Saratoga

I love the name of this place which lies across Brisbane Water from our Point Clare unit.

We had a smooth run down the Pacific Hwy from Port but 330K is still a distance so I am happily winding down now.

A two night stay at this place called Waterhouse.

Joined by some locals.

And Troubles, the pelican, who drops in nightly.

Which it soon was.

Oh!!!!!

Location:Steyne Rd,Saratoga,Australia

Catching up with a friend

Thought I'd start this post before the day starts, so to speak. Brilliant sunny day outside. Traffic noise is the only drawback with this position. We will investigate Northpoint next visit.

We're off to Kempsey to visit a school friend who moved closer to family. Ian teaches in Port but lives in a new home outside of Kempsey.
I'll add some pictures.



Back after dinner (All you can eat at Port Bowlo, $15) and the end of a good day. Movie selection is typically dire.
Ian drove us to South West Rocks where we climbed a hill to a memorial to some German internees from WW1. We then visited Trial Bay Gaol, rarely used due to its distance from Sydney but it came in handy during WW1.
I have some photos of Ian's lovely new house on the iPhone which shall have to wait until I return home.



Lovely features throughout Ian's new home. Tess was jealous.


Ian will have quite an orchard in a few years and luckily has green thumbs.

Location:Kempsey, NSW

There and Back Again

Or, The Long and Winding Road, as Tess suggested.



Believe it or not, today was the reason we headed north in the first place - the Wauchope to Walcha road, a 160k twisty mountain road from a timber town near the NSW North Coast to a wintery country town on the crossroads of the Oxley Hwy to Armidale in the New England and Thunderbolt's Way to Gloucester in the south.


I wanted to see whether the BMW was as enjoyable as a bike on the road. We set off around 9pm and the GPS was pretty correct in estimating a travel time of 3 hours for a mere 160k. The road is well graded, quiet and the country is beautiful.


We arrived at Walcha around midday and I hopped out to check out the facilities and the information office. Tess stayed in the car - possibly due to the 4C temperature! Walcha is a centre of sculpture. We saved the rest for later but much of it is on display around town - our photos do not do it justice.


We could head home north via Armidale and Coffs Harbour or south via Gloucester and Taree ..... or back on the same road. Which is the way we chose, stopping at the spectacular Aspley Falls on our return.





After the long morning drive and battling a cold, I discovered that this was not a road to drive drowsily - stopping before a disaster - and leaving the car and myself in the safe hands of Tess .... or so I thought.
Old lead foot managed to reduce the arrival time by 30 minutes during her drive. Tess said later that I had made her feel like she was on a roller coaster so I have to admit that perhaps it was the road. Going back the way we came was no hardship - we both saw it like new.


The car handled the long drive well and we refueled at the Port Macquarie Hotel on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Great day.

Location:Walcha, NSW

Kelman Winery to Port Macquarie

Pepper-tree Wines in the Hunter is one of our favourite stops.
Our first night in The Observatory Hotel, Port Macquarie. Spacious room with large balcony with louvres to keep out the Wintery air and road noise. Enjoying the sound of the ocean at present after fish and chips from Scampi - hotel eatery - and an unexpected treat, a visit to the Observatory.
Located in the park across the road from our hotel, this amateur operated observatory only has a 12 inch Meade on a trapezoidal (????) mount but entertained a good crowd of holiday makers tonight and we looked at craters on a pretty full moon and then saw Saturn's rings clearly, if small and in B&W.
They celebrate their 50th birthday this year and I had a good chat to the 80+ year old founder.
Tomorrow, we drive from here to Wauchope and then wind our way to Walcha and then return.
It's also the first night of Le Tour but I'm off to bed!

Location:Port Macquarie