A day at Crowdy Bay

 

 

 

Everyone now recoverd and enjoying the beauty of Crowdy Bay National Park (about 30km Nth of Port Macquarie). Basic camping with no drinking water and cold showers, but lots of wildlife and great scenery. Today have been for a bush walk and spotted some large monitors (see photo above), as big as Maia. Walked to Kylie's House (hut shown above), where author Kylie Tennant wrote a couple of books early in the 20th century - we don't know much about her yet, except that she was the local headmaster's wife. Tilly was bitten by an ant. Off to the beach this afternoon - typical of NSW coast beaches with long stretches of nice waves and crystal clear water. Thinking of heading to Sydney next to see in the New Year and avoid the holiday crowds. Looking forward to the Blue Mountains after that.

Arrival at Crowdy Bay

A very tough day of driving. We hadn't realised that all of Sydney migrates to the NSW Nth Coast for summer holidays. Roads heavily congested, and every camp park very full. Looking forward to school holidays being over! The virus that has been passing through the family hit Justin today, making it all the harder. We actually didn't get as far us hoped, and ended up at Crowdy Bay National Park - a really nice spot, but again very busy. Experienced our first episode of camping rage, with a very unreasonable "neighbour" wanting to occupy 2 sites. Settled ourselves, after some moving around, in a very nice spot on the edge of the forest (girls feel like they're sleeping in a tree house). Pia is enjoying the black sand.

Journey to Red Rock

 After cleaning up the huge mess we had made of our friend's great holiday house ( a big thank you to Liam and Tanya Ryan!), we headed south towards Red Rock (on the Nth NSW coast, near Grafton). Drive was about 250km, although we did notice that Maia was asking "are we at Sydney yet?" after half an hour. We borle the journy by stopping at a little river port town called Ulmurra, on the Clarence River. A really great place, with some parks and a pub right on the river. Water was beautiful and warm and kids enjoyed jumping off the wharf. Arrived tonight at Red Rock. We didn't expect much, but have found a great, grassy, well-kept caravan park right on the beach and river. We'll post some photos shortly. First real night in our comapervan - weather is much
cooler so kids are all tucked up under their doonas.

Christmas Day at Pottsville

 Need we say more. Has been a very hot day in Pottsville, with lots and lots of flies. An unusual Christmas day for us, with presents, a trip to the beach, and a beautiful lunch cooked by Lisa - including ham and turkey! Photos show Islie with her new skateboard, Tilly with her new tennis racket, Maia with her ipod touch (!), and Pia with her coloured ball. Continuing on our journey tomorrow!

Just before Christmas

Are we there yet?

Banaglow market

Bangalow market

Sill staying at Pottsville. We have been enjoying the beach, and having a real roof over our head. As you can see in the photos, we visited Bangalow and went to the market - a beautiful town and a great market. The girls did some last minute Christmas shopping for each other.

After a very hectic week with packing up our house in Brisbane, we finally hit the road on Friday 21 st December 2012. Everyone was really, really tired at that point because nearly the whole family had been sick while we were trying to pack up the house. Mum had spent the week lying on the floor of our house vomiting. Can you imagine trying to pack up a house and pack a camper while you were feeling so terrible?
Anyway, we got away from Brisbane at around 5pm and travelled in pouring rain to Pottsville, which is just between Kinscliffe and Byron Bay on the North NSW Coast. Some really generous friends of ours (Imogen's parents) have let us stay at their holiday house until Boxing Day, so we get to have Christmas Day in a house with a proper Christmas tree and presents, instead of being in our camper trailer.
Today has been a great day, with us all relaxing and recovering from the week. We walked into the shops and bought some food and then just went to swim in the beautiful river. We swam backwards and forwards across the river. Isla and Mum cooking dinner out of Jamie's 15 minute meals (taking alot longer than 15 minutes!).

Changing to daylight savings time gives us a good excuse to have a really early night.