Blooming new job

So I've started a new job. You might think 'This girls almost finished her nursing diploma, maybe it's at a hospital?' Guess again! The local cool climate privately owned gardens, yeah! Because I've not been a pro gardener in my career yet, just an amateur, so I thought I'd give it a go. Seeing as I'm almost finished my nursing-literally one assignment and one week of placement to go-I'm only working 2 days a week (at the garden, 2 or 3 nursing too-I thrive on variety). So far they're impressed with my enthusiasm for the job and because I've always been thrown in the deep in, plus I am a keen gardener at home, I'm taking to these waters rather well (pardon the pun) (got water on the mind, need to go for a swim).

I'm in the water garden, which is open 7 days a week all year round (bar the usual public holidays) but the private garden (which is literally the private garden of the millionaire who owns the place) is open only twice a year for a few consecutive weekends in a row, at this time. From what I believe it seems to be changing with the recent employment of a new events manager. I think it's a great idea, because the spot is truly special, full of hidden alcoves seemingly designed for midday performances for mums and kids or symphony orchestras, take your pick. 

A prehistoric Gunnera, one of the thousands of plants in the gardens. This species was actually in Monet's garden #hortfunfact

In addition to this job I'm also taking care of the father-in-law's Vegie/herb patch and blossoming orchard. At the moment it's a big job of bringing it back into working order but I did get some cute pictures of Zali and Luna helping me weed the other day so it's all worth it.

So keep an eye out on my blog as I continue my very unique path in life gardening, nursing and travelling!

Sunday drive to the Diggings via the Pinnacles

Today I joined my dad in the 80 series landcruiser, the one we grew up learning to drive in, and his mate Rogor in his Holden Colorado. We went for a reckie to check out a trail we're planning to take the Western region 4WD clubs out on towards the end of November. Our plan is to meet at the old Sunny Corner Forest Arboretum and head to the Turon from there through the Forestry tracks. We'll get a chance to show other regions some of our lovely Aussie bush. Dad knows all the bush to the east of home like the back of his hand but has neglected the forests around where I live, in an exploratory sense. My seasons working there have helped me get my head around the area pretty well. It's always encouraging to know where you are just in case you're dropped in the middle of (what seems like) nowhere due to some potential horror story...meaning I'll kick arse with my navigation skills, win!

Once into the bush, we crossed a creek crossing in Dark Corner territory, which has recently become notorious among those I know through a couple of, ahem, people a few sandwiches short of a picnic having taken on this particular crossing in flood waters. This particular image comes to mind in these cases.

But anyway, today conditions were much better, water would barely have made it to the hubs in this creek. Unfortunately Ididn't  shoot any pictures of the creek in question and to be honest can't be bothered using my time to find the footage of those other blokes writing off their car doing something ridiculous.

Luckily today was a gorgeous day, if a bit cool for the middle of Spring. We've had some pretty ferocious winds over winter and I was expecting more trees to be down across the roads. Nevertheless we stopped to clear a couple to help maintain the roads that are there and stop people driving around making new unnecessary tracks. Who said four wheel drivers only rip up the bush?

Before

After! All done in under 3 minutes. 

After a few interesting slopes, not overly challenging but gave us some variety, we cruised along the Pinnacles track to the Pinnacles themselves, also known as Bushrangers rock or Tobins Rock. Different stories abound around this rock, which had the Tobin Bros carved into the side with the date 1888, supposedly the first blokes to hold English lease over that part of the land. Also reportedly a well trodden Cobb 'n Co coach track.

It's a pretty spectacular spot, very easy to climb to the top of. 

From there we headed out of the forestry and onto the easement through private land. Another top spot, but stepping off the track is prohibited due to it being private land and all. From here we followed the track til we hit the Turon National Park.

This will be where we intend on camping the night. Hopefully by the it will be warm enough to jump in and go for a swim at one of the many waterholes along the river. As we drove through today I think it's good to note the work by the National Parks workers. Plenty of tables and new information boards, along with star pickets placed to deter people from hooning through the swamp areas. Why anyone would find that appealing is beyond me but thanks to the parks staff for doing something to put them off and preserving the great spots to camp. Driving through some of the crossings, the height of flood waters were visible with the dead matter piled high up some of the river she-oaks. The force of the water currents is also evident through the  way the river gravel has been woven into very different little hills across the previously flat river crossings.

I drove this last crossing, which weaved through a couple of trees and zig zagged across the river. It's been too long since I was last behind the wheel out 4WDing (not that this could really be classed as such) but it was good. 

 All in all a fun little day out and I can't wait to take some more people out!

EDIT: Dad mentioned this page out of his training manual from the Landcruiser club when he did it in his younger days (1980s) Pretty good, common sense read.

On the road to Queensland and back

8th October, 2016

Last week we drove to Queensland and back. The first drive, all the way up inland was a pretty big hike. It took us about 14 hours all in all from Bathurst, NSW to Laidley, Qld. We took went from the Great western Hwy, turned off to Portland through to Cullen Bullen (pronounced kull-n b-ool-n) onto the Castlereagh Hwy to turn off towards Rylstone/Kandos. From here we travelled up the beautiful Bylong valley, full of prime agricultural land to Merriwa, back roads to Tamworth, then lunch. Then Armidale, Glen Innes, Tenterfield and crossed the border to Warwick and finally Laidley.

One of many back roads, here in particular where we saw our first snake of the season, a brown.

Two great travel companions

Zali and I at the Moonbi hills lookout just north of Tamworth.

Laidley has a heritage German household intact for its Tourist information centre (due to the original German settlers).

While here we caught up with some family friends living on top of a hill, nestled in the bush away from encroaching civilisation. The next day we headed east to Surfers Paradise to stay with Vaughans lovely cousin. On our way we detoured via Tambourine mountain which I'm glad we did because it was an awesome little spot we know we'll have to explore next time we're up that way. It was great to catch up with this particular cousin because she's not long moved up here away from all her family, who are pretty close. Such an open welcoming family that gives the word 'family' a true wholesome feeling. 

We enjoyed brekkie on the Spit at Surfers among multiple other campers, cyclists and dog walkers. Zali stretched her legs and jumped in the salt water for a brief dip. A great little spot to get away from things in the middle of the cosmopolitan coast. Time to head south.

Next stop, Byron Bay. Bloody hell, I hadn't noticed how busy and touristy it had become. We stopped to get a reasonable box of fish chips and prawns and struggled to find anywhere to park to eat it away from the crowds so we headed south a few km and found a dog beach. Mooball. Great spot.

Zali was perplexed by the squeaky clean sand, she kept stopping to find the mice.

21st October

Last week there was another shark attack at Ballina. It prompted me to finish this post. 

We stayed with some family friends near Lismore. It had been years since catching up. We used to be in Scouts together and part of me always wished to have been born into a family like theirs. (In saying this I must say I do love my own family of adventures into the wilderness, animals and lazy Saturday afternoons watching Midsomer Murders.) Karen and Adam are 2 ex-Brits who've made Australia well and truly their home. They have fabulous music taste, including the great Paul Kelly amongst a raft of other quality names mainly from around the 80s. All their kids (younger and older than me) have received such a good music intelligence that I feel like I've somewhat missed out on. Conversations with them almost always encourage humour, good reasoning, wit and intellect. I can't say I've had the misfortune of parting and thinking anything untoward of them. They're also vegetarian and live very environmentally consciously, which I think is so important in today's world. 

Our brief stop (not long enough) was filled with fire making, visiting the local farmers markets and catching up with about half the fam. It was such a pleasure to feel welcome in their space, despite my nervousness about ticks. Makes me want to go back again for a week to go exploring the awesome place they call home. 

En route to our next camp we visited the notorious Nimbin and partook in...a falafel wrap for lunch. I can see why it has such a reputation but I never imagined it to be as rainforesty and end-of-the-road as it is. Very interesting place to visit, albeit for a very short stop.

The road led us from here to Casino, Grafton (where myself and Vaughan, forestry workers, were drawn by slight curiousity to see how the northern regions look) then back roads up to the Waterfall way. Next stop for the night was Ebor, where we camped at the local show ground in VERY gusty winds. We got there at twilight and Zali was not very trusting of the tent in that kind of weather. We managed a makeshift meal and slept soundly.

 The next morning we awoke to an idyllic morning, especially considering the night before. 

Packing up, slowly while enjoying the pleasant surrounds, we then checked out the Ebor Falls. Hitting the road again, we only had to make it to Kempsey. Brief stop at Bellingen, where I was kicking myself/dad for having sold his block of land before I was born. I could easily spend days there too. 

Last night of our trip was spent at my nans, on her property about half an hour inland of Kempsey. She's recently renovated (as you do at 70 years young) and it was refreshing to catch up with her and her partner. 

The next day we got away early to check out the relics at Timbertown, including steam engines, horses, bullocks and all manner of old pioneering Australian history. 

From here we made it to Newcastle for a late lunch with friends who were about as equally tired as us (they'd just got home from a cruise). Despite our lack of energy, it was great to see them and *mental note* we must catch up again sometime soon, preferably before the end of the year. 

So that's about it for our brief, but broad getaway. A massive trip before getting stuck back into the pleasures and pain life throws at us, but mostly just the practicality of getting away before Vaughan starts working full time over summer. 

ps: in the future, try a little everyday over one huge essay ;)

First ocean swim for the season

Visited friends on the weekend. They're all coast people (bar one currently residing in the Aussie capital territory) so didn't get in but after a 4 or 5 hour drive to be there I wasn't missing the opportunity. 

Bit fresh. No loss though. Our beautiful host kept an eye out for the common pods of dolphins or even a whale but no such luck. Yesterday though she messaged us all letting us know she saw 2 pods AND a whale and her calf a mere 50m from shore. 

We had a great weekend checking out the local sights, the navy base, their national parks and a historic lighthouse with a tragic history. 

We now know the best spots for catching lobsters and rock fishing in the area. 

Most importantly, it was a great chance to catch up with some awesome people from the start of uni. We've all gone our own ways now but catching up is just like we'd never left campus, but we've grown at the same time.