Nundle

We camped at Swamp Creek Reserve near Nundle which is a delightful little spot beside the creek in the fossicking area.
I really enjoyed our few days here, its a quiet little village in what used to be a busy gold mining area in the late 1800's so has lots of history and old buildings.

over the couple of days we were here we went scenic driving to Hanging Rock and had a look at Ponderosa Park and Sheba Dam Camping areas they are both nice but a long way from town. We definitely picked the best spot.

We had a picnic lunch at Sheba Dam then drove to Arc-Ciel Trout Farm what a disappointment, the fanciest part of the place is its name. I had planned to shout Fred afternoon tea for Fathers Day but we brought some fresh trout for tomorrows dinner instead as the coffee shop looked very unappetising.

We stopped off in town to do the hertitage walk but it was very short and not much to see.

Next Day

Fred did some fossicking this morning while I went back into Nundle to go the the Wool Factory unfortunately the mill wasn't working today but I had a lovely time amongst the wool, could have spent a fortune.

Went for a walk after lunch we followed the creek thru a farm was a lovely ramble with heaps of flowers they were probably weeds but looked lovely there were also lots of trees in flower I'm guessing they were peach trees.

Watagans National Park

We camped in the Olney State Park for a week so we could explore the Watagans National park so will just use excerpts from my diary for this post.

Monday

We went for a nice walk this morning to the Pines Picnic area

which is about 3 kms from our camp site and did the Pines Walk which winds down around Dora Creek and was very pretty.

Tuesday

Was foggy and drizzling with rain when we got up this morning but decided to risk it and go and check out the Watagans National Park. Our first stop was Boarding House Dam,

it was the site of a logging camp in the 1850’s. The only thing left is the dam wall which was built in 1952. There is a really nice walk along Boarding House Creek.

It crosses the creek and winds thru the forest before recrossing the creek where you walk back beside the creek along the most amazing rock wall covered in moss,

it is so straight and even you would think it was man-made instead of by Mother Nature. The walk was really beautiful with lots of fallen trees and rock outcrops covered in Ferns and Lichens in the most beautiful shades of green.

Back in the truck and onward and upward to a series of lookouts where sadly the only thing we could see was fog and rain as the weather had changed from fine drizzle to torrential downpour.

Decided to call it quits and leave the park and head for home, found some covered picnic tables in the park at Cooranbong so stopped and had lunch before getting fuel and fresh bread and returning to the van

Rain had eased off so Fred decided to light the fire and cook a lamb roast but the rain came back with a vengeance and he struggled to get it cooked. He cracks me up sitting huddled over the fire with an umbrella keeping the coals dry.

By dark the rain was torrential again.

Must say I am over the wet need the sun to shine, everything is getting damp and smelly. Ugg. 

Thursday
Poured all day

Friday

Had blue sky this morning so packed a picnic and headed out to explore the Watagans again.

First stop was Gap Creek Falls,

the walk is medium/hard and as with most waterfalls its fairly easy walking down and a hard slog walking back up and to make todays walk even more fun Fred had one of his funny turns and was giddy for most of the walk back so it was a long and at times worrying trudge back to the car but I did find some nice fungi while he was resting.

Thankfully after a coffee and something to eat he felt ok again.

Back in the car and it was onward and upward back to Monkeyface and The Gap Lookouts which are 5 minutes apart and look down opposite sides of a mountain whose name I have forgotten. We were able to see the views today as it was fine. Then on to Heatons Lookout where we stopped for lunch. The views from here were excellent.

By this time the weather had changed again and it was raining once more so we headed for home.

I did all the driving today

Sunday

Drove down to the Basin Picnic and Camping  Area and did the Rock Lily walk.

It was a really nice walk. The first part of the walk was along a ravine with the rockface on one side and with the valley falling away on the other. There were heaps and heaps of rock lilies growing on the rock face.

The walk will be stunning in a few weeks when they are in flower. The walk eventually wound its way out into open forest and it was then an easy walk back to the car.

Home for lunch then Fred lit the fire and we cooked scones for afternoon tea.

Finally had a fine day and a bit warmer I got down to just a skivy instead of the 3 jumpers that I have been wearing.

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Grand Ocean Drive

The Grand Pacific Drive is 140 kms long from Royal National Park near Sydney south to Kiama. 

We of course did it in reverse started at Shellharbour with our first stop being the Port Kembla Lookout which had really good views of the Port Kembla Harbour and Steelworks

and looking south along the coastline to Shellharbour and Kiama.

The next stop was Flagstaff Point and the harbour in Wollongong. This area was very busy with people everywhere and several tour buses parked.

This point is one of only 2 places in Australia to have 2 lighthouses (can't remember where the other one is). There is a small old one and a large modern one.

Back in the car again and continuing north to Thirroul and lunch, from there the next stop was the Sea Cliff Bridge.

The bridge is built around the cliff-face butting out over the ocean. We stopped and walked across the bridge as that is the best way to appreciate the magnificence of the bridge structure,

but oh Lordy I thought I was going to die it was soooo cold and windy, but me being me we persevered and did the walk. The return walk across the bridge is approximately 2.4 kms.

Next stop was the Lawrence Hargraves Lookout where we stopped and watched heaps of Hang Gliders taking off and landing. There were some really tame Rosellas here that were walking around our feet, guessing they get fed titbits from people all the time and are now reliant on us for food.

From the lookout we entered the Royal National Park. Had a look at Garie Beach and Governor Game Lookout and Wattamolla Beach

and then decided to call it a day as it was getting late and it was a long drive back to Shellharbour.

Nan Tien Temple

While in Shellharbour we went for a drive up to Berkeley to visit the Nan Tien Temple.

It is the largest Buddhist Temple in the Southern Hemisphere. It has been built on a hill and is surrounded with beautiful gardens.

We had a lovely afternoon wandering around and came away feeling very calm and free of stress.

Tapin Tops

Another day of scenic driving, started out from Taree

First stop was Wingham and a walk around the Wingham Brush Nature Reserve.

There is a boardwalk that goes thru the forest looking at the trees and listening to the Grey Headed Flying Foxes.

You can imagine how thrilled Fred was at this stop as he detests Flying Foxes and the fact that they are protected, but on the up side there were heaps of Bush Turkeys scratching around and he loves watching them.

Then in was onward to Tapin Tops National Park. First stop Potoroo Picnic Area and a walk along the edge of the creek with a bit of rock hopping to Potoroo Falls

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The waterfall was only a small drop but the pool under the falls would be fabulous to swim in when its hot.
Back to the truck and on to Dingo Tops Picnic and Camping Grounds.

This area used to be a forestry work camp and is really nicely set out and well kept with some really beautiful trees. There are 2 walks here and we chose to do the Red Cedar Walk, it was quite rough and pretty steep in places but had some really nice Fungi. (for those who don't know I am fascinated by Fungi)

After lunch and a well earned coffee it was back on the road and Rowleys Rock lookout but the road was closed and we didn't fancy the long hike in so gave it a miss and headed for the Blue Knob lookout which is a forestry fire tower, the views were stunning.

The roads in the park are all dirt and in places very steep, narrow and some really sharp corners.

We then left the park and made our way to Ellenborough Falls which is the 2nd highest waterfall in Australia. It has a single drop of 200 metres. The walk to the bottom of the falls isn't for the faint hearted, its 641steps to the bottom and then you have to walk back up, but its well worth the effort as the waterfall is stunning and you don't get the full effect from the viewing platform at the top.

We then headed for home. It was a long but very enjoyable day 

Port Macquarie continued

Today was an excellent day.

Spent the day scenic touring. Took the coastal road down the coast to Lake Cathie. Was quite interested to see Lake Cathie as mum and dad almost retired there instead of on the Tweed, was a lovely little spot but I imagine its a lot bigger now than when the oldies retired.

From there it was onward thru Laurieton to Dunbogan (could live here just because of the name) and Kattang Nature Reserve where we did the walk out to Perpendicular Point Lookout.

The walk its very easy and well marked with a few side detours to lookouts out over the cliffs.

When you get to the point you have fantastic views both north back to Port Macquarie and south to Diamond Head.

Lunch and then it was back in the car and on to Dooragan National Park and the lookout on North Brother Mountain. Its a steep winding drive up but well worth the effort as the views are spectacular.

Back in the car and on to Middle Brother National Park. Once you leave the highway its dirt road thru the forest into the Bird Tree Picnic area and a short walk in to a viewing area to see 2 Coastal Blackbutt trees that are 300 years old. The Birdtree is 69 metres high and has a girth of 11 metres the other tree is called Benaroon and is a tidge smaller.  Both were awe inspiring.