesday we made it to Woolgoolga taking a photo of the Sikh Temple, brilliant white in the morning sun. On to Arrawarra headland, passing through tea tree scrub toRed Rock, more whales, turning inland via red a twisty road, cattle and logging country, to Glenreagh Country Store, which catered for everything - chook & chips for lunch (good value, there was so much we had some cold in sandwiches for tea.) Returning through Nana Glen Road and Lower Bucca to Emerald Beach.
Wednesday the (large) pancake breakfast was supplied and cooked by park staff, with all the trimmings. Rest of the day spent catching up.
Checked out the Jetty Markets on Sunday, very alternative lifestyle, organic grown products, psychic readings etc.
Continuing to Corambirra Point where they quarried the rocks for the breakwater and were entertained by a young lady practicing her saxophone, then around to Boambee
Beach and while watching body boarders surfing noticed along from them were Dolphins surfing the waves also and lo an behold whales just a little further out venting and frolicking, slapping their tails, jumping and rolling, it was a magic.
On our way back to van we took an opportunity to wash off a lot of the mud we had collected over the past rainy week, continued to the seaside village Sawtel lookout where believe it or not we saw more whales.
Monday we had a problem with the awning, John dismantled part of it and hopes to have fixed it.
Tuesday we made it to Woolgoolga taking a photo of the Sikh Temple, brilliant white in the morning sun. On to Arrawarra headland, passing through tea tree scrub toRed Rock, more whales, turning inland via red a twisty road, cattle and logging country, to Glenreagh Country Store, which catered for everything - chook & chips for lunch (good value, there was so much we had some cold in sandwiches for tea.) Returning through Nana Glen Road and Lower Bucca to Emerald Beach.
Wednesday the (large) pancake breakfast was supplied and cooked by park staff, with all the trimmings. Rest of the day spent catching up.
Kempsey was the next stop, because it was central to several areas we wanted to visit; a rural/country town, beside the Macleay River. One of the options was to Slim Dusty’s home at Nulla Nulla but you were not able to get inside the house and it was 180 klm drive, so another time.
We drove to Crescent Head, then down the Nana River road past tea tree plantations, across on the Settlement Point car ferry at a cost of $3.00 to Port Macquarie. After exploring several beautiful beaches where the waves rolled in spectacular fashion, then on to Lake Cathie where we had lunch. After this we made our way back to our van passing through farming country and the delightful town of Wauchope.Our next trip was out to the seaside town of South West Rocks where the Macleay River meets the sea and were fascinated by the spray of water as the outgoing tide met the incoming sea. Then on to the Trial Bay Gaol Arakoon built in 1871 to house prisoners building the breakwater, they made so little progress the plan was abandoned, it was also utilized to hold German internees during WW1. Then on to Smokey Cape Lighthouse where we saw our first whales frolicking in the sea, magnificent view, than Hat Head for lunch and return to Kempsey
We drove to Crescent Head, then down the Nana River road past tea tree plantations, across on the Settlement Point car ferry at a cost of $3.00 to Port Macquarie. After exploring several beautiful beaches where the waves rolled in spectacular fashion, then on to Lake Cathie where we had lunch. After this we made our way back to our van passing through farming country and the delightful town of Wauchope.Our next trip was out to the seaside town of South West Rocks where the Macleay River meets the sea and were fascinated by the spray of water as the outgoing tide met the incoming sea. Then on to the Trial Bay Gaol Arakoon built in 1871 to house prisoners building the breakwater, they made so little progress the plan was abandoned, it was also utilized to hold German internees during WW1. Then on to Smokey Cape Lighthouse where we saw our first whales frolicking in the sea, magnificent view, than Hat Head for lunch and return to Kempsey
Monday, July 12, 2010
The weather has been quite daunting, rain and more rain, I suppose it is Winter and there are some advantages to that, less people on the road and more choices at the holiday parks. It is easier to deal with when living at home, with a caravan it is designed that you spend a great deal of your day outside and that aint so joyous in the wet.
Once again we decided to defy the rain and went to Forster Keys on Sunday morning, there were to be markets and boat activities, including dragon boating.
Well rugged up we arrived about 9.45 sussed out the dragon boat, 12years old, german made. When talking to the members of Pearl Dragons, it was borrowed and they only had been going for 9 months, had 50 members and were fundraising for their own. They offered me a paddle, I was not in the mood. A couple of their members had paddled in a composite team in Canada. We also checked out the vintage cars and Aussi-1 was there, which is powered by a jet engine and is being set up to challenge the World Water Speed Record.
Once again we decided to defy the rain and went to Forster Keys on Sunday morning, there were to be markets and boat activities, including dragon boating.
Well rugged up we arrived about 9.45 sussed out the dragon boat, 12years old, german made. When talking to the members of Pearl Dragons, it was borrowed and they only had been going for 9 months, had 50 members and were fundraising for their own. They offered me a paddle, I was not in the mood. A couple of their members had paddled in a composite team in Canada. We also checked out the vintage cars and Aussi-1 was there, which is powered by a jet engine and is being set up to challenge the World Water Speed Record.
Via the Pacific Highway we travelled to the Great Lakes area and the Wallamba River Holiday Park, the best park we have been in to date. Lots of concrete, wide open areas to negotiate, the best equipped camp kitchen ever seen including 180 cm flat screen TV, all the equipment you could want, grante top benches,cookers,fridges, lounges, gas heater, situated beside the Wallamba River.
On the Sunday we watched kayak races on the river together with Tom and Cecille (she is mother to 9 children)
The weather has been fairly wet, nevertheless on Tuesday we took the tourist drive through Taree on to Wingham, saw the remains of the hotel which had burned in a $2 million fire the night before. On to Tinonee on the Manning River and saw the remains of the wharf to which the tall sailing ships offloaded passengers and supplies until the late 1930s . Took some lovely photos of the Manning River and the hills and valleys around there.
Wednesday we sheltered from the rains.
Thursday we took off determined not to be put off by the rain, drove round and looked at some of the nice homes at Forster then Cape Hawk Lookout, down to Greens Point entertained by the antics of the pelicans chasing fish around the moored boats.
Continuing on Lakes Way to Seal Rocks took photos of water surging in the blowholes, climbed up to Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse and spent time watching the whales gamboling in the ocean, returning via Wootton, cattle farms on very spectacular rolling hills and valleys, stopping at Nabiac for pies for lunch, then back to the IlaJ amid threatening skies.
On the Sunday we watched kayak races on the river together with Tom and Cecille (she is mother to 9 children)
The weather has been fairly wet, nevertheless on Tuesday we took the tourist drive through Taree on to Wingham, saw the remains of the hotel which had burned in a $2 million fire the night before. On to Tinonee on the Manning River and saw the remains of the wharf to which the tall sailing ships offloaded passengers and supplies until the late 1930s . Took some lovely photos of the Manning River and the hills and valleys around there.
Wednesday we sheltered from the rains.
Thursday we took off determined not to be put off by the rain, drove round and looked at some of the nice homes at Forster then Cape Hawk Lookout, down to Greens Point entertained by the antics of the pelicans chasing fish around the moored boats.
Continuing on Lakes Way to Seal Rocks took photos of water surging in the blowholes, climbed up to Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse and spent time watching the whales gamboling in the ocean, returning via Wootton, cattle farms on very spectacular rolling hills and valleys, stopping at Nabiac for pies for lunch, then back to the IlaJ amid threatening skies.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
All good things must come to and end and so on 29/6/2010 we traveled the Pacific Highway through the outskirts of Newcastle through Raymond Terrace and to Karuah where we stayed at a park for 2 nights to enable us to drive through the New England Highway to Scone passing along the way some huge coal mines, the like I’d never seen, also the Bayswater power station to find the Burning Mountain.
Over the next 2 hours we climbed the mountain and were amazed at this natural process which had been burning for an estimated 5 – 6 thousand years, some 30 metres underground leaving a discernable trail of deforested landscape with giant subsidence cracks. As you walk along the track the soil colour changes from grey brown to red, this is caused by oxidization of the iron compound in the soil. We saw native animals which it is said hang around the area in an effort to keep warm on cold days.
Over the next 2 hours we climbed the mountain and were amazed at this natural process which had been burning for an estimated 5 – 6 thousand years, some 30 metres underground leaving a discernable trail of deforested landscape with giant subsidence cracks. As you walk along the track the soil colour changes from grey brown to red, this is caused by oxidization of the iron compound in the soil. We saw native animals which it is said hang around the area in an effort to keep warm on cold days.
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