Day 37 - Traralgon - Friday 12 October 2012

We arrived home in Traralgon this afternoon at 3:15. This was not part of the plan. During our stay in Forster Tuncurry the weather forecasts for the East Coast of Australia was starting to look a bit ominous and in fact the forecast for Forster was for storms. So at that stage we thought we would start driving south and look for other locations depending on the weather. Early in the afternoon we had bypassed Sydney on the M7 and decided to go to Canberra, on the basis that there was plenty to do if the weather was a bit iffy. About an hour out of Canberra it started to pour and it never really let up so we basically pulled up in a van park in Canberra without unhitching and listened to the rain throughout the night. By this morning it was clear that there was no decent weather to be had anywhere and we decided to head for home - 3 days early. As we came down the Monaro Highway we were literally driving through snow and it was very cold. It didn't really warm up until we came down to sea level at Cann River. However we can't complain. We were away for 5 weeks and in that time enjoyed constant great weather. We had a great re-union with the family in Gympie and also enjoyed Pete and Saskia's and Rob and Cecilia's company again on the Sunshine Coast. Had some great meals, saw a few good movies (can heartily recommend "Mental"), and most of all relaxed like mad.

Day 35 - Forster-Tuncurry (Wed 10 October 2012)

Left Coffs Harbour at 08:30 this morning - once again the sun was shining and the promise of a fine day. We arrived at Forster-Tuncurry about 12:30 and quickly set up camp. This is our third visit here and it is quite a spectacular location and our caravan site is great so we'll stay for a couple of days and try to hang around in the warm sunny weather as long as we can. I took this photo from the back of our caravan.

Day 33 - Coffs Harbour - Mon 8 October 2012

We left Southport at 08:30 this morning with Coffs Harbour as our intended destination. We thought we were doing well time wise until we realised that as soon as we crossed the NSW border it would be an hour later due to daylight savings. One of the little rituals we have enjoyed over the years is morning coffee/lunch at Macadamia Castle located about 10 km north of Ballina where we usually enjoy Mango and Macadamia pancakes - this year was no exception. The place is very popular and it is always quite tricky to find somewhere to park the car and the caravan but somehow we managed. We arrived in Coffs after a pleasant drive and had everything set up by 3:30 on our site at the Clog Barn caravan park. It has a Dutch cafe and souvenir shop on site. This evening around dinner time we had a bit of rain - our first for quite a while - but it only lasted half an hour or so. At this stage the plan is to stay here for two nights before continuing our trek south.

Day 32 - Gold Coast (Sun 7 October 2012)

Our last day on the Gold Coast - tomorrow we start to slowly make our way home. Went for a drive to Sanctuary Cove and had morning coffee there at the Masthead Bakery. There's a cool change expected tonight and during the afternoon gusty winds appeared so we decided to pack the awning and all the outside stuff to avoid the chance of it all getting wet overnight. So, in the morning we just hitch up and leave. We'll be coming down the coast but our stops will be somewhat influenced by weather, we want the fine warm weather to last as long as possible. We will reach Bairnsdale next Sunday afternoon and the caravan is booked in for a service at the Jayco dealer there on Monday morning and so we will be home sometime in the afternoon of Monday 15 October.

Day 31 - Gold Coast - (Sat 6 October 2012)

Our run of great weather continues and a cool change is not expected until tomorrow night which is our last night here on the Gold Coast. After our usual leisurely breakfast we eventually made our way to Broadbeach for lunch and a bit of shopping. The last time we spent some time here - a couple of years ago - there was a lot of new construction going on. Now all this has been completed and the result is a cluster of new and very attractive buildings and lots of cafes and restaurants. Altogether a lot classier than Surfers Paradise. After lunch we spent some time at the Pacific Plaza Shopping Centre before returning to our little home away from home for some serious relaxing.

Day 29 - Gold Coast (Thur 4 October 2012)

A brilliant day, clear skies and 27 degC. The same is expected for the next 4-5 days. After our  usual leisurely breakfast we decided to take a drive to Tambouring Mountain. We come back here every year because it is such an interesting little town high in the mountain hinterland behind the Gold Coast. Lots of interesting little shops and always plenty of people just enjoying the sunshine and the hustle and bustle. Got home around 3:30 pm. Across the road from our caravan park is Cav's Steak House and next to the restaurant is a butcher's shop which sells the products from next door. Picked up a couple of eye fillets to BBQ this evening and enjoy with a nice bottle of red.

Day 27 - Gold Coast ( Tue 2 October, 2012)

It rained throughout the night. Fortunately we had already packed all our stuff, and this morning we only had to retract the awning to depart. Due to the site we were on we required the little tractor again, to extract the caravan ready for hitching to the Pajero. By 10:00 am we were on our way down the Bruce Highway heading for the Gold Coast. As we drove down the skies started clearing and it looks like the next four days or so will be fine. When we arrived at the Broadwater Tourist Park here in Southport it was quite windy and we had to take extra precautions to secure our awning properly. This evening we visited our favourite fish and chippery in Labrador and once again we were delighted. As I write this it is nearly 11 pm. The wind has died down and the skies are clear. Looking forward to a few nice days here on the Gold Coast.

Day 26 - Maroochydore (Mon 1 Oct 2012)

We're still in Maroochydore and the weather has turned a bit showery. We've been busy though - Saturday we saw Looper at the local cineplex followed by dinner at India Today. We visited this restaurant with Peter and Saskia last year and thought then it was the best Indian restaurant we had ever been too. This latest visit confirmed that opinion. The decor in this place is "Maharaja Palace", the service is superb and the food is - simply the best. Yesterday we met Saskia and Peter in Tewantin and once again ate at the Burger Bar which I think I've described before. It was great catching up with them again before we head away from the Sunshine Coast. Tomorrow we move to Southport in the Gold Coast before we commence our trek home on the 8th October. The caravan is booked in for a service at the Jayco dealer in Bairnsdale on 15 October and we should be home later that day.

Day 23 - Maroochydore (Fri 28 September, 2002)

Another beautiful day on the Sunshine Coast. Drove up to Montville (in the Sunshine Coast hinterland) one of our favourite spots. Montville is one of a string of towns located in the hills overlooking the coast and it's about 18 km from our caravan park. Last year we discovered a beautiful restaurant called Poet's Cafe which is located right on the edge of the escarpment and provides incredible views down to the coast. Someone has spent a lot of time and money building and decorating this place to create a very inviting atmosphere - and the food is great too.

After lunch (and coffee and apple strudel) we spent some time wandering through all the interesting little shops in the main street. Very touristy but great fun all the same. My favourite is the German Cuckoo Clock shop. Last year we bought a dome clock but this year we were only looking. The afternoon was spent reading and this evening we are going to see the Bourne Legacy at the Sunshine Plaza Cinema. It's all go around here.

Day 22 - Maroochydore (27 September, 2012)

Yesterday we moved the short distance from Tewantin to Maroochydore. As I mentioned earlier we could not get into our usual caravan park so we are in the Maroochy River Caravan Park just up the road. We got the last site available and when we saw it we could understand why. Getting our van into this spot would have been as difficult as brain surgery but fortunately we knew from a previous stay here that they have a man with a little tractor who can do things you certainly can't with a Pajero. So, after plenty of trial and error we eventually had the Jayco successfully inserted into the site. We are surrounded by permanent residents who are all very friendly and by 8 pm the park is totally quiet. After lunch we did a bit of shopping and then drove the short distance to Moolooloba for afternoon coffee and sweets. The weather continues to be fine and mild to warm so what more could you want. We are here for 6 nights and pull out (with the help of the tractor) on 2 October for our next destination which is Southport on the Gold Coast.

Day 20 - Noosa - Tue 25 Sep 2012

Today is our last day in Tewantin/Noosa. We had a brief but spectacular thunderstorm yesterday afternoon, but this morning the weather was pleasant again with a some overcast. The radar showed no rain within 500 km though and so we decided to take our annual walk through the Noosa National Park. This spectacular walk of around 7.5 km took about 1.5 hours - we always enjoy it a lot and today was no exception. Using the GPS function in my iPhone I recorded our progress and was surprised to find that the walk involves a climb of 188m. I superimposed the data on a Google map and here it is.

We'll probably go out for dinner tonight and then in the morning it is 'up stumps' for our move to Maroochydore which is only about 35 km away.

PS Just got home from Masie's Steak House in Noosaville. Absolutely fabulous meals - a great way to finish off our week here.

Day 18 - Tewantin (Sun 23 September)

Sally and Jake (Peter's daughter and husband) joined us last night for dinner at a local Italian restaurant. Once again the food and the company was outstanding and we had a great night. The weather continues to be warm to hot during the day and lovely and mild at night. This morning Saskia, Peter, Sally and Jake all headed off home leaving us to our own devices here in Tewantin. We still have three nights to go here. We found out the other day that the next weekend is a long weekend up here which is affecting the availability of caravan sites, so this afternoon we drove into Maroochydore to secure a site for next week. Our usual Big4 (Maroochy Palms) was unable to provide one but we eventually found one site (the last one) nearby. So Wednesday morning we relocate to Maroochydore from which we will visit many of the highlights on the Sunshine Coast.

Day 16 - Tewantin (Fri 21 Sep)

Peter and Saskia joined us with their caravan yesterday and will stay until Sunday morning. Last night we all caught up with Cecilia and Rob (who were staying at a caravan park near Caloundra) for dinner at the Burger Bar nearby. We discovered this place last year - fantastic gourmet hamburgers served on a wooden board. You can check out their web site - and download the menu - at www.theburgerbar.com.au
After a short walk we then topped up with gelati which were also fabulous. Today after a relaxing breakfast (see photo) we took a drive into Hasting Street, Noosa. We've been here every year for the past 6 or 7 and I have to say I have never seen it so quiet - I think the impact of the high $A is definitely having an impact here. On the way back we could see a huge storm approaching and this was confirmed by the weather radar. We just made it back to the caravans before the downpour and the thunderstorm started. All this lasted about 40 minutes and by dinner time all was still and dry again. Dinner was at Magic of India which is right next to the Burger Bar - another great meal. Tommorrow we are off to the Eumundi market.

Day 14 - Tewantin

Our time in Gympie has come to an end - we've had a wonderful time. John and Marie left mid morning with Marie trying to rest her leg on the dash - she has to keep it elevated- I think it is going to be a long slow trip home for her and John. We finally left around 11:00 for the short trip (57km) to Tewantin which is adjacent to Noosa Heads. We are spending a week in one of our favourite caravan parks - Bougainvillia Caravan Park. The weather continues to be brilliant. Tomorrow Peter and Saskia will join us for a few day in their caravan and in the evening Rob and Cecilia will join us from Caloundra for dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 13 - Gympie

Cecilia and Rob left today which only leaves John and Marie and us at Saskia and Pete's place. Peace and calm are returning once more. Forgot to mention - a few days ago Marie twisted her ankle while out for a walk and cracked a bone. After a trip to hospital she returned with her leg in plaster and a great deal of pain. Like the trouper she is she continued to participate in all the activities but tomorrow her and John will head for home in Wandiligong.

Day 8 to 12 - Gympie

If you've been following our blog you'll know we've gone missing for the last few days. Since we've arrived at Peter and Saskia's here in Gympie it's been an endless catching up with brothers and sisters, setting up caravans and just sitting around enjoying each others company. John and Marie and Rob and Cecilia are here with their caravans, and Lanie and Luke and Jenny have all flown up for the occasion. To top it all off Peter's daughter Sally and her husband Jake also joined us for the weekend. We've all had a really great time just at home but on Saturday night we had a pretty special night. At 6 pm we caught a heritage train here in Gympie which took us to a little town called Kandanga. There the train stopped outside the local Bowling Club where we had dinner. The entertainment for the evening was a fantastic Elvis impersonator who put on a brilliant show. The train trip home was a hoot as the van der Meulen girls led all the other passengers in a non ending succession of song. Home after midnight and a great night had by all. Luke and Jenny headed home on Sunday and Lanie left this morning. We'll depart here for Noosa on Wednesday where Sas and Peter will join us in their van for a few days. Althogether a great family get together.

Day 7 - Gympie

Left Toowoomba at 09:00 this morning and arrived in Gympie at 1:15. Rob and Cecilia had just arrived and were setting up their caravan and Lanie had flown up and arrived a few days earlier. By the time John and Marie arrive on Friday Saskia's place will look like a caravan park. Anyway, no more driving for a few days and lots of relaxing, lots of chats and a few drinks. The weather is cooperating - mid twenties and blue skies.

Day 6 - Toowoomba

Lazy day in Toowoomba today. After catching up on washing etc we had an early lunch at one of our favourites, Cafe Valetta located just out of the city. It's a beautiful cafe in a beautifully restored grand home across the road from one of the main parks here in town. This was our 4th or 5th visit. It was warm, the sun was shining and we started the day with a glass of bubbly.




We will probably head off to Gympie tomorrow, a day earlier than planned. We are now only 270km from our destination and it will be nice to catch up with Saskia and Pete and whoever else has already arrived.

Day 5 - Toowoomba

We left Goondiwindi just before 8 am this morning for the relatively short trip to Toowoomba (220 km). After an uneventful trip we arrived here around 11 am and checked into our usual place - Garden City Caravan Park. We stayed here last year and to our surprise we were allocated the exact same site. Spent the afternoon catching up on a bit of shopping.

Day 4 - Goondiwindi

Left Dubbo at 7:45 this morning to travel North along the Newell Highway. Stopped in Naribri for lunch in a nice park, and to stretch the legs. As we observed last year the Newell Highway seems to be the main route for caravanners to travel to and from Queensland. We decided to call it a day in Goondiwindi just over the Queensland border. We arrived just before 3 pm and it was so sunny and warm that we enjoyed a drink sitting outside. Tomorrow we will reach Toowoomba where we'll stay of at least a couple of days.

Day 3 - Dubbo NSW

No travelling today as we visited the Dubbo Western Plains Zoo. A very similar layout to the Werribee Zoo but a lot more facilities and the ability to drive your own car from exhibit to exhibit. The total distance is about 6 km. We saw some incredible sights including a hippopotamus that has been trained to hold his mouth open for dental work.




The weather is improving all the time and I noticed it was 25 in Gympie today which is definitely heading in the right direction. Tomorrow is a long day as we will probably try to reach Toowoomba which puts us within 275 km of Gympie.

Day 2 - Cooma to Dubbo

Woke up at 06:00 this morning to the sound of gentle drizzle on the caravan roof. After a quick breakfast it was time to get an early start. Fortunately we had a drive through site which means we were still hitched to the car. All we had to do was disconnect the water and power and we were off. For most of the morning we experienced light rain. Stopped for fuel in the outskirts of Canberra and then on to Yass where we spotted an interesting looking coffee shop. Found somewhere to park the car and van (not always easy) and had one of the best coffees ever. Then we were back on the road with the aim of reaching Dubbo as we want to visit the famous Western Plains Zoo there. We reached our destination around 3 pm and checked into a very nice Big4 park there. By then the rain had stopped and in fact the skies were clear. Found a great steak restaurant this evening The Lions Pride and enjoyed an excellent meal accompanied by a very nice glass of the local Red Earth Shiraz. Tomorrow the zoo.

Day 1 - Traralgon to Cooma

Our first day on the road. Got away this morning at 8:15. Stopped at Stratford for coffee, and to give the van a good check over. Everything was shipshape so we continued on our way with lunch and a fuel stop in Cann River. Lunch at Shorty's Little Pie Shop which we had visited before - great homemade fare. By the time we headed up the Cann Valley Highway the day had turned truly majestic. A brilliant blue sky and a bright green landscape - what a day! We reached Cooma just before 3 pm and checked into the Snowtels Caravan Park. Our kids might remember this park where we stayed around 1982 or so - I remember the apricot trees and the donkey and pony rides.

16 March - We're Home!

Left Ballarat this morning just before 9 am for our final drive home. We arrived just after 1 pm. We really enjoyed our holiday - some great sights, some good movies and some fantastic meals along the way. It was interesting to see how many international visitors are touring our country in various types of campers. Also, still plenty of 'grey nomads' who seem to be on the road on a semi-permanent basis.
Another great trip and it's good to be home too.

14 March - On the way home

Left Adelaide at 7:45 to start the trip towards home. Unfortunately this meant that we spent the first hour in peak hour traffic to get out of the city. Had a bit of trouble with the thermostat in the car during the long trek up the Adelaide Hills. The temperature started to rise and I had to pull over. A quick check under the bonnet indicated sufficient coolant and no obvious problems. By the time I got back in the car the temperature had returned to normal. Most likely cause is a sticky thermostat - watched the temperature closely for a while but all was OK. Had lunch at one of our favourite places - Henry and Rose Cafe in Keith SA. We were able to park the rig right outside the front door which is handy and unusual. In the afternoon we continued on to Ballarat  which we reached just before 6pm. We're booked in at the Goldfields Big4 Caravan Park for a couple of nights which means that we will be arriving in Traralgon on Friday. The weather is finally changing but after the long stretch of great weather we experienced we can't complain.

13 March - Tour of the Adelaide Hills

Today was our last day in Adelaide and we decided to tour the Adelaide Hills and visit some of the historic towns and villages. Although it is very dry here the scenery is still interesting and many of the towns in the hills have maintained their old historic buildings. There are also great cafés everywhere and our first stop was one in Mt Barker for coffee and the best apple crumble I've ever tasted. From here we continued on through Lobethal and Birdwood and lots of little towns in between. We also visited a working chocolate factory called Melba's. The above picture is of the Birdwood Mill which is now part of the complex which houses the National Car Museum. I've visited it on previous occasions so this time we drove on to Adelaide and a bit of shopping before returning to the caravan. After dinner (one of Rosa's fantastic curries) we packed up the awning and all the outside stuff as we are departing Adelaide in the morning and heading back towards Victoria along the Western Highway.

12 March - Adelaide

Had a relatively quiet day today. We continued our movie binge with a 1:30 screening of "The Descendants". Seeing our Hawaii holiday was screwed up this was the next best thing. Really enjoyed this movie - I notice a lot of write-ups describe it as a warm family comedy. It definitely is not but very enjoyable just the same. After our usual afternoon of relaxing and reading we looked up the location of a good Indian restaurant in the neighbourhood and found one called Dehli Spice. This was definitely a find - the food was outstanding (as was the Kingfisher beer) and the average cost of a main course only $10.00 - a great meal.

11 March - Adelaide and Glenelg

Caught a 10:30 screening of "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" this morning while Rosa caught up on a bit of shopping. I enjoyed it a lot but I think it helps a lot if you've read the book. After that we drove to Glenelg  which is Adelaide's equivalent to St Kilda in Melbourne. It has a great atmosphere, the beach, boats, interesting shops and lots of great places to eat. Spent the afternoon sitting in the sun and reading - very relaxing. After tonight we have two more nights here before we start heading in the direction of home.

10 March - Adelaide

Yesterday our park started filling up with family groups and it is now nearly full. I think it must be a long weekend in SA as well. Drove into the city this morning to visit the Adelaide Central Market. It was absolutely amazing. I've always enjoyed shopping at the Vic Market but the Adelaide market is almost overwhelming in terms of the variety and quality of food available. Had lunch there and bought some nice eye fillet steak and gourmet sausages there. BBQ tonight.

9 March - Victor Harbour and Cape Jervis

At the risk of sounding monotonous, today was another perfect 27 degree day. After a leisurely breakfast we decided to drive down the Fleurieu Peninsula. We had lunch at a German cafe in Victor Harbour. Victor Harbour has boomed since we were last here in 2009. New buildings, mainly holiday houses and resorts have gone up all over the place. SA is technically in recession so I don't know where the money is coming from. After a walk around town we then continued on to Cape Jervis which is a little town with a terminal for the Sealink ferry to Kangaroo Island. Because the ferry can only be accessed from the rear all larger vehicles such as semi-trailers and caravans have to reverse on to the vessel. This proved quite interesting to watch which we did till sailing time. The drive back to our home away from home followed the West side of the peninsula which provided some spectacular views. Then off to the pictures again! This time to see Iron Lady which we both enjoyed a lot. We're enjoying our stay here so much we've extended our stay by three days which means we start our return trip on Wednesday. This means we'll abandon our plan to visit Mildura.

8 March - Adelaide

Woke up to another sunny day today and decided to go into the city for a look around Rundle Mall. After a very nice lunch in the Regent Arcade we split up to check out the goodies. On a visit to Adelaide a few years ago Mark came across an artist called Andy Salvanos playing the Chapman Stick (a 10 string guitar which is played by tapping the strings) and brought me back one of Andy's CD's which I enjoyed a lot. Imagine my pleasant surprise when I came across Andy playing in the mall again. I was able to have a bit of a chat with him and bought another CD.

Andy is a great exponent of this incredible instrument and there are a number of YouTube videos of him including this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWUHr_BURdk

Back to the caravan in the afternoon for some relaxing and gin and tonics before heading of to Westfield to see a movie called Hugo - one of the best I've ever seen.

7 March - Adelaide and Hahndorf

The brilliant weather continues (and is expected to do so for at least another week). Today we visited Hahndorf and had our usual fix at the German restaurant - smoked sausage and potato salad with a Bavarian draft beer - yes even Rosa had a beer. Our last visit here was in 2009 and we were both surprised to see how many new businesses had opened. Sadly one of our favourite steak restaurants has gone and is now an Indian eatery. After a wandering around Hahndorf for a while we checked out the local Westfield shopping centre to discover it has a 22 theatre cinema megaplex. Another pleasant surprise was that seniors tickets were $8 so we immediately bought two to a late viewing of the Daniel Craig version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. We have of course seen all three of the Swedish films, but we enjoyed this one too. Got home around midnight and hit the sack. There are another bunch of films we want to see playing here and we should be able to catch them all.

6 March - Adelaide

We left Robe this morning after a terrific breakfast at the Wild Mulberry - simply outstanding.
Our journey took us through the Coorong to Tailem Bend and then into Adelaide. About a 4 hour drive - we didn't even stop for a coffee or lunch, the breakfast at Robe ensured we didn't need to eat again till this evening. We're currently at the Marion Holiday Park. This was one of our favourite caravan parks some 25 years ago and we were delighted to see that it is still fantastic today. As well as terrific level van sites it features an indoor heated pool and indoor tennis center. It is simply outstanding and I would recommend it to anyone who want to stay within 12 km of Adelaide's CBD. We are booked in for 5 nights so far, and the weather bureau is promising at least 7 days of 28 deg and clear skies.

5 March - Robe SA

Spent a very relaxing day in Robe today seeing the sights and sampling the local cuisine. The coast line is limestone and quite rugged. The obelisk shown here was built in the late 19th century as a navigation aid for shipping. Robe was quite an important port. Had lunch at a cafe called the Wild Mulberry - absolutely outstanding food and coffee, and the pizzeria in the main street was the choice for dinner. Fabulous pasta accompanied by a great wine - Flints Coonawarra Sauvignon. Also browsed a few shops and art galleries. Tomorrow we continue on to Adelaide where we are booked in for 5 nights at the Marion Holiday Village. We spent a lot of time in this park many years ago as a family. It was great then and I expect it has changed a lot in the last 25 years.

4 March - Robe SA

We left Traralgon yesterday at 9:45 - grey skies and occasional rain. Our general plan is to travel to Adelaide along the coast and from there to Mildura and home via central Victoria. Our day to day movements will be largely dictated by the weather. We travelled along the Great Ocean Road and surprisingly the overcast weather and occasional rain added a dramatic beauty to a scene which we've normally viewed in brilliant sunshine. We stopped briefly at the Twelve Apostles viewing area before continuing on to Warnambool where we had hoped to spend the night. To our surprise the Big4 park there was booked out and so we continued and had our overnight stop in Port Fairy. The rain reduced to a drizzle overnight and by this morning it had stopped. We left Port Fairy at 09:30 after enjoying the complimentary pancake breakfast at the caravan park. Continuing our trek along the coast we arrived at Robe in South Australia at 13:30 and found a terrific caravan park (Lakeside) where we will spend the next couple of days. This afternoon the skies had cleared and now the sun is shining.