Reset search
April/May 2023April/May 2023
SatelliteEdit route

April/May 2023

April - May 2023
NSW & SA
Ballina
South West Rocks
Port Macquarie
Murrumbidgee & Murray Rivers
Barossa Valley
Flinders Ranges
The Eyre Peninsular with the Fine’s
The “Back of Bourke” Read more
  • 35footprints
  • 1countries
  • 35days
  • 408photos
  • 30videos
  • 8.0kkilometers
  • 5kilometers
Follow Calendar Share Bucket list
Date ascending
  • TravelerApril/May 2023

    Ready to go!

    April 16, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The “big picture” planning is complete and we know the route we will be taking. No doubt there will be changes as we go along as we like to stay flexible and adapt to what we see and do. However for now we have a plan that gets activated when we start our trip tomorrow.
    There has already been one change. David, Katrina, Josh, & Nathan got back from their Victorian trip earlier than expected so tomorrow we will catch up with them before they go to school. Yes you read correctly “BEFORE they go to school”, and this means we have to get up at 3am tomorrow and hit the road by 4am in order to get to the Gold Coast before 7am so we can spend a little bit of time with them. So it will be an early night for us tonight!!
    The caravan packing is also complete with food for a few days and a variety of clothes to cope with the warmer temps in Queensland and the expected cooler temps in South Australia.
    The caravan (nicknamed “Jovelita”) is clean and tidy (for now!) and looks good as it waits for hitching onto our LC200 (nicknamed “Merlot”) in the dark tomorrow morning. The van looks good with a couple of new external graphics including a nice Australian silhouette on the front showing the two of us and Chanel, and a map of Australia on the back which we hope to fill up with our travels over the next few years.
    So the wait is over and we pull out of Riverbreeze Avenue tomorrow. The adventure begins!    Read more

  • TravelerApril/May 2023
    1
    Day 1

    Noosa - Ballina via Varsity Lakes

    April 17, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    What is that noise? What is the time? 3am!! Whaaaat!! An alarm clock at 3am!! Deja Vu, is it time to get up to crew a flight? OK, it’s time to get up so we can see the grandkids on the Gold Coast at 6:30am. So up we get, a quick coffee, and out to hitch up the van, and sure enough we are underway in the dark heading for Varsity Lakes just before 4am.
    The look on Nathan’s face when he saw us at the front door at 6:30am was worth the early start! He was so happy, and especially when we gave him his birthday present!!
    We spent about 1.5 hours with the kids and Katrina and David before they went off to school. We then had a nice breakfast at the Blackboard cafe before we hit the road again heading for Ballina and Alstonville to see our friends Kim & Carol.
    We set up camp in a nice spot at the Alstonville Showgrounds and then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with Kim & Carol. A very pleasant time, except for the weather which was blowing a gale outside!!!
    After such an early start it was nice to finally snuggle up in the caravan for a good nights sleep….    Read more

  • TravelerApril/May 2023
    Day 2

    Ballina Hinterland

    April 18, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    A good sleep-in this morning and woke up to a nice sunny day in the free-camp of the Alstonville Showgrounds. Lots of other caravans and campers around enjoying the nice weather.
    Kim & Carol arrived in time for a mid-morning cappuccino and a chat in our caravan making plans for the day. Then we all headed into the Ballina hinterland for the day. Lovely scenery and everywhere a lush green after last year’s floods and rains. Carol led the way through small roads off the beaten track with lively sun-tropical and temperate rain forest.
    First stop was Minton Falls, a 100m waterfall drop surrounded by very nice gorge scenery. Last year during the floods this waterfall was huge, but now is a much smaller flow of water.
    Next was the Eltham Pub for lunch. A typical country pub which prides itself in having no sports bar, no TV screens, and no social media activity! Instead they encourage people to meet together and chat - a lost art today!
    Finally heading back to Ballina to the Seafood market for some prawns and scallops for a homemade dinner. A really nice relaxing day enjoyed with our friends.    Read more

  • TravelerApril/May 2023
    2
    Day 3

    Ballina to South West Rocks

    April 19, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We have just set up in a lovely camping area known as PlayStation Free Camp. It is located in the same grounds as the MidCoast Flying School which is a privately owned grass airstrip owned by a friendly Italian guy Ross and his wife Kym. We are camped alongside a small lake in a very peaceful area. There are 3 other caravans but we are all some distance from each other giving nice privacy. A BBQ dinner tonight and a fire pit to add a nice atmosphere and some warmth as the night temps are expected to go down to the mid-teens.
    Today we left Ballina and enjoyed the 320km drive to SW Rocks. Along the way we diverted into the picturesque seaside town of Iluka, which was a 35km diversion. We attempted to do some shopping in Coffs Harbour but that became too hard trying to find a spot to park with the van in tow. We then drive to Sawtell for a well deserved cappu and a light brunch.
    Departing Sawtell we decided to include a drive through Urunga on the coast which was a very pretty town. Then onto SW Rocks to set up camp.
    Then time to relax as the sunset started and the parrots arrive to salute the setting sun before flying into their resting spots. Thanks goodness they did not stay in our area with all their noise. All this while enjoying a nice rum & coke.
    Tonight will be a BBQ around the camp fire. It’s a tough life!    Read more

  • TravelerApril/May 2023
    Day 4

    Mid-Coast cruising - north

    April 20, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We were woken in the morning to the sound of parrots in the trees around our campsite, so Carolina quickly got up and spend time taking photos and videos as she loves these birds.
    The forecast was for an initially sunny day becoming more cloudy as the day progressed and with rain in the evening. So it seemed a good idea to spend the day in the northern beach areas of the Mid-Coast region taking advantage of the better weather.
    So we headed first to Hat Head, a short 10 min drive from our campsite. A fellow camper had told us it was a quiet seaside place frequented mainly by locals who come here every year during holiday times and all know each other. A gathering of like souls every year. So our expectations were not too high about what was there to see. As a result we were very pleasantly surprised when we came across a very scenic beach and river area with a lot of swimmers and fishing people - and lots of pelicans! A very nice spot!
    Then it was off to the main event of the day - Southwest Rocks and Horseshoe Bay. Again we were not disappointed. Lots of tourists due to the school holidays, but clearly a very nice popular location with beautiful beach views and lots of boutique shops. Horseshoe Bay is the main attraction with a small but very picturesque beach and has an adjacent caravan park that is right on the beach. We had tried booking in there but they wanted a minimum 5-night stay and do not allow dogs during school holiday times. The park was very busy and packed and on balance we preferred the quieter more relaxed location of our campsite as a base for the Mid-Coast. Nevertheless the scenery at Horseshoe Bay was fantastic and it was very easy to see why this park is so popular.
    We walked for a long time around the area loving every minute of it. Peter had a cappu and stayed with Chanel while Carolina wandered around the shops.
    We then headed around the southern headland out to the Arakoon National Park and the Trial Bay Gaol which started life in the mid-1800s and was used for German inmates during the First World War before being decommissioned.
    We then headed further north to Scott’s Head where we found a very nice fish restaurant and had some calamari and John Dory for lunch. This was big meal that filled us up and ended up being our last meal of the day.
    Our final journey north was to Nambucca Heads. It was becoming very windy and the weather was changing so after driving to some of the lookouts with very nice estuary and beach views we headed back to our PlayStation free camp for a restful evening watching a movie as light rain began to fall.
    A very pleasant relaxing and varied day.
    Our plan tomorrow will be to spend the day in the southern sections of the Mid-Coast including Port Macquarie.    Read more

  • TravelerApril/May 2023
    1
    Day 5

    Mid-Coast cruising - south

    April 21, 2023 in Australia

    During an early morning walk along the grass airstrip that shares the land with the camp ground our host met us on his tractor cutting the grass with his usual greeting “Are you having fun?” The campground has a very friendly atmosphere.
    After breakfast we left to have a look around the southern section of the mid-NSW coast. First stop was the popular tourist location of Crescent Head about 25 mins away. It’s still the school holidays so lots of people around. Many of them were forming a long queue outside and down along the road from the entrance of the award-winning Barnetts Bakery & Cafe. So we hopped onto that line and eventually enjoyed a very nice cappuccino.
    We then drove to our main attraction for the day - the city of Port Macquarie. We have been here before and liked it a lot so we wanted to see more of it. The weather was overcast which was a pity because the blue water was a grey colour and the views from the lookouts not as good. A visit to the Koala Hospital viewing a number of poor animals that had been hit by cars or mauled by dogs, but all were recovering well and very cute.
    We then revisited the boardwalk are along the main estuary where the council has allowed people to paint the rocks along the walkway. Many of these are very nice and add a nice tone and entertainment to the walk. It is right opposite one of the main caravan parks. Our favourite was the green and white picture of a caravan with the words “LIFE ROCKS WHEN YOUR HOME ROLLS”. A fitting slogan for the grey nomad culture!
    Some more shopping by Carolina (of course) and along the way we saw the shop that Gaz and Donna have set up - joking of course! Afterwards we headed back to our caravan in the late afternoon.
    It was a beautiful evening, cool but not cold, and clear skies. So it was campfire time while we cooked some spiced chicken in our air fryer, and of course for dessert enjoyed a few toasted marshmallows over the camp fire coals. A nice end to an enjoyable day.
    We have spent 3 nights in this campsite and toured around each day. It’s been very nice to relax at the same campsite each day. Tomorrow that changes as we start a week of travelling each day as we head west towards South Australia.    Read more

  • TravelerApril/May 2023
    Day 6

    South West Rocks to Mount Nellinda

    April 22, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Today was one of the most scenic drives we have ever had. At times it reminded us of parts of Canada with lovely scenery everywhere we looked. More on this later….
    The direct route to our Mount Nellinda free camp was mainly along the Pacific Motorway. This is a good wide twin lane road that is designed to get from A to B quickly and deviates past many of the towns and scenic sights. So today we decided (as we often do) to takes roads for much of the way that are off the main highway. This will be clearly shown in the track route map of this travel blog.
    Our son David had recommended a small diversion to the Coopernook Hotel, and that was our first stop with a plan to have coffee and perhaps a light breakfast. But when we arrived they told us the coffee machine was broken and food was not available for another couple of hours - crashed and burned! So we headed off the highway again towards the coast to a place called Harrington for an açai bowl and a cappu. We had never been here before and enjoyed the lovely waterway scenery. Carolina even found some totem poles!
    We then decided to take The Lakes Way road. This is one of the tourist routes and turned out to be a fantastic drive! It took us down through Forster which is a very picturesque town, and then the magnificent Lake Wallis. The weather was sunny and beautiful. Large waterway views everywhere separated by spectacular forest drives. The highlight looked as if it would be the narrow strip of land near Tiona which is so narrow that water is only 50m or so either side of the road with Lake Wallis on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other side. However surprisingly glimpses only of the water was possible because of the foreshore bush on either side that hid most of the water, which was a bit disappointing. We passed the Tiona Holiday Park along this strip of land which looked like a lovely camping ground for future reference.
    The Lakes Way then took us up and over a number of beautiful mountain ridges with great rainforest scenery until the road finished when it rejoined the Pacific Motorway. This has been a very worthwhile and spectacular drive through some of the nicest scenery we have ever seen.
    Then it was on past Newcastle until just before Cooranbong we left the highway towards our Mount Nellinda free camp. Located on a large 19 hectare property there were numerous nice camping sites available. It was becoming overcast with rain threatening so we nestled down and cooked a fish dinner in the van. This had been a very nice day.    Read more

  • TravelerApril/May 2023
    Day 7

    En route to the Marulan Terminus Hotel

    April 23, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    After the busy touristy day yesterday, today was a contrast. Overcast and showers all day meant less opportunity for sightseeing. The main objective for the day was to buy some pupusas!! Carolina had spend a long time researching for a Salvadorean restaurant somewhere en route where she could purchase her favourite Salvadorean food, the pupusa, and she found one on the southern outskirts of Sydney. Called the Raza Central in Camden it specialises in foods from El Salvador. The problem was it did not open until 1:30pm, so we had a sleep-in and a late departure today to arrive close to the opening time. When we arrived the main problem was to find a parking spot for the big rig which was not easy. Then all smiles from Carolina when the restaurant opened as she was able to place her order!!
    Then it was off to another place Carolina wanted very much to see in more detail, Bowral. However this time the gods were not so kind and it was pouring with rain. So after a slow drive through many of the streets of this garden city looking at the multi-coloured autumn leaves, Carolina’s plan to look through the boutiques of Bowral was abandoned due weather and we continued our journey. A big disappointment for Carolina and we will have to return to Bowral another time.
    The last part of the journey to the free camp at the Terminus Hotel in Marulan was in continual light rain. Easy parking in a big green field behind the hotel, and then a long-awaited great pub meal.
    Tomorrow we stop heading south and turn towards the west and South Australia, and our first caravan park for the trip.    Read more

  • TravelerApril/May 2023
    Day 8

    Heading west with silos and a museum

    April 24, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    It was an early start this morning. Over the last few days Carolina has had a blocked ear that has been sore and bothering her, so we planned a doctors appointment for her in Wagga. In addition the Redarc Tow Pro in the car which operates the electronic caravan braking system has been playing up, so we planned a stop at the RedArc service centre in Temora. Therefore an early start was the order of the day to maximise time flexibility and we were on the road at 7:30am.
    Along the way we came across our first set of painted silos at Harden. Carolina is fascinated by painted silos and water tanks and has the coffee table books, the calendar, and all the details. So seeing these while we travel is a must. The Hayden solos were a bit unusual because viewing them was not easy. Instead of viewing points that are provided for other painted silos, these were adjacent to private properties surrounded by high trees and big signs warning people not to trespass. Not so tourist-friendly!! So taking photos meant poking around the trees looking for suitable gaps.
    Then on to Temora, a nice little country aviation town which used to be a big RAAF pilot training centre during WW2 between 1941-46 and whose airport is now active in gliding activities. There is also a very good RAAF aircraft museum with an excellent collection of ex-RAAF aircraft, all of which are still in flying condition. The Canberra bomber, Meteor, Sabre, Hudson, Spitfire, and Tiger Moth are some of the many older aircraft on display. Peter spent about an hour wandering around these aircraft reminiscing about the past flying history.
    In the meantime our Tow Pro main control box had been found to be faulty and RedArc replaced it under warranty no questions asked. A big thumbs-up for the RedArc after sales service!!
    Then it was on to Wagga for Carolina’s ear appointment which was fixed by the kind doctors.
    Today was also our first caravan park overnight for the last 10 days at the BIG4 in Wagga and it was a nice one with lots of room, trees, and a nice atmosphere. Time to top up the water tanks, do some washing, and have long soothing showers!! A restful night awaits with some pupusas for dinner.    Read more

  • TravelerApril/May 2023
    Day 9

    ANZAC day and the Murrumbidgee

    April 25, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    When we woke this morning it was dark and a cold 8 degrees outside. For about 3 microseconds we considered finding out where the dawn ANZAC service in Wagga Wagga was being held; but then we decided it would be better to stay warm and sleep in. So we had a late breakfast, went for a walk along the nearby Murrumbidgee River, packed up, and got underway about 9:30am towards our next free camp near Hay.
    To our surprise we discovered the petrol station next door to the Wagga Caravan Park was selling diesel for $1.81 per litre - very cheap! So we filled up all 275 litres of the Landcruiser tanks which will keep us going for another 1500km of towing. We could have filled up the two caravan fuel jerry cans but we forgot.
    Arriving at Narrandera we were just in time for the ANZAC day march. The city streets were cordoned off and the marchers came past to the beat of the brass band accompanying them.
    After the mandatory morning cappuccino at the Tangles Cafe, but with no sign of any ANZAC biscuits, we headed out again for Hay. Lots of trucks in the road despite being ANZAC day and we chatted to a couple of them along the way on the UHF.
    Arriving at Hay the first stop was the famous painted water towers in the City. Fittingly these paintings depict the men and women soldiers from Hay who fought in WW1 and it was a nice way of remembering the ANZAC spirit and dedication that made our armed forces famous back in those years. Then we went to the Shear Outback Shearing Hall of Fame. However the shearing events had been cancelled for ANZAC day so we might come back tomorrow.
    From Wagga Wagga to Hay the Sturt Highway follows Australia’s second longest river, the Murrumbidgee. On arrival in Hay we drove to our free camp at the Wooloondool Campgrounds on the Murrumbidgee operated by the NSW National Parks. A permit is required to camp here and we had organised that several weeks ago. To Carolina’s initial dismay the area was very quiet. She likes the security of having lots of people around. But now that is officially an Aussie she needs to re-jig her thinking to the Australian way of getting “getting away from it all” and today we found a lovely secluded camp spot right on the banks of the Murrumbidgee at a campsite called Mad Dog Bend (I assume this was not named after Dave Maddern). We set ourselves up for a campfire and stars evening.
    But before dinner we had been recommended to go to the Hay Sunset Viewing site where “the sunsets are amazing”. So as the evening approached we unhitched and headed out to see the end of ANZAC day via the setting sun. The location even had it own reclining steel chairs that Carolina made good use! It was a lovely sunset with just the right amount of cloud to set the sky alight!
    Back at the campsite Carolina cooked a delicious spaghetti bolognaise which we ate on the banks of the river, admiring the stars, and being kept warm by the lovely campfire. The perfect end to a good day and Carolina had to admit that she enjoyed staying here.    Read more

  • 2024© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Support
  • Legal notice
  • English