South West Rocks, Port Macquarie & Taree

South West Rocks was lovely. Quite breezy. Plenty of rain. Rocky, as the name suggests. We kayaked, cycled and I spent far too many dollars in the lovely boutique shops. I drove quite a way for the best snorkelling in the area where the water is 'crystal clear' said the brochure. Not so. Check the photos. Looked like the sewers.

Dick made his traditional weekly visit to the vets, this time because he'd squealed when I'd slapped his butt cheeks to get him moving one day. Given that he's usually mute, this was odd. She sent him for X-rays at Port Macquarie, with a query re a cracked pelvis after the fall on his arse in Woolgoolga. Jesus!
Free dog, anyone?

We were very lucky to be invited to lunch with Denise and Dennis in Kempsey, whom we met at chilly Glen Innes (of the modern Standing Stones fame). I should probably clarify, Dick was invited to lunch. I was merely the cheerful chauffeur. Dick makes far more friends than I do on our adventures. We often get invited to drinks at campsites and I quickly realise it was Dick they wanted to meet, not me. Literally, their faces fall if I saunter over without him and there is awkwardness until I release him from the van.

Anyway, thanks for having us D&D, that roast was glorious. I remembered as I drove away that I was going to take photos of you guys and the dog, outside your home. Silly me. And thanks for the cake. And the soup!
Your beautiful heritage house reminded me of home in Ye Olde Wiltshire.
Do you have any resident ghosts?
What was the name of that purple bird?
Is Dennis now blind after that ant bit him? Does he need a totally untrained, greedy, accident prone guide dog?
Got one going free.

Briefly whipped around Port Macquarie seeing the sights whilst the van and the dog had their respective services. The koala hospital was pretty cute. I sponsored one, whose name I've immediately forgotten. Let's call him Quentin.

We arrived at a very muddy, very wet Taree Showground, for Dick's formal assessment to become a service dog. It hasn't stopped raining since we've been here and it's officially getting me down.

Dick did his thing during his test; showed off his moves, leaned on and batted his eyelashes at Janine & Louise the assessors - who promptly fell in love with him. Loves the ladies, does Dick. So he's now an official trainee service dog, with his vest and ID to be delivered, allowing him access anywhere I go. Just his public access test to go once he's been through their program.

When we arrived at Taree, there was a fella holding an injured duckling, talking to the showground caretaker. His hands were covered in blood and he said a Butcher bird was attacking the duckling and the mother duck had ran away. The caretaker called the local wildlife people and I offered to look after the duckling until they arrived. She had a cat, so that wasn't going to end well.

There wasn't much hope for his survival, but that little duckling was the funniest little thing. He accepted Dick and I as his new family instantly and ran riot all over the van. We made him a little home with some food and a temporary bath which he loved, he pooped on my pillows and yelled his head off when we went for a quick walk and left him behind. He climbed all over me and fell asleep on my shoulder and in my hands.

Sadly, the wildlife people didn't arrive and Dave did not make it through the night. He had a little hole in his head and I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did. Rest in peace, little dude. We buried you by the treeline so you can keep an eye on your Mum and siblings. We thought you were the bravest little thing. You could have lived with us and become a service duck.

Now that Dick's formal engagements have been attended to, we're abandoning our broad travel plans of heading clockwise around Australia, and instead heading north away from the rain and towards the autumn / winter sun.

Specifically, we're heading for the Dinosaur Trail in Winton, QLD, to go and dig up some bones and fossick for gems in the gemfields. I'd like to see the stretch of coast between Yeppoon and Townsville. Then either the centre for Alice and Uluru or north to the WA coast, for the 'swim with whale sharks' season.

So, next stop, Tamworth!Read more