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.
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).
Zali was perplexed by the squeaky clean sand, she kept stopping to find the mice.
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.
Two great travel companions
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.
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 ;)
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