RETURN TO DIARY

Hello from Hastings,

More touring around the area, up into the hills and down the coast. Plenty of rainforests and steep, winding roads through National Parks. Nimbin was unusual with cookies and grass being sold from footpath vendors. I expected a few unusual crafts to be for sale but what was for sale was disappointing with a lack of originality in the products. Many lookouts along the coast with a lot of fancy new houses everywhere. We managed to see a couple of whales flow past the Cape Byron Lighthouse while we were there. Tried a few local markets but no excitement there, lots of typical market junk.

Cape Byron Lighthouse

Ballina had a walking track for Sandy right behind our caravan, too easy. The track continued out onto the river groin where I watched the fishing fleet go out near sunset.

Ballina with our caravan park on the point in the foreground.

Broadwater, Evans Head, Bundjallung National Park, Iluka and others before arriving at Brooms Head. This place was recommended to us by travelling friends Mandy and Barry who love the spot. We found site 7 had great views but the northerly wind that was blowing was rocking the van for two days. Thankfully it swung around to he south for the rest of our stay here and it was a magical spot.

Sandon River just down the road was cheap National Park camping but it was packed with easily over 50 campsites occupied. Like all parks we have looked at in NSW no generators allowed. With the overcast rainy days we have been having these camping areas are only good for one day as the fridge uses the battery power up.

While here I made up a bracket for the angle grinder so that I can cut rocks with the diamond blades I picked up from Rubyvale. The hardest part was protecting the motor from the water needed to use the blade

but an old tupperware container fixed that. I've tried cutting some boulder opal and it was like slicing butter, next a bit of rainbow opal Sandy found in Andamooka.

I was having a chat to some neighbours when Sandy came out of the caravan looking a bit distressed. She ran around to the tap before she told me she could hear some water running somewhere and thought that the hose had popped off as it had before. I ran back and could hear the water inside the van when I opened the door!!! At about the same time the water started to run out of the front cupboards. The hose had broken off the sink tap and 4 cupboards and were quickly filling with water. After turning off the tap we pulled everything out as quick as possible and didn't sustain too much damage. Lucky it didn't happen the day before as we were out all day, what a mess that would have made. We turned on the heater for the rest of the day to dry the cupboards out and it felt like we were in Broome as the temperature was now over 30c in the van.

Travelling south again we passed through more small seaside towns, they are all blurring into one. Rocky headlands, quiet coves, sandy beaches and houses galore. No more quiet beachside camping spots around here. We camped at Corindi Beach Holiday Park and had drinks on the cliffs only a stones throw from our van. Around 10pm that night Sandy found a tick in her neck, drama!!! I tried putting metho on it and it didn't let go so we went to make a phone call for advice. The lady in charge of the park was so helpful allowing us to use their phone to ring the hospital. The triage nurse said to hold our metho soaked pad on the tick for 5 minutes then pull it out with tweezers if needed, don't worry about the head breaking off as that rarely happens. After a few attempts with the tweezers the tick eventually popped out. A week later Sandy got a couple of lumps in her neck and a visit to a doctor confirmed it's just a reaction to the bite, not to worry. We bought some alcohol swabs from the chemist for next time as that is recommended with metho next.

After shopping in Coffs Harbour we toured the hills going past the Dorrigo Sewerage farm where we saw this.

The sign says "LAVATREE      Species - Pissina Flushturdum"

Further on was Dangar falls

The next day was via Nambucca Heads above. Through more heads and points and other seaside towns. All the rest were just a blurry memory. We followed the tourist drive which followed the coast traversing many potholed, gravel roads. As it had been raining we picked up a light spray of mud which over three days built up to a thick coating covering both the van and car. Later on after the gravel roads were behind us we went to a car wash and blasted the mud off, what a mess.

North Haven

School Holidays and a long weekend caught us at Nelson Bay. $38 a night so we only stayed one night then booked into a park at Belmont we used on the way up, which had gone from $20 then up to $30 a night now! The other parks were fully booked out so not much choice.

Next stop Sydney.

Peter and Sandy