Aussie Road Trip June 2022

Driving to QLD to visit Dave & Trish @ Lake MacDonald & Leonie & Chris @ Maryborough Read more

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Trip start
June 6, 2022
Aussie Road Trip June 2022 Traveler
Day 1 - Mildura VIC to Parkes NSW
June 6, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
Completed 683km today
Departed: Mildura 7:10am
Arrived: Parkes 3:00pm
Driving conditions: Good, small amount of rain between West Wyalong and Forbes.
Traffic: Light, most going in the opposite direction
Stops: Balranald; Goolgowi - great cafe with good coffee; West Wyalong
Accomodation: Astro Dish Motor Inn 4🌟 comfortable, warm & clean!Read more
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Day 2 - Parkes NSW
June 7, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ❄️ 8 °C
Out exploring Parkes and surrounds today.
#1 Visited the Dish! Even got to see it move! Although quite slow.
#2 Walked the Main Street in search of the Art displays
#3 Found great coffee @theroastedkombicafe
#4 Cold and wet afternoon watching The Dish 🤣😂Read more
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Day 3 - Parkes NSW to Armidale NSW
June 8, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C
Completed 533km today
Departed: Parkes 7:15am
Arrived: Armidale 2:45pm
Driving conditions: Good weather but roads are in really bad condition. Lift your game NSW Govt!
Traffic: Light, had to negotiate a few trucks today but generally pretty good. Pretty busy coming through Tamworth.
Stops: Dunedoo, loos that talk to you 🤣😂; Gunnedah, home of Miranda Kerr and my first Maccas stop for the trip;
Accomodation: Rydges Armidale 4.5🌟 very comfortable, warm (considering overnight temps were -3 degrees both nights) with very comfortable bed and huge doona!Read more
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Day 4 - Armidale NSW
June 9, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C
Not how I planned today to be….
Started coming down with a runny nose & sore throat on Tuesday.
Made my way from Parkes to Armidale yesterday with cold & flu tablets and panadol.
Woke up this morning like I’d been hit by a bus (not COVID have been testing all week and I’m negative)
So what to do?
Found InstantScripts online, booked a phone consultation for $49 (half the price of my face to face consultation. Got a phone call back after about hour and half, chatted to the GP, he emailed QR code with script for antibiotics immediately and it even told me where the closest pharmacy was to collect.
Game changer, definitely going to use them again!
Now for a slow day recovering enough to drive on tomorrow 🤒🥴🧃💊🩺🦠🌡Read more
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Day 5 - Armidale NSW to Toowoomba QLD
June 10, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C
Completed 390km today
Departed: Armidale NSW 9:30am
Arrived: Toowoomba QLD 3:00pm
Driving Conditions: Sun was out all day ☀️ but the freezing wind brought the temperature down quite a bit.
Traffic: Light, not too many trucks today, lots of overtaking lanes on the New England Highway, so made for an easy drive.
Stops: Tenterfield, lunch; Border for photos 📷
Accomodation: AIRBNB Studio Unit. Very comfortable, great heating, comfortable bed, small but perfect for one.Read more
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Day 6 & 7 - Toowoomba QLD
June 12, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Day 6 was a non event, spent the day in bed with continued flu symptoms, totally knocking me about. So not much to tell.
Day 7 - Toowoomba
Glad to say I’m up and about today, took myself out for breakfast 🍳 then up to Picnic Point Lookout. Heaps of great walking tracks but at my point of recovery I only managed a small walk but got some great pics📷
Then I found a self guided drive tour online, so with the help of Apple Maps I made my way around 15 sites on the South East map of Toowoomba. Great resource, wish I was here longer to complete the other three maps.
Off to Cooroy tomorrow to stay with family.
BTW Maz (my Mazda CX-5) has been awesome, unfortunately she came off second best with an impatient Toowoomba driver on our arrival on Friday. The driver decided that the 60km town limit Maz was observing wasn’t for them, so they overtook at high speed and threw up a rock and hit and cracked Maz’s windscreen. Maz will be treated to a new windscreen when we get home💕Read more
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Day 8 - Toowoomba QLD to Lake MacDonald
June 13, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Completed 254km today
Departed: Toowoomba 8:30am
Arrived: Lake MacDonald (Cooroy) QLD 12:00pm
Driving Conditions: Sun was out all day ☀️ it was awesome!
Traffic: Easy drive, all two lane highway from Toowoomba to outskirts of Brisbane. Travelled through the tunnel & toll ways to the Bruce Highway.
Stops: Caboolture, highway roadside. Got out of the car and rejoiced at the warm weather, a lovely 21 degrees!
Accomodation: Family home of my aunt & uncle, Trish & DaveRead more
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Day 9 & 10 Lake MacDonald/Cooroy QLD
June 15, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Day 9 - Up early to take Maz into Gympie for an evaluation of the windscreen. Windscreen guy was extremely helpful with options. Decided in the end to repair instead of replace, just in case I have another chip or crack on my way home. Will replace when I get home. Rest of the day was spent chatting and researching the our family tree. Found an awesome Great Uncle who was killed in action at the end of WW2. He definitely racked up a huge amount of offences while in the army. Enlisted or conscripted, not sure which, early 1941 but never saw action until early 1945. His first foray into action he was killed. Such an interesting story!
Lots of laughing and speculating on his deeds and why he was such a rebel.
Day 10 - Eumundi Market Day. Had a lovely morning walking through the market stalls, such a beautiful array for goods, from clothing to crafts and food. Bought wood fire pizza bases for dinner and some lovely candles from the Crackling Candle Co. these candles have a wood wick and have the most amazing aroma. Got some for gifts and for myself.
Tonight we had homemade pizza for dinner using the pizza bases we bought at the market. With bubbles 🍾🥂 and a fire 🔥. Great way to finish off a lovely day.Read more
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Day 11 - Noosa/Noosaville QLD
June 16, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Drive to Noosa today, walked Hastings St, did a little shopping, walked the beach. Couldn’t get over how fine the sand was. Sat and took in the sun, beautiful 24 degrees ☀️
Had lunch by the Noosa River, awesome fish 🐟 & chips 🍟, so fresh, loved it.Read more
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Day 12 - Maleny/Montville QLD
June 17, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Last day with family today.
Went to Montville, which is a quaint little village in the mountains. Lots of touristy shops, bought some fudge!🍫
Off to Mountain View cafe at Maleny for lunch, salt 🧂 & pepper squid 🦑 was delicious! The view of the Glasshouse Mountains was great.
Walked through the scenic reserve, which is mainly rainforest and spied some critters and got some cool pics of the trees.
Off to Maryborough QLD tomorrow.Read more
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Day 13 - Cooroy to Maryborough QLD
June 18, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C
Completed 132km today
Departed: Cooroy 11:30am
Arrived: Maryborough QLD 1:20pm
Driving Conditions: Sun was out all day ☀️ it was awesome!
Traffic: Easy drive, all two lane highway to Gympie then single lane onwards, fair bit of traffic, only a few overtaking lanes.
Stops: Travaston Service Centre for Maccas coffee & saw an old friend “Matilda”
Accomodation: Home of Leonie & Chris, beautiful old 1800’s Queenslander that they have fully renovated. It is beautiful!
Dinner at Enzo’s By The Beach in Hervey Bay.Read more
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Day 14 - Maryborough QLD
June 19, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
First full day in Maryborough today. Went to Toogoom this morning for breakfast with Leonie and her daughter, Matisse. A small fishing village about 40 minutes form Maryborough. Beautiful view of the bay and river from the deck of the little rustic cafe, Goody’s By The Sea. Awesome coffee and eggs and bacon were had. A cute tourist gift shop next door, where I purchased another light weight scarf, the same as the one I received from Ben & Lou for my birthday (which I love!).
Rest of the day was spent catching up and watching the Magpie girls play in the Netball semi final and then off for tea at Leonie’s sister, Karen & John’s and watched the MotoGP race from Germany. A few wines were had and a great night!Read more
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Day 15 - Maryborough QLD
June 20, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
A slow start to the day, after getting some much needed washing done and dried.
Spent the day with Leonie & Karen touring around the historic section of Maryborough township. Checked out the flood lines from this year’s floods and the great floods of 1893. Walked through Queen’s Park, where they have a wonderful WW1 commemorative section to the Battle of Poziere and Fromelle. Interactive QR codes and audio to accompany the bronze statues of soldiers, locals and other memorabilia from Charles Bean, the war correspondent.
Had lunch at one of the original hotels, The Criterion, which in right in middle of historic Wharf Street.Read more
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Day 16 - Hervey Bay QLD Day Trip
June 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Went to Hervey Bay today with Karen & Leonie to collect Karen’s friend, Fiona from the Airport. Very little airport at Hervey Bay!
Had my first experience at TK Max today, a department store in Queensland that is like a Target but has lots of good homewares! Purchased new towels and hand towels for my bathroom along with a couple of Glasshouse candles, they were a lot cheaper than at home.
We went to the marina for lunch at a cute cafe called Cafe Balaena. Rum cocktails along with lunch was fun!Read more
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Day 17 - Bundaberg QLD Day Trip
June 22, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
Road tripped to Bundaberg today with Leonie, Karen & Fiona.
Visited the Kalki Moon Gin Distillery, where we had tastings and purchased some gin and liqueurs. Awesome set up but hard to find as it was in the middle of the industrial area of Bundaberg.
We lunched at the Old Bundy Hotel, where I had a Caesar Salad Chicken Burger, it was delicious!
In the afternoon we toured the Bundaberg Rum Distillery. Awesome museum and a great guided tour through the distillery. Had a tasting at the end but not really my taste.Read more
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Day 18 - Maryborough QLD
June 23, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Went to the local weekly market in the Main Street today, lots of quirky stalls and a cool choir of hard knocks were singing in the town square.
After lunch we went to the Story Bank Museum, dedicated to P.L. Travers’ Mary Poppins.
A lovely museum dedicated to literature and the connections we make through telling our stories.
Loved it 🥰Read more
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Day 19 - Last day in Maryborough QLD
June 24, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Last day in Maryborough today. Slow start with supermarket shopping for the road trip home.
In the afternoon, Christopher & Leonie took myself and her parents, Wendy & Kevin to Tin Can Bay. What a beautiful little fishing village. So nice to see that developers haven’t taken it over, yet! We had lunch at the Golf Club which was at a Chinese restaurant. The most delicious Chinese food that I have had in a while 🥡🥢🍤🍜.
Last night dinner at the local Lamington Hotel, great food and great company. Final goodbyes 👋🏼 to Karen, John, Fiona, Kevin & Wendy 😢
Finished off with a gorgeous sunset from the back deck of Leonie & Christopher’s beautiful Queenslander home 🏠Read more
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Day 20 - Maryborough QLD to Ballina NSW
June 25, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Completed 445km today (probably a touch more as I went into Burleigh Heads & Byron Bay on my way)
Departed: Maryborough QLD 8:00am. Final goodbye to my dear friends 😢👋🏼
Arrived: Ballina NSW 3:30pm
Driving Conditions: Sunny all day ☀️ a little bit of fog around the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Cool breeze when I stopped at Burleigh Heads for lunch.
Traffic: Easy drive on M1 Bruce Hwy until I got to Coomera. Then holiday traffic 😩 the Hwy is 110km limit but only managed 60km for most of the trip until I got passed Coolangatta.
Stops: Burleigh Heads (crazy amount of traffic from the Hwy to the beach) Byron Bay Lighthouse (quite an experience getting there and getting out 🚗🚙🚗🚙🚗🚙🚗)
Accomodation: Heritage Inn Ballina. Clean & comfortable, fine for a one night stopover.Read more
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Day 21 - Ballina to Nelson Bay NSW
June 26, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Completed 592km today
Departed: Ballina 7:30am. No Maccas coffee this morning as I missed the turn off just out of Ballina 😢
Arrived: Nelson Bay 2:50pm. Just enough time to unpack the car, get into comfortable clothes and sit down for the first bounce at 3:20pm 🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤
Driving Conditions: Sunny all day ☀️ a little bit cool to start the day but no wind, perfect!
Traffic: Easiest drive yet, all dual highway A1 Pacific Hwy for the entire way. Very little traffic early on a little bit from Port Macquarie onwards.
Stops: Coffs Harbour, finally got my Maccas coffee ☕️. Port Macquarie service centre, as the Hwy bypasses most towns, you get these massive service centres in which to stop at, lots of choice for food & drinks.
Accomodation: Hotel Nelson at Nelson Bay in the Port Stephens area. Lovely room, awesome comfy bed, nice balcony and a small view of the bay 🌊Read more
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Day 22 - Nelson Bay NSW to Canberra ACT
June 27, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
Completed 492km today
Departed: Nelson Bay 9:30am. Went for a drive to the Lighthouse before leaving, grabbed a coffee ☕️ and some beautiful photos 📷. It has been many years since I have visited Nelson Bay. The last time was with Narelle, Pat, Shaz & George, one Melbourne Cup long weekend. I was still living in Melbourne at the time (that shows how long ago it was!).
Arrived: Canberra 3:45pm.
Driving Conditions: Sunny all day ☀️ a bit cool (10 degrees🥶) when I filled up with fuel along the Hume Hwy between Sydney & Goulburn.
Traffic: Dual highway was welcomed but the traffic, especially the trucks, didn’t make for a pleasant drive. Came through Sydney along the Northconnex tunnel, made getting around Sydney really easy. Now to pay the tolls!💵💵💵
Stops: Not too many stops today as it was all dual highway.
Accomodation: Airbnb Higgins.
A gorgeous little studio apartment at the rear of the Host’s home. Great reviews!Read more
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Day 23 - Canberra ACT
June 28, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C
The day started off with a -4 degree morning, although I didn’t see it or feel it as I stayed tucked up in bed until 9am! 😴
Once I ventured out I went to Mount Ainslie lookout, as the morning is the best for photos with the sun behind you. The cold start was followed up by a beautiful sunny but cool day made for perfect conditions for photos 📷
I followed up with stroll along ANZAC Ave, which I have always wanted to do. However, all my previous trips to Canberra were accompanying 40 school students! It was so nice to be a real tourist today! The memorials along the Avenue are spectacular.
This afternoon I wandered the halls of the Australian War Memorial. Did a bit of research first and it allowed me to find two of my great uncles who were killed during WW2.
Harold Shore was in the RAAF and was shot down over Ambon in Indonesia early 1942.
Fred Hill was in the AIF and from all reports was quite a rebel who really didn’t want to be there. He managed to make it through the war only to be killed in a beach assault in Borneo in one of the last battles of 1945.
I am sitting writing this while waiting to attend the Last Post Ceremony at the War Memorial tonight.Read more
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Day 23 - Canberra ACT cont.
June 28, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 3 °C
Australian War Memorial visit.
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Day 24 - Canberra ACT
June 29, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
Pretty quiet day today, little bit of supermarket shopping before going to the National Portrait Gallery. Wonderful exhibition titled ‘Shakespeare to Winehouse’, so many exquisite portraits ranging from oil paintings, sculptures and photographs. I loved it! Then a wander through the contemporary gallery where I spied a few well known people.
A bit of a walk around the outside of the gallery and I found some great quotes and reminders of how we should be 🖤💛❤️Read more
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Day 25 - Canberra ACT to Hay NSW
June 30, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Completed 502km today
Departed: Canberra ACT 10:00am.
Arrived: Hay NSW 4:15pm.
Driving Conditions: Overcast for most of the trip⛅️, left Canberra on the first morning without a frost, which was welcomed.
Traffic: Dual highway on the Hume Hwy for most of the way, then single highway from Gundagai. Small amount of traffic, lots of trucks going in the opposite direction.
Stops: Gundagai, had to get the Dog on the Tuckerbox and my final fix of Olivers, my new favourite food store, pity we don’t have then in Victoria or near home.
Accomodation: Bishops Motor Lodge in Hay. Neat, clean and tidy rooms, which was a welcome surprise. Can’t always tell when you book online.
Last night on the road and home tomorrow 🏠Read more
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Day 26 - Hay NSW to Mildura VIC
July 1, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
And just like that….
Travelled: 🚗 4910km
Most Expensive Fuel:⛽️ $2.40.9 @ Coffs Harbour
Cheapest Fuel: ⛽️ $2.11.9 @ Mildura
Fuel Usage: ⛽️ average 5.7km per litre
Towns visited/stayed: 29
States visited: 4
Memories created: Heaps!💕
Maz was a real trooper the whole way, no problems at all, only a chipped windscreen. She is a beauty!🚗Read more
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Trip end
July 1, 2022