Newcastle

We left the Gold Coast on Monday travelling as far as Wooli, which is a small coastal town about 30 minutes from Grafton. It is located on a narrow peninsula which is defined by the Wooli River on one side and a fabulous beach on the other, it is a very popular holiday and fishing destination It was great laying in bed listening to the waves breaking on the beach a nice change after our nights on the Gold Coast where there is constant traffic noise and sirens from Ambulances, Fire Engines and Police vehicles. The constant noise in Southport reminds me of the TV shows in America.

After only one night at Wooli we hit the road again travelling the next section of  our journey south stopping for the night at the Taree Showgrounds, it was a rather hot 29 degrees at Taree when we arrived.  There was a notice on the gate to the Showgrounds that there was a extra charge of $5 for air cons, the caretaker didn't mention it so we didn't either, we enjoyed ours for a couple of hours until it cooled down. There are  hundreds of kilometres of  road works happening along side the Pacific Hwy, with new dual lanes for south and north bound traffic, this is all happening with hardly any interruption to current traffic, just reduced speed limits in some sections.  We were on the road again the next morning by 8.30 am as we had a two hour trip to Newcastle, we wanted to get there mid morning so we could meet Maree & Brian and spend the rest of the day with them.

Maree & Brian picked us up from the Stockton Caravan Park and we caught the ferry across the Harbour to Newcastle and had lunch on the Pier. We were lucky with the weather a lovely sunny day, so we walked the main street of Newcastle and then returned back to the ferry via the foreshore beaches and swimming baths. The Port of Newcastle is the largest bulk shipping port on the east coast and a leading coal export port with many bulk carriers to be seen waiting off shore to enter the harbour. After a pleasant afternoon and evening we returned to the caravan park to get a good nights sleep so we were bright eyed and bushy tailed to tackle the M1, M7 & M2 which would take us around Sydney so we could head off to the Blue Mountains.

Stockton Beach looking toward Nobbys Lighthouse

Stockton Beach

Newcastle 

Newcastle Harbour

Harbour masters tower

Bulk carrier entering the harbour 

Gold Coast - Southport

We had a brief stop over at the Gold Coast for three nights, just enough time for me to visit my favourite shopping haunts. I think Maree & Judy must have cleaned up before I got there as I found it hard this year to get the bargains that I have previously managed to ferret out, but still managed to complete Tan's shopping list for the boys.

Sunday morning we decided to head around to the Spit where we buy prawns that are caught the night before and sold direct to the public from the trawlers, can't beat the fresh king sized Tiger prawns. Next we stopped at the Marina Mirage to visit Max Brenner Chocolate Bar, where we treated ourselves to warm crepes filled with banana & hazelnut praline that has pure melted chocolate drizzled over the top. Pure indulgence, yum!

With the Commonwealth Games being held on the Gold Coast in 2018 there is a lots of work being carried out along the foreshore especially around the Broadwater Caravan Park where they are reclaiming, pumping sand from out in the waterway to eventually make more Parklands & events space.

Monday we left the Gold Coast travelling down the Pacific Hwy hoping the weather will be kind to us so that we can make it to Newcastle to visit Maree & Brian then head down to Sydney and out to the Blue Mountains.