• Andrea McClure
  • Andrea McClure

Year off around Australia

Roger and I setting off in the Dmax Ute with our Goldstream caravan in tow to explore our country Baca selengkapnya
  • Canberra Walk In Aviary

    3 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Drive here with caravan in tow - so have to carefully select where we can park. Find a spot, then walk the short distance to this activity - I do enjoy a quick browse in a lovely gift shop on the way - purchase a couple of cute car coasters (1 for me, 1 for gift).
    Pay the entry fee $18 per adult - which includes appropriate feed for the birds. Lovely clean set up in the Aviary, the birds are so well fed and looked after, you really have to work to give them food (apart from the fluffy chooks). Turns out not quite what I hoped for ( birds all over me getting fed) - they don't have to come to you - so just lovely to look at.
    When we finish here, we wander back to our ute and van - try and work out what we're doing, as the place we intended to go to tonight is booked out. After some deliberation, we book where we wanted to go for tomorrow night and the next night - and decide to go back to where we have been camping for 1 more night. On the return drive, we detour to a nearby BCF to see if I can get a hanging rail that I can use in the caravan shower area - no not today. Back to EPIC.
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  • EPIC Campground Canberra Take 2

    3 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We have returned! We have the exact same site 86. Roger not going to worry about unhitching as we (now) have a booking for Cotters Campground tomorrow and Monday nights. We'll enjoy another night here - good spot.
    Bare set up, just get our camp chairs out and set up inside van. Lunch - Roger makes up a meat and salad sandwich and I make up a couple of open toasties. Ready to just relax with our good books for a while. I decide to go for a walk - don't let myself feel silly - I use my backpack (ST training?) good way to have my water with me. I leave around 3.30pm and get back 5.15pm. Nice that Rog meets up with me to walk back to camp. Now back to relaxing about camp, drinks in hand. Tea tonight is leftover pumpkin soup with sourdough bread. Just after having tea I get a call from Barb - I'm happy thinking she's at GGE, which she is, but things haven't gone to plan. This morning Adrian had a backache and on lying down to try and relieve it - was unable to get back up! Ended up crawling to the bathroom. Naturally, Barb knew this wasn't right so she has called an ambulance. While they are there assessing him and taking care of him - Adrian is aware that he cannot feel his legs. He has been taken to Ballarat Hospital (good idea). Barb takes calls from Adrian in this chat time and calls me back afterwards. 1st MRI they did on Adrian didn't show anything - 2nd MRI (with dye) shows he's had a bleed on his spinal cord (stroke). I'm so thankful Barb and Adrian with our dear friends Sharon and Peter - while all this going on! Apart from the shock and worry for Adrian - again grateful, he has got to where he needs to be - enjoy chatting with Barb and Sharon, as we enjoy nice drinks (Bailey's for me - Brandy Cream for them). Chat until 1am - sisterhood - until I decide we all better get some rest. Bedtime for me, Roger has been in bed for hours - oooo it's cold tonight.
    4/05/25 Sunday. Rog and I get up at 7.30am. Both thinking of Adrian & Co. I get dressed to go for a run - 3 laps around this park area (approx. 7km). Come back and have breakfast - send best wishes and care to both Sharon and Barb. Roger has sent Adrian a text message. Just want them to know they're in our thoughts (which they sure are). Now go and have a shower and get ready to leave here (again lol). Roll out around 10am.
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  • Cotters Campground Stromlo ACT

    4–6 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    On our way here, we stop at an Aldi for Roger to do some grocery shopping. I stay in the ute and give Sharon a call (wondering if she'll be with Barb) - she is, so I get the opportunity to chat with them both. Barb is about to leave Halls Gap to go and visit Adrian - as his change of condition is so serious, it just needs to be taken one day at a time, Barb will try and help Adrian with this I can tell. I can only imagine I would be 'over thinking' like Adrian - but as Rog says - this is a good thing in its self. Adrian looking to deal with what's happening. After I finish my 'best wishes and look after yourselves too' call. We get on our way to arrive at this lovely spot. We select our site - Roger happy, it gets the most sun - I like that we're near BBQ and picnic tables. We do 'proper' set up, mat and awning out. Time for lunch, Roger has a meat and salad sandwich, I heat up the last of the leftover sausage surprise and have it on toast. We relax for a while, then Roger goes for a stand up paddle board on the river (nice and calm, clear water not that deep). After this we go for a walk to check out our surrounds - this is a very nice spot. We decide to go for a drive - to get some mobile service (none at campground) so we can check if any news from Barb - and I can load some maps of this area. No news, except Jen and Michael let me know they've heard about Adrian (Sharon), and I get the maps loaded. We return to camp, and get the fire going in the provided fire pit. Roger is doing a roast (boned lamb) with roast vegetables and gravy - so I have fun doing a small batch of scone dough to cook in the campoven for our dessert. All works out nicely. Roger goes off to have his shower, I start washing the dishes. Roger back in time to dry and help put them away. Now for a cuppa, then relax inside the van until bed.
    5/05/25 Monday. Roger gets up just after 7am, I follow at 7.30am. We have our yummy cooked breakfast, Roger does the dishes, I dry them and put them away. I get myself organised to go on a 'training for Serror Terror' walk today, get my backpack and water sorted - I've chosen a 18km walk rated Hard - this will be a test.It's after 9am by the time I'm ready to set off. Roger comes with me to start - as he has a short walk in mind (opposite direction to mine).
    I get back from my walk just before 2pm, happy to get myself some yoghurt and a banana and sit for a while! Roger tells me I've missed nothing at camp, after his walk he's been relaxing reading a book and taking care of having his lunch etc. I decide I'd like to go for a 'cool down' walk and check out what Roger did this morning. I leave at 3pm and return 4pmish. Definitely time to have a shower now - enjoy that very much, good shower here (on a 3.5 minute timer). Now sit and relax with Roger around the fire he has going in the provided fire /cooking pit - drinks in hand. Tea tonight, Roger roasts some vegetables in the camp oven, and boils up other veggies as well to go with the leftover roast meat from last night. Fresh gravy as well. I make up another small batch of scones - 2 each - for dessert, done in the camp oven as well. Taste good with jam and 'spray' cream. Cuppa time, then Roger goes and has his shower, I get the dishes washed. Now time to relax until bedtime - I'm writing this up. I get to bed before 8.30pm - that hasn't happened in a long time!
    6/05/25 Tuesday We're out of bed by 7.30am. I know we'll try to get some washing done today - so I strip off the sheets and remake the bed with the clean set. Get dressed and have a quick breakfast of Just Right with a pear and my cup of tea. Roger wants to leave here early to get to Canberra to go to an Auto Electrician re: the caravan's battery charger. We are packed up and on the move before 8.30am
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  • Lower Cotter Catchment Circuit Stromlo

    5 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Enjoy this walk - following the AllTrails map. Have just the perfect day weather wise - mild and calm. I see kangaroos, Rosella's, wedge tailed Eagles (close up, one flew off above my head - the other was standing on the ground nearby before it flew off too), wallabies and 2 emus.By the time I return to camp at 2pm - my Strava tells me I've done 21kms. Yes, I'm tired - I can tell my 'fitness' is not up to Serra Terror!Baca selengkapnya

  • Yass Valley Caravan Park NSW

    6–8 Mei, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Arrive here at midday - after spending most of the morning in Canberra - 1st to Auto Electrician to confirm the caravan's battery charger has 'died' and replacement required. 2nd, after ringing about to find out where we can go, to Marine Tech store in Fyshwick (suburb) to get said replacement $350. While Roger in this store, I ring Barb to catch up with how she's doing. I tried to call Adrian earlier - but we're playing phone tag. Barb's busy - on her way to Geelong (flat lease business) then planning to call in on Adrian tomorrow - Ballarat Hospital. Thinking of them both with love and care.
    Book in here for 2 nights - chance to get washing done and for Roger to install new charger and check he's got it operating properly. We're on site 24 with power - abit tricky to get caravan lined up with the concrete slab (lack of space to manoeuvre) but Rog gets us there. Unhitch and Roger gets to work with the charger installing. I go get 2 loads of washing going.
    While Rog busy, I make up some open toasties for our lunch - garlic sauce, avocado, ham, capsicum, olives and cheese on toast. After our lunch, we hang out our washing, then Roger finishes putting in the new van charger. He's very happy with how it's going and he can check how it's running via Bluetooth to his phone. We decide to walk down the street to find the Visitor Centre. We return a couple of hours later. Relax, sitting outside our van enjoying a drink, before going and getting our washing off the clothesline. Most of it dry, some I'll hang out again in the morning to finish off. We've decided to go out for tea tonight, so we just relax - I catch up on our budget books - before heading off, walking down the street again at 6pm.
    We're back by 8pm, Roger goes and has a shower, I'm writing this up, then relax before bed. Watch a silly movie on Prime.
    7/05/25 Wednesday. Up around 7am, I decide to go for a run - head off around 7.30am. Go do 4 laps of the river path circuit - beautiful morning and I'm not alone. Plenty of folk out getting some exercise. Get back to our caravan to go have a shower then my breakfast. Roger has driven down the street while I was away, to get fuel and hacksaw blade for his tent pole project. By the time I'm organised to leave for our day's outing, Roger has got an extending pole we can put up in our caravan shower recess to hang damp things from. Will be very handy. We leave 9.45am.
    Return around 3.30pm. Relax in caravan, having cheese and biscuits with a cuppa. I'm updating budget books and spending app, while Roger sorts our Landlord Insurance- does well, gets cheaper by $800 with better insured values. Give Barb a quick call, to check how she's travelling - now in Ballarat visiting Adrian - will stay overnight in nearby motel (it's a goodie, we've stayed there for concert) to the hospital. Adrian is about to be transferred to Melbourne in the next few days - Kingston Rehab Centre (Monash Health) in Cheltenham.
    Tea tonight, Roger cooks up chicken kievs and homemade chips in the airfryer and serves with boiled vegetables. Roger has his shower, I do the dishes, he's back in time to dry and put away. I get message from Sharon, she's secured tickets to Dirty Dancing in Adelaide for September. The 4 Musketeers - girls trip again - yay! Relaxing until bedtime.
    8/05/25 Thursday Roger up first, I follow around 7.30am. While having my breakfast I spill my entire cup of tea over myself and the caravan seats. Luckily not burnt, but means a change of clothing and I decide to do a load of washing. Roger and I go for a lovely morning walk while the washing on - we get back and I go and have a shower. We finish off our pack up - and hang our wet washing in the shower cubicle - our hanging rail is a success. Leave here 9.45am.
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  • Yass NSW

    6 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We go for a walk down the main street of Yass as it's only a short walk from the caravan park. We check out the menu at the Yass Soldiers Club - looks good and has been recommended to us for meals by the lady who booked us in at the park today. Continue along the street to the Visitor's Centre. This is when I get a return call back from Adrian - so reassuring to hear him sounding 'so normal' - though I feel bad, he's having to keep me on track. Next time we chat, I hope I'll look forward - not back! He explained he'll have months of recovery - and will have to reassess his future living arrangements - boy it's alot to take in - can't imagine how Adrian and his loved ones are feeling with all this. After this conversation finished, Roger and I wander back along the street, leisurely checking into shops of interest - 2 Op shops and a 2nd hand variety shop - so much stuff crambed into 'rabbit warren' large shop - all pretty clean and orderly. Roger buys an extendable tent pole for $10 from this last one - he's going to convert it to suit hanging things to dry in our caravan shower recess. Walk back to camp.Baca selengkapnya

  • Yass Soldiers Club

    6 Mei, Australia ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    We walk here to have a night off from making our own tea. It's quite busy (good sign) which is great for a Tuesday night. Roger orders from the specials board - Potato & Leek Soup and Curry Beef Rogan Josh. I order a Wild West Chicken Snitzel with salad and chips. Doesn't take long for our meals to arrive - and yes they are good! My meal quite large - Roger had to help me with the chips. Finish our drinks - guiness and gingerbeer - happy to walk back 'home' to our van. There's a motel across the road from our caravan park - must be a lot of truckies staying there - so many trucks parked on the street!Baca selengkapnya

  • Reflections Burrinjuck Waters

    7 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We do the lovely drive out to Burrinjuck Dam. Roger takes us via a bush track (great to do in the 4wd). Once we get to the usual bitumen road into the Dam (one way in, one way out) - it's a narrow mountainous road - not to be rushed for sure. We arrive at the campground called Reflections Burrinjuck Waters, signage saying there is day pass rates - and there are boom gates in use. We stop and go into the office - nicest lady in there! Bec, was happy to just give us a camp map and the code to enter without charging us for a look around. We do the drive around - and like what we see. What a great spot - I can imagine relaxing here for a week - with good weather (like today). Return to the office, as we'd like to support by buying a cuppa etc. Bec wouldn't let us pay for the cuppas as they just have their own tea and coffee from the 'tea room' - so we bought icecreams instead (Drumstick for me, Maxibon for Rog). Now going to drive in further and check out the Dam wall. Can't get too close, as it's closed off to the public while there's work getting done to it. Large crane at work. After this, time to do the winding drive back out.Baca selengkapnya

  • Yass Scout Group Campground

    7 Mei, Australia ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    Our lunch stop. We can't drive in to check the campground (find a picnic table) so we just prepare our lunch on the ute tailgate. Meat and salad sandwich for Roger, a cheese sandwich for me. Followed by fruit (both of us), and Anzac biscuit for Rog.
    Roger climbs the gate and goes for a quick look about - comes back to report it's all abit 'run down'.
    Head back to Yass, we check out its RV Park (free camp) - it would be a nice spot to stay - handy position and near the river.
    Next we go do some grocery shopping at Aldi, before returning to our campsite.
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  • Gundagai NSW

    8 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Drive from Yass to here. We check out both the free RV camping areas in this town - we pick the one furthest out as Roger feels he'll get more sun for our solar. While still in town centre we park off the main street with the caravan, and go for a look about. Go to the Bakery and get a loaf of bread and share a cream bun. Then go to the Visitor Informaton where I buy some local honey and a hatpin. Return to our vehicle and drive out to our chosen campsite.Baca selengkapnya

  • Morley's Creek Pump House Reserve

    8–11 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    This campground is just on the outskirts of Gundagai. Lovely spot beside Morleys Creek. We set up with awning and mat out - facing the creek.
    Lunch time - we make up sandwiches and have some fruit.
    I decide to relax at camp - catching up on bills (ATO), while Roger goes for a walk into Gundagai to look about and get some potatoes to have with tea.
    When he's back at camp - we get chatting with neighbouring campers - nice friendly couple, Gary and Ann - they're taking 3 to 6mths off work and travelling - leaving their grown up children in charge of their business (electrical data). After this nice chat, we start preparing tea. Tea is panfried steak with boiled vegetables and baked spuds - all done on the campfire. My contribution, a date damper for dessert. We enjoy sitting around the campfire for a while - it's a perfect evening for it. Then time to go tidy up and do the dishes. Roger has his shower. Now relax until bedtime.
    9/05/25 Friday. Roger is up before 7.30am, I lie in bed reading until 8am. Get up and have a leisurely breakfast, then get ready to go for a drive to do a walk to the Dog on the Tuckerbox. We leave just after 9am. Return to camp around 12.30pm to have some lunch. Roger has a meat and salad sandwich and I make up 2 open toasties - relish, avocado, tomato, Turkey roll, capsicum and cheese on toast. After a short spell, we go for another drive to look about Gundagai. Return around 4.30pm to light the campfire and relax, before getting tea sorted. Roger is making his sausage surprise casserole on the campfire. We ring Robert to see what's happening in his world - work and usual stuff. Tea is delicious, and we enjoy it with some mead wine that we warm up on the fire. While having our tea - Roger first to notice a cat meowing - sure enough there is a young ginger cat in our camp area - does not take long to realise it's not a feral cat, guessing it may be an abandoned cat - poor thing, scared but looking for some attention. I offer it my finished plate - with gravy scraps on it - which is enough to coax it to me for a pat. Oh I find this upsetting - such a scared but hopeful little being of affectionate fluff! Will try not to encourage it any more - wish I could work out what to do for it. We finish off the leftover date damper - by heating it on the campfire plate. I retreat (from sad cat) to the van to do the dishes. Roger comes in shortly after to have his shower. Now just our usual - relax before bedtime.
    10/05/25 Saturday. I get up first to go for a run, I leave around 7.30am and return just after 8.30am. Roger has just started, after having his breakfast, to pack away ready for us to move on today. After a discussion, we decide to stay another night here. I have my breakfast, then a shower. We tidy up and head off on a day trip to Junee. We leave around 10am and return at 4.30pm. Roger is quick to get our campfire going, so we can relax beside it and enjoy our evening drinks. Tea tonight is reheated, on the camfire, sausage surprise. Dessert is Junee licorice and chocolates - from a bag of 'seconds', very nice. Roger has his shower and heads to bed. I'm leaving the dishes tonight - not many, so we'll do them with the breakfast dishes before we head off. I enjoy sitting up reading - I'm right into Dick Francis's 'To The Hilt'. I finish it and realise it's after midnight. Time for bed.
    11/05/25 Sunday. Roger wishes me a Happy Mother's Day - good start to my day. I lie in bed reading until 8am. Get up and have leisurely breakfast before tidy up and get organised to be on the move. We leave around 9am. Head into Gundagai, Roger parks and goes and does a grocery shop in Woolworths - I'm happy to wait in the car and check my mobile. Have a lovely message from Robert wishing me a Happy Mother's Day and that he'll talk with me later once he's finished a job he's doing.
    Roger returns, and off we go to find Sandy Beach campground.
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  • Dog on the Tuckerbox Trail Gundagai

    9 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Drive to the start point and park. Lovely morning to do this walk, 8km return. We get to where the statue of The Dog on The Tuckerbox lives - in front of a Cafe, produce, gift shop. Roger gets a coffee - I enjoy looking at the stuff in the shop, I would have purchased some chocolate coated cherries, but I didn't want to carry them on the walk back. As we leave to walk back, we decide to check out an antique place that's here too.Baca selengkapnya

  • Snake Gully Antique Centre Gundagai

    9 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Decide to walk in and check this place out before we return to our ute (4km away). Glad we did - this is the most comprehensive collection of all sorts of stuff - something for everyone I'm sure. Just as well Rog and I caravanning - so no room for anything from here (well not that we'll let ourselves get!).
    What a great shop to browse.
    Now ready to walk back to our ute.
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  • Old Gundagai Gaol

    9 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    After our lunch at camp, we drive back into Gundagai and go to the Visitor Centre again, to pay for ($10 each) and get the headsets and key to come and do this self guided tour. We walk here - leaving our ute parked in the main street - and enjoy listening to the audio - that corresponds to areas in the gaol. Enjoyable look into these buildings past.
    Once finished here, we lock the place up securely and head back down the street.
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  • Australian Pen Museum Gundagai

    9 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    On our walk back from the Old Gaol (to return key and headsets) we call in at this place. We have no idea what to expect - pens, huh? Entry is $5 per couple. Well our luck is in, Bruce - who owns and has put together the displays - is only too happy to walk through with us and explain about some of the pens and other stuff he has here. With his passion and knowledge of his collection - Bruce makes this a most fascinating tour. Rog and I get so much more out of this Museum than we expected. Bruce should really charge more for his guided tours. We found this to be great!
    Once we leave here, we go and return the Goal tour stuff back to the Visitor Centre, then decide to go have a drink at one of the pubs.
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  • Criterion Hotel Gundagai

    9 Mei, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Roger feels like a Guinness so we call in here to try his luck. Yes they do have Guinness, shame the bar attendant not real attentive to customers - happy to leave us waiting to be served while she chats with a friend.....anyway, we eventually get our drinks and enjoy them in the outdoor seating area - undercover and very nice.
    After this, we're ready to drive back to camp.
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