Orange – colourful and green!

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

Orange, also known as the Colour City, was in full bloom when we visited. The city sits at an elevation of 865m and has cold winters making it ideal for apple, pear, cherry orchards and grape vines for cold climate wines. It also means that summers are a little milder than most inland cities because of the height.

All this makes for beautiful parks and gardens in the area. At the moment the trees have new leaves and it is amazing the range of greens and reds on display. Roses, rhododendron, lavender and a wide range of flowers I don’t know are in bloom.

It is a great time of the year to be on the road.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged | 6 Comments

Petrol Heads Delight!

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

I have taken over from Kerry for this blog.

A bonanza for a petrol head like me – two motor shows in two days.

We just happened to stay over an extra day in Mudgee and, by chance, found there was a motor show at the showground. There was a great range of motor bikes and cars on display.

There were some old Holden classics.

And some real muscle.

And others!

From here we moved on to Bathurst and we started off by doing a couple of laps around the Mt Panorama circuit.

I had a look around the Motor Racing Museum.

Then to top it off when I went out for another look on Sunday there was a club event going on so I sat and watched the action.

The old EH had a big V8 and was up at the front of the pack – and it was fun to see this guys aggression. What a great day out for a petrol head like me.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Happy Days in Mudgee

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

The historic town of Mudgee is situated on the Cudgegong River and only about three hours from Sydney.

Many of the beautiful old public buildings date back to the 1850’s and although a little dry in the area the gardens are well maintained.

The ornate stencilling in St Mary’s Catholic Church is extensive. The original church commenced around the 1840’s and was been added on to in the 1870’s. The tower is currently being renovated.

Mudgee was the meeting place for us to catch up with our friends from Sydney. There was, of course, plenty of eating, drinking and merriment and we enjoyed our few days together.

Thanks for coming to see us….look forward to seeing you in WA some time soon.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged | 7 Comments

Imagine my surprise!

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

We recently stopped to use the public conveniences, which I must say, were pretty good compared to some we have used along the way.

Imagine my surprise when I stood up, flushed, looked down and then saw these little eyes looking up at me.

Althoug a little shaken up he was unhurt.

What must the poor little frog have thought!!!

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged | 14 Comments

The beautiful Hunter Valley

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

We have arrived in the Hunter Valley and are pleased to see that the vines are shooting – giving that lush green feel to the valley.

Living in Margaret River we are spoiled for quality wines and some pretty impressive cellar doors but have found the Hunter to be just as good.

Many of the cellar door buildings are substantial whilst some are more modest. Here is a sample of just some of the many wineries in the area.

The vines and gardens look beautiful with the mountainous backdrop.

Roses are flowering in the area and these two had a wonderful bouquet as we walked past.

The small historical town of Wollombi has retained its old world charm and heritage. The wooden and sandstone buildings have been well maintained making it a popular tourist attraction (we visited early in the morning – that is why you can’t see any tourists).

Our friend from Italy, Debra, has a wall that looks very similar to this one at their Vergemoli property.

We are spending a couple of days in the area so will let you know how the wines taste soon.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Whale Watching

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

The weather the last couple of days has been so beautiful that we decided to travel a little further down the coast to enjoy the lovely days.

From the lookout over Nelson Bay you get to appreciate just how much water there is in the bay.

We decided to do a whale watching tour and fortunately for us we saw three pods of whales which was very exciting.

On a nearly island a colony of seals relax on the rocks and in the water on this warm sunny day.

Back on land koalas also sun themselves in the national park.

As do the parrots.

The amazingly tall Gymea Lilies flowering is triggered by fire. The stem is approx. 2 metres high and the large flower looks like a bunch of red lilies.

Glad we decided to stay on the coast for an extra couple of days.

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Our last days along the East Coast

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

We are spending our last couple of days on the coast here at Seal Rocks before heading back inland to the Hunter Valley, Mudgee and then making our way home.

The beaches are beautiful.

The view from Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse is never ending.

This little collection has washed up onto the beach.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged | 6 Comments

Beautiful Butterflies

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

One of natures beauties are butterflies and the Butterfly House near Coffs Harbour has many Australian butterflies.

The short life of a butterfly, the average is about 3 weeks, means that the continual cycle of breeding butterflies is an ongoing program.

This caterpillar was happily munching its way to being a pupa before becoming a butterfly.

Up close to a Ulysses

I visited at the same time as a bus load of children making it a little challenging to take photographs but managed to snap these ones.

Orange Lacewing – with its wings open

Orange Lacewing – with its wings closed

Female Orchard Swallowtail

Ulysses

Male Cairns Birdwing

Female Cairns Birdwing

Lemon Migrant

Male & Female Cruiser

Common Crow

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Coast to Coast

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

We have now travelled from coast to coast and have clocked up 8,000 kms in doing so. We are on the Mid North Coast of NSW and are amazed at how many large rivers flow into the Pacific Ocean. The Great Dividing Range is the start of these rivers – we have seen the Bellinger, Kalang, Nambucca, Macleay and Manning – all winding their way down creating beautiful valleys before reaching the ocean.

The coastline is really beautiful with its sometimes ruggered headlands and lovely beaches.

Keen fishermen hope for a good catch on the tides.

Seagulls are ever present. He only threw one chip!

Standing on a granite headland the Smoky Cape Lighthouse near South West Rocks guides ships and boats safely past the area. When we visited we could see whales breaching off in the distance.

It really is a beautiful coast – but I do miss the white sandy beaches of WA.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | 8 Comments

The Waterfall Way

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

The highway over the Great Dividing Range, from Armidale to Urunga, passes through Dorrigo and Bellingen and is called the Waterfall Way as there are many falls along the route.

From Bellingen we have been exploring this scenic area and today we went to see the Skywalk in the Dorrigo Rainforest National Park, Dangar Falls also near Dorrigo and took the scenic drive out to Gleniffer to the north of Bellingen.

The Skywalk boardwalk is 70 metres long and soars 21 metres over the edge of the escarpment and above the rainforest to give a never ending view across the ranges and valleys. Today wasn’t the best but still it was impressive.

It was then on to Dangar Falls, a 30 metre waterfall that cascades down the Bielsdown River. The falls can be viewed from a platform near the carpark but the climb down is worth it.

Travelling around this area with its mountainous backdrop and rolling hills is very nice.

We found a lovely little stream near Gleniffer to have our picnic lunch by. It was very tranquil, the water was very cold but crystal clear.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

It reminds us of Italy!

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

Travelling through the Great Dividing Range through Ebor, Dorrigo and Thora today was a graphic reminder of our time in Italy last year. Not only was the scenery pretty but the very winding and narrow roads certainly made us reminisce about are time exploring Bagni di Lucca’s mountainous villages.

Today the views from atop were impressive as we crossed the Range. There were very few places to stop and admire the view – especially towing the caravan.

Our camping ground on the Bellinger River could also have been somewhere along the Lima River that passes through Ponte a Serraglio.

May stay a couple of days in this very peaceful spot.

I’m sure these delightful Kookaburra’s will have us up early tomorrow morning.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

The Dish and The Opals

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

‘The Dish’ as it is generally referred to is near Parkes and was made famous as the prime receiving station for the 1969 Apollo 11 mission. It also played a similar role in the Apollo 12, 14, 15 and 17 missions and the emergency of Apollo 13. Of course, most Australians will also have seen the movie ‘The Dish’ which was filmed partly here and also at the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station.

It appeared as though the clouds were radiating from the dish.

The very impressive 64 metre wide and 58 metre high telescope is used for radio astronomy. Signal processing systems and computers collect the telescopes radio waves and turn them into pictures of objects in space. While we were there the dish turned about 240 deg in about 10 minutes.


If it weren’t for the trees we would have looked like it belonged on our roof.

The drive up to Lightning Ridge saw the countryside change dramatically.

We went from this…….


to this…….in a few hundred kilometres.

Lightning Ridge is famous for its rare Black Opals which were first discovered in the 1870’s. The landscape is dotted with piles of dirt which have been excavated from the mines.

Shafts, about one metre square, were dug down and dirt lifted out in buckets – originally all by hand. Today drills, windlasses and hoists make the job easier.

And this is what they are looking for.

We did the ‘Chambers of the Black Hand’ underground mine tour which was very interesting.

When not fossicking for opals, Ron Canlin, part owner of the mine is carving out these creations and in some cases, painting them – between 20 to 30 metres underground in the mine. This is only a few of the hundreds of carvings in the mine.

These quirky residences are all on the minefields but most of the shacks are pretty basic. Some have electricity but most use solar or generators….or some are power free.

Lightning Ridge has proven to be a great stop.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Cowra and it’s WW11 history

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

Cowra holds great significance in WW11 events in Australia’s history.

The POW Camp housed Japanese, Italian and Indonesian soldiers and was the place of the historic Cowra Breakout by the Japanese. Today only a few concrete footings and the rebuilt watch tower are all that remain to remind us of this part of history.

The Australian and Japanese War Cemeteries are beautifully maintained.

The Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre which opened in 1979 was designed by Ken Nakajima, a world-renowned Japanese garden designer. Created on 5 hectares (12 acres) as a strolling garden (Kaiyushiki) it symbolises peace and reconcilliation between our two countries.

The view from the highest point in the gardens is beautiful.

The gardens and grounds are clipped in typical Japanese style.

Little waterfalls tumble down in to the lakes.

Many of the trees are in blossom at the moment.

The Cultural Centre has a wonderful display of artifacts including these traditional figures.

The grounds are so well kept. It was such a lovely place to take an afternoon stroll.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Temora, Junee and Wagga Wagga

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

Established on the Royal Australian Air Force’s No. 10 Elementary Flying Training School site, which operated from 1941 to 1946, the Temora Aviation Museum houses a collection of many historic ex-military aircraft from the World War II era to the Vietnam War era.

At its peak the school had 97 de Havilland Tiger Moth aircraft used to train some 2,400 pilots and involved 10,000 personnel in the day to day operation and maintenance of the facility.

Today the museum has a wonderful collection of aircraft and memorabilia on display and most of the aircraft are regularly flown on exhibition days.

These aircraft were having their final checks before the air display this weekend.

Unfortunately the coloured lights in the hanger made it very hard to photograph the displays.

From Temora we travelled via Junee on our way to Wagga Wagga.

We had hoped to see the railway museum in Junee but unfortunately it was closed at the time……but the Licorice and Chocolate Factory welcomed us. Very yummy!

Wagga Wagga is NSW’s largest inland city and the next stop on our journey.

When we were in Italy last year we visited many churches and cathedrals so for our friends in Italy I thought I would show you this sandstone Gothic styled Cathedral of St Michael’s in Wagga Wagga. This first stage commenced in 1885 and the second stage was completed in 1925. The tower bell was cast in Dublin and the original alter is Carrara marble from Italy.

And there were other reminders as well.

There are many well preserved historical building in the city and the parks and gardens are lovely.

We are leaving Waggga Wagga tomorrow to go to the Henty Field Days – which I think is the largest in Australia.

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Hot Rods on holiday!

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

One of the great things about being on the road are the sights you see and the people you meet along the way.

At our recent camp at Lake Cargelligo these four arrived late afternoon. We certainly could hear them before we would see them.

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The Hot Rods are on their way to the Valla Rod Run in northern NSW from Adelaide. There was a Pontiac, 2 Fords – one a modified and the other a 35 Flat Back, and a Dodge Brothers coupe. All had modified high performance V8s (no original motors in this lot) and they sounded good.

The caravan was a real treat, an original that has been restored with a few mod cons.

We chatted with them for quite a while. They have a lot of fun on these runs. They love their cars and also enjoy people coming to talk to them and asking all about what they are up to. I bet they get up to some real mischief at times. They pulled out on a lovely morning to continue their trip north.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Griffith and Lake Cargelligo

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

Ever had a mental image of what a place will be like and then be surprised at what you find when you arrive there. Griffith is one of those places for us. In fact we found a very interesting and productive region of the Riverina which is irrigated by the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Scheme.

Griffith is set amongst one of the most productive agriculture regions in Australia, with vineyards, fruit and nut orchards, cotton, rice and cereal crops. The paddocks are flood irrigated and the majority are laser-levelled for maximum efficiency.

Oranges, prunes, grapes, onions, rice and cereal crops are all you can see for miles.

This is a more modern irrigation channel and its watering system.

From the Hermits Cave Lookout you can see just how flat the paddocks area.

The cave was once home to Italian born migrant, Valerio Ricetti who lived the life of a hermit from the early 1920’s until 1952. The stone walls he constructed are still evident today.

On our drive up to the lookout the sweet perfume of these flowering bulbs growing along the side of the road filled the air. Yellow wattle and this little purple flower were also in full bloom.

These houses in the newer subdivision were pretty impressive.

Jim was pretty happy that the “Show and Shine” was on.

From Griffith we camped at Lake Cargelligo, the largest natural inland lake in NSW.

These little wrens were fluttering along the ground and in the trees on the waters edge.

Unfortunately the weather has taken a turn for the worse so we will move on and bunker down for a day or two.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Along the Murray and onto Hay in NSW

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

After leaving Gawler in the Barossa Valley we made our way through the corner of Victoria and into New South Wales.

Travelling along the Murray River the amount of vines, both for wine and table grapes, is astounding……they just go for miles and miles….. as do the orchards (mostly oranges and almonds).

We camped on the Murray River for a couple of days at Bottle Bend east of Mildura. What a great camp site….we were right on the river.

We watched the house boats as they made their way along the river.

The bloke was keen to catch a fish – he stayed until sunset – without success!

The wildlife was prolific.

Following the Sturt Highway we travelled along the Hay Plains which reminded us of the Nullarbor. The plains are treeless for some of the time and flat for most of the way between Balranald and Hay.

Arriving into Hay the first thing we noticed was the fact that traffic in the main street had to reverse park. Quite strange!

Hay is home to Shear Outback including the Shearers Hall of Fame, a Museum, a retail shop and cafe. The historic 12 stand Murray Downs Woolshed from Swan Hill has been relocated to the site and is now an opportunity for tourists to see sheep shearing and also a training shed for up and coming shears to learn their trade.

The guide explained that the largest station in the area shears 80,000 sheep per year and that most stations around here run around 40,000 head of sheep. Even if you are not from a farming background the shed is worth the visit.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, NSW | 8 Comments

Relaxing in the Barossa

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

Whether it’s great wines, great food or picturesque rolling hills the Barossa Valley pretty much has it all. We have spent a very quite couple of days here just relaxing and taking it easy.

There was a patchwork of crops in green and brilliant yellow on our way to the Barossa – a stark contrast to the Wilpena area.

We only visited one winery, Jim’s favourite, “Rockford” and surprisingly kept our purchases to a minimum. The lovely old stone buildings of the winery are well maintained.

Lunch at the local pub was very enjoyable as well.

The vines have all been pruned and look very bare but the streets are lined with trees in blossom.

Tomorrow we are making our way to Renmark or Mildura for a couple of days.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, South Australia | Tagged , | 4 Comments

The Wonderful Wilpena Pound

Posted on September 6, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

During our time here in the Wilpena area we are staying at Rawnsley Park Station, a sheep station that branched out into tourism to supplement their income in leaner years. It has become an award winning tourist park and a gateway to the Wilpena Pound.

We started with a simple climb up to Alison Saddle to get a scenic overview of the caravan park, eco cabins and surrounding ranges.

Late afternoon we took the short trip to Pugilist Lookout to take photos of the Chace Range and sunset over the Elder Ranges.

Exploring the walking trail into Wilpena Pound was a great experience. We wandered past creek beds, water holes, narrow winding paths that lead upwards until we saw the whole pound open up before us. Magnificent!

The aerial view of the pound gives you a good idea of the size….some 15 km long and 7 km wide.

And the view from Wangara Lookout into the Pound was great.

If you get the chance to visit Wilpena Pound I would recommend you do so at this time of the year as the weather is mild and still green from the winter rains. I think summer would be extremely hot and in winter the rains would see many of the roads impassable.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, South Australia | 6 Comments

The Flinders Way

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

Travelling up in to the Flinders Ranges should certainly be on the itinerary if you are coming to South Australia.

Passing through Port Augusta we briefly had a look around the wharf area.

As we started travelling north east we started to get glimpses of what was to come.

Next stop was Quorn, a historic town which has kept much of its charm and buildings have been lovingly maintained.

The Kanyaka Homestead on the way to Wilpena gave us a glimpse of what once was. The remains of the homestead and out buildings are now being preserved. The creek, with its beautiful gums, would have made a welcome relief during the summer months and was obviously the source of the building materials.

We also visited Blinman, an old copper mining town and the end of the bitumen out this way, where we enjoyed lunch.

The drive through Bunyeroo and Brachina Gorges at the north of Wilpena Pound was along, and sometimes in, the dry river beds. It is so tranquil and pretty at this time of the year but the fallen trees and debris everywhere are a sign of the ferocity that the winter rains can have.

We returned along the Moralana Scenic Drive to the southern end of Wilpena Pound. Wildflowers were more prolific here and we saw an abundance of wildlife.


And these guys were having a good old box-up!

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, South Australia | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Streaky Bay

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

After the trip across the Nullarbor we have spent the last couple of days relaxing at the little town of Streaky Bay on the west of the Eyre Peninsula.

Streaky Bay was so named in 1802 by explorer Matthew Flinders because on discovery of the area the water in the bay was discoloured by streaks caused by oils released from a species of seaweed…..hence Streaky Bay.

Today the area survives on agriculture, fish and tourism. Commercial fishing of Snapper and King George Whiting and aquaculture of oysters and abalone are well established. Agriculture crops of wheat and barley and sheep are the predominate farming activities in this dry region. Tourists also flock to the area for the beaches and fishing. Keen anglers are rewarded with King George whiting, Snapper, Blue Swimmer Crabs and the Razor Fish at low tides.

The town sits in a little bay and has a reasonable tide change.

The coastline to the south of the town is very beautiful.

These little flowers are happily growing on the coastal areas.

A short drive from Streaky Bay are these amazing rock formations called Murphy’s Haystacks. Some reaching 8 metres high they are prominate on the landscape.

From here we are making our way to Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Range National Park so hopefully the weather and wildflowers will be at their best.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, South Australia | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

We are on our way East!

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

After a couple of lovely days in Margaret River we had to do the final bits and pieces in the rain. Although it wasn’t cold the rain tumbled down making the job uncomfortable. But we were finally on the road and heading east.

We passed these very good Canola crops.

We could see the Stirling Ranges off in the distance. Bluff Knoll, the highest peak in the ranges, is the only place we would ever get snow in WA…..and it would be just a light dusting of white on the rare occasion.

Wildflowers were in bloom at many of our rest stops.

These salt pans are a large problem in the south eastern wheatbelt of WA and many of the lakes are still dry.

East of Balladonia the Royal Flying Doctor Service uses the highway as their runway in emergency situations. The road verges have been cleared to allow trucks, caravans and vehicles to move off the road whilst the aeroplane lands and takes off.

The sunsets are so lovely and pretty spectacular every evening.

We stayed at several camping areas on the way over but the highlight is always Bunda Cliffs. It is on the Great Australian Bight and at this time of the year an opportunity to see the migrating whales….we were not so lucky….but the scenery is wonderful.

The Nullarbor Plains are the treeless plains that are part of the journey between the two states, WA and SA.

Since leaving Margaret River we have travelled about 2,100 km and are now spending a couple of days relaxing in Streaky Bay before making our way to New South Wales.

The Streaky Bay Pacific Oyster is readily available and of course a must if you are in the area…and topped of with a sparking wine is an added bonus.

Posted in Caravanning, Margaret River, South Australia, Wildflowers | Tagged , | 10 Comments

For the rev heads!

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

On a recent trip to Perth a came across this car club displaying their classic cars, predominately from the 1960’s and 70’s.

Of course we (Jim) had to stop and have a look even though the rain was threatening and it was cold and windy.

This 1965 Ford XP Falcon was just the same as Jim’s first car, right down to the colour, which he bought back in early 1970.

In these last two photos you can see the storm about to hit so unfortunately we didn’t get to take as many photos as we would have liked.

And then the rain came down!

And while we were over at Nannup last weekend there was also a car display.

We are about to travel to the east in our caravan…..glad we have a few more mod cons!

Posted in Margaret River | Tagged | 5 Comments

Word of Mouth Country Living in Nannup

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

What a lovely find! I discovered the Word of Mouth Country Living shop in the main street of Nannup on our visit a few months ago. For me, it was a must return when we went over for the Flower and Garden Festival on the weekend. It is always great to find these successful little business’s in small country towns. I’m sure that they have clients who support them from near and far.

Lucia was very charming and happy to let me take photos to show you.

It sells contempoary and rustic, vintage and collectable items that are displayed so beautifully.

Word of Mouth Country Living is at 68 Warren Road and if you are ever in Nannup you must call in – I’m sure you will find something to purchase!! I did!

Posted in Cowaramup, Margaret River, Western Australia | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Tiptoe through the Tulips!

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Kerry & Jim

On a glorious sunny winters day we headed over to Nannup for their annual Flower and Garden Festival.

Nannup is only 65 km from Margaret River and it was a lovely drive over.

The little town is awash with colour. Planter boxes line the streets filled to the brim with tulips of every colour.

The tulip lady had a great sense of humour and was very willing to have her photo taken.

Shops and stalls made the most of the influx of visitors and had a large variety of goods for sale.

The yarn bombing and crafts added even more colour to the streets. Everyone was invited to paint a picket for a small fee and have it included in this bright fence.

The Town Hall flower display was very pretty.

There was a good variety of food stalls selling lunches and we chose the very delicious Japanese pancakes with noodles. Yum!

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Well done Nannup – this a a great event.

Posted in Cowaramup, Margaret River, Western Australia | Tagged , , | 11 Comments