Goodbye Sydney Town

The camper was packed and we are ready to leave Sydney town. After nearly 5 weeks the feeling was a little despondent. Five weeks is time enough to get back into the swing of city life, but also time enough to be itching to hit the road again.
We have left a lot more socialised, a few kilos heavier (bound to happen when you have 15 days straight of lunch and dinner out) but tired and wanting the freedom of our travelling life. However, it was truly great to catch up with so many friends and family members and meet the new additions.
Sydney, one of the best cities in the world (not that we are biased) , has one of the most picturesque harbours too. Our reason for stopping back in Sydney again, the wedding after 17 years of courtship for Kellie and Dean, was aboard a boat.

The happy couple- finally!

The lights of Sydney provided the backdrop as we cruised the harbour and soaked up the familiar sights of our home town. The images and fun time we had will certainly last us for the next leg of our journey.
Having left Sydney we stopped on the Central Coast to catch up with my brother and family. With 3 little girls the visit was fun, but full on!

Kayla, Leisa & Aneika (nieces) having a tea party in the camper

Monday morning , time for kindy and school and our goodbye. As the road headed north of Newcastle, the buildings thinned out to be replaced by scrub and open pastures. We were ‘home’ once again. The sun was shining and we soon reached one of our favourite spots- Diamond Head Camp Ground in the Crowdy Head National Park. Nestled in the shadow of the Three Brothers Mountains, metres from the ocean the campsite is always grassy, with a smattering of Paperbark trees to provide shade. Mind you, it is a wonder that so much grass abounds, as the number of kangaroos that hang out all day is amazing!

Joey, playing near our camper

I wasn’t so enthralled by the HUGE goannas, but it was entertaining to see Dave leap ten feet in the air as one tried to jump for our rubbish bag.
During WWII, the author Kylie Tennant lived in a small timber hut on Diamond Head. She was taken with the beauty as we too are. It is not just the prolific wildlife, but the sweeping beaches (with pods of dolphins!), rugged headland formations, rainforest pockets, wetlands and coastal heath that has us so entranced.

Author Kylie Tennant's hut

Edging further up the coast, it appears the ‘scenery with personality’ is not unique to the Crowdy Head area. As we passed through North Haven, Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie we were similarly impressed. But our destination was Port Macquarie, to spend a couple of nights with Helen and David. Neither of us can remember holidaying at Port Macquarie, but we were certainly impressed. The foreshore is dotted with secret bays, giving many beach options depending on the swell.

Secret bay near lighthouse, Port Macquarie

The town is in a growth phase, complete with ‘The Glasshouse’. A state of the art theatre centre, it actually sent the council broke. Administrators were called in and for a time, Port Macquarie had no representatives at any level of government. However, like the Opera House, it will no doubt be appreciated in years to come.

Getting cosy with the locals, Port Macquarie

Our host Helen volunteers at the Koala Hospital and we found ourselves joining her tour to meet some of the ‘inmates’. Barry sat on his cushioned bough, ignoring us like the grumpy old man that he is. Birthday Girl is older, but she delighted in the attention- well why not, she looks very good for her age. Kaylee was asleep, drunk on a feed of leaf, but Bea was my favourite- lapping up her special milk, she had a playful look in her eye.

Bea having a snack

The rain persisted night and day, and we were glad to be in a house. It is still raining now, but we have moved onto Trial Bay, near South West Rocks. For now we are cosy in the camper, but are looking forward to exploring the 1886 gaol and National Park areas.

Get me a BB Gun

Well we have certainly tested out the camper and our relationship, having endured torrential rain and gale force winds at Soldiers Point (Port Stephens). The camper didn’t leak, and we remained warm and cosy- in fact the camper is more spacious than it seems. Our first night, while mother nature did her best to dampen our spirits, we cooked a dahl soup on our stove and watched Channel 7 (the only signal we could receive), followed by episodes of Black Adder, all from the comfort of our ‘loungeroom’.
Having spent our budget for the next 3 months (not much else to do in the rain..), a couple of days later we awoke to blue sunny skies. Alas, the sounds of lawnmowers in the city have been replaced by birds in the bush. Mind you the trill of a honeyeater is a nice way to rise and meet the new day- who cares that it is early. Having exhausted ourselves during the day, we aren’t exactly going to bed that late. (Don’t tell anyone I feel asleep at 8.30pm on Saturday night, and slept for 11 hours- best sleep ever!). Damm birds, could have slept longer.............
Our next port of call was Harrington. I spent many a school holiday here, and the town has not changed one bit (shows I am not really that old.....). Although a new development ‘Harrington Waters’ is underway, complete with a church in the centre of the shopping complex
Harrington Waters- pic shows the church in the middle of the shopping centre

Sunday’s just aren’t complete without God and a bag of groceries. Took some photos, the layout is too bizzare for words.We have only been away for a week, yet it feels like Sydney was another lifetime ago (in a good way). I could get very used to this lifestyle, although as I type I am surrounded by birds- the bush turkey I am not a fan of. Dave laughed at me as a screamed for him to ‘save me’, vicious looking animal...... We have certainly got into the ‘nature’ mindset- Dave has been pointing out and taking photos of birds- Willy Wag Tail, Blue Wren, Sea Eagle, Finches to name but a few. Next we will be joining the local twitters club and walking with binoculars around our necks!
And what is with me asking ‘What would you like for tea?’- I have never called ‘dinner’ tea in all my life- it is something my Granny used to say. I guess we are just turning into Grey Nomads........ Speaking of ‘tea’- food has never tasted so good. Is it because I am soaking in the atmosphere, it seems for the first time, really seeing and tasting, or is it because the produce bought from a local market is that much fresher and tastier. A mixture of both I suggest. I have never enjoyed a Corona quite like the one sitting on the pier as the sun was setting, the water glistening, pelicans bobbing by, as the day drew to a close.
Crowdy Head, just north of Harrington is one of the NSW coasts most magical places. A two hour amble through the national park, took us through terrain that ranged from rainforest, to bush to wild cliff faces, concluding in the most idyllic camping ground at Diamond Head. Lazy kangaroos literally everywhere, clean amenities and a short walk to a secluded, sandy beach extending to the headland, the scenery just magical.

Diamond Head, looking towards Crowdy Head

It is here that I also drove ‘the beast’ for the first time. Not quite ready for the highway, but with more practice I will soon be able to plan my escape... err.... I mean retrieve supplies.
Crowdy Head, as with most country towns, is full of genuinely friendly locals, a special mention to John ‘the driver’ at the local fish co-op. Some exceptional service, and a bagful of prawns.
Today we arrived in Sawtell (Coffs Harbour), at last the days are getting warmer. Off with the jeans and on with shorts and thongs. Tomorrow we hit the beach- thank heaven I am far away from you lot when this white bod sees the sun for the first time!
Promise to write more regular, I will sign off for now, as I watch a bird peck at the insects on our windscreen...........