Our time in Port Macquarie comes to an end

Wherever we visit we always seem to find a market on at least one of the days of the week-end to visit.  It is always a good time to mix with both visitors and locals and of course there is the added advantage of fresh produce (normally) and the opportunity to view the handiwork of various local crafts people.

Port Macquarie was no different and on the second Saturday in each month there is a farmers and artists market on the foreshore.  The market commences at 8 a.m. but we are never out of the house that early (it is lucky if I am out of bed!) so we made our way to this market around 11 a.m.  The market is situated behind one of the sports clubs in town and has the marina behind it.  There were lots of people about and although it was a huge market it was interesting to wander.  It was a much cooler day and the wind was blowing so we didn't stay too long.

 Market and marina behind

Later in the evening we enjoyed a lovely dinner out at The Stunned Mullet above Town Beach.  This restaurant is a highly regarded dining destination in Port Macquarie and an early booking was necessary.  The food was beautiful and we really enjoyed our evening.

Before we knew it our time in Port Macquarie had come to an end, have our last breakfast on the deck and it was time to say good-bye to Penny and Cleo and briefly met the home owners on their early morning return from Darwin.  We had had a great time, but it was time to move on with only one night before we were due in Stanhope Gardens in Sydney.

  View from deck

We left Port Macquarie around 11 a.m. and drove to Forster/Tuncurry where we arrived in time for lunch.  We had previously camped next to a couple from this area and they had said how picturesque the area was so it was good to have time to visit.  Forster and Tuncurry are actually two separate towns with a long bridge joining the two towns.  It is a popular holiday area, four hours drive north of Sydney, with popular long beaches.

Forster is the larger of the two towns and is across the bridge from Tuncurry.  We drove out to Cape Hawke where there are stunning views, and again people were watching out for the whales (but we didn't see any).  We continued walking along the track and down the stairs to very sandy One Mile Beach - we could only but imagine how crowded this beach must get in summer.  There were quite a few swimmers out in the waves, surfing as well, and the ever present sunbathers.  Unfortunately we had some camera difficulties and all our photos from this area were not on the disc - just have to have that beach recorded to memory.

Back into Forster and we went to Main Beach and found a very popular cafe for lunch - it is five years today since my diagnosis with cancer and the commencement of my treatment.  However great it is to be able to have that period of time behind me and to be well enough to be out enjoying life with Peter and indulging in our shared passion for travel.  I will be forever grateful for this second chance.

Main Beach, Forster

  Cafe at Main Beach, Forster

We continued on the Central Coast Highway and stopped overnight at The Entrance.  We visited this popular holiday spot last year when we were travelling the East Coast.  We stayed overnight in a motel and next morning we were able to spend a couple of hours enjoying the waterfront park, with lots of cafes and restaurants.  There were lots of people about - mainly those in similar age to us with time to explore.  Fortunately we were just ahead of the school holidays - it would be much busier next week when all the local schools are closed for the holidays.

Koala Corridor

You may recall that when we visited the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie (which was only about two kilometres from the house we were staying in) we were told that the area around the Koala Hospital was a koala corridor and that over the years if a koala could not successfully be rehabilitated to its original area but was able to remain in the wild it was released in the area around the hospital.

As the road passes the koala hospital there are signs of koalas warning drivers of the possibility of koala in the area.  Now we have seen those signs in many areas as we have lived and travelled throughout Australia.  Have we seen a koala previously in the wild (not taking into account our visits to Pound Bend in Warrandyte in Victoria when we specially went looking for them knowing they were in the area)?  No, no, no.

So when Peter was sitting at the dining room table in the house working away at the computer and said to me that there was a koala in the tree opposite I said to him, "don't be stupid, that isn't even a gum tree".  He was determined there was a koala, and I was just as determined he was making it up.  It sounded too similar to the "there are whales out there" that he often commented on as he picked up the binoculars to confirm his statement, but I still hadn't seen any whales.  So to prove him wrong, I said I was going out to see, so out I went. (Goes to show I was Probably right about the whales as well :-) )

I have to say I was wrong - now that is a big statement for me!  Sure enough, in the frangipani tree opposite (and definitely not a gum tree) was sitting a koala.  How Peter saw it from inside the house, but he was definitely correct.

Now how impressive was that - not only was this koala in the wild, but it was directly opposite the house we were staying in.

I then got concerned for it (of course after I had to call my apology to Peter who wasn't going to be happy until I had).  Was it in danger, had it got lost, it was small had it separated from the mother?  All I could think of was "should I report this to the koala hospital?".  There was no one about so I decided to knock on the door of the house where the tree was and see if anyone was home.  Sure enough there was a lady home, she had not seen the koala but came to check it out.

She didn't go near the koala, as they are wild and have very sharp claws, but considered that the koala was okay.  As this is a koala corridor they periodically get a koala moving from tree to tree or wandering up the street and said that one often spends quite a bit of time in one of the trees in the garden of where we were staying.

The koala was tagged with a yellow tag so was known to the hospital (as all animals who have been treated are tagged for future reference),

While we chatted the koala came further down the tree, and before long when it thought we weren't watching it jumped down and scrambled off down the street towards another tree.  It was quite safe, there were no cars around, and did not show any distress at all.

It was a wonderful encounter with a koala going about its normal day and a real treat and a superb memory of Port Macquarie.  And yes, Peter was right!

Finishing the coastal walk

We decided that as our time in Port Macquarie was fast coming to an end that we had better complete the coastal walk without delay.  Of course any mention of the word "walk" and Penny was not going to be left behind.

Penny in car waiting

We drove to Nobby's Beach which is very close to where we were staying.  This is the only beach on the coastal walk where dogs are allowed on the sand and Penny knew she was back at one of her favourite places.  We commenced our walk at the Nobby Head Obelisk and we were quite surprised to see some guys down on the rocks below fishing with the waves breaking around them.  Keen fishermen obviously.

Fishermen near Nobby's Beach

We walked towards Shelly Beach.  Here we had to leave the track as the track took walkers along the beach and signage made it very clear that dogs were not allowed on that section of the beach. Although there was no one else on the beach, we respected the no dogs rule and made our way back up to the roadway.

Shelley Beach

We continued our walk along the road until we came to Harry's Lookout where we again could enter. This spot is just a lookout point but possibly a very popular one especially with weddings parties. There was some interesting structures which would have made for unique photos.

Harry's Lookout

We finished our walk at Miners Beach and of course from there we had to turn around and repeat our walk back to the car.  Still it was really pleasant walking so we weren't unhappy about that.  The trees along the way were in flower and very pretty.

Variety of plants along the way

We had now completed the coastal walk, albeit in stages, from Town Green in the city all the way to Lighthouse Beach.  It is certainly a great asset to the area.

Coastal views

The next journey begins

We have been house sitting in Kensington, a western suburb of Melbourne, for a young couple who have been holidaying in Fiji.  We have also looked after their two dogs, Lennox and Kostya.  On Sunday, 26^th May we packed up and along with our nephew, Connor who is 13, and our two grandsons, Jake aged 9 and Tim aged 8, we headed out of town on our next adventure.

Peter had a challenge getting all the camping gear for five people, plus the boys gear and our gear (this is the beginning of a four month adventure before we return to Melbourne for us but the boys all return home to their respective parents in the middle of June) into and on to the Patrol. Mind you there was assistance from three boys in getting the job done!!   The level of gear on the roof rack seemed to be getting higher and higher and there is still the brazier on top!  As we pulled out of Kensington to commence our trip north to Mildura there was very little room inside either.

We stopped just south of Bendigo for lunch and a stretch – it was certainly cold so the picnic didn’t last too long.  We continued north stopping every hour or so for a stretch and eventually arrived in Mildura. 

This was over five hundred kilometres and hopefully will be the longest travel distance in one day although we will need to travel each day to reach our destination of Townsville via the Simpson Desert by the 8^th June.  Fortunately we had pre-booked into a cabin at a caravan park so we didn’t have to erect the tents in the dark as it was after six p.m. before we arrived.  We only stayed overnight but before we left on Monday morning we had a chance to wander down to the banks of the Murray River and see the house boats moored.  Tim had collected a brochure of the native birds to the area so enjoyed looking for the various varieties. 

With the load back on and in the Patrol we commenced our trip to South Australia.    

Our passengers arrive 25th May 2013

We are heading from Melbourne to Townsville leaving Melbourne on the 25^th May and need to be in Townsville by the 8^th June – this is just fourteen days.  We have always wanted to travel one of the real outback routes but last year as we travelled we had the caravan and this wasn’t possible and we didn’t want to leave the caravan behind and then have to do the return trip.  After a few enquiries about whether it was possible to travel from Melbourne to Townsville, via the Simpson Desert in the time we have, we decided this was an option for us.  We have some 4000 kilometres to travel and will travel in the Patrol and have our Black Wolf tent for accommodation.

We have travelled many thousands of kilometres with the occasional visitor passengers.  This time Peter extended an invitation to his young 13 year old nephew, Connor from Frankston in Victoria and our two grandsons, Jake aged 9 and Timothy aged 8, who live in Ohinewai in New Zealand to accompany us.  Surprisingly the boys accepted the invitation and their parents supported it.

So on Saturday Jake and Tim had their first big adventure on their own – travelling unaccompanied from Auckland to Melbourne.  We made sure we were at the airport in plenty of time to meet them and were very relieved to see them walk through the arrivals area.  Well done boys – the staff member said that they were very well behaved and polite on the flight. 

We were staying in Kensington and later in the evening Sandra, Richard and Jordan brought Connor over.  Now all our passengers have arrived – and all their gear!  It is surprising how much room three extra passengers and their gear take.  We normally have the back seat area for the tent etc but not this time – it will be a challenge to get it all on and in the Patrol.  Two weeks, 4000 kilometres, long days in the car, home sickness and new adventures are all ahead of us. 

On the move again

On the road again.

After a few months off from travelling full time Gill and Peter are about to leave the comforts of their home again.  This year will be different from last year -  we have sold the caravan so will be doing a combination of tenting and house sitting.

Mt Maunganui             

Christmas has been spent in New Zealand.  We travelled back here late October early November.  Most of our time has been in Mount Maunganui where we own a house.  It’s been great to have some stability, but it’s starting to get cold now so time to get out of here!  Now for any of you who are thinking of visiting New Zealand make sure that you include Mount Maunganui/Tauranga in your plans - it’s a fantastic place with lots to do and lots to see.

So where have we been whilst in New Zealand:-                                                               

 Auckland

                           

Rotorua

                              

Taupo

                                 

Wellington

Plus a number of other areas.  We have enjoyed catching up with all the grandchildren  - having them come to stay, staying at their places and of course the obligatory baby-sitting!  We have also house and animal sat during our time in New Zealand.  You know you do get to the stage where you just wonder how you ever fitted work into the mix.





 Simpson Desert

 So just what do the next few months hold for us?  We fly out of NZ on the 1^st of May to Melbourne where we will dust off the Patrol (which has been in storage at the airport since November) and get it ready to head towards the warmer weather again.  We will be in Melbourne until at least the 26^th and then plan to travel north via the Simpson Desert then off to our first house sitting assignment in Townsville from the 8^th June.  We will be absolutely ready for the warm weather by then.

Townsville



Outa Here