Daddy's taking us to the zoo.....

Monday 30^th October

Up with the lark this morning. Sorry, I mean with the bush turkey! We were at Australia Zoo by 9.00 and ready to 'rumble in the jungle'. Sorry, I mean 'rumble in the bush'!

It promised to be a very hot day ahead.

Steve Irwin, who was otherwise known as the Crocodile Hunter, was the creator of this zoo. Following his untimely death due to an attack by a stingray, his legacy is kept alive by his family and they continue to protect native and other species of animals which may be in decline.

It is an extremely well laid out zoo and the staff are all very knowledgeable and exuberant about the animals they care for.

We saw koalas, kangaroos, both red and grey; cassowaries, emus, echidnas, Galapagos tortoises, wombats, crocodiles and alligators; snakes and tropical birds all in their natural environment and all very tame;. The highlight was probably the show which started with a display of Australian tropical birds and birds of prey, followed by the crocodile encounter. It is amazing how they manage to train these creatures at the same time being aware that they are still unpredictable in their behaviour.

The zoo has now added an Asian and African section and we were able to see giraffes, rhinos and zebras, but the cutest were the new arrivals, the meerkats. Another demonstration was by Oscar, a Sumatran tiger which was very exciting. I have some video of him swimming.

So, late afternoon, we continued our journey on the road, stopping for the night at a Big 4 campsite at Maroochydore, where the swimming pool awaited. Just as well, we got the swim in, because a storm breezed through just before it got dark at 6.05 pm. Wonderful sky though.

Highlight of the day: Had to be , all the animals in the zoo, being able to get up close to them.

The Glasshouse Mountains

Sunday 29^th October

Daylight began at 5.00 am, very sunny and already very warm. Queensland does not believe in daylight saving so our clocks changed as did UK this weekend, so we are still 10 hours ahead of GMT.

We decided it would be prudent to register the van for a temporary Toll charge Pass for Brisbane as it's virtually impossible to pass from one side to the other avoiding toll roads. In reality we only encountered a toll when going under the city through the Clem Jones Tunnel, virtually under the whole of the city centre. This did help make the driving for Peter a somewhat easier task even though it was Sunday traffic.

We headed for the suburb of Albany Creek, which is where our friend Louise's sister, Elizabeth and her husband David lived. It was lovely to meet them, also Louise's sister, Mary Anne with her niece Becky and great niece Lily. They all made us very welcome and we spent a couple of hours chatting. David was born in Wanstead and emigrated with his parents when he was five years old.

After Brisbane, we took the Tourist Drive to the Glasshouse Mountains. Back in May 1770, they were given their name by Captain James Cook who, as he sailed by, thought they resembled the glass kilns and furnaces of his native Yorkshire.. These domed, conical, granite structures, rising out of the plains to heights of about 556 meteres are old volcanic plugs and are visible from as far away as Brisbane.

These two are called the Twins!

To the Kabi Aborigines, these dramatic, isolated pinnacles jutting out of th flat plain, are the petrified forms of a family fleeing the incoming tide.

Depending on the guide book you read, there are either 9, 13 or 16 peaks!!

We eventually arrived at Lansdsborough Pines camp site, where a refreshing dip in the pool was most welcome. From now on, every campsite must have a pool!

Air conditioning in the van has packed up again, but hopefully Peter has temporarily fixed the problem using a bread knife to release the fan! Let's hope it  still works tomorrow.

Highlights of the day:

Meeting up with Louise's family and watching two goannas having a stand - off in the camp kitchen while Peter was barbecuing the sausages this evening.

The Gold Coast

Saturday 28^th October

Next stop on our journey today, is Coolangatta on the Gold Coast of Queensland. It is just over the border from Tweed Heads. We checked into a camping park at Kirra Beach and first priority was the refreshing swim, which seems to be mandatory now that we are in much warmer climes.

Then we walked along the seafront as far as the Corniche. We popped into a trendy surf shop and I nabbed a bargain hat for myself!

Then it was back to the campsite for another swim and a barbecue.

   

Highlight of the day: Got to be the pool again.

Byron Bay - most easterly point of Australia

Friday 27^th October

                             

This morning, another beautiful day as we left Yamba.

We had a fairly uneventful drive up the Pacific Highway to Byron Bay arriving at lunchtime to enjoy the huge prawns that we had bought before leaving Yamba.

Much work is being done to improve the A1 – dualling the carriageway so lots of roadworks.

After lunch, we took the road up to the lighthouse. Byron Bay is the most easterly tip of Australia and from the lighthouse , you can look down on to huge bays either side, much frequented by surf lovers. We spotted some whales spouting out in the ocean; thankfully no sharks. Sadly saw no dolphins either.

                        

                          

Had a delicious ice cream here,  then returned to campsite for a swim.

Highlight of the day: a huge koala was perched up a gum tree in our campsite near our pitch. He was feverishly eating the gum leaves and spent the night grunting, although I didn't hear him!

Yamba

Thursday 26^th October

This morning, we left Nambucca Heads and headed north again on the Princes Highway A1. Some of the scenery resembled the English countryside but on a much bigger scale with dairy farming predominating. We called in at Coffs Harbour where a lot of regeneration of the harbour walls was being undertaken and we took a walk down the jetty.

                             

Moving on, the road took an inland curve past Grafton and we reached Yamba, a thriving fishing village and resort, by early afternoon and booked into the Calypso campsite that we had stayed at nine years ago.

The weather is really heating up now with relentless blue skies, so air conditioning in the motor home is rather essential. However, it did not seem to want to work today and this necessitated a further call to Apollo for repairs. Just as we were enjoying a refreshing swim in the Yamba campsite pool, we got a call which meant driving back 20kms to a repairer who, hopefully, has managed to fix it. Whilst we were out, a hailstorm was brewing and hit the campsite wetting the chairs we had left on the pitch. However, they soon dried and we took a walk along the stone harbour wall before dinner. 

Highlight of the day: We were rewarded with a magnificent sunset and competed with each other for the best photo!

                                           

Nambucca Heads and Pacific Ocean

Wednesday 25^th October

Today, it was back to the Pacific Highway via Taree, taking another diversion off the road at Kew to Bonnie Hills and Lake Cathie to Port Macquarie.

We arrived at Nambucca Heads and stopped for the night at a Big 4 campsite, which was in a lovely bushland setting backing on to the ocean. We had time for a swim in the pool and a trek along the beach before dinner.

Highlight of the day: a refreshing swim in the pool

Crackling Rosie..... in the Hunter Valley

Tuesday 24^th October

From Broke, we made our way through the wine country of the Hunter Valley passing several vineyards and 'cellar doors' till we came to the Glandore Estate just before Pokolbin. As Peter was doing the driving this morning, it fell to me to do the wine tasting, such a hardship !!

The road then took us towards Maitland where we rejoined the Pacific Highway past the Myall Lakes. We then took the tourist drive to Forster and Toncurry passing Elizabeth Beach and Booti Booti where we had stayed before, all now much more residential development than nine years ago.

There were several pelicans at Toncurry by the marina. We stayed the night at a Top site in Forster which bordered the creek leading to Wallis lake.

Highlight of the day: Wine tasting or pelicans? Hmmmm!

From the Blue Mountains to the Hunter Valley

Monday 23^rd October

Let me take you now on a tour of the beautiful Blue Mountains up to the Hunter Valley. When you get to look out across the ranges, they look like large folds of a rumpled blue green velvet carpet with the recognisabe blue haze.

Before we left Katoomba, we took another look at the Three Sisters from Echo Point.. This morning, most of the Jamison and Megalong Valleys were shrouded in early cloud but the Three Sisters stood proudly above them. Just along the road, we came to Blackheath, another historical town with a coal mining background. Here, a short detour took us to Evans Lookout where we had a remarkable view across a grand canyon with a river winding its way through the valley. Across the deeply wooded ravine, were Mount Hay (944m) and Mount Banks (1062m).

Next town along the Tourist Loop is Mount Victoria from where we cut across the valley along the Darling Causeway, with fertile dairy paddocks either side, to Bell. From here, the road twisted up and down, with ever changing views of sandstone or granite rocky outcrops surrounded by dense forests of gum trees.

We refuelled at Bilpin and continued through the Wollemi and Yengo National Parks to Kurrajong, were we joined the Putty Road leading to the Hunter Valley. After climbing up several hills, there was a sharp descent into the Howes valley which opened out into a wide, open plain, which was mainy a cattle farming region.

On this journey, we passed so many different species of eucalyptus trees. Some all sentinels with their smooth, white bark having been stripped of the stringy, outer bark. Others were ochre or red in colour, whlst in many places they were black having been ravaged by bush fires. However it is amazing how they have regenerated new growth in their upper branches. With gum trees, the intense heat of a fire bursts the seed pods and they start to sprout in the ash after the fire has gone.

                

Interestingly, the road now changed again and we passed through what seemed like a large Cheddar Gorge, twisting and turning, before opening out into lush green countryside reminiscent of Mid-Wales with horses, sheep and cattle grazing in small holdings.

Then the road finally led to the Hunter Valley, the famous wine growing region north west of Sydney.

Another gently rolling plain covered with vineyards o both sides of the road. Lindemans the large winery was closed permanently. It appears as though smaller co-operatives and family cellar doors is more desirable here. Along the rows of vines were roses in bloom. These are grown as the roses can detect if viruses harmful to the vines are present.

Highlight of the day: Bushcamping

Tonight, we 'bushcamped' (free camping) at the Macnamara campground in Broke. Very peaceful with only kookaburras for company.

From Sydney to the Blue Mountains

Sunday 22^nd October

Today, we left Rockdale at 9.00a.m. and to avoid the Toll roads we let the Satnav guide us towards Liverpool and Penrith to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Here at Echo Point, one can see the most famous landmark of the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters formation which stand at the end of a plateau which drops away into the blue haze of the Jamison Valley, opposite Mount Solitary.

The blue haze is caused by the effect of the finely dispersed droplets of eucalyptus oil coming from the trees. It causes a mist which refracts the light and makes a blue haze from a distance.

The Three Sisters were formed by the erosion of Triassic sandstone.

An Aboriginal legend tells of the three sisters whose witch doctor father turned them into stone with his magic bone to protect them from a frightening bunyip that lived in a deep hole. The bunyip chased the father, who turned himself into a lyrebird but lost his magic bone before he could turn his three daughters back into girls. You can still hear the lyrebird calling in his search for the lost bone.

                                        

We took a ride down the steeply descending (52 degree angle) scenic railway which is on the site of a disused coal-mining operation. It used to carry the miners down to the coal-pits. From here, we followed a boardwalk through the rainforest of the Jamison valley, passing several monuments to recall the days of coal-mining. We made our ascent via the Cableway which rose 554 metres from the valley floor.

Highlight of the day: For the sheer 'hell' of it we did another return trip on the scenic railway.

Saturday 21^st October

Thankfully a dry day again. We went into Sydney by bus and train, straight to Circular Quay where we caught the ferry across to Manly. It really is a splendid harbour and was very busy with all kinds of craft from cargo ships to catamarans and yachts. It got a little choppy as we passed Sydney Heads. At Manly, we wandered down to the beach which was also busy with people playing beach volleyball and surfers trying out the waves, although the rollers were not that big. 

We returned on the Manly ferry to Circular Quay and hopped on another ferry round to Pyrrmont, which is where Karen and Dan lived for a short while about ten years ago. Here, there is a large Maritime Museum and the Welcome Wall, which lists people who registered as immigrants over the years. We walked round into Darling Harbour, where there is a large Convention Centre.

            

Late afternoon, we caught the train out towards Oyster Bay to meet friends of Karen and Dan's who moved back to Sydney from London a few years ago. They have two gorgeous little boys and a lovely house and they made us very welcome.

Highlight of the day: We really enjoyed the ferry rides around Sydney Harbour.

Friday 20^th October

I think we should ignore today. Suffice to say, it hasn't rained in Sydney since 4^th August and they had a month's worth today. Just to add insult to injury, on our way back walking from the shopping centre, I suffered a 'Bridget Jones' drenching courtesy of a passing bus! However, the day did give us a chance to catch up with ourselves and take stock of our itinerary.