The ferry from Villa San Giovanni to Messina was very quick and easy. We booked the ferry online but arrived about two hours early. There was no issue getting on even though we had to select a departure time. It appears as long as you have a validated ticket, times were irrelevant. We met Rocky in a roadside cafe on the way to the ferry.
Our accomodation at Terraces d’Orlando in Capo d’Orlando. Although the apartment was a bit dated, the proximity to the sea and the large balcony made up for it. The sunsets were incredible.
The promenade along the beachfront was a fantastic walk. There were lots of beach club restaurants overlooking the water. We walked every night enjoying the sunsets and people watching.
Water clarity was excellent and although a bit fresh getting in, it was delicious once wet and super deep right off the shore. The pebbly beach wasn’t exactly easy to walk or sit on, but the water was too good to resist and we swam every day.
Most nights we cooked and ate in the apartment watching the sunset from our balcony before an evening stroll, however we did decide to sample the most amazing looking pizzas at one of the Beach bar restaurants. The dough was superb, however i couldn’t believe the Capricciosa had slices of frankfurt on it – which i picked off. The semi freddo was delicious, even though it looked like the chef had gone a bit wild.
We only had four days in Sicily as i wanted extra days in Sardinia, so all too quickly we packed up and headed for Palermo and our flight to Cagliari. We stopped in Cefalu for lunch on our way to the airport. I couldn’t resist another plate of seafood and pasta. It was very good. Cefalu was full of Australian voices and extremely crowded. A very pretty seafront but far too busy for a longer stay.
Cagliari surprised me. I expected a busy polluted city and instead was delighted by an old town with an evening vibe that kept us out late at night strolling back alleys, peeking into the many restaurants spilling out onto the streets. We stayed at La Ghirlanda B&B which was located in an excellant position at the bottom of the old town. We could easily have stayed here for five nights, two was nowhere near enough for this gorgeous town. Our B&B was very nice and super quiet, although breakfast was challenging. We made the mistake of ordering the panini, which none of us could face for breakfast. Generous portions, but not for brekky…
Cagliari old town was visually and atmospherically a joy. Walking was never boring, every turn had something delightful to see. By day the streets were quiet, but at night it is alive with colour and people.
We spent a morning walking around the botanical gardens.
Within the gardens there is a Roman cistern entered through a tunnel dug through rock. Fantastic echo in the domed construction kept us amused for quite a while.
The Bastione di Saint Remy sits up high overlooking Cagliari. The view is excellant and worth the climb. A very pretty building. We didn’t get a chance to go up in the evening but next time will do so!
I was fortunate to celebrate my birthday in this glorious city, and of course i had to try the seafood pasta again…i wasn’t keen on donkey steaks or horse fillet. Hubby tried a selection of sweets from the lolly shop. The flamingos are better than the sweets. We threw most of them away. Erg.
After a much to quick couple of days, we picked up our car and headed off to Nebida. Luckily we scored an upgrade to a brand new Peugeot, a heck of a lot more comfortable than the Fiat Panda we had in Italy.
Aligia Chalet was an interesting resort style accommodation perched up high above a beautiful view of the sea. We were fortunate to have one of the few ground floor, poolside apartments with a covered patio. And it had had excellant air conditioning, absolutely an essential as we were hit by an ongoing heatwave during our stay. The host gave us a bottle of local wine named after the monolithic rock Pan di Zucchero visible just off the coastline and some Sardinian crispy thin flatbread – Pane Carasau. A lovley welcome.
There are some easy walks from the resort with views that blew us away. It is too beautiful. I can’t recommend Sardinia highly enough. I can’t wait to return and see more of this glorious island. i literally only had a taste and was left wanting so much more. Night and day it is spectacular.
Our views of the pool at night. Not too shabby eh?
Porto Flavia was our beach of choice and the Warung beach club offered great food along with comfy sunbeds. The water was actually freezing, which was quite a surprise as our swims had all been quite warm elsewhere. However, with the crystal clear waters beckoning us, we braved the coolness and swam many times, cooling off in the incessant heat in the high thirties. The water is ridiculously clear. I couldn’t stop squealing in excitement. Colours varied throughout the day depending on the sunshine, wind and tides. It was extraordinary. When the wind settled, the surface was glasslike. Truly a magical experience. The photos do not do it justice.
Iglesias was our nearest big town. It has a small, pretty old town and a selection of large supermarkets but i preferred to stay in Nebida with it’s stunning views and cute little town and surrounding impressive cliffs.
Our six weeks in beautiful Italy was coming to an end. We had four days in Rome before flying back to freezing Melbourne. The apartment we had booked was cancelled at the last minute by an unscrupulous property manager and we had to book two hotel rooms – at an exorbitant last minute cost. Fortunately the rooms had excellant air conditioning and we had a magnificent view of the Vatican from the rooftop breakfast room. It was pretty good, but as the heatwave intensified they had a power blackout that put the lift out of action – were were on the fifth floor, and turned off the air conditioning for about 8 hours. Ah well, it makes for good memories. Walking around Rome in high 30’s C everyday was not easy. The crowds were intense. I have never seen this beautiful city so clogged with tourists. But we were in Rome on the last four days of our trip, so we braved the heat and crowds and managed to see quite a bit despite sweating profusely.
The Trevi Fountain was ridiculously crowded night and day.
We checked out the usual tourist hot spots. I have to say, everything in Rome needs to be seen by and night.
It is possible to escape the crowds. We wandered through quiet back streets parallel to many of the major tourist areas. A much nicer walk getting from one place to another.
The gardens of the Villa Borghese are hug with excellant views over Rome, but they are quite run down and not terribly inspiring. We did the tourist thing and hired a golf buggy and had a fun hour racing masses of other people on a variety of wheels from push bikes through to a train.
The Museum of Modern Art was a good half day trip with a nice lunch in the restaurant. A good mix of exhibits.
Although why some are there is questionable.
The restaurant serves a decent lunch in a nice cool building. Perfect on a hot day. And it is licensed if you require alcohol.
A visit to Rome is not complete without gladiator photos. Our daughter did this ten years ago and now again as an adult. I gave him four Euros. He asked for more but graciously accepted my offer. Very amusing performance. Well worth a few gold coins.
It is impossible to see all of Rome. It has so much to delight. You need a good pair of walking shoes! If you don’t walk it, you see nothing. Avoid the bus tours. And you need those steps to walk of the gelato and sweets.
Love this chalkboard – very Traditional Roman food???
I love Rome. Every corner you turn there is something to see. I’ve had several visits to this beautiful city and will come again.
Like many others, we were forced to cancel a trip to Italy as COVID took over the world. Finally we are booked, packed and ready to go! It’s a long way to Rome from Melbourne and we are grateful for the ease of a courtesy bus to Hotel Isola Sacra, a hotel we have used before due to its proximity to the airport and a consistently decent breakfast. The hotel rooms are pretty basic but they have an excellent restaurant with tables overlooking the pool and gardens, which is quite lovely. Being super tired on arrival we asked if the restaurant could make us a light snack to take back to our room. They were terribly obliging and gave us a tray with a plate of Bruschetta and two cups of tea. Perfect.
The next morning a leisurely breakfast and morning walk in the sunshine started our day off beautifully before catching the courtesy bus back to the airport to pick up our rental car and departing Rome for Villa Borgo San Pietro, located just below the hillside town of Cortona, a quiet location to commence our six week holiday.
The pretty gardens of Hotel Isola Sacra. Lunch at a roadside Tabbacci somewhere…
Tuscany, Cortona
Villa Borgo San Pietro is spacious and quiet. Set in lovely big gardens with a large pool it is exactly what you would expect in Tuscany. They have a bar and restaurant with indoor and outdoor areas but as we had a spacious apartment with a kitchen and patio we only used the bar for an evening Aperol or vino bianco.
We woke at 5.30am – thank you jet lag – to a muggy day. Clouds cloaked the nearby hills. We eagerly head to the outdoor breakfast room which is set in a glass house surrounded by the lush gardens and olive groves. Coffee is made fresh and served to our table. The buffet is of a good quality. Very nice croissants.
After breakfast we went for a walk to explore the surrounding village. Beautiful stone buildings and walls are a perfect backdrop for the olive trees, poppies, fig trees and Jasmine which all grow prolifically. I am squealing with delight. It is all so pretty. Lunch was simple fare and and the delicious pastries from Tiramisu Pasticceria in Camucia.
Feeling quite weary from jet lag, we had a quiet afternoon reading by the pool. Too cold to swim, but lovely to feel some sunshine. Bit of an umbrella repair was needed!
Cortona sits perched on the hillside above us. The old town glitters gold each evening in the setting sun. Fearing it would be jam packed with tourists we decided to visit this iconic hilltop town early in the morning. The idea was in good theory, but by the time we arrived at 10am there was not a car park to be found. Eventually, after several failed attempts and lots of circling we managed to snap a parking space just as someone was leaving. The steep alleyways were full of people huffing and puffing as they made their way to the already crowded square . We walked around some of the back streets searching for something to exclaim over, or capture us, but i am sad to say Cortona held little beauty, atmosphere or delight in comparison to other old towns we have visited. It was quite disappointing. The pervading atmosphere was of a Disney Town built for the tourist dollar. I took a few photos but it was hard to isolate anything that captured me. We returned to our peaceful villa where the only noise is birds chirping and the distant drone of a lawn mower. After the disappointing visit to Cortona we decided to cancel our accomodation in the old town of San Marino fearing it would be a similar experience, and booked a farm stay in a quiet location further away.
Searching for a quieter hilltop town experience for a walk and explore, we drove to Castiglion Fiorentino which has old ruins, a museum and underground archaeological site – which we missed seeing by about 30 seconds as they closed for lunch until late afternoon. The walk around the town was quite lovely with beautiful views from the square. There were very few tourists here, so it was peaceful to walk around.
Lago Trasimeno is not too far by Aussie standards so we decided to check it out. Being only 45 kms around the entire lake, we drove around it, stopping for walks as the villages of Passignano Sud and San Feliciano. The water is a beautiful silvery pale blue, extremely pretty from a distance, but there were quite a few dead fish floating in some parts which is a cause for concern. I don’t think i would swim in it…
We stayed at Villa Borgo San Pietro for six relaxed days. I could have stayed for a month, but it was time to pack up and head to the village of Dosa in Liguria. I was quite sad to leave. It has been very comfortable and the staff delightful. Highly recommend it for those looking for a peaceful environment.
Pics below: Poppies grow abundantly. The flowering vine on the car park trellis was pretty and gave us shade as the heat intensified. The gardens were blooming and lush. Beyond the pool Cortona flows down the hillside in clear view. Pretty breakfast rolls. Shaded umbrellas in the courtyard are perfect for sipping an evening Aperol.
Dossa, Liguria
Dosa is a tiny village perched on a hilltop above Levanto in Liguria. It has only 36 permanent residents with a small public car park from which you walk down to the village – and then back UP. And UP. And UP! The atmosphere/ambiance is magical, especially at night when the lights glow softly in the narrow alleys and on the beautiful stone houses. Our host informed us there are 18 of these little villages dotted in the hills being restored. So wonderful.
Our house for the next five days Casa di Gina, is built into the steep hill as is the entire village. Three stories from the front door, to the bedroom, to the kitchen and then there is a spiral staircase leading to the tiny rooftop terrace. Soooo many stairs.
The tiny rooftop terrace has a billion dollar view of which my photos unfortunately do not do justice, not to mention it is an excellent space for drying the laundry! We were so happy to have a dishwasher and a washing machine.
Before and after renovations in Dosa.
Some more pics of this pretty village day and night.
Levanto was down a long winding road that had me clinging to my seat and holding my breath at every bend. Apart from visiting supermarkets, we had to drive this scary road to go for walks along the waterfront.
One of the wonderful things about this town are the kilometres of old rail tunnels through the cliffs that have been converted into walking/cycling paths and are sensibly divided into separate paths for walkers and cyclists. The views of the sea and pretty coves are beautiful and the tunnels provide a cool and sheltered walk. It is well frequented and absolutely delightful at any time of the day.
Levanto to Bonassola one way is a 2.5km walk. We popped out of the tunnels to find a delightful seaside town with an awesome beach club on a pebble beach with crystal clear water. If we knew of Bonassola we would have booked accommodation there instead of Dosa. Definitely on the list for a return visit. It is very relaxed and the beach, cafes/bars are much nicer than Levanto, regardless of the lack of sand. Bagni San Giorgio was our chosen beach club. Their coffees, lunch offerings and cakes are excellant. We spent a full day on the loungers at this beach club swimming and going up to sit on the veranda whenever we wanted drinks or nibbles. The barista obligingly made me an iced coffee even though it was not on the menu and the pear tart was one of the most delicious cakes we have ever had the pleasure of eating. I also had my first Shakerato here. Coffee with sugar syrup shaken vigorously in ice and poured cold. It is yummy. Umbrellas are a little expensive to hire, but the food and drink is very cheap and in my opinion well worth the hire cost if you spend a whole day. And did i say how crystal clear and warm the water is? Not to mention the little schools of fish gently gliding past unbothered by swimmers.
San Merino
Our next week is at an Agriturismo farm stay in San Marino. A converted farmhouse/winery/working farm. Quite a large apartment with a huge spa bath in the upstairs mezzanine bedroom – which we didn’t use. Le Bosche was our apartment in this converted building of 6 apartmentments.
A poolside breakfast is always a brilliant way to start the day. This is a working farm and they serve their own produce which includes olive oil, balsamic, honey, wines and a variety of jams. All of the pasta, cakes and bread are made on site by the friendly cook. Scrambled eggs are cooked fresh by order as you arrive, a great pile of yellow eggs. After day two we had to skip the eggs. It was just too much. The cook was quite upset, not at all happy with our explanation that were were okay with just muesli and toast.
Most of this week we spent poolside as the heat began to kick in. The large double sunbeds with curtains are super comfortable and we really didn’t feel the need to do much more. Lots of reading and snoozing and swimming. Lunch on the terrace was available every day, as was dinner. The odd Aperol delivered poolside was rather nice.
Eventually we decided we should get out and do some sight seeing, even though it was quite perfect chilling by the pool, gazing at the great views, so we took a day trip to Rimini. I was quite curious to feel the vibe of the Adriatic coastline and see for myself the thousands of beach umbrellas that cover the sand as far as you can see.
After a crazy drive via narrow back roads, sadly, I have to say Rimini beach was a bit disappointing. The endless lines of umbrellas and loungers made a visually astonishing spectacle, it is far far far more expansive than i had imagined, but the water was quite murky and unappealing after the crystal clear waters of Bonassola and Levanto, and oil rigs were clearly visible from the shore not very far out to sea. I was not tempted to book an umbrella or swim. The water was far from enticing.
In contrast however, the restaurant precincts are impressive. Super colourful and exotic are the words that come to mind. It was brilliant strolling around peering at the very busy and varied decor. Minimalism does not exists here. There were giant grass bears, garlic framed pergolas, so many glorious flowers blooming brightly, herbs and vegetable planters. It was a tapestry of splendour and i was glad we made the effort to drive to Rimini and experience lunch in one of these amazing restaurants and enjoy the ambiance. The temperatures have really gone up a notch. It is super hot!
It was time to pack up and head back to Rome to pick up our daughter who was to spend the next three weeks travelling with us. So after another overnight stay at Hotel Isola Sacra with pizza for dinner by the pool and an early night, we headed south for an overnighter in Nemoli on the way to Tropea.
Nemoli
B&B Lanziani in the small village of Nemoli is delightful. A very comfortably set up boutique B&B overlooking a picturesque setting on a small lake. Highly recommend. The host PIetro was awesome. There were even two guitars in the communal lounge, unfortunately they both had strings missing, but that didn’t deter me from having a play.
The lake at the centre of the village has a walking track all the way around, which is just beautiful for a leisurely stroll. It was full of huge carp, giant noisy frogs, turtles and we even saw a snake. So many creatures. It was so lovely. Dinner was at a restaurant on the other side of the lake recommended by a local we met during our walk. The pasta was excellent. Probably the best i have ever eaten. A great meal on the terrace overlooking the lake. Totally idyllic.
After an excellent sleep – the beds and pillows were the best of all we had slept in – breakfast was served by our host Pietro at his cafe on the other side of the lake. He was so sweet, and carried our table and chairs across the road to set us up right on the lake edge. A very good croissant and tart each was brekky. No choices here but the hospitality was so wonderful we accepted everything graciously. I really enjoyed the short time we had in Nemoli and hope some of you chose to visit for a short stay.
Tropea
Tropea is a town i have wanted to visit for a long time and it did not disappoint. Tropea old town was walking distance from our hotel La Torre Residenza, as were the beaches, so we were pretty happy with our location even though it was out of the old town. Our room was pretty basic but super clean. It was a bit cozy as we only had the one room for the three of us – daughter had bunk beds to one side, however we did have a balcony and the aircon was very good.
Our closest beach was via a long stair which was easy going down, but a bit of a huff and puff to get back up. It is gobsmackingly beautiful.
Tropea is extremely beautiful day and night. The old town is abuzz with colour and atmosphere. Although busy, it is relaxed and as the sun begins to set the bars fill with people enjoying a drink and nibbles, moving gradually to the restaurants for leisurely dinners. Promenading was essential and we strolled the streets at night soaking up the balmy evenings. Tropea hit all my needs and desires. I love it and recommend highly.
The food was excellant and very reasonably priced. I had seafood every night. I also had my first Capo Spritz. Delish.
The beaches are extraordinary in Tropea. Clear warm water of the most amazing colours. Fish swim gently around swimmers, unperturbed by the high volumes of humans in their environment. The pleasure of being in this ocean is indescribably wonderful.
Did i mention they are very proud growers of onions in Tropea? They are for sale everywhere and often feature on restaurant menus.
We had one rather wild morning on the beach due to storms at sea. As waves pounded the shore and rushed up under the loungers, not a squeal or movement ensued. The relaxed atmosphere was first class.
With sadness the time came far too quickly to pack up and leave Tropea.
Italy 2023 Part Two – Sicily, Sardinia, Rome will be concluded in a separate post.
Our first road trip in a long time sans van – which was waiting on parts for a bent axle… The idea of country town motels and no setting up appealed to us along with avoiding exposure to COVID in crowded caravan parks.
Day one leaving Melbourne in the early morn the weather was wet and cold and we were grateful for the Prado heated seats as we headed towards the Hume Highway. We wanted to get some km’s behind us so by late afternoon after munching through most of the snacks I had packed we had not yet stopped for lunch and I was getting hungry and cranky. We left the highway looking for a bakery in one of the small towns that were now sadly bypassed by the long and boring highway. To my dismay nothing that offered food was open. We drove from town to town in disbelief until realising the state of affairs, all shops had closed by 1-2pm. We were too late. Not a whisker of a bakery or cafe or even a pub was lit up and welcoming. In despair, we had to be fortified with some leftover Hummus and a slice of bread and lollies. A most unsatisfying lunch indeed. As the afternoon rolled into early evening we were getting mighty hungry.
Recent floods had left many of the smaller roads in disrepair and some causeways were still flowing over the road. The shortcuts we had intended to take were either cut of off closed as a result of water damage. Detours sent us past our destination and as dusk fell we had to slow to a crawl to avoid the wildlife gauntlet that we found ourselves in.
We finally arrived in Parkes two hours late and truly grateful for a well heated room at the Apollo Motel. Totally starving we quickly dropped our bags in and went to look for somewhere to eat. Choices were limited, although it was Saturday night the main street of Parkes was quiet. We settled on a tiny but cute Thai restaurant, it only sat about 22 people. Relieved they were still taking orders we tucked into a tasty red curry, warm and aromatic. Just perfect. Unfortunately it was BYO only and we were too tired to bother with the suggested walk down the street to the bottle shop. Sensibly, and somewhat sadly, we sipped only water with our meal before retiring for an early night, grateful that the bed had a super comfy mattress and excellent pillows. T
Day 2 we had another long drive ahead of us. The plan was to do a couple of overnight stops on the way to Ballina and then stop for four days to catch up with family. As we drove the Newell and Oxley Highways, navigating pot holes from water damage and grateful to be sitting high in a 4WD. The sun came out and although only 15 C it was warm when we stopped for breaks and walks, enjoying art works along the way, even on toilet block walls.
Morning coffee on a Sunday found us again walking through deserted towns with nothing open for travellers. We stopped for a walk and lunch in Coonabarabran and had a chat with a local who filled us in on a bit history while we watched the Castlereagh river flowing high and fast. The only cafe open was as to be expected chockers full. The lines of McVansions lining the street and the constant parade of them up and down the main street testified that we were not alone in the search of places for luncheon. Taking note that weekends were not the best days to travel when purchased sustenance is required and unable to find an empty table in the busy cafe, we bought bread rolls, cheese and pastrami from the Woolies deli and made our own lunch.
The drive from Coonabarabran to Tamworth is very pretty. Beautiful ranges and pyramid shaped hills. It was wonderfully peaceful after the Hume Hwy chaos.
Gunnedah is out next rest stop and we are once again hopeful of finding somewhere open to purchase coffee! The sun is shining and even the flooded Oxley river is looking beautiful rather than treacherous.
We arrive in good time at the Edward Parry Motel in Tamworth. Clean, quiet, spacious and the delightful gentleman at the desk gave us two very full glasses of complimentary welcome wine. Definitely recommend this motel. It was recently renovated and super clean. COVID still being around, even the television control was made safe with a disposable plastic cover. The complimentary bikkies in the room were better than usual as well!
Tamworth was a little more lively and we chose The Tudor Hotel for dinner. We were pleased that COVID protocol still had tables well spaced apart. I was in desperate need of vegetables and salad. He who puts out the rubbish had a chicken burger which came with a mountain of chips, I selected a good old chicken schnitty which i was able to order with both veggies and salad in place of chips. Yay! Pepper sauce came in a little china jug rather than smeared all over the plate, another joyous plus. The chicken in both burger and Shnitty was tender to the level of perfection. The large wine was indeed generous. I highly recommend the Tudor Hotel for a good feed and genial atmosphere.
Day 3 was not quite as long a drive as the previous two days as we headed to Ballina. Morning tea stop was Uralla and what a delightful town it is. We did our stoll up and down the main street and spent some time chatting with Christina Bell @Barking Dog Gallery. She is a delightful potter who makes beautiful functional pottery. She showed us through her workshop which was indeed a joy for me. Being a Monday the street was open and we opted for Moon’s bakery which had a small but very nice choice of cakes. The passionfruit vanilla slice was very easy to eat…I totally recommend you take the time to stop at Uralla and walk the street. There are lots of historical buildings, beautiful old pubs and even a brewery! Which unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, was closed on an early Monday morning. The visitors information centre also has super clean toilets.
Waterfall Way was ahead of us and I was looking forward to this iconic drive. Unfortunately time was running short as we had not expected to spend such a long time enjoying Uralla. The road was super rough, very pot holed and we were only able to stop and look at the main falls at Wollomombi and Ebor. Both were totally worth stopping for and each provided different experiences. Wollomombi was a deep and thunderous cavern that fell far into the ground, not at all what I expected. Water poured through the steep, deep cliff faces from different angles. It would have been awesome to be able to climb down to the basin and feel the falls from within. Ebor was like a beautiful wedding cake. The water cascaded down several levels to end in a winding river far below us. The view of the mountain range was also spectacular. Good walking tracks at both falls.
With nowhere to stop for lunch, we pulled up outside the Nymboida Community Centre which has spotless toilets available for public use. We had rolls with camembert which i had stashed knowing lunches were not easy to find, and had a quiet and restful break, even though three sets of locals came to check us out.
Arriving in Ballina we were very pleased with our accommodation at Ballina Palms Boutique Motel. Very comfortable. At the end of the street was a walking path along the waterfront which was very convenient. We were here to spend some time with family and reminisce and celebrate my father in law who had passed away only a few days before our arrival. We had a lovely catch up and some great meals – thank you Ros.
Leaving Ballina we headed to Tin Can Bay for another four days. It was lovely. We stayed at the Dolphin Waters Motel and had a large upstairs apartment with a laundry, yay! A decent sized balcony overlooked the pool and inlet. A perfect spot. Very quiet and walking distance to shops which consisted of IGA, butcher, bakery etc and a small tucked away pub that was full of locals every day. A well made circuit walk takes you off the roads and is very pretty. Mangroves line the inlet and at low tide the many anchored boats are left high and dry. I really enjoyed the quiet of this town.
We decided to do a day trip to Hervey Bay as neither of us had been there and we wanted to check it out for future travel. On the way we drove through Maryborough, a large town with some magnificent examples of architecture in the original Queenslander style. Lot’s of them had been renovated to a superior standard. Beautiful.
We arrived mid morning and parked at the Marina, booking a table at Cafe Balena for lunch before going for a walk. There isn’t really much to see or do at the Marina other than lunch. We attempted a walk, but the path was blocked at many points and we ended up walking the car park most of the time. Lunch was lovely. We sat at a table overlooking the water and were glad we had booked as it got very busy. The food serves were generous and the staff friendly and courteous. Even though it was extremely busy and people were waiting for tables, we were not rushed. Oddly dogs were welcome, and there were quite a few sitting under tables or on chairs. Not sure how I felt about the dogs. After lunch we drove a little further to Ungara. They have a wonderful looooong pier. It was low tide and we were struck by the beauty of the huge sand bar. It was very pretty and i wish i could have seen it in full sunlight. The day had turned overcast so we missed out on seeing the colours of the water and sand at its best. It would be spectacular. Well made paths offer a easy walking and the pier was a ripper. I am inclined to return to Ungara.
While staying in tin Can Bay we also did a day trip to Rainbow Beach and Inskip Point. The walk at Rainbow beach to the coloured sands was beautiful and as it was not low enough tide for the 4WD’ers to roar across the sand we could amble, explore and gape at the beautiful surrounds in peace. Lunch at the Rainbow Beach Hotel was standard burger and local beer and excellent chips, very busy so we were glad to have arrived just after the main lunch crowds began to thin out and were able to get a seat looking out onto the street. Very pleasant. I would like to return for a longer stay in Rainbow Beach but definitely not in peak season. It would be horrendous. At Inskip there was the usual dodging of the 4WD’s tearing up the beach to avoid getting bogged so they could catch the ferry to Fraser Island.
Noosa was only a short drive south and we had four days in a beautiful house in Sunshine Beach. The weather was perfect for walking but still a bit too cool for me to submerge in the crystal blue waters at Noosa main beach. However, walking ankle deep was rather delightful. Hastings street was as busy as to be expected in these parts but still enjoyable for a stroll and some window shopping. The blue of the ocean however lured us, rather than the uncomparable shopping strip no matter how enticing and our days were pleasurably filled with walks shared between Sunshine Beach and Noosa main beach in equal appreciation. Further exploration also took us for a walk along the river which although peaceful and paths well maintained for walkers and bike riders, was not at joyful as the beaches.
Sunshine Beach
In celebration of my sisters birthday the family met at SailsNoosa for a surprise party. Quite a feat as we had managed to keep the fact that were were all travelling from Melbourne to Noosa quiet for months in order to surprise her at dinner. It was a very happy occasion, regardless of the fact I felt the food at Sails a bit disappointing as indeed was the service. For the price paid i expected better. I would not bother to return. But i will return to Noosa in warmer weather for a swim.
Noosa Main Beach
Very beautiful.
After four lively days with the family we sadly had to start the return trip home. Having driven north via inland roads we decided to drive home along the coast for a while in order to extend our time in sun and sea as long as possible before returning to freezing Melbourne.
Coffs Harbour was our first overnight stop on the way home. I immediately missed not having our little Penguin camper as we ventured into the east coast motel void. Overpriced and delivering borderline comfort I vowed I would only do this drive again with my own clean sheets and kitchen in tow. By now I was also fed up with eating out every lunch and dinner and was craving fresh food. However, I must say that despite the smelly, sticky room, a morning walk on the harbour and onto Mutton Island is something I most emphatically recommend.
The crowds were ramping up early on the harbour and parking spots were filling fast as we joined a steady stream of people out for a morning walk. The hordes thinned significantly as we followed the path up the steep incline on Mutton Island. The magnificent views from every direction were well worth a little bit of exertion.
On the return walk we took the lower boardwalk along the harbour and I was enchanted by the numerous schools of fish below. It was a really lovely way to spend a morning. I do suggest you avoid the Galley Cafe as our coffees ended up in the bin after one sip. The milk was definitely soured and as we were already in the car ready to start our drive couldn’t be bothered returning to make a fuss. It was a pretty grotty little cafe and the staff too interested in private chit chat to provide more than a nominal sense of service. We stopped for coffee elsewhere, but it was very busy with breakfasters and it was a 45 minutes wait for our take away coffees. Which were very good i might add. I can’t remember the name of the cafe…
Our second overnight stop was at Gorokan, a short distance from The Entrance. We wanted to stay somewhere we had never heard of and hoped it was away from crowds. After a late arrival we had dinner at the Wyong Leagues Club. The huge complex was an easy choice for our tired minds and we followed the path under a well lit canopy into the bustle. The food was not brilliant and we left quite a bit of it uneaten. Not the best choice but I enjoyed people watching over my glass of wine.
In the morning we drove to The Entrance for a quick walk before hitting the road again. Quite a magnificent waterway. I would have liked the time to explore more, including perhaps a swim at the sea baths which is always exciting.
Back onto the highway and it was horrible. The traffic was intense but it was the quickest way home. The drive was improved greatly with a stop at Mittagong and the Gumnut Patisserie. What a find! The tables on the lush grass were plentiful and it was lovely to sit outside in the sunshine. My only regret was not having a full size fridge to bring back heaps of cakes. They looked fantastic and i will make sure I get back there again. To top it off across the road is the Eden Brewery where I purchased my first growler of stout and a few bottles of various others beers to sample.
Gundagai was our last stop over before home. The main street has been repaved and it all looks very spiffy and welcoming to travellers. We enjoyed a quiet pre dinner walk looking at the lovely old buildings, some which have been restored, some works in progress and some looking decidedly shaky on their old foundations. The disused heritage train station is open during the day for visitors and although we arrived after hours we still enjoyed walking around the pretty area. I think the removal of the far too many dodgy pots of bedraggled plants could possibly enhance the entrance to the station. Just a suggestion. The wind was arctic so we headed to the RSL for a warm dinner and were pleased with the simple and delicious fare on offer. I went for a plain old steak which was beautifully tender with perfectly cooked veggies. Enjoyed it thoroughly. The staff were pleasant and prices reasonable. Very good.
Time was up. We were on the last leg of a very busy road trip. Lunch stop was in Wangaratta. We had to pull out the puffy jackets while walking around town searching for Shelly’s Country Bakery which had excellent reviews and I am glad we took the trouble to taste their vanilla slice. It was excellent. Although the lady serving us was a bit miffed at having to make our fresh sandwiches, she did a great job and we parked by the flooded river and enjoyed our fresh sandwiches and delicious vanilla slices. Very yum. Afterwards we went for a bit of a walk to check out the flooded river before the final leg of our drive home.
As well as travelling and sampling vanilla slices, i love to cook, so i have decided to start adding my recipes to this blog to share my joy in making food. I hope you enjoy perusing and please give those that interest you a go. I try to make them easy and everything I post has been tried and tested before going public. Bon Appetit. Aunty Frida.
Ingredients:
400gms Almond meal
100gms Self raising flour
150gms Castor sugar
4 Eggs
Zest of 2 lemons
1 Cup of icing sugar
Method:
Mix Almond meal, flour, sugar and lemon zest
add eggs and mix until it all comes together into a soft sticky dough
Roll walnut size pieces and flatten slightly
Roll each ball in icing sugar – before placing on tray lined with baking paper. Leave a little space between them
Winter was fast approaching so we decided to make a quick dash to the Yorke Peninsula while the sun still shone. We were lucky to score a sunny if not exactly warm week and that was good enough for us!
We chose to drive the quickest most direct route as time was short, but never to short to stop and have a good look at the awesome silo art at Kaniva.
Our halfway overnight stop, well, a little more than halfway was at Murray Bridge, for convenience rather than comfort, as the night time noise from the freeway ensured a restless night. Other than the noise, the park was well set up. The amenities old but clean and the showers had a wonderful flow, much needed to recover from the sleepless night. The camp kitchen was an outdoor open sided setting more reminiscent of camping on tropical beaches. The garden provided a lovely ambiance and would be quite enjoyable on a balmy evening.
Lunch time stop the following day was at Port Wakefield to revisit a town we enjoyed staying at on the way to the Eyre Peninsula on a previous trip. The road works were a nightmare but it is worth stopping and going for a walk in this town of pretty buildings and wide streets. Artworks pop up unexpectedly and the giant pepper tree was awesome. It was hard not to hug it. The compulsory vanilla slice taste test wasn’t great from the Port Wakefield Bakery but the sandwiches were good.
We arrived at Moonta Bay Holiday Park glad to have booked a lower level waterfront site. Definitely the better choice of positions. The views were uninterrupted and glorious at any time of the day. The sites are tight but the view more than makes up for it. The amenities are almost fully refurbished and pretty yellow roses in a vase were a lovely touch. Unfortunately the showers are possibly the worst i have ever experienced, and i’ve used many…The pressure was so low i laughed in spite of my discomfort and the hot to cold roller coaster had me screaming and hopping in and out of the three drops that fell on my head. I learned to wash my hair quickly as soon as the water was warm enough and that was as good as it got. A shame, as it is a terrific location. As our first evening fell i marvelled at how lucky we were with the view from our van.
Loving tides as i do, Moonta Bay delighted me. High tide filled the swimming enclosure and low tide changed the colours to pale blues and provided heaps of paddling space for little ones. Add a wonderfully long pier and my joy was unbounded. I can’t emphasise enough how crystal clear the water in this area is. Simply stunning. The clarity of the water rivalled any i have seen anywhere, ensuring we will return in warmer weather to be able to enjoy it from within rather than from above. The swimming enclosure provided some assurance that the beautiful water could be enjoyed without fear of being shark bait.
I was pretty chuffed to see the van next to us named after me. Well, actually, i was told it was Frida Kahlo but eh…
If walks on white sand, fishing and beautiful sunsets are your pleasures, you should visit Moonta Bay. We saw soooo many fish and squid in the water when walking on the pier. When the sun shone, the colour of the water was stunning. And the sunsets were magnificent. Perfect for the evening wine.
We were entranced by the ‘crazy bunny’ in an enclosed courtyard in the main street of Moonta who was waiting for adoption. He was the last one left of his family. Tempting, but nah.
Sadly we had to leave Moonta Bay after a glorious four days but i was keen to check out Point Turton. We could only spend three days at Point Turton as we had to return to work, and it was not long enough. We once again booked a waterfront site but it was a bit noisy with fishermen coming and going in the early hours. The car park for the boat ramp was right at our feet. Best to book a site away from the lower levels at Point Turton. We will know for next time. This is a very busy park, lots of boats and mainly older gray nomads who appeared to have settled in for long stays. Lucky buggers. A fire pit beside the camp kitchen is lit every day at 4pm so anyone looking for company can congregate for a chat. The amenities are old but freshly painted and clean. The showers were wonderful after the sad ones at Moonta Bay.
Pelicans were well aware of the fish cleaning table…and squabbled openly for space as they expectantly waited. The pier was lined daily with hopeful fisher people. In the clear water we could see ample variety’s and numbers of fish happily swimming through lures and hooks dangling in their space. We watched in fascination as a two handfuls of burley thrown in the water created a seething mass of fin and silver turmoil for a couple of minutes before they all swam off with full bellies and not a single hook attached. Oddly, one solitary fisherman was pulling up fish after fish. Filling his bucket while others watched jealousy.
Again i was astounded by the water clarity. It was truly incredible. I was skipping with happiness.
Stingrays under the pier were so beautiful to watch. I took way too many photos. Such magnificent creatures.
These are three of my favourite pic’s.
We visited the famous Flaherty’s beach at low tide and were amused by the fact they hold a sandbar golf tournament there. The tide was just turning as we left and the incoming water was pristine. If it was summer i would have been wallowing like a jelly fish with no where to go. Many beaches close to Point Turton offer beautiful walks, easy beach driving and some super sand dunes that unfortunately were private property right down to the beach and consequently couldn’t be explored. Although tracks in the sand showed not everyone is as law abiding as some of us.
Tiny shells sparkled prettily on some parts of the beach in huge quantities. There is no lack of empty space to enjoy and exclaim over.
The salt lake trail is well marked and although i have seen more spectacular salt lakes, it is worth the drive to see some of them. A sunny day would have presented a better vista but the weather was turning and we were on our last day before heading back home.
While checking out the salt lakes we drove to Yorketown for lunch at the bakery. We don’t often have pies, pasties or sausage rolls, but i can honestly say these were the best pastries i have ever eaten other than my father in laws. Crunchy, golden and full of flavour. This is a bakery i fully recommend. The vanilla slice was pretty good too. Even though they look messy.
Far too quickly it was time to leave this beautiful part of Australia. On the way home we stopped at Ardrossan for Lunch and sat on a convenient bench overlooking the sea with the stunning red cliffs on either side of us.
Overnight stop on the way home was in Bordertown. It was dark by the time we arrived and we didn’t unhitch. Dinner was a questionable pizza from the road house which was across the road. We were too tired to cook and there wasn’t much else on offer unfortunately. A wee stop at Murray Bridge and a nice walk along the Murray led us to the Bunyip. Don’t go out of your way to see this noisy creature. And don’t take little kids unless they are fearless. The volume was eardrum shattering.
Lockdown in VIctoria has been long and at times frustrating, but we made it out at last! November 2021 saw us crossing the border into NSW and heading up to the beautiful Northern Beaches.
Leaving Melbourne on a wet and foggy morning with my new friend sourdough starter in the van (he needs constant feeding and can’t be left behind) the GPS decided it would be nice to hit the Hume Hwy via Kinglake and the Melba Hwy. A much nicer start to the journey than the dreadful ring road at peak hour.
Benalla
Coffee, wee and walk at our first stop in Benalla. I was thrilled to finally see the completed mural I had spent a weekend working on in 1983 as a pottery student at RMIT. I was proud to think my hands helped to make some of these terracotta tiles.
Some lovely murals decorated the town. Make sure you go for a walk and look around.
Goulbourn
A long tiring drive but due to the rain this year it is very green and pretty. Storms around us delivered some interesting clouds.
Governors Hill Big4 is very tight park. It’s a bit shabby and quite noisy, but the bathrooms are all renovated and super fresh and clean. It’s an overnight stop we have used before, but not sure we will again. The little insect band played country music until quite late in the night. If we had a site closer to them i may well have taken a shovel to them.
Bonny Hill
Setting up through a tropical strength deluge was not fun but i have a good man who let me sit in the car while he battled on. We woke in the morning to sun, humidity and 29 C by 11am. A shower in the immaculate amenities set things right for the rest of the day.
Follow a clear path through a tunnel of vegetation to a beautiful beach that brought joy to my heart.
Kempsey
We stopped at Kempsey looking for a coffee and bakery, but after a walk through the beautiful park and picturesque riverside, enjoying the Jacaranda’s in full bloom, walking through the purple snow dropping with every puff of wind and marvelling at the pops of seed pods bursting open, we decided to move on and look for food elsewhere.
Nambucca Heads
33 C and humid in Nambucca Heads. We were finally thawing out. By now we were starving and settled on the Wharf Street Cafe. An inauspicious facade but it was quite nice and comfortable inside. Set on the river, it had ceiling fans swirling a nice breeze and the staff were really lovely. The food sounded promising but was average unfortunately. We shared Bruschetta, not great, Squid, which was not bad, and Buffalo WIngs, pretty good. The local beers were average, and we went for sweets. I had a Rose macaroon, acceptable but disappointing as i thought it was rosewater, but wasn’t. Coffee’s were good. we ran out of time for walk which was a shame. So, back on to the Pacific Hwy…which i do not like….
Skennars Head
We arrived in Skennars Head with a temperature of 34 C. First time we had felt hot for months and months. The Big4 park is still as comfortable and clean as it was last time we visited pre COVID. The grassy sites are lush, trimmed and spacious. The palm tree cast nice shade over site. Staff are extremely helpful. The low flying planes are great for enthusiasts but are bit invasive if you want a quiet space. Mind you, they are infrequent and don’t seem to fly at night, so it is not too hard to deal with the occasional boomer passing overhead. Friendly frogs in the bathroom!
Sharpes Beach
Just a short drive towards Ballina, Sharpes Beach is indeed beautiful at low tide. There is a walking track from the park, to Boulder Beach and along a well defined path. Surfers hit the waves at high tide. Car Parks are limited during busy periods but the bach is never crowded. Very lovely.
Lennox Head
Lennox Head has a smart little village style street with a choice of eateries. We were lucky to be there on a day when ight rescued sea turtles were being released. It was extremely moving and wonderful to see these incredible creatures who had been cared for restored to health and able to find their way back out to sea. The protected area where they were released is also a great pool for swimming. Naturally protected by rocks from the surf, we had a lovely swim here.
Whites Beach
Whites Beach was quite a journey to get to. Crazy steep steps down to the beach did me in for the next two days. Quite a few of the rocks i clambered down and then UP were deeper than my legs were long enough, so lots of scrambling. Hard work but oh so worth it. This is an incredibly beautiful coastline with a magnificent beach of fine sand and water exceptionally clear. A large cave offers shade to park yourself and there are other small caves and coves to explore at low tide. I wouldn’t risk being caught out during a high tide. The waves here are ferocious and only dedicated surfers were out in the water. The young men we saw bolted up and down the treacherous steps with boards under their arms and bare feet. I was envious of their ease with the quite scary steep track. This is not a swimming beach. The waves were majestic and i couldn’t stop looking at their immensity.
Boulder Beach
A short walk from the park to boulder beach gives access to a great walk that does either left or right along the stunning verdant cliff tops. It’s not called Boulder Beach without reason! This time we took the right hand walk back towards Sharpes Beach. The views are quite unlike most Australian Beaches with the lush green cliffs more reminiscent of the UK coastline. We also saw Dolphins frolicking in the water below. Easy walking and very peaceful.
Bangalow
I’d never been to Bangalow and have to admit i was expecting a pretty rain foresty type drive into a secluded hippy town. Unfortunately the GPS took us straight onto the horrible Hwy which quite killed my romantic vision of our drive. The town was very busy. Parking was virtually non existent. We found a park eventually and went for a walk up and down both sides of the main street. Eateries were not prolific surprisingly, nor particularly enticing. There are lots of pretty shops to have a poke about in for dust collecting items or pale linen women’s wear. Not much available for the boys. We opted to buy some cakes from Butcher Baker, which has a brilliant selection of bakery products. I had a nice chat with wonderful baker who served me and threw some extra cakes in, much to our delight as they were delicious. The custard filled donuts were crunchy on the outside, light and fluffy inside and the custard creamy and satiny and generously filled. Perfect. The pastry on the Raspberry Almond tarts, and pear tarts with delicious. Soft without being soggy or too crumbly. And the cheesecake, yes i am ashamed to say how many cakes we sampled, but have NO regrets, the cheesecake pastry was again wonderful and the filling creamy, not to sweet and i am salivating just writing about these fine sweets. Yummo.
Ulmarra
It was time to head home and back to work. Not happy but a necessary evil. Getting off the ugly Hwy for a break, we stumbled on a town we had never heard of, Ulmarra. And what a joy it was. This is a place i highly recommend. The Clarence Cafe at the rear of the Ulmarra Hotel is bliss. I was sad we were there too early to order lunch but the cakes and coffee made up for it. Cakes are well up on the yummy stakes. My cannoli, although quite solid, was beautifully presented and the ricotta filling light and fluffy. He who always orders sticky date pud exclaimed effusively that it was the best he had ever eaten. The coffee on par with any fine establishments in Melbourne, if not better than many! My iced coffee tasted like proper coffee, and it was not smothered in fizzy spray can cream. The modern menu offered grilled whole sardines with ciabatta and sashimi. Reading the chalkboard i vowed to return for a lunch or dinner.
The beer garden was large, green and lovely. Set along the riverside the tables were well spaced out. The environment conveyed a feeling of peace and allowed you to sit and relax. To my distress, there were at least half a dozen water dragons who shared my idea that this was a nice spot to chill. They were draped on virtually every table or bench around the garden. Occasionally one would propel itself off the tables and land in the grass, scurrying away to stop and stare at something only they could see. This is a great place. Make the effort to find it.
After an overnight at Lake Macquarie Big4, which was not my most favourite place i have stopped at, we stopped at Marulan for lunch. The Marulan Cafe made our sandwiches fresh, and were happy to substitute the chicken, which they were out of, with roast beef at my request. Nice to get a pot of tea. The sandwiches were quite substantial and fresh. Good one to remember for a quick stop and feed.
Humula
Finding a quiet campsite off the beaten track is one of the best parts of travelling. Humula is a tiny town that boast the smallest licensed club in NSW. Unfortunately it is only open Wednesdays and Fridays, manned by volunteers, and we arrived on a Saturday. There are four powered camp sites on the grass and few more on what looks like it was once a tennis court covered in mulch. There are no shops, we didn’t see any people, and it was super quiet. The amenities are newly renovated and super clean and there are complimentary bathroom products in the ladies. The shower looked like it had never been used. This is a perfect spot for an overnight stop. Even though it was 25kms off the beaten track, it was worth the extra km’s at only $14 a night.
Glenrowan
Last stop for lunch before the final part of the drive home. A tidy little town that is as expected set up for tourism. I was a bit surprised that the giant Ned Kelly menacingly pointing a gun looked rather the modern man about town. After a walk up and down the street we settled on lunch at the Glenrowan Hotel, thinking this was the best choice for a Glenrowan experience. Hmmmm. Disappointing. It falls just below average or acceptable. Service was good, the food was not. The ‘Kelly Draught’ is not worth trying. Don’t waste your money unless you like yellow liquid with no personality. I have no idea how old the coleslaw in my burger was but it should have been binned the day before. In their favour, the chips were good. The pizza edible if lacking any actual flavour. Shame, as it is a comfortable hotel with good choice of spaces to sit and chill. Just to let you know if you are looking for a good lunch choose another town, the Glenrowan Bakery was so disappointing we did a walk in, walk out. The choice of bakery products was very limited and looked quite unappetising. I was sad, as i really wanted to include a Glenrowan vanilla slice in my blog ‘The Great Vanilla Slice’ but they looked so plastic i couldn’t bring myself to try one. My recommendation is find another town for lunch.
Mother’s Day in Melbourne, the sun shone, it was warm, and the water of Port Phillip Bay glittered in the distance as we circled an industrial estate in Dromana that boasted several breweries, distilleries and eateries.
Jetty Road Brewery offer a spacious casual atmosphere with delightful live music that filled the space without making conversation difficult.
We selected some share foods, chicken bits that were truly delicious, bruschetta that was tasty but more ricotta than tomato, and a meat and bread platter that i wouldn’t recommend. I enviously checked out the next tables chips which looked amazing. I will try them next time!
For $18 a tasting paddle was put together with four beers of my choice. The experience with the young bar man was not particularly delightful. A warning that the sour was ‘very sour’ – twice, and that the dark ale was like, ‘a dark ale’ left me feeling a little testy. a bit of advice to those behind the bar, don’t assume the customer has no idea.
Fortunately, the beers of choice were quite enjoyable. And I satisfied myself with the knowledge that the arrogant fellow will one day feel the wrath of the young.
Desserts were a small but good selection. The pannacotta was okay, perhaps a little heavy, i loved the pecan garnish which to me was the highlight. The beeramisu was disappointing. Far too much cream. Not enough cakey bits and what was buried in there was too dry, not enough beery/coffee taste to cut through the sugary creamy bulk. I wish i had chosen the donuts. I will next time.
The unhurried atmosphere was refreshing. TIme between ordering and eating was surprisingly fast for such a large venue. The waitresses delivered food and removed dirty dishes unobtrusively. Making the whole experience very pleasant.
With Mount Martha and Dromana beach so close, we bought some beers to take home and a couple of t-shirts and headed for a walk as the sun began to set. A good time to go up to the look out as most people had headed off home for the day, leaving lots of parking spaces. Good thing, considering the signage warning us to watch out for cars.
And my love of piers, even if it was just a little one, meant i ended my Mothers Day with a beautiful display of colours above the gently darkening water.
The Murray is truly a wondrous river. The calm yet strong and steady flow pulls you down to the depths of it’s green water, filling your mind with images of what may be lurking below…
We spent a chilled out week at Morning Glory Camp Ground. Don’t let the name put you off, i was a bit dubious, but it is an excellent place to chill away from the busy caravan parks in Echuca and Moama, with the Barmah National Park only a short drive away. There are plenty of shady riverside sites and lots of grassy sites back away from the river and trees if you don’t want overhanging branches. It is a very pretty, clean, grassy camp ground with lots of sites, but not so many powered sites. Mid week during school term found us in a virtually empty park. It was awesome.
The changing colours of the Murray throughout the day are beautiful. I couldn’t stop looking at it…and taking photos…
The birdlife is crazy. The dawn and dusk are heralded by a cacophony, or symphony, depending on your personal thoughts on birds. It is loud and it goes on and on an on. So funny. Lots of squabbling. But beware if you do choose to camp under the trees. We had to wash poo off our car every morning.
Morning Glory is a space for people who want to steep themselves in serenity, away from shops, cafes and bars. A place to sit still. BYO booze and nibbles.The amenities are basic but super clean. The camp kitchen is however not terribly inviting. Functional, but not a place to sit and chill. There is an awesome pool and kiddies water play area, place far enough from the campsites that any noise from exuberance splashers is diffused.
Be warned! The pool and cabins at the rear of the resort are riddled with ants. I happened to walk through the middle of them while walking and my feet were instantly a crawling mess. i have kick off my runners, pull off my socks and run. Very scary. Luckily Hubby had Blundstones on and they couldn’t attach to the leather.
The BBQ looks rusty and a bit past it, but with a bit of a clean it cooked like a dream. We used it every night, and no one else went near it. Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed in the results.
While on the subject of food, Suttons Bakery in Moama is right next to the Woolworths, about a 30 minute easy drive. They have a good range of cakes and breads and my review of the vanilla slice is in my blog The Great Vanilla Slices.
Just a short drive is the Barmah National Park. There are a variety of walks, some are short with colour coded guided information, and others are longer and marked with arrows. It is a beautiful area, with lots of water ways, historical areas and natural beauty. Intensely green and pretty, it is easy access and well marked parking. Lots of birds and due to the wet, mushrooms were sprouting everywhere. Fascinating. They were also in the grass at Morning Glory.
So pretty. A boat give tours on the water for those who like a bit of being toured about.
The Muster Yards are only one part of the self guided walks. There are many interesting facts about the area that are worth reading about.
The awesome trees are just plain awesome. Some are quite sculptural if you look hard.
Morning Glory has a variety of campsites, with and without power, water and amenities. There is lots of good signage. They also have their own sandy beach entry.
The Levy Bank Walk was a particularly nice part of the 5km circuit walk.
We decided to make a day trip into Echuca. The town has been tidied up and was super busy, people spilled in and out of cafes and various shops. The Old Port, is quite upgraded and not at all as i remembered it as a child. Very touristy, but we walked around and had a look, found the old Thong Tree, and decided we preferred to return to the peace of Morning Glory.
Beechworth Bakery is always busy and has a very large range of bakery goods, sweet and savoury, to choose from. Of course, we had to try the Vanilla Slice and add it to my Great Vanilla Slice blog.
So many things to delight us. From little creatures, to sweet delights, colours, and creatures. We scuttled back to our campsite, away from people, and chilled happily the whole week.
A fire at the end of the day while the sun sets and the river turns golden is indeed joyous.
One of the best things about travelling is bakeries! And in bakeries, there is almost always, a vanilla slice. I’ve been sampling quite a few, and have decided to put them all together as a reminder to myself of where i have eaten vanilla slices, and to let other travellers know what is on offer in vanilla slice heaven. Some are amazing, some are not so memorable. I will update and add these delicious creamy delights as I find and devour them. Yummm…
Ardrossan Bakery, SA
We stopped in Ardrossan for a quick lunch and the vanilla slices were packaged up 3 for $6 as they were yesterday’s. I decided to take the risk as they looked okay and was not disappointed. Creamy custard, not too soggy biscuit even though they were a day old but the icing was thick and stuck to the teeth somewhat. i could go a half but not a full one.
Yorketown Bakery, SA
The French Vanilla Slice offered at the Yorketown Bakery was a little messy to look at but it was very yummy. Smooth silky custard, the top biscuit was nicely crunchy, a rarity and very pleasing. Even though it slid off with the first bite i was not disappointed, just messy. I think the layer of cream was unnecessary and detracted from an otherwise delicious sweet. The jam was surprisingly complementary and although not usual i have to say i enjoyed it. The pink icing was not sickly as so often the case but more like a cupcake frosting, again not usual but it worked. Bottom biscuit not as good as the top but better than most.
Port Wakefield Bakery, SA
Hmmm. We tasted both French and Traditional. I forgot to take a pic of the traditional. The French biscuit was soggy and tasted a little stale. It had a really weird taste that overwhelmed the entire experience. The custard was sloppy, the icing sticky and sickly. Not at all a pleasant experience. The traditional had a nicer custard but the biscuit was the same soggy weird taste as the French. I wouldn’t go back. Disappointing.
Windara Bakery, Penola
I decided to go for the French vanilla version and he went for the traditional which i found a little cloying. The biscuit undercooked and soggy. Custard was creamy but devoid of flavour. Icing was okay. The French vanilla was lighter and had a pleasant texture. Biscuit was actually crunchy which was a nice surprise. The icing was light and i quite enjoyed my French vanilla version.
Kings Bakery, Hamilton
A traditional vanilla slice. I found them a little sugary and half was more than enough. Custard was not too bad. Sticky icing was a bit hard to swallow. Biscuit a little soggy. Very hard to eat without demolishing it. It fell away into its three separate parts with the first touch of the spoon.
Suttons Bakery, Moama
Although a little messy looking they tasted pretty good. Light fluffy custard and not too sicky icing. Biscuit a little undercooked.
Beechworth Bakery, Echuca
These babies tasted better than they look. I was surprised and happily so. Creamy custard, if not a bit yellow. The icing top wasn’t sickly and the biscuit cooked better than most.
The Loaf and Lounge, Camperdown.
Nice place for lunch. The vanilla slice had nice flakey pastry, although a little burnt and slightly bitter. The custard is super yellow and a little gluggy at first bite but actually worked well with the biscuit. The pink icing was a little strong in flavour, but much as the individual components were not 100%, they worked together and melded into a satisfactory sweet. Just don’t eat the bits separately.
Portland Visitors Centre Cafe.
An unexpected delight. I have no idea where they are baked but the vanilla slice was really good, (as was the citrus tart). Creamy, smooth, light in texture and flavour, although the biscuit was a little undercooked. Worth a stop to sit and enjoy the view of the harbour while enjoying a vanilla slice and a rather sculptural coffee.
Andy’s Bakery, Millicent.
These vanilla slices looked perfect. I was excited. But what a let down. The custard had a vaguely curdled texture, quite gluggy, and little taste. There was a slight chemical aftertaste i have never experienced in a vanilla slice before. The biscuit was average. So sad. Note: The donuts were awesome.
Robe Bakery Kingston SA.
They might look a bit sloppy, but they are possibly one of the nicest vanilla slice i have ever had the pleasure of eating. The biscuit was crunchy and flakey, the custard light in texture and taste. The only thing that lets it down is the addition of cream. Totally unnecessary, as was the chocolate splats on top. These only detracted from the otherwise delicious custard.
Beaufort Country Bakery. Smaller in size than most vanilla slices, this little delight was smothered in icing sugar that made eating it in the car somewhat tricky. The custard was smooth, not too sickly sweet and the pastry satisfactory. All in all, a nice treat.
Littles at Kingston by the Sea. Coconut sprinkled vanilla slice is a first for me, but it works. Easy to cut for sharing, the custard was very nice. Smooth and silky. The biscuit however was a little undercooked and soggy. shame.
Village Bakehouse Port Fairy. One of two bakeries in Port Fairy, the vanilla slice promised joy, but although assured they were baked daily, the pasty was a little soggy and i found the custard a bit gluggy. We shared the one piece and both felt half was more than enough.
Cobbs Bakery Port Fairy. One of two bakeries in Port Fairy, the vanilla slice is of the pink iced variety. Always dubious of the little pinkies delivering, the custard was creamy and light in texture, and although the pastry was hard to cut through, it has a rather nice taste. The thick pink icing fortunately was not sickly. Good job.
Stoneground Bakehouse Hurstbridge. Situated in a village style street, they have a good range of cakes, biscuits, breads and pastries at reasonable prices. The vanilla slice is of the more traditional Aussie style. The filling is smooth and silky but lack interest in flavour and has a slight chemical taste. The icing is a little sweet and sickly for my taste but hubby loved it. The biscuit not too soggy and cuts well. Although it holds together well, looks okay, it is not on my recommendation list.
The Malley Bakery, Ouyen. Cakes here are good. We have stopped a couple of times on the way to somewhere. Creamy smooth texture, and the icing is actually not sickening, even though it gives the appearance of sticky over sweetness. Definitely recommend the vanilla slice if you are passing though.
Paul The Pieman, Inverloch. This is a great bakery. Their cakes are amongst the best i have eaten, and i have eaten a lot of them! Variety is brilliant. Their vanilla slice is rich and creamy. A true dessert, rather than a cuppa at morning tea.
Flinders Fish and Chips, Flinders. The Flinders Fish and Chips shop boasts the Guinness World of Records biggest vanilla slice 2012. And yes, it’s huge. At $11 a serve, it would easily feed four people. Two of us had a good go at it and couldn’t finish it. It is big, but it’s not the best in taste and texture. It’s a once only buy and try for me.
Pastry King Cafe Bakery, Daylesford. This was a shop that promised a superior sweet. Their bakery fare looked good, and was priced on the high side. We bought a selection to share and tasted. The vanilla slice was nice, a little super charged in presentation, but not extraordinary. It looked better than it tasted. Disappointed. Staff were a little discourteous to customers. Next time i will try some of the other bakeries.
Marysville Country Bakery, Marysville. This is a large bakery with heaps of choice. They don’t call their vanilla slice, a vanilla slice. They call it a ‘granny vanilla slice’. When i asked why, i was met with a confused look and the answer was, ‘that’s what we call them.’ We rushed back to our accomodation to give it a taste test with a glass of wine, as you do, and were a little disappointed in the grainy texture and hard to cut pastry. The taste was good, but degree of difficulty eating and texture left us not wanting to go back for more.
Bay Bakery Cafe – Jurien Bay WA. A busy little bakery in a little shopping strip, two versions of vanilla slice were on offer. Labelled Vanilla Slice, was a pink iced number that looked like a traditional no frills vanilla slice, but unfortunately the biscuit tasted a little burnt, or perhaps bitter is more accurate. The custard was somewhat gelatinous and lacking in richness, a little watery in taste. But i loved the pink icing reminiscent of grandma’s and country bakeries. The alternate was labelled Custard Slice. The pastry was much better, but the custard was grainy, disappointingly feeling like a packet mix fail. Both looked good, but let down in the taste and texture.
Wild Grains Bakehouse – Healesville Victoria This vanilla slice was a modest little surprise. Creamy and smooth, light in texture. The biscuit was a little hard to eat with a fork, but hubby sorted it by picking it up and taking bites without cutlery. The icing was as sticky and pink as you would expect a vanilla slice. Reasonably priced. I recommend you give these a try.
Marysville is a pretty town not far from Melbourne. We decided to stay at Vibes Hotel for New Years Eve 2019 and enjoy the beautiful surrounds. It was very quiet, surprisingly for New Years Eve.
We paid a decent price for a room with a balcony and a view? Hmmm.
Room with balcony view Vibes
Accomodation at Vibes was disappointing for the price we paid. The sitting room was badly designed with cheap and decidedly uncomfortable furniture. The whole place had a cheap feel about it, and a distinct lack of care for guests comfort. The pool was overcrowded with two families in it and definitely not appealing to couples. We will consider alternate options next time we spend a weekend in Marysville.
Not to be missed is the lovely walk up Steavenson Falls. It is by no means a difficult walk, the start is flat and easy access, although as it gets higher it becomes a little rocky, so not for those with mobility issues.
The car park is ticketed, but not expensive. People were handing over their unexpired parking tickets as they left, which was quite friendly. The public toilets were a little yucky.
The start of the track is an easy stroll. There are other tracks of varying difficulty and length. Top of the falls lookout is worth a little bit of uphill.
Don’t disregard the ‘Beware of Snakes’ signs. They are all over the place. We saw one and people on the track sighted a second one a little further on.
One of these signs was in the main street!
Although the area has regenerated since the bush fires, there is still plenty of evidence of the dreadful fires in huge burnt out trees.
It is a really pretty place to walk.
I am a sucker for bakeries. The vanilla slice, which I believe they called something like a granny slice? I can’t remember exactly, looked good, held together well, but was a little grainy and rubbery, and lacked lightness. But, I am a bit of a vanilla slice nutter and have tried far too many on my travels. The Marysville Country Bakery certainly has plenty to choose from.
There is a rather nice caravan park along the sparkling shallow river that flows through the township. Families sit on chairs in the water watching their kiddies splash around. It’s not fancy, but has a friendly feel and is close to the IGA and pub.
The outdoor chapel was an interesting addition to a caravan park. Not too sure about that…They grow ’em big in Marysville. The trees, not the men…
I hate to bag places, but seriously, Radius Bar & Grill, the restaurant attached to Vibes was not a great night out. The Barramundi we ordered was very good, but the deserts were pitiful. I did let them know that at $16 each, they needed to review their sweet offerings and the waiter did take the cost of one off our bill, however, I had to request a clean glass, and felt like once again, the customer was purely for $$$ and they did not offer a dining ‘experience’ I could honestly recommend to other travellers. Breakfast in the cafe of the same business was not brilliant either. I recommend you try the bakery instead.
To finish out weekend, we went to Lake Eildon and had lunch at the Aqua Bar and Cafe. Book ahead in busy season, we were lucky enough to score the last bar table. The view is nice, staff friendly and efficient. Mostly fried food, but with a cold beer or wine, all good. The water was a great colour and heaps of people were enjoying their boats. I was extremely happy to see how clean the water was. And no rubbish lying about anywhere.
We drove through the Black Spur, which was looking beautiful. A lovely drive, gorgeous walks, and so close to Melbourne. Cheers.
The Hume Highway, although a rather boring drive, is an easy way to cover km’s along the east coast if your need is to get from A to B as fast as possible. This road trip was the case of A to B, so we stayed in easy caravan parks and tried to fit in some less conventional roads and places to see on the way home. Big service stations provided coffee, fuel, snacks and toilets at regular intervals on the way up, but there is little to experience and contribute to a road trip. We prefer alternate roads and unexpected treasures of little known towns, but this trip, we had to knock of the km’s fast so it was hit the highway and head north.
First stopover on the way to the Northern coast of NSW, was Goulburn. It was dark and freezing as we set up for the night at Governors Hill Big4, and by golly, we set up in record time so we could head to the Hibernian Hotel for a smashing dinner. The porterhouse was beautifully cooked, the vegies were crisp and the baked whole spud creamy. A double glass of wine for only $10 was well appreciated and once we were fed, we started to relax a little. Hearty and simply tucker. Definitely recommend this pub in the main street for dinner. Very comfortable atmosphere, friendly and efficient staff. Perfect after a long boring drive.
The wind picked up overnight, gusts reaching 85kph. We held on in our little camper trailer and hoped we wouldn’t end up rolling down the hills of Goulburn. Feeling a bit blurry in the morning, we woke slowly and by the time we had finished brekky, the big rigs had moved out and our little Penguin stood forlornly alone. No complaints. It sure made it easier to hitch up and get out of the tight little caravan park. This park’s bathrooms are in need of updating, and a bit more serious cleaning wouldn’t go amiss. The camp kitchen however, was clean. There is a quiet lounge with a TV and the gardens are full of cute quirky things.
We hit the highway again, heading for another overnight stop around Port Macquarie. Sad to see the roadside verges post Goulbourn covered in litter. I’ve not seen it so grubby. What has happened in the past few years?… We had hoped to out drive the wind, but it followed us up the east coast, although abating slightly in strength. FYI, the M2 doesn’t have many road side stops past Goulburn for coffee, wee, or petrol, so be prepared.
The second rest night was at Bonny Hills Big4. A very nicely laid out park with lots of trees, heaps of shade, lots of grass, real and fake, and very friendly staff. This park has heaps of family things for kids, including a heated pool, games room, and a good book/DVD swap at reception. The amenities were soooo clean and fresh, with great showers. Tall palm trees create extra shade and look lovely amongst the gum trees. The staff put on movie nights for families but for us older folk who can leave their kids at home, it was still quiet and peaceful around the park.
Rainbow beach, accessible from the park was a pleasant surprise for a morning walk and well enjoyed before hitting the road for a third day long day of driving.
Late on day three we finally arrived at our destination via Grafton and the iconic Big Banana.
Surrounded by palm trees, lush grass and huge McVansion’s, we were pretty happy with the clean, quiet grounds. Having only a small camper trailer, we were given a tucked away grassy spot among tall palm trees reserved for tents usually. The amenities were very clean, the pool really nice and lit at night, and there is a good area for kids. This park has permanent residents living in tidy gardens beyond the camp/caravan areas. Everything was very well maintained and tidy. The amenities even boasted a well lit makeup mirror with a sparkly plastic chair. Very cute. The park was directly under the flight path of Ballina airport, so there was lots of excitement every time a plane flew overhead. All activity stopped and eyes follow the arc of movement as graceful planes fly so low you could almost tickle their underbellies. As they disappear, people resume what they were doing.
Having finally arrived, we gratefully set up for a longer stay and visits with family in nearby Ballina. Opposite the caravan park is a great walk along surf beaches with beautiful clear blue waters. The fine sand is rimmed by dark, smooth rocks which skirt the bay. A grassy walk takes you up and follows the cliff tops, with views that wow. The colours are just beautiful. We were told the lookout at the top was notorious for jumpers, but despite the sad use, or should I say misuse of the area, the walk was still outstanding. Down the road we saw whales right from the car park at Sharpes Beach. Unbelievable.
The breezy weather turned sultry the next day and the increase in humidity was pleasant on our Melbourne winter skin. We finally began to relax. Byron Bay called for a revisit, it had been several years since we had been there, so we took off for a walk and lunch. The beach really is quite lovely, although rather rough today. I have seen it at its best, calm as a lagoon, with crystal clear water and big fish bumping into our legs. Today the fine clean sand was scattered with sun bathers but only a few cautious paddlers ventured into the water. It was still a wee bit cool for swimming.
The Beach Hotel Byron Bay remains unchanged. Well worn and bordering grotty, everything was sticky and yucky, yet nevertheless retains a certain ambiance that draws you back into its lay back relaxed atmosphere for a drink and unfortunately somewhat disappointing, feed. The indoor/outdoor environment is perfect on a balmy Byron day. The menu is very limited, I recommend sticking to the standard pub fare of fish and chips or burger. The pizza’s, cooked outside and supposedly wood fired looked somewhat unpalatable in my opinion and we decided against them after watching an older couple chewing without pleasure on a pale lifeless pizza. Stick to a beer/wine and burger/fish and chips meal and you won’t be disappointed. Beware the parking. It is $4 per hour for a maximum of 4 hours unless you park away from the main centre. Which we did.
We took an afternoon drive to Nimbin between family visits via the Bangalow Road, driving through Macadamia plantations and dense lush forests. It was a beautiful drive, tree ferns dripped from captive trees. Dark, dense, overhanging canopies contrasted with deep valleys of incredibly green rolling hills. Just out of Nimbin, we were stopped by a chap waving cars down. We stopped in time to avoid running over a large snake lying across the road. The creature was about two metres long and quite thick. The fellow stood over it and coaxed it into fighting position, then grabbed it just under the head and lifted it high off the road. He swung it at shoulder height and tossed it into the long grass at the side of the road, as we squealed and watched from our car. He then waved, hopped into his ute and everyone continued on their way as if this was normal practice. Arrggh..
Nimbin is a colourful town, but sadly full of trashy shops bursting with repetitive clothing, bags and bits and bobs of useless stuff. It is a shame there were not more handcrafts, artworks and bakeries to encourage tourists to stop longer and purchase something to support the community. It is a pretty place to spend a few hours with good coffee and cakes, but the tacky shops bring down the feel of the town and make it feel like a bit of a sham. Good coffee and cake, although the cakes are quite pricey. I think the locals might have an issue with the boys in blue…
Ballina
For dinner the following night we purchased fresh fish from the Ballina fish shop. They have an amazing array of fish and shellfish of all varieties on sale direct from ice packed boxes. Most of the fish are whole. Very little was filleted. Well worth a visit. They do fish and chips as well if you don’t want to cook.
A visitor passing through the park.
The Ballina breakwater is a great walk. It is a surprisingly long walk, going all the way out to the heads, complete with markers telling the history of the area. We saw large fish jumping clear out of the water in the lagoon type ponds at the start of the walk, and sat watching boats battling the entrance at the heads. Give yourself time to do this walk.
And of course, you can’t
not marvel at the giant Prawn. He’s a ripper.
Lennox head is a beautiful beach with firm sand. Excellent for a long walk. The town is pretty, and quiet, a touch classier than Byron Bay with its all too obvious bogan element shuffling around. However, it was off peak season while we were there, possibly a little busier in summer methinks. There are several good cafes to have a coffee and while away some time, and there is free two hour parking. It is less frenetic than Byron Bay, and definitely more relaxed and clean. I recommend it as an alternative place to stay.
Point Cafe, Lennox Head
The pelicans were a delight to watch. I took about a zillion photos.
Having time to drive home at a slower pace, we were pleased to avoid the highway and see more of the country on our way to Lightening Ridge. We headed inland from Ballina via Lismore, a large town with some fantastic architecture, old style Queenslander type houses, Californian bungalows, with lots of stained glass windows. It was quite interesting and unexpected.
We crossed the great divide and headed to Lightening Ridge, via Casino and Tenterfield. The road was windy and very uppity and high in the sky. We stopped at Tenterfield for cake and coffee and stumbled on Deepwater Brewing. ‘Beer Brewed with Altitude,’ an unexpected gem with a great range of beers. I recommend a stop. The bar is comfortable and the beers are great. They are only open Friday to Saturday. Check their website for details.
This area is soooo dry. We were truly subdued by the dust and lack of anything green on the ground.
An overnight stay at Inverell Caravan Park and dinner at the Australian Hotel. It was pretty quiet around town, and the big pub was almost empty. There is a walk into town which we took, but I got a bit spooked by the lack of people around. The meal was pretty basic and the menu limited, but with nothing much open, it was okay for a feed and then back to our well stocked fridge for an early night in. The amenities are amazing. As good as some five star motels! Very modern.
We drove through Maree, just because I wanted to see the site of the pool that was featured in the 1965 Freedom Ride protest. It is now a huge complex with indoor/outdoor artesian pools and children’s play areas. I didn’t see any obvious references to the issues that faced our indigenous community and felt quite sad at what they had to endure. We stopped for lunch at the Royal Hotel and were gob smacked by the size of the serves.
Lightening Ridge
Lightening Ridge has a much calmer feel than Coober Pedy. The Opal caravan park is very big, with generous sites, several camp kitchens, nightly entertainment, (which can get on your nerves if you are there a few nights), and a small but adequate pool attached to one of the outdoor kitchens. Amenities are immaculate and the staff friendly.
The Artesian bore pool is only a short walk down the road. The water is seriously hot. I could barely put my feet in, there was no way I could put my whole body in. I don’t know how people sit in it, but it was very peaceful sitting on the edge and looking at the little bubbles and the colour. We were lucky that there were very few people around.
We felt very relaxed at Lightening Ridge Opal Park. Although it is very popular and quite busy, no one is in your face. There is a pit fire set in the centre of a lush patch of grass that is watered daily. Each evening as sun sets it is lit, and people sit around with a drink to chat and share stories. There was music in the pavilion and several couples danced each evening, but by 9pm the music stopped, silence fell over the park, and everyone drifted away. It was quite funny, but the silence was golden indeed and we had a good night’s sleep every evening.
The Lightening Ridge Market is not really brilliant. One row of overpriced dusty opals and one row of assorted stalls. It was really just a five minute walk through without being tempted to purchase anything.
There are several well marked drives from Lightening Ridge that help you discover what the area is all about. We followed the Red Door Drive which is short and close, just out of town. Red car doors guide you through dusty unmade roads which wind around miners claims. It is interesting to see how they live. The accommodation is temporary and basic. Lots of old caravans and shacks, but it has a residential feel regardless of the dust and dried up bushes and trees that are almost the same colour as the white soil.
Amigo’s Castle is well worth stopping and paying the $5 entry fee to hear the story of its creator and see the construction which was hand built and unfortunately may never be completed.
Back at the campsites, beer o’clock starts early. Sitting in the shade of the awnings, retired couples sip from stubby holders and gaze into the distance. Not much talking goes on, but everyone looks content. It doesn’t take long for us to fall into their patterns. But at 4.30 on the dot, the peace is broken by Mel and Sue, the evening entertainment. Microphones ensure we can hear every word from our campsite, whether we wish to or not… An hour of ‘Aussie’ humour from this comedy duo keeps the old people cackling in the pavilion, by day three I am quoting verbatim most of their show. It set my teeth on edge. It’s a great park but the raucous laughter shattered my tranquillity.
After the evening entertainment was over however, sitting around the camp fire at night was a friendly affair. Tales of travels, van comparisons, home town descriptions, and what what we had seen on road trips was shared and commented on with good humour. We were lucky to score a jolly bunch with interesting back grounds, and all were embracing of each other’s differences.
After an enjoyable stay in Lightening Ridge, we headed off, taking the bumpy road between Lightening Ridge and Walgett. We stopped at Gunnedah for coffee and wee at McDonalds, which was actually very clean and not horrible at all, then on to Narrabri for lunch at Watson’s Bakery. Very good cakes and reasonably priced freshly made sandwiches.
It was very dry country until we got close to Mt Kaputar, and then everything greened up and was quite pretty. Colourful cows contentedly grazed in verdant paddocks, so different to the parched land leading up to this beautiful area.
We stayed overnight at Big4 Paradise Tourist Park, Tamworth. I wanted to stay longer but unfortunately time was against us. This trip was a bit unplanned and rather too much driving. The camp kitchen is huge and comfortable. A nice indoor fire is lit for the cool evenings, with plenty of tables and chairs, comfy couches and the BBQ’s extend along the pool with outdoor seating and enclosed playground. A small stage with a grassy clear area must be wonderful for music on summer evenings. One would expect as much in Tamworth! This park is also walking distance from a supermarket. A great location for the music festival.
Take the time to drive, or walk if you are fit, to the lookout over Tamworth. We watched the sun go down and the lights go on. Lovely.
Tamworth from the top!
Crossing back over the great divide to Port Stephens we chose to follow secondary roads instead of the highway, so we had a pretty drive with very little traffic through places like Niangala. Pine forests are plentiful and it is extremely green. We chucked a right turn on to Thunderbolts Way, an intriguing name and were not disappointed. We hit altitudes over 1300 metres. My ears were popping. I had a cold, and felt pain. One part of the road was 6km’s of steep descent, the brakes were red hot and smelled fried by the time we levelled out again. This is not a road for McVansion’s. Small tows only. I recommend giving this road a go, it is amazing and worth the panic on the steep bits. There are some incredible views and fun driving for those who want to ‘drive’.
Karuah is a small town with a pretty, but rickety jetty that had me worried I would fall through, but so enticing I kept going back for another walk. An area ideal for boating and fishing, and there are plenty of oysters in these waters. A local co-op sells shucked and unshucked, as well as fresh local prawns. Not cheap, but fresh.
The caravan park is well equipped for families and has permanent cabins. The rental cabins are clean and modern, camp sites are nice and grassy. There is also a coffee cart that opens in the mornings. The park was full of nomads in large vans set up for long stays, good for people who want to hop in a tinny and go fishing.
This is not a swimming part of the coast. The enclosed swimming area in town is a bit too yucky in my opinion. Bird life is full on, noisy and constant. The mangroves are pretty but the boardwalk is falling apart and blocked for walking towards the end of it.
Really beautiful sunsets.
We had a good rest at karuah and didn’t do much. The op shop in town has heaps of very cheap books at fifty cents each of you buy an armful. Perfect for a chilling out. We had dinner at the local RSL. Lot’s of Chinese food on the menu which I found surprising.
Just as we started to absorb the tranquillity, time began to run out and we had to head south. It has become a bit of a ritual to stop at Wollongong for lunch whenever we are in the vicinity, me being a child of the area, and we decided to do the Sea Cliff drive and enjoy a bit of scenery. Getting through the outer Sydney suburbs traffic however, was horrific and nerve wracking, but the coastal road is worth going through the torture as it is really pretty, curving through lovely towns perched on the hillsides overlooking the sea.
Lunch was at Steamers, overlooking Main Beach. We stop at this venue each time we pass through and I don’t think it has had the same name twice in a row, but the food and beer/wine has never let us down. Love a shared nibbles lunch. And the view is good over a long relaxed lunch. Ask for a window seat, or sit on the terrace if the weather is warm enough.
Next stop was Huskisson, a favourite town we have often stayed in, and I am pleased to report it is still lovely. The walk into town is well lit at night and the book swap shelf is still outside the bookstore. I love this. The bottle shop staff are friendly and enjoy a chat about craft beers. I have covered Huskisson in a previous blog so please go and check it out. We stayed at Huskisson Beach caravan park. Good grassy sites. They are in the process of renovating the amenities (August 2019) and check out these ironing tables in the laundry!! The beaches and waterways are truly beautiful.
We stopped in Narooma for a lunch stop. I have always loved the beautiful waterways and the colours are amazing, however, I was shocked to feel the shabbiness that seems to be taking hold of the town. I don’t remember it being like this a few years ago. The caravan park in the Main street right on the water looked uncared for, and we walked into three bakeries looking for freshly made sandwiches and couldn’t find any. They had all been made in the morning and wrapped in plastic film and my request for fresh sandwiches was actually met with puckered face responses. I had wonderful memories of a previous trip with my sister, (you can see in one of my earlier blogs) and was so disappointed. We purchased two awful pies and headed out of town, disappointed that we couldn’t even find a public spot to sit and enjoy lunch. The pies were seriously the worst I have ever eaten. Gluggy pastry, tasteless gluey meat. A waste of calories!
A cold front had hit and it was freezing in Narooma, so back on the road to try and out run it. We were happy to find the wonderful Heritage bakery in Milton on the way to Merimbula and stopped for a coffee and delicious pasty and cake. Oh my, soooo yummm. And the sun shone!
Merimbula’s pristine waterways are as beautiful as I remembered. We hadn’t been here for years, and I was chuffed to see the clarity of the water. We set up at Tween Waters Big4. The park is a little dated in the amenities, but spacious and quiet out of season. Hubby enjoyed the low flying planes coming and going from the airport. We arrived in time for a glorious sunset and dinner!
Arriving late and tired, we decided on dinner at the RSL which is very large but filled quickly on a Saturday night. Book, or get there early! By 6.30 every table was full. We got there just before 6 o’clock and got one of the few tables left. I saw others in line behind us turned away. The servings are huge. Neither of us could finish our meals. Wine was also large serves and very reasonably priced. Needless to say, I can understand why it is so popular. The staff were friendly and extremely efficient. This is a well oiled machine! It is however a bit noisy, with raffles being constantly called over the top of chatting diners. It would be nice to remove the gambling from the eating areas. Big TV screens keep rolling and were somewhat irritating. But it’s a good feed, although an eat and get out quick scenario unless you are partial to a gamble.
The next morning, we were assaulted by the local birds during breakfast. They knew no fear.
Merimbula to Melbourne was a long and boring drive and back to the cold weather…
Totally amazing at low and high tide. Andersons Inlet.
I had heard about Inverloch for years, but never ventured to this incredible place. After one visit to Andersons Inlet, I was hooked and it is now a regular place for time out. Even more so, for being an easy drive and reasonably close to Melbourne.
The first time I checked out Inverloch/Andersons Inlet, we stayed at the Big 4 caravan park. Now, while this is a great park for families with young kids due to the amazing water park, it was a bit noisy and crowded for us middle aged empty nesters, so we stay at the foreshore caravan park, run by the Big 4 office, but much quieter, with new amenities. Beach access is easy from this area. And the grassy sites are beautiful.
I love this water wonderland. The low tides allow for miles and miles, (or kilometres for the young people) of walking. In the heat of summer, at low tide groups of people lounge in shallow pools between sandbars in bath water warm clear water. High tide means easy swimming. The sand is clean, no rocks and very little seaweed. You really have to see for yourself. This is a great environment for all ages.
I have been told by locals and regular visitors the pier is used for jumping in to the sea at high tide, and that there are heaps of sting rays reside below. I don’t think I could be persuaded to fling myself in…
High tide at the pier can be a little scary.
Townsend Bluff estuary walk is an easy stroll. So beautiful. We did the walk along the path and then hit the beach for the return.
Take a moment to stop on the bridge and look in the water. We saw jelly fish in the seaweed and spent ages watching them.
The massive expanse of sand at low tide had billions of little crabs scuttling about and there is no shortage of birdlife in the area.
Dotted along the beach, everyday there were new drift wood constructions appearing. So cute.
Bakery Bliss! Paul the Pieman had really good bakery products. I walked into town everyday, and came back with a bag of yummy cakes, bread or pastries. Not good for weight loss, but it sure put a smile on our faces. And the IGA had ridiculously good homemade salads.
I can’t help myself. I love taking photos of stairs.
Low tides are amazing.
Beautiful sunrise.
And incredible sun sets.
Patterns in the sand. It really is a stunning place. I love patterns.
Only 13km’s away, Cape Paterson offers a great walk with rock pools and incredible rock formations. Well worth a day trip, and there a few stops along the way with viewing platforms. Get out and have a look. It’s worth it. Some of the views are as impressive as the Great Ocean Road.
Rock Pool at Cape Paterson
Walking along the coastline Cape Paterson. Wear good shoes as the rocks are really sharp.
Scary!
From Venus Bay you can access Andersons Inlet from the opposite side. A short pretty walk takes you to the waters edge, which is more a fishing area than swimming. The coastal flora was blooming and beautiful and strangely we saw a fig tree on the path.
I love the unexpected. Driving on long road trips we often look for the unexpected. Australia is full of BIG things, and ‘things’ in unusual locations. I intend to add to this blog as I stumble across things that make me squeal. BIG things are my favourites, but the quirky finds make me happy!
Ned Kelly, Glenrowan
Man about town Ned Kelly.
The Thong Tree, Echuca.
Aussie Skeleton
On the roadside between Robe and Kingston is SA.
The Giant Koala.
Situated in Dadswell Bridge, between Stawell and Horsham is It is 14 metres tall.
The Big Mango
The Big Mango stands 10 metres high. It is located at the Visitor Information Centre, Bruce Highway, just a little south of Bowen. It’s quite a good ‘Big Thing’. Nice colours.
The Giant Galah
Kimba is the home of The Giant Galah. Standing eight metres high, it lies half way across Australia between Melbourne and Perth on the Eyre Highway. I can’t find any reason why Kimba has a BIG Galah, but who cares. It is there.
Cocklebiddy Roadhouse
Cocklebiddy is a roadhouse on the Eyre Highway. This is an iconic sign that makes everyone smile after a long drive. Great place to stop. Meals are huge, home cooked and delicious.
The CD Tree
Still on the Eyre Highway, the CD tree. Glittering enticingly, I couldn’t go past without stopping for a photo
The Big Murray Cod
The Big Murray Cod in Tocumwal, New South Wales, is one of the earliest big things in Australia. Installed in 1968 Goodoo is the Aboriginal name.
Euroa Ladies Lavatories
Euroa service centre boasts these lovely doors in the ladies toilets.
The Giant Trout
Odd of my favourites. The 10 metre high giant trout in Adaminaby is located 51 kilometres northwest of Cooma, in the Snowy Mountains.
Holbrook Submarine
Holbrook is situated between Melbourne and Sydney on the Hume Highway.It is the home to the decommissioned Australian submarine HMAS Otway. It is BIG, but only because it has been restored in it’s actual size. Strange thing to find in country NSW!
The BIG Merino
The Big Merino is concrete merino ram standing 15.2 metres tall. Situated in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia. It has been nicknamed “Rambo” by the locals. It is a symbol of Goulburn as ‘the Fine Wool Capital of the World’.
The Big Golden Guitar.
On the southern approach to Tamworth, Australia’s home of country music is the Big Golden Guitar. The Big Golden Guitar was unveiled by Australia’s “King of Country Music” Slim Dusty in 1988. It is one of the most visited and photographed sites in Australia. I took my turn in the queue.
The Big Orange, Berri South Australia.
The BIG Orange is 15 metres high, has a diameter of 12 metres and is the biggest of the BIG fruit in Australia.
The Big Lobster, Kingston South Australia.
Looking very fierce, the BIG lobster was built in 1979 and is known locally as Larry the Lobster. It stands 17 metres tall.
The Big Prawn
The Big Prawn is in Ballina near Bunnings. It used to perch on the roof of a bait shop, but now contends with passing traffic in and out of a car park. A great example of Aussie Big Things, i think it deserves a better place to reside.
King Neptune – Two Rocks Western Australia. A ten metre tall King Neptune was hard to photograph as he is enclosed by a wire fence and hidden by overgrown shrubbery and debris. The Atlantis Marine Park constructed in 1981 lies in ruins around him, with other ocean-themed sculptures lurking in various parts of the seafront.
The Big Beach Chair – Lancelin Western Australia. Standing 2 metres high the big beach chair can’t be missed at the junction of Gingin Road and Walker Avenue.
THE SHOE FENCE PRINCESS HIGHWAY NEAR PORTLAND. We saw this on a recent trip to Cape Bridgewater and had to stop for a photo. The photo didn’t take in the entire length of the fence but it went on for some distance. I snapped and jumped back in the car as the smell was pretty gruesome.
Winter is the time for slow cooking. Bowls of rich tender pull apart meat is one of my family favourite’s. The cooked down veggies add a lusciousness that has you wiping up the bowl in delight with yummy crusty bread.
Ingredients:
Beef cut of your choice 1 kg cut in 2/3 cm cubes
olive oil
1/2 onion diced
Carrots 2 Medium chopped into 1 cm bits
Garlic 2 cloves minced
Rosemary dried 1 teaspoon
Thyme dried 1 teaspoon
Paprika 2 teaspoons
Passata 1/2 cup
Tomatoes diced 1 cup (or 1 can)
Beef stock 1 cup
Red wine 1/2 cup
Lemon zest of 1 lemon
1/2 Red capsicum diced
1/2 medium Zucchini diced
1/2 medium eggplant diced
1 cup of mushrooms cut into thick slices – don’t go too thin on these
Method:
Diced all of the veggies, cut up meat, and have everything ready to go.
Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil into a heavy based lidded pot. Heat it and toss the beef until lightly browned then tip it out into a bowl.
Put another tablespoon of oil in the pot and stir in the onion, garlic and carrots until nicely coated. Add all of the veggies except the mushrooms and stir well. If you get any sticking issues add a splash of the beef stock to loosen it up.
Add the Thyme, Rosemary and Paprika. Stir well and put in the meat and juices that would have collected in the bowl.
Add the lemon zest and stir in, followed by wine, tomatoes, passata and stock. Stir well. When it starts to bubble, turn it right down to a gentle simmer, bang on the lid and let it cook for two/three hours. At two hours taste it. The length of time it takes to cook will depend on the cut of meat you choose to use. If it is still chewy, give it the extra time. You can add a splash of stock if it starts to stick.
Just before it is ready, toss in the mushrooms. They will only need a few minutes.
In March we finally headed to Beachport SA. After a full day’s drive, once over the border we finally feel like we have left Melbourne behind and a new adventure begins. We drove along the Glenelg Highway, quite a nice drive that passes the majestic Gariwerd (Grampians), and through interesting little towns like Linton and Skiption, towns which although look defeated as they slowly decline, show an exciting potential should the future provide opportunity for a rebirth as road stops with fooderies and knick knack shops.
We stopped at Hamilton for a late lunch and the familiar Kings Bakery who offer friendly service, freshly made sandwiches and of course, i had to try the vanilla slice…half of one actually.
On reaching Beachport we were happy to have gained half an hour as we were running a little late. We checked into the Southern Ocean caravan park. Staff were extremely friendly and although a little dated, the amenities were clean. Good size grassy sites are protected from the howling winds that often buffet the coastline. Super quiet too. No road noises. We will stay here again. Easy walk into town.
This park boasts an incredibly fine camp kitchen. Large, light filled, big outdoor area and a pizza oven!
We set up quickly and went for a walk to check out the town and the waterfront before sunset. It is a very pretty town with a small but adequate shopping strip and looooong beach walks. I was super excited. It is an exceptionally beautiful coastline with crystal clear water. The 700 odd metre jetty added to my joy. A sheltered boat ramp for those wanting to throw in a line and miles of white sand with clean water made my introduction to Beachport joyful and as the sun set in a glorious show of colour we happily tucked in for dinner and an early night, ready for a week of exploring.
The main street of Beachport has a cute cinema, telephone box book swap and a bakery and cafes close to the waterfront.
So much beautiful water. The pictures say more than words ever could.
Day two we explored the nearby surrounds. The Pool of Siloam is heralded to have therapeutic properties due to it’s heavy salt content, but it didn’t entice us to go in for a swim. It was a bit murky and manky.
The coastline north just out of Beachport offers beautiful views of rocky outcrops and rock pools. Get out of the car and walk if you are able. You will miss out on so much beauty if you don’t.
Lake George is a salt lake that is dotted with thousands of black swans. The drive around the lake is really 4WD only as it is quite rocky, sandy and at times wet. We had fun but didn’t get to the end as time was short. We will do this again next time we are out this way as the lake was spectacular and the swans an incredible sight. I wish i had a good zoom. This was the best i could do with my phone.
Lake George from the other side was accessible by foot and 4WD. We had a quick look at the Woakwine cutting, a crazy engineering feat that i am not sure was such a brilliant idea, and then drove onto the lake for a walk. Don’t get too close to the edges! As it gets wetter the salty sand is very sticky. My shoes needed a wash and dry afterwards. I have a good husband.
Southend, about half an hour south of Beachport has very well marked walks and a cute book swap outside the CFA. The views are spectacular. Isolated coves with crystal clear waters. Truly lovely and quite easy walks.
Beachport sunsets are pretty impressive.
Sadly it was only a short five day stay. I could easily have stayed a month and explored in greater detail. The walks were so good i wanted to do them all again. But we had to head back to work and decided to take a long slow drive, heading home via Penola for morning tea.
I have a passion for tiled amenities and this one didn’t let me down.
Penola has a cute street and a little park with seats and benches. The surly woman serving us as Windara Bakery put a slight dampener on our experience but we took our vanilla slices and coffee into the park and enjoyed the greenery and sunlight.
Next we stopped at Casterton the home of the Kelpie, for a wee and leg stretch. Take time to stop and have a walk up and down the main street. The once prosperous town has some beautiful shops, unfortunately most of them are vacant, with hand written signs apologising for closing due to lack of business. They have a feel of waiting forlornly to be restored to their former beauty and filled for passing tourist trade. Truly sad. I wish i had seen the street at its best with all the stores brimming.
simplethingstraveller 