Port Stephens Area

As I travel further south the sky is turning into ever darker shades of grey with a very low cloud base.  The highway is wet, my rear window getting dirtier by the minute due to the airflow vortex at the back of my vehicle.  When I turn toward the coast again the rain eases and finally stops while I check out a number of possible campgrounds, finally stopping at Soldiers Point for the night.  Soon the rain sets in again while I cook a hot Lamb Curry and solve a few Sudoku Puzzles, an actiity I have recently been introduced to, one that I really love, having become 'addicted' in a way...

The following morning there is still a drizzle, so I look for a possible alternative location on my maps, decide to retrace my steps and to drive around the bay of Port Stephens.  To get there I need to drive right around the bay, a distance according to my GPS, about 85km.  When I get back to the highway, driving north again, the rain increases but as I turn toward the coast again, skies start to clear, bits of blue sky that increase in size the closer I get to 'Hawks Nest'.  I take this as a good omen, check into the caravan park by the beach and 'erect' my home-on-wheels.

Rain clouds threatening Hawks Nest

Great surf, heavy clouds on the other side of the Bay.

Wind-swept white sand dunes at Hawks Nest

Hawks Nest has beautiful beaches with white sand on one side and a lake on the opposite side.  Very nice, I must say, with a great surf running, very popular with many people on surfboards out on the water.

Eastcoast of New South Wales

Driving south following the coastline (more or less) reveals a land that is green once again, after all the heavy rainfalls over the last few weeks everything looks almost like a european landscape, cattle grazing in the midst of fresh grass as far as I can see.

Quite a few of the low-lying areas are still covered in water, the rivers on my way, all full to the top, flowing majestically through this seemingly totally flat country.

The weatherman is reporting extreme heat inland so the decision to come and follow the coast has been a good one, a constant cool breeze from the ocean sure keeps the temperature down to a level of comfort.  

The heavy dowpour I experienced while I stopped at Lake Moogerah has certainly helped to clean the roof of my Motorhome.  Yes, the new Telescopic ladder I bought has been used for just that, namely the inspection of my Solar Panels on the roof, noticing that they did not require any cleaning, the heavy rain had certainly removed all traces of bull dust also going by the name of "Pillbara Pink" by the locals.

The Pacific Highway turns a little away from the coast after I leave Evans Head, the next larger Town on the road is Grafton, where I stop briefly to buy groceries at Aldi, then follow the highway further south, again turning toward the ocean where I put in my next stop-over at "Red Rock" for the night.

Coastline near Red Rock

The following morning I continue south, drive through Coffs Harbour, then take the turn-off to Sawtell where I check into the caravan park.  I take out my bike and go for a cruise, discovering a cute mainstreet with a number of shops and restaurants with tables out on the foot path.

The following day takes me only a short distance further south, past Nambucca Heads, Macksville until the turn-off to Grassy Head, where I find a quaint caravan park, separated from the beach by an overgrown sand dune, I can hear the waves but am sheltered from the strong winds.  I like it so much, I spend 3 days and nights.  There is also a bit of cooking to catch up on so my meat will not go off in the fridge.

Grassy Head Camping

When I leave again, I follow the highway south to Kew, where I turn toward the ocean again and find a nice spot to stay, up high looking across the beach and the ocean.  Very nice with a great beach, its called "Bonny Hills".

 Volcanic rocks at Bonny Hills Beach

 

 

Interesting rocks with colourful lichen growing probable high mineral content.

The following morning I continue south to Tuncurry / Forster where I spend another 3 nights. [more info on The Great Lakes area]

Bangalow

I had spoken on the phone with my once co-traveler, Bronny, who has a house at Bangalow and she invited me to come and catch up on the latest, happy for me to leave my Motorhome in her driveway and plug into her power.

My "Home" in Bronny's driveway

View across Bangalow

Bangalow, just west of Byron Bay, away from the coast, is not very far from Burleigh Heads so I drive south to take another look at Bangalow which I had visited last year in June for the first time.

The township is located in a valley with hills rising either side, Bronny's house high on the side of a hill, overlooking the valley.  Subtropical, lush and green, the town itself clean and sparkling, emanating good positive energy.

Orchids in Bronny's garden

A great town full of friendly people, excellent restaurants and plenty of parking.  I liked it so much, I decided to stay 3 nights, also cooking a couple of meals to share with my host.  It was good to catch up as we had not seen each other since July when she drove south along the westcoast of Western Australia and finally across the Nullarbor and back home to Bangalow.  She has to go into Hospital for a minor op, but is cheerful and happy as always.

Naturally, I take a drive to Byron Bay, up to the Lighthouse on the most easterly point in Australia. [More about Byron Bay]

Byron Bay Lighthouse

Lake Ainsworth, just north of Lennox Head

Today I drive south yet again, through Lennox Heads, Lake Ainsworth with its water stained tea-coloured by tannin from teatrees, then on to Ballina, finally stopping for the night at Evans Head.  On the beach once again with a cool breeze but blue sky.  I have checked a couple of campgrounds on my way south this morning, discovering nice places for future reference.

The way to Burleigh Heads

I leave Hervey Bay to come further south to Maroochydore, also on the coast, the Caravan Park there looks ok from the brochure as well.  My new friends from Munich. Karin and Wiggerl are taking a different route south but intend to catch up at Maroochydore.  Lots of traffic all the way, an indication that I am nearing a larger city, Brisbane, still more than 100km south from where I want to go.

The weather Bureau has forecast rain for the coastal area and in-land south of Brisbane, so I hope things will clear up by the time I get to Brisbane.  The Caravan Park turns out ok too and after Karin and Wiggerl arrive, we decide to spend 2 nights and I invite them over for a feed, them supplying the "Red" to go with it.  We enjoy each other's company sitting under my awning, having dinner, moving inside only after the bities start to become a nuisance.  Real nice, for a change to be conversing in Bavarian, even though it does seem to come naturally.

When we leave Maroochydore, Karin and Wiggerl head for Bribie Island, a little further to the south, but I have an appointment in Brisbane to buy a Telescopic Ladder that will allow me to climb onto my roof anytime I need to, to clean up my Solar Panels etc.  By the time I leave Brisbane its about midday and I drive toward Beaudesert through Ipswich.  Going south west the skies are getting darker, soon rain setting in.  I arrive at Darlington, hoping to meet again with a friend Robbo from my first visit there, back in April.  As it turns out, Robbo is no longer with us, having died only 2 weeks ago, suffering from cancer.  All my blessings to him in his next life.

The Gumtree behind my van has shed a lot of bark overnight

For that reason I decide not to stay at Darlington but drive on to Moogerah Lake, hoping the rain will let up.  It does briefly, just enough time for me to put my vehicle into the allocated spot.  Its already dark and soon the rain sets in again.  After raining most of the night I find myself surrounded by muddy and slippery grass, still dark and wet outside.  I decide to leave and drive back to the coast with the hope that the sun will make an appearance again.  Good decision, slowly the sky brightens as I drive toward the coast and by the time I arrive at Burleigh Heads its bright and sunny again, good enough to do my washing as well.

Surfers Paradise from Burleigh Heads

Looking toward Tweed Head

When I walk along the beach, looking north I can see Surfers Paradise, about 15km up the coast.  You could be forgiven to think that you might be looking at Manhattan, what with all the Skyscrapers lining the coastline.  Overdeveloped, yet still popular with many visitors each year.  

Many Hexagon shaped rocks litter the landscape

Another view from the park to Tweed Head

I also take a long walk through the rainforest just to the south and discover interesting rock formations as well as some wildlife along the way.

Basking next to the walkway

Thats why its called "Strangler Fig"

Fraser Island Day Trip

I have booked myself in for a day trip to Fraser Island.  The bus arrives right on time at 7.20 am as arranged to pick us (myself and a couple from Munich whom I met the evening before plus a few others I do not know to be part of this motly crew).

After several pickups the bus is full and we proceed to the ferry terminal where we arrive about an hour later.  After the ferry has docked all the vehicles that are coming to the island have driven onto the ferry, we are allowed on board as well.  The trip across takes about half an hour and when we arrive our 4-wheel drive bus is already waiting to take us on board.  The driver and tour guide promises a rough ride across the island.  He was not exaggerating, part of the trip felt a lot like being on a small craft riding a rough sea.  What passes for roads on the island are only sand tracks, sometimes with quite deep sand ruts that need to be navigated at speed, sometimes the track is badly corroded, shaking the vehicle violently from side to side, all good fun actually but the going is quite slow in places.

Needless to say, we encounter several people (inexperienced on such terrain) that have gotten stuck, so our driver has to get out and show them how to get out of those sand bogs.  Naturally, our driver knows all roads like the back of his hand, knows just where to stop, where to travel at speed, where to go slow.

 Small birds by the creek on Fraser Island

After spending time in the rain forest we go for a long drive along the beach.  Several kilometres up the beach we can see two single engine aircraft that offer flights across the island, taking off from the beach.

Coming in for a landing on the beach

Naturally, I also climb on board for a short flight, always great to view the landscape underneath from a greater altitude.  The pilot drops us at the next scheduled stopping point of the bus next to a freshwater creek flowing down toward the beach.

Just after the flight across the island

We the visit the "Coloured Sands" and what is left of the "Maheno Wreck", a ship that has been washed up on the beach in 1935.  Not that much left of it either, as most of what was there has slowly rusted away over the years since.

 

What's left of the "Maheno" today

Water flowing from the island to the shore contains Tannin, a tea-colourd that has created interesting shapes of stain in the sand, quite interesting to look at.

Tea-coloured stains on the beach

When we turn around to drive back for lunch, the driver stops because we have a flat tyre on the front right.  Another bus arrives and together with the other driver the tyre is changed so we can continue our journey toward a (now late) lunch.

After lunch we drive to Lake Mack Kenzie for a one hour stop and a swim in its crystal clear water.  Very nice indeed.

Bundaberg and surrounds

The drive south from 1770 goes along a back road, mostly through scrub country and grassland with grazing cattle from time to time. I am thinking about the town of Bundaberg with its distilleries, well known around the country for its locally produced Rum, usually referred to as "Bundy".

Sunset on the Bundaberg Coast

So I keep looking for sugar cane fields but am surprised that the first signs of that crop are actually only coming into view some 15km north of the town. Once I am in the flat country around Bundaberg, I am surrounded by fields of cane, all of them with new growth for the next harvest.
[more on Bundaberg]
I arrive at Burnett Heads to the north of the city, after a brief misdirection from my GPS, taking me to the river without a bridge, only a ferry operated by the sugar mill in evidence which does not cater to the general public. I had to backtrack, cross the river and then finally get to Burnett Heads close to the water yet again.

The nights are nice and cool so I am getting a good sleep on a very quiet campground. I have also cooked a VERY HOT Lamb Curry that has turned into a real ring burner, but lots of cucumber Raita make it all bearable. Tomorrow I will pickup my mail, then on to Hervey Bay and a planned visit to Fraser Island.
[more about Fraser Island]