Janet and Peter On Tour

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Liverpool Plains

Had a great time in Armidale. We did the free bus tour which took us all around the town and into some wonderful old buildings and Homes. It is and always has been an educational town with renowned boarding schools, teachers colleges and universities. Our tour guide was a retired teacher who had done her training and teaching in Armidale and had lots of stories and knowledge. The tour was almost three hours long but very good. We came back to "Ellie" (I've decided to name our van that because she is a Coromal Element and we really are in our element)...anyhoo....we came back for lunch and were sitting outside the van when we heard some noises and then from nowhere horses and jockeys were flying past!! We were parked next to a race track. There's never a dull moment! We were staying at the Showgrounds so were also treated to quoir practice, band practice and boxing!
After two nights we left Armidale and continued along the New England Highway through Uralla where we visited the grave of Thunderbolt and then onto the Moonbi Lookout where we watched distant Thunderstorms all around us. The Lookout and park was built in 1938 and is perched upon a huge rock overlooking the town of Moonbi and surrounding district. We stayed the night and in the morning went to Moonbi to have a new element for the fridge fitted. It had stopped working when on power but was still OK on gas. After that we continued on to Tamworth where we had a look around and did some shopping and stayed at a roadside rest area just outside of town.
Travelling along the Oxley Highway we arrived at Gunnedah. We liked the place as soon as we arrived. There was much to see and do and the locals were very friendly. We were having a roast beef lunch ($7.00 plus free drink) when a lady came up behind and gave me the warmest hug - until I turned around and she saw I wasn't who she thought I was! She was a dear thing and we chatted about all the things to see and do in town. We stayed at a free camp on the river which is looked after by locals, not the council. One of the farmers came and introduced himself and after a good long chat he gave us some cherries!
We stayed in Gunnedah for two nights and set off late morning to Coonabarabran and up to the Pilliga Nature Reserve to stay at Pilliga Pottery. We left the van (Ellie) and visited the sandstone caves - enchanting!
The next morning (Monday) we went through Naribri and Wee-Waa before stopping at Pilliga Artesian Bore. It is a natural thermal spring and in 1902 they built a pool around it and a roof overhead so it is a beautiful place to swim. The weather was very hot and the next day clouds started rolling in and the sky became very orange. The wind picked up so we scrambled to put the awning in which we had secured with guy ropes and had the anti flap bars on so it took a bit of dismantling and the wind was getting worse. Finally the awning was away when we were hit by a massive dust storm. I rushed into the van to shut all the windows while Peter chased our chairs across the field. The wind was so fierce and you couldn't open your eyes for the dust. We managed to shut the windows but not before half a ton of dust flew in. We've never seen anything like it! A few minutes later it all settled down and we just stood amongst the rubble inside the van and thought....What the.......? Then we got a small sprinkle of rain which turned all the dust on the car and van into a very nasty sight.
We cleaned everything inside as best we could but are still finding grit in everything. Oh well, back to the pool for another swim...

I probably wont do another blog until after Christmas so we would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Wonderful and safe Christmas. We will be with Matt, Tracey and the kids and are really looking forward to seeing them all. Love to you all. Merry Christmas xx

Booloominbah, a former Gentlemens Residence, built in 1888

Inside St Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral

A stained glass window in Booloominbah, Armidale

A stained glass windows in an arcade, Armidale

Former headmasters at the Teachers College, Armidale

You never know when a horse race will break out!

Love thumping hooves, and the jockeys all swearing at each other!

Armidale Railway Station

plenty of fools gold here at Uralla

Thunderbolts grave at Uralla

Moonbi Lookout

The view from the lookout at Moonbi

A thunderstorm in the distance from Moonbi Lookout

A tree growing around a rock at Moonbi lookout

The Golden Guitar, Tamworth

Lake Keepit

We rolled over to 100,000 ks,

We've done 16,719 kms so far this trip

Our camp site at Gunnedah

from another view

and another view

The view from Porcupine Lookout, Gunnedah

That's a train coming into town

and another view

climbing to the roof of the Tower Museum, Gunnedah

and the view from the top of the Museum

This was a working miniature railway until the mans house burnt down

sitting outside the toilet block where poems are recited in the loos, Gunnedah

Statue of Dorothea Mackellar She wrote "My Country"

(I love a sunburnt Country....)

Peek-a-Boo Sandstone Caves in Pilliga Nature Reserve

the photos don't show the amazing colours

just beautiful

this fallen tree branch makes for an interesting ride

peak hour traffic

doing some hand-washing at Pilliga Artesian Bore

Our car after the dust storm and a small drop of rain to set it all!

back to the pool

Monday, December 8, 2014

Northern New South Wales

We met Jean at Paradise Point, on the Gold Coast, had a picnic lunch on the water front and caught up with all the news. She had been staying at a friends place and was due to go home to Adelaide in a few days so the timing was good. After lunch we said our goodbyes and headed south along the Pacific Highway and over into NSW. We stayed in a quaint little town called Burringbar. Light rain fell for a while during the evening and early morning but we woke to the news that Brisbane had a terrible night and had flooded in places! It always seems to rain after we leave somewhere, which is great because they need the rain - but I think we overdid it!
The next day we went to Byron Bay (OMG busy!!) and drove up to "The Pass" where we parked and did a vigorous but scenic walk to the most easterly point of Australia and then continued up to the Lighthouse. We did a tour of the lighthouse which was so interesting and the views where incredible. The walk back was much quicker as it was mostly downhill and we made it back in time (just) before our two hour parking ticket expired!
The next three nights were spent at Mallanganee Memorial Park which is a free camp but we had power and water which meant we could catch up with our washing - yes I know - mundane, but it means a lot when traveling. There was another couple, Jo and Chris and a guy, Colin , who were staying at the park as well and we had Happy Hour with them each night and also visited the towns Art Exhibition together. Great new friends and another quiet, pretty town with visiting Wallabies and bird life. We all left on Monday morning in different directions.
The next three nights were spent with friends we had met on a cruise, 12 years ago. David and Sue have a beautiful property at Ashby just outside of Maclean. They showed us around their wonderful beaches where we saw a big pod of Dolphins, huge jelly fish and thousands of tiny crabs on the march. They also took us dancing with a group of their friends and out in their tinny where we saw waterfront mansions and had a picnic lunch at Iluka. Every morning we woke to wallabies at our door looking for a friendly pat and a bit of seed. Thank you so much Sue and David for a great stay and wonderful hospitality xx Our next stay was at a free camp at Jackadgery. We went for a long walk down the hill and along the river looking for platypus but to no avail. A thunder storm was brewing overhead so we eventually made our way back to the van and got back just before the heavens opened. The thunder and lightning was spectacular and we were happy the locals were finally getting some rain - and yes, it rained at David and Sues' as well. We told them it would rain after we left!
Driving through the spectacular Great Dividing Range, we stopped to look at Boundary Falls on our way to Glen Innes. We walked through the old town and went back the following morning to have another look before heading further south.
The next two nights were at Guyra on the banks of "Mother of Ducks" Nature Reserve. We arrived and set up camp and then it belted down with rain, so much so, that we had to move because we suddenly had a flowing river under our van! The water was 6 inches deep below us and flowing fast.
We moved to higher ground in another section of the park and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The town had their annual Christmas street parade the following day and people from all over the district came. They had stalls all along the street and Lions Club and Rotary Raffles. A band was playing and the weather was perfect. The local line dancers gave a show and all the kids and dogs were dressed up for Christmas.
This morning we left Guyra and came to Armidale where we are staying at the Showgrounds.