Friday 27 April 2012

144 - Stuarts Point / Iluka / Goldie

I am a little behind with my posts. Been to busy having fun. At the time of finishing this blog we are at Charleville in far western Queensland.
The bride on the steps at the Urunga Hotel

We left Sawtell and headed straight to Stuarts Point to catch up with our friends Ian and Jenny. We arrived without any issues, however upon arrival Ian and Jenny, who have been managing the park, decided to pull the pin. They were still there of course as their departure date was until the Friday. Hey that's cool we were only staying for four days anyway, so a social time was had be all.

The deserted beach at Stuarts point

Of course what do I do when we are camped up....head for the beach of course.  Stuarts Point CP is on a river, very picturesque, but I will say the residents of Stuart Point proper are to be kind, a bit "Howza Ya Muther" We had to lock everything that was left outside, quite sad....but a sign of the times.

The walk bridge from the CP to the Beach

We enjoyed our time there however, and although getting a bit chilly around the ears, during the day was quite enjoyable for a walk along the deserted beach and a little bit of au natural sunning. The bride did a few haircuts, which went towards the Friday night bash at the local Bowlo.

A quiet (bull s....t))happy hour at Stuarts Point

It was decided  that we were not going to venture further south as we have missed the warm weather. Plus I had to get the Val attended to on the Goldie. Also mates of ours Peter and Geraldine from Bribie Island rang us and said they were going to Darwin on the 26th of April...................that was enough for us to say.........we are coming too.

Saying good bye to our great friends Ian & Jenny

So we headed back to the Goldie via Iluka. Another lot of friends Mike and Kerry told us of a fantastic park in Iluka, so we headed there for three nights.Two days the weather was really warm, however the afternoon prior our departure in came the rain.

A stormy afternoon for our arrival at Iluka

Mr. & Mrs Duck and the kids came over to say hello

\The Bride posing again at the CP

The Clarence river  with an approaching storm front

Going for a nice sail into the sunset

 A couple of hundred red wines and what a sunset

Will you hire me Mister
Our time there was fairly laid back.....luckily we had missed most of the Queensland school kids and what was left of the NSW lot, was not an issue. However one thing that was on my bucket list was a ride on the Iluka to Yamba ferry. So I have been there done that now.

Little "Toot"
We headed back to the Goldie.....yep back into the house we house sat previously. May I add however, we only stayed for four nights, which allowed us to catch our breath again....get the bits and pieces done on the Val....like a new steering column.....ouch!!!!!!!, then on Saturday, what ever date that was, off again to start our adventure, with the first stop being our great friends Peter and Geraldine at Bribie Island.

Stay toooooooned!!!!!



Saturday 7 April 2012

143 - Sawtell and Coffs Harbour

The bride and the clock tower at Sawtell

After just over two weeks we moved out of Red Rock, and headed for Sawtell which is just south of Coffs Harbour.

Yeah I know, I have been a slacko with this blog, however we have been flat out being lounge lizards and just chilling out. Plus those of you who are regular readers have contacted me by email, making sure I was alright. Thank you, really appreciated your concern. And yes apart from the above, the dreaded “Jelly Belly” that warranted a 5 day camp to the 5 star Nambour Hilton mid last year, did make an unwelcome return, due mainly to the social calendar we have experienced while here at Sawtell. But the good news is, didn’t need to go to summer camp, at the 10 star Coffs Harbour Novatell……… Just gave myself an upper cut, curtailed the social nastiness, said sorry to my broken down body, and promised I would not be a naughty boy again.

Anyway back to what we have been up to.

Our move to Sawtell was mainly a family decision, as the bride’s sister and family are here, and my brother, who I haven’t seen for a few years, also lives in Sawtell. Both have been part of the set in Sawtell for the best part of 20 years each. The cookie was sweetened as my brothers’ partner offered her down stairs two bed room unit at her house for the duration of our stay. Yippee! Apart from the unit, there was also a place to park the RetroLiner, and only 15 seconds to the beach…….. Yippeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!! again. Gotta love that!!!!!. Anyway we could not stay at Red Rock because of Easter, and of course; NSW and Queensland school holidays was immanent, and the joint was booked out. Didn’t really want to be around there during that period anyway! Been at Red Rock long enough anyway……over it!

Aaaa'h another beautiful home for the Retro Roamers

Back of the house and fifty paces to the beach

Fifty paces later....Sawtwell Beach

That's me showing off on a left hander (he! he!!)


However in saying that I miss calculated, when Easter was falling on the calendar, and the school holidays. Hence our move to Sawtell was a little premature. But, that didn’t matter anyway, as the last three weeks have just flown by. At the time of writing this blog we are only two days from leaving once again, and heading south to Stuarts Point on Tooooooosday 10th.of April 2012

So what have we done? The bride has done some voluntary work at Meals on Wheels. We have had new seeing eye dogs made (new goggles) as the brides’ sister is an optical dispenser. The bride has also been able to catch up with her nephew, who unfortunately is not well. I have walked Sawtell Beach a million times. We have been on scenic drives, revisited other spots like the local pubsssssssssssssss, Fisho’s club, hung out at Park Plaza, to satisfy the brides’ shoppers’ disease, and generally played “Tom the Tourist, and “Norma the New Comer”.

Overlooking Coffs harbour from the Forest Sky Pier Observation deck


A bit further around...see the hairy port?

Jenny (my brothers partner) brother Robert and the bride

Robert, the bride and the good look'n one...meeeeeee!
I will add, this area is not new to us. We have been here a million times before, the most recent around September 2009. The posting is on this blog. Plus we managed a motel here, a couple of years ago, and going back to 1998, when we were managing another motel in Armidale, which is 167 kays to the west of CH, and we would visit my dear old mum who was in a retirement home in Coffs Harbour. Both her and my Dad did pass on 1995 and 2000. So I guess Coffs Harbour, is fairly significant to us for all sorts of reasons.

So where to now? Well we did initially say we were going to stay here till after the school holidays, however we cannot stay any longer, as we wish not to wear our welcome out. So as above we should be outa here on Tooooooosday, weather permitting. Speaking of weather, it has been just fantastic. Beautiful one day, perfect the next……ooooooops, that’s a Queensland saying. In saying that, as per the locals, our stay has co-incided with some perfect weather, as prior to our arrival, and for moths preceding this; the weather has just been a disaster.

The Forest Sky Pier

The bride just had to pose
 The reason we are going to Stuarts Point is, that while we at Yamba on our way down, we met some “crazies” who manage the Stuarts’ Point Holiday Park, so we can’t miss an opportunity to socialize once again. How long we stay there will again be weather dependent. From there we have decided to return to the Goldie and not continue south as per the original plan. Several reasons for this, is the further south we go, the colder it is going to get, and I am the world’s biggest sook, when it comes to the cold. Plus I need a few things attended to, as far as the Val is concerned. Also car registration and my DA (Drivers Authorization) needs to be tidied up. Finally, Queensland Council Elections are on at the end of April……so gotta get a vote in.

In saying all that, we have also decided to head to Darwin. This has been prompted, by a mate and his wife in Adelaide who heads to Darwin every year from June for three months, as well as another mate and his bride are heading that way commencing early May from Bribie Island, and another mate and his wife who we have been friends for over thirty years are doing the same trip from Brisbane, leaving around mid May. We will have a good start on all of them, so we are just going to “mosey” on up at our pace………………………….but in the meantime the next up date will be Stuarts Point.

Stay toooooooned!!!!!!

Look who's posing again on the Coffs Harbour jetty

Looking from the jetty into the boat harbour

The beach from the Fisho's club