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