First stop was the appropriately called ‘Christmas Creek’ just outside Beaudesert (inland from the Gold Coast) to catch up with a school friend of Jo’s, Louise before we stopped the night in Beaudesert again with friends Barry and Di who Jo lived with in London. Thanks for all your great hospitality!!!
Next day we travelled to ‘The Goldie’ staying in Southport (thanks Tracey) just outside surfers Paradise and caught up with another English/Aussie combo Amanda and Justin at a nearby water park. By chance we also managed to catch up with another school friend Nicole and again caught up on the past 20 odd years which was lovely!
On the first day of 2012 we headed off to Nambucca Heads via Coffs Harbour and lunch on the river. Beautiful weather so far and the girls have learnt to spot sugar cane and banana plantations which are the main crops grown here. They even spotted the ‘big banana’ located just outside Coffs Harbour. Unfortunately we bypassed Ballina and the ‘big prawn’ as well as the ‘big pineapple’ on the sunshine coast...seen one seen them all we reckon. At Nambucca Heads we stayed below Captain Cooks Lookout and enjoyed shelly beach and a walk/scoot along the famous V wall where people are encouraged to paint the rocks.
We then headed south, stopping at Port Macquarie for lunch, to the small oyster fishing area at Manning Point. We have now got a routine with the caravan and can set up in about 30mins! People in all the parks are really friendly and interested in what we are doing! We are now getting the ‘traveller wave/finger’ on the highway when passing other travellers. A Long walk with the girls on the beach and some fishing from the jetty for bream and off to Sydney we go.
Our GPS tracker should now be up and running so you can follow our footsteps by clicking the link on the right hand side and then opening up the various trips !.....Next update Sydney and the Blue Mountains!!
