Gidday all,

Little bit long time we have had no phone service. But we have for a little bit now.

After Echuca we decided to head straight to our friend Deb a little east of Loxton in S.A. So off we went, crossed the border at Pinnaroo, then north to Taplin and Deb.

Spent a few days there, the temps were up in the 40s.again, Deb had to go south to her brothers so we all loaded into the truck and took off.

Camped overnight at a place called Cockatoo lake, a camp area next to the lake, a nice spot. One firepit there was full of freshwater yabby shells, they were huge. Through in a pot but came up empty, noticed a huge hole in the pot the next day. No wonder we didn’t catch anything.

Then off to Mannum and Debs brother. Beautiful little town on the Murray. Crossing the river by ferry, the old paddle boats moored along the banks. Spent a couple of days there then back up north to Taplin.

On the way back stopped again on the Murray and camped the night. Hope the temp is cooler back at Taplin.

Gidday all,

 

Left our friend at Seymour to rest up for a few days, then continue his trip northward. We headed northwest into the Whroo state forest, found a campground and pulled up. They found gold around that area in the 1800s and the remains of a mine was not far from the campground, complete with tunnels and shafts, all caged off of course.

 

 

 

 

 

Onward north on small back roads through pretty Eucalyptus forests, then across dairy farm fields we found our way to Echuca at the N.S.W. boarder on the mighty Murray River. After a look around town, we headed west along the Murray and found a secluded spot by the river to camp.

The water looks muddy as usual, and a bit low, but a pleasant spot. River houseboats cruise up and down and powerboats pulling skiers zip past now and again, not too annoying, entertaining really.

 

        Will sit here for a bit and work out our westward track.

Gidday all,

 

  A week or so of socializing with friends. First in Wonthaggi, where we parted ways with the duck. He was a bit reluctant to leave us and I think we will miss him, had become part of our family really.

I think he was enjoying the attention he was getting, telling stories of his travels. Hope he can settle back into city life.

Good to catch up with friends, but time to move on. Our other friend from Tassie floated over to Melbourne while we were in the area so contact was made and about 80ks north of Melbourne we met up.

Spent a night at a rest area on the Hume hwy. Very busy road, never stops. Then moved to a nice spot on the river at Seymour, so peaceful in comparison. Again, nice to catch up.

Well, now to decide on a route to take over to S.A. border, up in the corner of Victoria. May go across to the MURRAY SUNSET NATIONAL PARK, where we came down through last time. Will go through the top part this time. Sounds like a plan so far.

A bit busy for pics lately, so a tribute to the duck

                  see you next time we are in town old mate.

Gidday all,

Along the south coast of Victoria we went along the Princess Hyway, ducking off to the beaches where we could.

Skirted along the coastline to Marlo where the Snowy River meets the sea. Followed the river back towards the hyway and camped on its banks.

 

 

Called into Lakes Entrance and had a look. Very pretty town with the fishing boats moored along one side of the main street.

 

 

 

 

Next stop Wilsons Promontory, stunning views on the road in and a massive campground at Tidal River. Drove around the campground deciding whether to pay for a couple of days stay when we came across a shower block with hot showers. Pulled up,  got out the shower gear, and had a well deserved shower. Got back into the truck and decided it was too crowded there and anyway we had had our shower, so we moved on.

 

 

 

 

 

Out to Cape Liptrap, where there is a little campground and no one about. Had it all to ourselves. Set up camp and stayed for two days, enjoyed the small beach and the solitude.

Only 60 or so ks to Wonthaggi, where we meet up with out friends and deposit the duck back home where we kidnapped him from some sixteen months before. What a tale he will have to tell.

 

 

 

Gidday all,

Went beach hopping all down the coast from Bermagui to Eden. Down dusty National parks and forestry tracks out to the coast.

Out to Camel Rock, near Bermagui, brought back fond memories of our camel trek for the duck, then into town for fish and chips on the pier.

As we were leaving a boat came in and they hoisted up their catch, a large marlin by the looks.

Through Mimosa Rocks National Park and on to Merimbula, where we pulled up at the point and watched as some were fishing on the rocks. Was an overcast and rather cool day, which was a nice change. With a stroke of luck, one of them caught a good size fish.

Continuing south we went into Ben Boyd National Park and explored the coastline. Coming back to the Hwy over winding corrugated roads. Had just turned onto the bitumen and got up to about 50 kph and a loud clattering and shaking came from under the truck. Slowly pulling to the side and stopping on the narrow edge I got out to inspect, thinking a tyre had blown. I was greeted with the tie rod, which holds the front wheels together for steering purposes, had dropped off on one side due to the ball joint falling apart.

After a while wondering what to do I decided to bash it back together and tie it up with wire to get the show back on the road as we couldn’t  stay there. While under the truck I noticed, of course, the inside dual wheel at the back was flat. About one k up the road going slow with hazard lights on we came to a side road with a large clear area so pulled up for the day and changed the tyre.

Eden was just three ks down the road. With a bit of searching on the internet I found an auto parts shop which dealt in truck parts, so next day after a bit more shoring up of the ball joint we limped into town and camped up over the road from the parts shop. It took three days for the parts to arrive and only a couple of hours to fit them. Lucky it’s a relatively easy job to do. It could have been much worse.

With a complete check of the undercarriage of the truck we were off again.

Went out to Davidson whaling station, south of Eden, the last of the whaling stations that operated on the mainland.

 Crossing the Victoria border and out to Mallacoota. On the wharf there Din recognised a shelter where she had left her fishing rod some thirty years before, and would you know it, it was gone. Can’t leave anything lying about now days.

 

So we have turned the corner now and are heading west along the Vic coast. So much cooler, almost cold.

Gidday all,

Congo beach camp was lovely, long walks on the beach, exploring the river bank on the other side and relaxing afternoons. Sharing the area were, sand goannas, wallabies, sooty oystercatchers and cormorants on the beach.

Spent nine days there, the last day the temp outside got up to 45😎. With all windows and doors open and fans at full blast we got the temp down to 40 inside. The next day was expected to be cooler but we decided to move on.

Down the coast, after stocking up in Moruya and filling up with water. Came to a side road into the Eurobodalla National Park leading to Brou Lake, a saltwater lake next to a beach. Camped amongst the spotted gums and the Burrawang palms, a magical spot. During the night Din woke to a sound on the steps, I shone the torch on a possum making his way up the steps. He quickly made off when told to. The door was promptly shut.

Only spent one day there then on to Narooma and another dirt track out to Loader beach. Set up camp next to the beach, only one other camp a long way off. Went to bed with everything open again. During the night Din woke again hearing a sound. This time a possum was sitting on the end of the bed, but with a mouth full of swear words and a sucker jab in the ribs both the possum and I sat up wondering what was going on. He took off out the door and I grabbed the torch.

Needless to say there has been a new rule dictated and will be enforced, to keep the door firmly shut at bedtime. Or I’m a lonely boy…

Gidday all,

From Kangaroo valley we headed toward the coast again. Through Nowra, stopping for some groceries and top up with fuel. The crowds are thinning out now, we called into Batemans Bay and found a secluded little bay with no one about so camped by the beach for the day and night. Some people came through the day but took no notice of us and we had a nice cool night by the sea.

 

 

 

Off again in the morning, down the coast a bit saw a nice spot by a river and over the road from an airfield. Set up camp on the riverbank and spent the next few days there. Sea planes landing on the river and skydiving over the road, was an interesting few days. On the last day a ranger came and told us we could only stay there for one night, but he said another bloke was on duty the next day so we could get away with another day or so if we kept the site clean of rubbish, which we told him we always did anyway.

On again and into Moruya, a town just down the road. The quarry where they got all the stone for the Sydney harbour bridge pylons is just down the road. Filled up with water and a pie for smoko then to the local swimming pool as a man we met at camp told us they had hot showers and for the small cost of admission to the pool we got a lovely, refreshing shower.

Off up a small dirt track just outside town, we ended up next to the mouth of a local creek and right next to the beach. Congo beach camp, have been here for the last week, no one about, though being the weekend now a few others have set up camp a little way off. Hope they leave by Monday. Will stay a few more days then go top up with water and anything else getting low and back on our way south. Will have to turn right soon, getting near the bottom.

Gidday all,

Kangaroo Valley campground, a large area along the banks of the Kangaroo River in the hills west of Kiama NSW. A lovely spot, still a lot of campers about, but we found a spot up the back corner away from them all.

First night we settled down in bed and felt a strange sensation of the truck rocking, Din wasn’t being amorous, so I quietly went outside to investigate. There at the back was a large wombat busily scratching his back on our towbar. We looked about in the morning and found a burrow about ten metres away. Over the next three days he was a nightly visitor having a scratch at the same time each night. On the last morning we were there I found a wombat turd neatly sitting inside my croc shoes at the bottom of the steps. Lucky I looked before I slipped them on.

Our last day there was 43 degrees, and they were expecting the same for the next few days, time to get back to the coast. The sea breezes and slightly cooler temps make the crowds bearable.

We will miss our gentle rocking to sleep though, and our wombat will miss his back scratcher I’m sure.

 

Gidday all,

Moving on from Golden hole we hugged the coast south. Skirted round Coffs Harbour and back to the coast. The holiday crowds were still about, so except for a lonely spot we found or a reststop , we didn’t linger.

Through Port Macquarie and around Newcastle we were getting close to Sydney. Headed toward Singleton and a smaller road through a couple of National parks to get on a freeway around western Sydney.

Stopped at a nice camp spot by a river in Broke, spent a couple of days there, but the temps were in the 40s and the heatwave was expected to last till the end of the week. Met a nice lady there and chatted about Tassie, she was on her way there, made us think about heading there immediately ourselves. We left home looking for cooler weather but it’s hotter down here at the moment.

Decided to head back to the coast after Sydney. Din rang an old friend from Mackay who was living at the edge of the Royal National Park on the edge of Sydney, just across the bay from Cronulla, he was home, so we skirted round Sydney and found his house and stayed a night and caught up on the 20 or so years since we last met.

 

Hugging the coast again, south we went. Between Sydney and Wollongong was Bald hill, a spot on the coastal cliffs where they hang glide and parasail off the cliffs. Had to stop and check out the action. Beautiful area and stunning views.

Might head inland just a bit today to a camp at Kangaroo valley. The temps have returned to a bearable level. The coast is still full of holidaymakers, school starts in a couple of weeks so it may calm down then.

Gidday all,

Christmas and new year have come and gone for another year, it was a quiet time for us, just how we like it.

 Travelling down the coast was full of traffic and impatient drivers. After crossing into NSW it seemed to get worse. Camping in crowded rest areas, big and small was getting to be no fun. We are used to the inland freedom of open countryside and few restrictions on where you can set up camp and be alone.

As soon as we could we left the freeways and took to the small coast roads past Ballina and Evans Head. Down near Yamba we took to the forestry roads through the National parks. Beautifull country inching around the rocky ridgetops then dropping down to the coastline and exploring the various beach campsites in the National parks. Because it was close to Christmas all the campsites were packed out. With a mental note to come back at a less busy time of year we wandered back to the ridgetops and found a spot to hideout.

So was the pattern on our way past Coffs Harbour and Nambucca Heads and on south. Came to a place called Stuarts Point and a sandy track following a powerline which looked interesting so we followed it till we found a small clearing off the track and set up camp. This was our Christmas camp.

The next few days were quiet except for some 4x4s going down the track, three of which got bogged in the soft sand of the track just outside our camp and sought us out for help. The last of these were a young fellow and his mum going fishing up the end. After they got free we chatted and were invited to visit on our way out. After New years we called into our new friends and visited, they told us of a nice area called golden hole at the end of the powerline track which would be a good camp and good fishing too. So we left to check it out, after agreeing to come the next day to help erect a garden shed which had been waiting, lying on the ground for some time.

So here we sit at golden hole, a lovely spot, waiting for the crowds on the roads to dissipate before we move on.