From One Port To Another

DRIVE: Port Stephens to Port Macquarie (246km). Straight up the Pacific Highway although we could have taken the scenic route through Blueys Beach and Seal Rocks... next time. Steve would have missed out on cherry pie at Andy’s Cherry Pie Cafe (aka shed) if we’d detoured...

CAMPSITE: NRMA Port Macquarie Breakwall Holiday Park. We’re on sixteenth avenue - just how big is this park? Right on the river and next door to Town Beach. Lovely big grassy sites with mature Cypress Pines, an esplanade full of painted rocks and walking distance to town.

Once set up, we took off on the bikes for a bit of exploration. Some great history in Port Macquarie with buildings and sites dating back to the 1800s. Ventured up to Flagstaff Hill via Mrs York’s gardens. Bertha York started her work on the garden in 1963 as a labour of love. She wanted to tidy up and beautify the space. Five years later, the area was officially named Mrs York's Garden.

A flagstaff was one of the first installations when the 48th Regiment of Foot arrived under the command of Captain Allman in 1821. Captain Allman's orders included the establishment of a signalling station adjacent to the new settlement due to the known dangerous bar across the entry to the Hastings River. Lights were used to signal the condition of the bar to the fort on Gaol Point and to passing ships at sea with a beacon fire burned constantly through the night.

Just as we got back, we got an SMS warning of severe thunderstorms and large hailstones. The advice was get under cover (including your car). Hmmm - how do you do that in the middle of a caravan park? We batoned down the hatches - literally - and sat it out indoors. No hailstones but lots of rain. We love the sound of rain on our roof.

WILDLIFE
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