Cootamundra - Rutherglen - Yea

KoSaturday we travelled as far as Cootamundra which is the birth place of Sir Donald Bradman along the way passing through bright crimson Canola crops. At Coota we stayed at a very nice friendly little caravan park with good drive through sites, so we were able to stay hooked up for the night. Adjacent to the Caravan Park is the Captains Walk, Bronze Busts of all the former cricket captains also a statue of Sir Donald Bradman. Being a Saturday night in Cootamundra there was a bit of back ground music coming from the local RSL.

Sunday found us heading down the Hume Highway before detouring into Rutherglen, had booked in for only one night but ended staying three. On the way to Rutherglen we stopped at Gundagai to get a photo of the Historical Monument of The Dog on the Tuckerbox, which is a tribute to early pioneers. We had a late lunch at our customary stop Parker Pies in Rutherglen before heading back to the van park to enjoy happy hour around the fire beside the lake. We managed to fit in a visit to a couple of wineries one of these being Campbell's where Baz took advantage of his $50 credit to arrange a dozen reds to be sent home.  We did ask that they delay sending the wine for a couple of days otherwise Tan & Greg might think it is a gift for them! We are certainly finding the temperature much cooler during the day but so far have been lucky to have missed the rain. Yesterday (Tuesday) we went for a drive over to Cobram and surprised Bridget & Don and ended up going to lunch with them to the Top Pub. On the way to Cobram we called into Rich Glen a Olive Oil farm which has a lovely array of products just love their flavoured salad dressings.

It was back onto the Hume Hwy today heading to Yea our last stop before Melbourne tomorrow. 

Brrrrrrrrrrr COLD !!! Think we should head north again!

Former Cricket Captains at Jubilee Park Cootamundra

Bronze statue of Sir Donald Bradman

Coota township

Dog on the Tucker Box

Happy Hour Rutherglen Caravan Park

Sunset Rutherglen

Katoomba

We left Newcastle by 8.30am and headed down the Pacific Motorway planning to hit Sydney around 10.30 - 11am we were advised that the traffic should be more settled by that time. We were heading to the Blue Mountains and had to negotiate the M2,M7 & M4 to make our way to the Katoomba. Our Tom Tom has lane guidance which made it a dream run negotiating the heavy traffic in the Pennant Hills area.

The motorway heading into Sydney is quiet spectacular with its mountainous terrain, very long dual lane accents and descents which tested the pulling power of the poor old Paj. Heading up into the Blue Mountains was also a steep accent, arriving at the Katoomba turnoff we turned off too early to find ourselves in a blocked off through road and a dead end side street requiring us to reverse up with the man doing road works moving the sign so we had room to go back the way we had come. Maree rang to see if we had been caught up in the massive storm that hit Sydney & surrounds with hail & heavy rain, we were very lucky must have been just in front of it.

We spent two nights at the Katoomba Caravan Park it was a good location to explore the surrounding attractions. The Blue Mountains are really spectacular and the villages are beautiful with their lovely old homes and gardens especially at this time of year as the blossom is out. Looking out at The Three Sisters is still as breath taking as it was when I was last here back in my High School days.

Saturday morning we woke to fine misty drizzle & some rain, it could have held off for a few more hours until we had negotiated Mt Victoria's very steep decent down the range heading towards Lismore.

Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains - Three Sisters

Blue Mountains - The Three Sisters

View from Wentworth Falls

Wentworth Falls

Katoomba Falls

Crimson Rosella enjoying the blossom

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.

Toogoolawah - Woodford - Beerwah

We decided that our next stop would be Toogoolawah which is about a 2hr drive from Dalby. The drive was rather interesting travelling through some lovely farmland then back into hilly countryside once we were back on the New England Hwy then branching off onto the D'Agular Hwy where we had the steep decent of the Blackbutt Range we passed quiet a few caravans going the opposite way as this is a popular direct route for travallers leaving the Sunshine Coast to head south down the New England Hwy.

The last four nights we have been stopping at showground inland from the Sunshine Coast, our first night was at Toogoolawah then we had two nights at Woodford and then onto Beerwah. We met up with our long time friends Alison and David at Woodford, it is always great when we get together lots of  laughs & fun. Alison decided we needed to experience Costco, it is a membership warehouse which has the best possible prices on quality brand-name merchandise. Not only do they stock food items they also have clothing, camping gear, tyres, jewelery, toys, optical, hearing aides and much much more. Baz did very well to stay the distance usually he will sit outside the shops and wait for me but we did need to take a little rest on the way around. We were also able to taste a few samples in the food area as there a a few demonstrators with tempting morsels. Just so unbelievable what was on offer in one large warehouse! Nothing like it in poor old Tassie. Today we travelled a whole 37klm from Woodford to Beewah we spent a couple of hours exploring the town and catching up on a few jobs.

Tomorrow we say goodbye to Al & Dave and head to the Gold Coast for three nights, unfortunately my shopping mates have already left Southport so will have to do it alone this year.

Costco experience

Too much shopping needed a rest!

Shopping at Beewah with Al & Dave

Caliguel Lagoon/Meandarra/Dalby

We had a call from friends who was leaving Moree on Thursday morning travelling North so we arranged to meet them at Caliguel Lagoon which is a free camp spot south of Condamine on the Condamine Meandarra Road. Faye & Allan were the first to arrive, we were fortunate to find a sheltered spot to camp behind a clump of tree as there was a strong wind and it was like a dust storm in the camping area it didn't seem to bother the noisy Corellas that were roosting in the trees. The wind subsided by late afternoon & we enjoyed a great night around the camp fire. Alan tried his hand at a bit of fishing in the river and managed to catch a Yellow Belly to his enjoyment, even though the fish really caught itself on the unattended line. A crop duster plane woke us early the next morning, I am sure the pilot got a lot a pleasure flying low overhead, making passes over the caravans several times.

The next day we had one of the biggest trips so far travelling 47klms to Meandarra. We pulled in along the river in the  town where you are able to camp, $10 for power or $5 unpowered. It has been four years since we were last there and in that time the General Store has closed down and the population has dropped to around 100. As we have found with many of the small towns more shop fronts are boarded over and the towns are slowly dying. We revisited the Anzac Memorial Museum that houses a large and comprehensive collection of military memorabilia. It is a very unique collection which includes a Canberra Bomber aeroplane, a Grant Tank and a Water Buffalo Tank.

That night we walked to the local pub for a meal, Baz and I ordered the pork chops, chips & salad when it arrived at the table it was a ginormous meal, I had trouble to even lift the plate. The next day we said farewell to Alan & Faye they are on their way to the Atherton Table Land and we headed east towards Dalby.

We arrived at Dalby around lunch time Saturday finding it quiet busy mainly due to the large market & car show that was being held at a local school. We had decided to find a park and check out the
market when we spotted a central caravan park along the river in walking distance to the market. We made a quick decision that Dalby was to be our next stop for the night securing a spot backing onto the river. We were entertained by a couple of  Eastern Water Dragons (large lizards) not sure if they were fighting for territory or if it was foreplay, they were very good at disguising themselves in their habitat when anyone walked their way. As Sunday happened to be Fathers Day we ended up staying another night and I thought it would be nice to go out for a Chinese meal, which turned out to be rather disappointing.

Caliguel Lagoon Campsite

Caliguel Lagoon

Meandarra Campsite

Eastern Water Dragons

Eastern Water Dragon

Dalby Dude

Theodore

On our way from Rockhampton to Gladstone we stopped at Calliope for morning tea, a popular free camp on the Bruce Highway. It was such a lovely day that we ended up not only having morning tea but lunch as well, finally moving off at 2pm arriving at Jason's just as Neat and the kids were arriving home from Kindagym.

We said a final goodbye on Wednesday then headed inland to Theodore securing ourselves another great camp site looking out to the Dawson River. We were quiet surprised that we could have a choice of sites as four years ago when we were last in the town the free camp area was filled to capacity. There were quiet a few caravans at the Showground, as the nights have been cool maybe they prefer having access to power.

Morning Tea and Lunch stop Calliope River

Theodore free camping spot