The Great Lakes

Well done West Coast Eagles, not that there is an Eagles fan to be seen in this family.  But we did watch the game and it was an impressive win.  So too the Dockers but perhaps to a lesser extent.  Same result though.  It means, however, that we don't have to do a dash down to Melbourne next weekend to watch the semi-final, which we had seriously considered if either team had lost this weekend. Better still, we can head down there in a few weeks to watch both teams in the GF! 

We are now in 'Fighter Town' , Newcastle.  Well. not quite Fighter Town but close to it.  Williamtown is home to one of the RAAF FA18 fighter squadrons and the flight training school that 'converts' pilots from other lead-in jets to operate the FA 18.  We are just south of the base and have heard many aircraft manoeuvring overhead in the last few days - lucky they are on our side.  I have been thinking of what the boys 'callsign' would be if they became fighter pilots.  Jack's would be Hamburger,  Jarrah's would be Snag (Sensitive New Age Guy) and Fletcher's would be 'Cutie Pie'.  Now that would be enough to strike the fear of god into any adversary wouldn't it!

Yesterday we had a quiet day lazing around at our campsite at Lake Myall.  It was quite damp underfoot and cold inside the van so we ran the generator to power up our newly acquired fan heater, which worked a dream.  Heaven.  The boys got their homework out of the way in comfort.



Andrea taking it all in at Seal Rocks.

 

In the afternoon we took a drive to Seal Rocks and Sugarloaf Point where we climbed up to yet another (yes, you guessed it) lighthouse.  It was very picturesque and we spent a very nice half-hour laying in the sun while Jack and Jarrah belted the bejesus out of each other on the lawn, again.  They really do go in hard and whilst I cringe at their wrestling, I know it is not abnormal and that it is actually building strength and resilience in them.  At least that is what I have convinced myself of.  Nonetheless, it is not really a good look in front of a bunch of tourist 'randoms' when they get it on. 


 Hamburger and Snag on top of Cutie Pie.

 

So the history, significance, architecture, engineering, function and ambiance of a beautiful lighthouse on such a beautiful coastline is simply lost on our guys, but not on Andrea and I.  There is something romantic about them and we can't help but imagine what it would have been like as lighthouse keepers and their families, living in such a beautiful but remote place with only shipping as their resupply lifeline.  But lighthouses have long been electrified and automated, thus making lighthouse keepers redundant.  At Sugarloaf Point the old accommodation buildings are now available as holiday rentals, at $4900 per week!!!!  Yeah right.



 

Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse & Lighthouse Keepers Accommodation.

A local mongrel (Dingo) on the beach.

A not-so-local mongrel on a rock.

 



Anyway, we wandered back to our campsite. rigged for night running, and put the telly on for the footy.  The family favourite, Burritos, was devoured as we settled in to see the game, heater on the "Fry Everything Within 10 Metres" setting. 

Today we cruised on down to Newcastle at a leisurely pace and set ourselves up at the Stockton Beach Holiday Park, on the north bank of Newcastle waters.  Nice spot and the weather gods have so far bowed to our requests.  Again, as a priority, the satellite dish was tuned in and we watched the Dorkers get over the line this time, bourbon in hand.  More Burritos for dinner and now all that is left to do is have a good snuggle with the boys and I think we'll call it a day.  Lovin' it.

Late News:  Cutie Pie has just filled his pants - a number 3 this time.   Apparently didn't want to miss watching 'Aliens in the Attic' on telly so he let it rip just sitting there.  What the heck?

The Shooting Star

Since we've been on the road, Fletcher has become known as our Shooting Star - here one minute, gone the next!  He lived up to his reputation when very early yesterday morning, there was a knock on our caravan door.  A concerned neighbour advised me that she'd just seen a little boy tearing along the path towards the beach.  I had  a look and sure enough there's Fletcher (dressed in pyjamas and gumboots) about 200 metres away, at a flat out sprint heading towards the beach. 

By the time I caught up with him, he was in the men's public toilets.  He didn't seem to know what all the fuss was about.  He'd needed to go to the toilet and knowing that the caravan park toilets had a keypad that he couldn't reach, he'd taken himself off to the nearby beach public toilets!

So now we were all fully awake!  We decided to make it a lazy day reading books and watching the boys play in the Horseshoe Bay park and adjacent beach, just a stone's throw from our caravan.

Unfortunately, we found we couldn't get an extension to stay another night and thus had to make some hasty plans to relocate.  Bummer. 

So, we had to be content with enjoying the view over a not so leisurely breakfast before packing up our mobile home once again and making tracks to a destination unknown.  Enroute we decided that the best spot would be a camping ground at Delicate Nobby and so we set a course to get there via Crescent Head.  Our flexibility shone through once again when we arrived at Crescent Head, a small surfing town with a delightful outlook, and decided to set up at the local caravan park on a site overlooking the river mouth and surf break.

So here we are. 

It was a beautiful day in the (not so hot) sun but we didn't really do much.  I was busy trying to get warm and Bruce played a few tunes on the guitar while the boys alternated between the skate park, the playground and the pine trees. 

We found a bit of time to watch the fishermen on a rickety old bridge catch a bunch of Blackfish and learn a few of the local tricks.

A quick barbeque of chicken and sausages was a far cry from the gourmet stuffings of last night but it seemed to fill the boys up OK.

Very early this morning I woke to the banging of the caravan door.  The Shooting Star was off again!  This time I managed to catch him before he was too far away.  Luckily, because he was headed to the skate park which is across the road at the beach!

Soon enough, we were on the road again.  The boys got stuck into their times tables while we trekked south, headed for Port Macquarie.  We were in the market for a heater as the heating element in the van air conditioner has stopped working (probably froze in Surat!).  Anyway, the Gods smiled on me with Bunnings practically throwing them out the door at $10 each!  I've got to admit I was tempted to buy one for each end of the van.....wouldn't be cold then!!!!!

It was a beautiful drive through Forster Tuncurry - the centre of the Great Lakes area.  Jarrah spotted a pod of dolphins as we crossed the bridge and Bruce spotted a caravan of camels (look it up, that's actually what it's called!) just north of town.

We checked out Elim Campground, a little south of Forster but the rules didn't appeal to us much - no bikes, no campfires, no alcohol.  What?  So we continued a little further south and set ourselves up a lovely little camp at Neranie Camp Ground, right on the Myall Lake, near Bungwahl.

We're the only ones here so we can ride bikes, make camp fires and drink alcohol willy nilly!  Yay!  Oh, and the boys had a screaming competition.  Just because they could!

The rest of the day wound up with some games of Uno, some bowls of Dinner Winner, travel diaries, diary chocolate ("Mum, can we have some of that diary milk chocolate?") and a viewing of the Aussie classic We Of  The Never Never.

Trial Bay Trivia

 Stardate 8-9-15 in the NSW quadrant.

 

After years of searching far and wide the Johnston boys have finally found their utopia. 

 

The All-You-Can-Eat buffet dinner.

 

Holy cow.  The Gold Coast theme parks pale into insignificance.  The look on their faces when we explained that they could basically stuff their faces and go back for more, was religious  (yes, terrible parenting isn't it?).

Jack fell into a minor trace when the penny dropped, followed by looks of joyous astonishment and wonder.  Jarrah almost just jumped off his chair when he realised that it meant multiple return trips to the self serve ice-cream dispenser. Fletchy yelled "Yay!" and raised both his fists in the air like Rocky Balboa after knocking out Apollo Creed.

It's not that we are starving them or anything but they are growing up and thus want to eat virtually anything and everything.  Now, they could actually eat virtually anything and everything.  Needless to say, there was a wide variety of foods sampled and many trips to the dessert servery made by all and sundry. 

Fletchy couldn't last the distance, however, and fell asleep at the table while the other two powered on through the chocolate cake and the strawberry jelly.  Soon enough though we all waddled our way out of the South West Rocks Country Club feeling a bit tight around the belt and looking for a nice warm place to hibernate.

 Fletch demonstrating the Gucci fashion standards we have strived to maintain on this trip.
This was before he ate himself to sleep.
 

  

Nambucca Heads

 

We passed through Nambucca Heads on the way to Horseshoe Bay the other day.  Nice place.  We had lunch from the van parked beside the beach. Such a beautiful day to be touring along the coast.
 

 

 What's this?

 

The Greek Islands, yes?

 

Nope.  Trial Bay Gaol on the NSW coastline.  How awesome is this!

 

Trial Bay Gaol was established in 1889 to house convicts whose primary task was to build a breakwater in the river mouth adjacent the gaol.   The main method of transport between Sydney and Brisbane during this era was by ship. As Trial Bay is the mid-point the intention was to provide a 'harbour of refuge' for these supply ships.  However, the convicts were dealt a significant blow at the turn of the century when they realised that the ships were now capable of steaming safely between the two cities and beyond without having to use Trial Bay.

So, in 1903 they closed the gaol and dispatched the convicts throughout various colonial gaols.  It was stripped of its chattels and left derelict until the 1st World War came along.  The building was resurrected into an internment camp for mostly expatriate German and Austrian 'enemy aliens', as they were called at the time.  This lasted until 1917 when, due to fear of a possible raid to release the interns by a German warship located in the area, they relocated to Holsworthy (outer suburb of Sydney), of all places. 

Having spent a significant amount of time working in the same internment camp now known as Holsworthy Army Barracks, I can claim with utmost confidence that not one of the interns would have enjoyed this relocation idea one little bit. The gaol became vacant again and deteriorated into disrepair.  It has since been restored by local volunteers and periodically host various social events such as sculpture and art shows.  Pink Floyd played there many years ago.  

We took a walk through the headlands next to the gaol and had coffees at the local café.  Sweet.
 

 Huggy Moment

 

I bet you have been wondering "Why they heck do they pronounce it 'jail' but spell it 'gaol'?"  If not, or you know the answer, too bad 'cause here it is.  Apparently gaol is the original spelling popular in the 17 and 18oos but in the 1860's newspapers started using the word 'jails', apparently because it takes up less type-space and it is less likely to be confused with the word 'goal, and it stuck.

So there you go.

 

 The Three Amigos or as I prefer to call them, Moe, Larry and Curly.

  

We're going to stay another night in Horseshoe Bay and have a lazy day tomorrow.  Life is tough on the road but someone has to keep the Australian economy powering along.  It's not all beer and skittles you know.  Well, no skittles anyway.

 

Oh and Pink Floyd did not actually play at the Trial Bay Gaol.  I just made that bit up.

Fathers Day

We fell asleep like a pride of lions last night, all in a pile.  Jarrah was the only one who lasted until Pirates of the Caribbean finished at 12.30am!

So it was that it was a late start for Fathers Day.  Jarrah and I were first up to make the pancake mix and a cuppa for Bruce to have in bed.  The present opening experience was subdued a little by Fletcher sobbing hysterically because there were no presents for him! 

Bruce was spoilt with bag upon bag of red frogs, blocks of white chocolate, a biography on Steve Irwin and a funky, portable didgeridoo (see below).

 

Oh, and Fletcher got over his plonker pretty quick when he realised he could put the said red frogs on the Fathers Day pancakes.

 

After a long, slow start to the day we braved the bad weather and headed next door to check out the Dangar Falls.

Dangar Falls is a small cascade waterfall located on the Bielsdown River.  Naturally, we spent time at the playground, and then moved on to the Labyrinth.

 

I am glad you asked - A labyrinth is an ancient pattern of passage dating back to 2500 BC.  Unlike a maze, a labyrinth is unicursal - they have one continuous path and there is no right or wrong way to walk.  With human movement the imprint of the ancient pattern is embedded upon the earth offering a reflective space.

 

Next we took the short walk down to the base of the falls.

 

 

The temperature here was practically arctic so just for a joke, I dared the boys to go for a nudie swim.  With the promise of the $20 reward, I was surprised at how quickly the clothes came off!

 

 

The arctic swim didn't come without a cost - determined tears were streaming down one little face before the ordeal was over.  But shortly afterwards it was all smiles as the debts were paid.

 

 

Fletcher, who dislikes the cold almost as much as I do, wasn't having a bar of any of it, preferring to stay warm and dry and laze on the grass.

 

 

After warming everyone up with hot milo and marshmallows, a good part of the day was already gone.  We headed into town and had a great pizza at the quaint Thirty Three on Hickory.  The Hickory Dickory Dock was the choice of the day and Bruce was onto his 5th piece before he remembered he was supposed to be sharing a pizza!

 

 

After lingering over the great pizza and some pretty average NZ merlot we enjoyed a lovely long chat with the chef/owner/manager/kitchenhand/waitress.  The weather wasn't getting any better so all there was left to do was to stop and buy some chocolate and head back home to the doona! 

 

Happy Fathers Day Dad!





Wet and Wild Dorrigo

It started innocently enough with beautiful blue skies and a beaming sun rising elegantly over the coastline to warm our well rested bodies over a lovely outdoor breakfast with gourmet coffee.  It ended with the flash of lightning, the crash of thunder and sheets of rain.  Not to mention the freezing temperature.

Yep, we're in Dorrigo, which is 1000m above sea level and pretty much up in the clouds, literally.  From our little home away from home poised high on a hill at Dangar Falls it is difficult to see the other side of the valley because of the cloud base.  So why are we in Dorrigo you may ask?   Dunno.   Sounded like a good idea at the time and the attraction of a hot shower was too much to ignore, particularly as it has been over a week since our last.

To get here we farewelled the friendly locals at Corrindi beach,

And made our way south along the Pacific Highway towards Coffs Harbour.  A mandatory stop at the Big Banana, which isn't actually that big and is not actually a banana, had us stuffing even more fluffy toys and touristy merchandise into the van which, I'm sure, has now exceeded its gross vehicle mass by a factor of two.

Jarrah could not walk away from the fluffy gorilla that grips you by its limbs around your neck and waist.  He called it George (after George of the Jungle) but later, as seems to be common practice after having a bit more time to consider, changed it to Steve.  Go figure.

Jack bought a gorilla egg cup.  I don't think he gave it a name.  Fletchy wanted to buy almost everything in the shop but sadly, missed out again only to be saved by a generous gesture from Jack who gave him a wrapped packet of Tic Tacs as a present.  This seemed to satisfy him but it didn't satisfy Andrea and I who are constantly put in the delicate situation of balancing the material needs and wants of the three boys and where, it seems, Fletcher misses out on most occasions.  Having said that, the Tic Tacs worked a treat and he hasn't mentioned missing out on anything from the gift shop.

And to think that all we wanted was a photo in front of the Banana.   Note to self - DO NOT even think of walking into the gift shop at a tourist attraction AGAIN!

Next stop Dan Murphy's where, of course, we were happy to load-up willy nilly!

So, with the van axles bending in the middle and the Santy struggling under the weight, we heaved off and up the hill from Coffs Harbour to Bellingen, our destination for the next few days.  Well, until Andrea did some more research on the iPhone and found what seemed to be a lovely quiet spot high up on a hill overlooking a waterfall with cattle roaming around and rolling hills to take in all the beauty - and hot showers!  We had visions of campfires and singing and reading our favourite books in the glorious sun while the boys played happily on the playground and rode their bikes until dusk. 

The beauty of this trip has been the flexible and democratic fashion in which we have made decisions on the run.  This was one of those times.  So, on a whim, and taking into account the visions described above, our destination suddenly became Dangar Falls in Dorrigo.  Mint.  Until we got here.

The drive up the hill was pleasant and we all enjoyed the next instalment of the Harry Potter audiobook, HP and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 1.  The tightly bended road wound its way up the mountainside with a few picturesque waterfalls to glance at on the way.

We found the campground easily but as we pulled up, the rain started.  So, we were laid up in the car for a while listening to Harry get out of yet another terrifyingly suspenseful bind, much like Shaggy from Scooby Doo always does, until we had to bite the bullet and get ourselves set up.

It wasn't too bad in the end but the major casualty was Jack who, despite being told on numerous occasions not to swing between the cupboards in the van, did so and subsequently slipped off the step and landed on his back rather heavily.  This was just after he had contaminated the inside of the van with the gaseous contents of his bowel causing a complete evacuation.  So, when he fell there was not a whole lot of sympathy on offer.  It seemed on this occasion that karma had dealt an equal and opposite blow, but you wouldn't have known it from the howling.  Once we actually saw the extent of the wound on Jack's back we realised quickly that he was in serious pain and developed an honest amount of sympathy.  It must have REALLY hurt him.



OUCH! (oh and check out the love handles on him!)

With all this drama aside and the van fully set up with power, water and the all important satellite dish deployed we could enjoy, at last, a nice hot shower.  It was bliss.  It felt wonderful to be clean again. 

We spent the remainder of the afternoon snuggled up in the van doing homework and watching the Dockers get smashed by Port Adelaide.  We sampled a few nips of the Jack Daniels Andrea bought me for Father's Day and sat back to watch "Pirates of the Caravan", as Fletchy calls it.

Andrea cooked up a tasty chicken, pumpkin and basil risotto and followed it up with thick custard, which was met with much approval from all and sundry.  All we have to do now is kick back and wait for tomorrow morning where I will be fed, watered, pampered and generally idolised for a full 24 hour period - Fathers Day.  Kiddin' I ain't gonna soak it up.

Corindi Park

We farewelled Maclean yesterday morning and headed south once more.  We stopped briefly in Grafton for gas, fuel, a shovel and 18 donuts before arriving at the beautiful Corindi Park just after midday.

Corindi Park is a private property at Corindi Beach.  The setting is stunning - we set up on a lovely grassy paddock overlooking a billabong full of water birds, with kangaroos lazing around us in the sun and kookaburras laughing overhead.

We were warmly welcomed by property owners Cheryl and John, and the boys soon discovered the great double tree swing!

Jarrah and I went for a walk to the beach, enjoying a bit of excitement when we took a wrong turn and got chased by a wild stallion!  By the time we returned, Jack and Fletch had befriended the kids who own the swing!  A game of soccer was followed by a cricket game that continued late into the afternoon.

We were joined by 'the two Jans' - a couple of lovely ladies travelling solo in their Winnebagos whom we had met at Maclean - for afternoon snacks on the verandah.  The wind died down in perfect time for us to light a campfire and enjoy some marshmallows before bed.

There are many beachside hamlets and rugged headlands along this beautiful stretch of coastline, but unsurprisingly, the boys weren't interested in leaving Corindi Park for sightseeing today.  Once we'd established, however, that Anika and Nikki would be tied up with their school work until midday, we managed to get the boys in the car and out the gate.  We tried to find a secret waterfall in the Sherwood Forest, but it was too secret.  We did see a wild deer, however, and we passed a couple of hours having fun rock hopping in a creek bed.

We stopped in at Woolgoolga, a peaceful coastal town wherein the 1940s the first Indian migrants settled to work the nearby banana plantations.  It was here that the first Sikh temple in Australia was built and Woolgoolga has now become a centre for Indian culture.



 

We got blown away at the Woolgoolga lookout,

 

So instead headed to the playground where we enjoyed some coffee and hot chips!

Back at home, once school work was complete there was soccer, jenga and bocce to be played, Harry Potter to be read and icypoles to be eaten.

While Bruce strummed his guitar I dug deep and gave my joggers the first workout they've had in weeks.  No wild horses this time but I was spellbound for a while by a small herd of belted galloways!

Eventually I dragged myself away, and soon arrived back at Corindi Park to find everyone pretty chilled!

 

At the end of the day, by the light of the campfire, we toasted the remarkable lives of two great nature lovers, as today marks the anniversary of their passing.

 

RIP

Steve Irwin (2006)

Loki (2012)

Yamba and Hump Day!

Failte go baile MacGhill Leathain

(Welcome to Maclean)

We are staying in a beautiful spot right by the Clarence River in the Scottish town of Maclean.  Highlanders arrived in this small town in the 1840s and the Scottish influence is still very evident here today.  The tartan painted power poles, the Scottish Cairn (see below) and Scottish souvenir shop serve to give this welcoming little town a bit of extra character.

 

Just a short drive from Maclean is the small coastal town of Yamba.  It just wouldn't have been right to go past the name sake of our hills home without stopping in, particularly as on this very day we are exactly half way through our trip - Day 123.

 



 

Unlike Yamba in the Keysbrook hills, Yamba in NSW is a seaside town famous for its pristine beaches, great surf spots and fine local seafood.  Situated at the mouth of the majestic Clarence River, Yamba epitomises the casual, laid back coastal lifestyle. 

 

We visited the Pilot Hill lighthouse and were impressed with the panoramic views over the ocean and across to the neighbouring Iluka.

 

 

Bruce and I watched the dolphins play while the boys belted the bejesus out of each other on the grass.  I am witnessing this type of behaviour from the boys much more frequently lately and I am convinced it must have something to do with their slow and painful transition into manhood...?

 

 

We made the obligatory stop at the local playground and then spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around Yamba in the sun.  Yamba time.

 

 

We sampled the local fudge at the Sweet Vintage Candy Store then indulged in the local seafood specialty for dinner.  We found a picturesque spot on the Clarence to eat our fish and chips.  More wrestling.

 

We arrived back at our lovely base at the Maclean Showgrounds in time to enjoy a glass of red and another beautiful sunset over the mighty Clarence River.

 

 

Having eaten an early dinner, it wasn't long before the young Johnston tummies were rumbling again.  So we broke out the long awaited Aldi giant marshmallows.  (Thank you Janine Atherton!)Each one is a small meal.

 

They start like this...

 

And end up like this...

 

 

or this..

 

And all this stickiness on our 6th day without a shower!  Bruce and I simply resigned ourselves to the mess, poured another red and enjoyed the magic of our mystic fire.

 

 

This morning we explored the coast a little further, taking a picnic lunch to the Iluka Nature Reserve, on the northern side of the Clarence River.  We checked out the beautiful coastline from the lookout, did some rock hopping then had a game of soccer in the sun.

 

 

More soccer this afternoon, and then a leisurely drive through the sleepy coastal town of Brooms Head before calling it a day.  We enjoyed a pasta carbonara for dinner - the boys certainly enjoyed their FOUR BOWLS EACH!  Some more red wine, some more giant marshmallows.  Another day done.