Casino, Port Mcquary, New Castle, Penrith, Lithgo, Katoomba-Lithgo, Bathhurst-Cowra, Wodonga.

It has been a month since I sat down and wrote about our latest travel, the East coast has little to offer that we haven't seen, other than beaches and more beaches, mind there is nothing wrong with beaches but you need sun to enjoy them, it is something we haven't had much of, never mind let me tell you what we did see and did.


Casino we stayed at the CMCA Park and met up with Ian and Marilyn once more only stayed a couple of days, we traveled south through Graften where the Jacaranda where in full bloom some of the streets where absolutely glorious,

Grafton park street with jacaranda in full bloom

Grafton it speaks for itself

Grafton it speaks for itself

Grafton the beauty of color in the trees

then headed for Darlington park, we intended to stay for 3 days but the rain set in once more and it was decided to stay,  ended up staying for 14 days, Marelyn and Ian decided to join us.

Darlington resort and its tranquility

Woolgoolga beach from Whale lookout point

Did some sightseeing and looked at a few houses in parks as well as in town not much around we liked so the search goes on

Who says only the young ones can have fun

Hi there from the spa at Darlington resort

Coffs Harbour has changed and has become to big for our liking, while there we met up with Crissie and Danny and the three little mites, was nice to see them

The Big Banana We have a few photos like this so one more wont hurt

 Visited Numbuca and Valla Park, Valla certainly has changed and is not as nice as it was all those years ago.

Numbucca Break water and its grafiti

Valla Park, the old walking Bridge still there after so many years

Valla Park ocean beach

Leaving Coffs our next call was Port Macquarie for a few days and a look around as I said before if you have no sunshine and warmth, places like Port Macquarie are not atractive but we managed to see a few things like the beach etc,

PortMcQuarie beach and township

A visitor accepting a chip snack

Brother Mountain what a few over the inlet at Northhaven  we had a nice picnic here,

Northhaven Inlet from Brother Mountain

Close up of Northhaven Inlet from Brother Mountain

Did a sunset fish and chips cruise on a Chinese Junk through the lakes at Port McQuarie which was great.

View from Brother  mountain South

Our Junk departing at Port Macquarie

Enjoying a glass of wine to go with the company on board our Junk

Sunset over the shores of the waterways at Port McQuarie

Next city visit New Castle, here we met up with Bill and Dawn our Friends we met in Cloncurry and traveled with for a while it was very nice to be with them we saw a lot of  New Casle and what was once a dirty town certainly has come up in the world with some big and expensive houses on Lake Macquarie, (thanks Bill no more houses OK when next we visit) we also visited Nelson Bay where we had a nice lunch with some great views.

Lunch with good friends New Castle

View from where we had lunch Nelson Bay

Then onto Penrith for a one night stop and we looked up Fleming and his family (we worked together at Katun) had a great BBQ  and chat, thanks once more mate.


Onto Katoomba next now this was an experience the road into this town was a good climb into the Blue Mountains but getting into Katoomba , well that was something the fog and low cloud as thick as pea soup and so bad that one could not see beyond 10 meters (no pictures) and trying to drive around round abouts in these conditions is hair raising, the roads are very narrow as well, very hard to judge distances and not knowing if there was a car in the round about, phew glad I got out of there, had intended to stay here but decided to move on for Lithgow instead and made our base there for few days.

 Lithgow cp view with the Intercontinental train to Perth in back

From Lithgow we travelled back to Katoomba to do the Steepest Railway and cable cars ended up a nice day as this time the sun was out.

Katoomba the Three Sisters

Katoomba the Blue Mountains

The cable trams Katoomba

The Steepest Railway Katoomba

Blue Mountains Katoomba

Cowra next but not before we raced around Mount Panorama at Bathurst this was great fun especially since we still had the caravans behind us it must have been a sight to think this track normally has speeds of 120+Ks with us it was 20Ks fun all the same.

Conrod Straight Bathhurst

Bathhurst Fujisu corner

Bathhurst stopped on the track

XXXX corner? we are in the race

Left corner and going well

Mount Panorama Bathhurst

Coming to the Straight

Approaching pit lane?

I didn't win a race but it was fun driving the course towing the van.

Next Cowra the town where the camp was that interned the Japanese and where they tried to escape from, during the 2nd World War, very interesting to see and read about this bit of Australian history, there are also beautiful Japanese garden here as a remembrance, a couple of hours walking through these gardens is great and well worth the visit.

Japanese Garden

Japanese Garden

Japanese Garden

Japanese Garden

Japanese Garden

Japanese Garden

Japanese Garden

Japanese Garden

Leaving Cowra we headed for Wodonga our last stop before the club Xmas rally in Ballarat.

The peace bell in Cowra

Another year has passed and I finish this blog with the ringing of the Peace Bell and hope for peace where ever you are.

Bianka and I thank you all who followed us throughout the year and wish you the best for the season.

Bianka      Sig