Two Aces and the Blue Heeler

Weather mainly cloudy with cool breezes. Friday was quite windy from the north/north-west, but on Saturday the wind went around to the west at a similar strength - 25 to 30 knots.

Thursday was a quiet day with a wander around the shops at Nambucca Heads - Di managed to find a frock shop or two or was it three!

Thursday's weather photo at Nambucca Heads.

On Friday we drove back to Coffs Harbour, firstly to get some Bio-Magic from Watsons Caravans, and secondly to drive down to the Harbour for a coffee. It was too windy for a walk around at the marina - 30 knots at least which explained why all the prawn trawlers were tied up at the wharf. The rock wall that protects the marina, and also provides access to Mutton-bird Island was closed. The level of the wall is being raised with 1,200 12-tonne concrete blocks to provide additional protection for the marina, which was significantly damaged in the East Coast Low in June. Two yachts were also sunk at the marina during the storm and the Marina Office extensively damaged.

Wave action at Coffs Marina during the June East Coast Low.

Marina at Coffs Harbour.

Rock wall pathway to Muttonbird Island closed for improvements.

Too windy for the prawn trawlers to go out today.

Looking across Wellington Beach at Nambucca Heads.

Looking south from the end of the rock-wall at Nambucca Heads.

Waves breaking on the bar-way at Nambucca Heads.

On Saturday we drove up to the Pub with no Beer at Taylors Arm, which is about 40 km from Nambucca Heads. Our trip took us south to Macksville where we turned west for Taylors Arm. At Macksville the road authorities are in the process of building an enormous bridge which is part of the Pacific Highway upgrade between Kempsey to the south and Nambucca Heads to the north. At the Pub we both had rump steaks and without doubt the steaks were the best that we have had for sometime. The meat comes from a farm down the road owned by the publicans - just goes to show that the closer you can buy your meat to the farm gate the better it will be!

Rustic interior of the Pub with no Beer.

Di outside the Pub with no Beer at Taylors Arm.

Sunset on Saturday night at Nambucca Heads.

Weather forecast was fine and mainly cloudy for our 355 km trip today.

We were packed up soon after 9:00 am and after a few good-byes to friends in the caravan park we were on our way by about 9:20 am. Our first stop was at the Wardell Rest Area where we got our morning coffees from the food van set up in the rest area. We stopped for fuel on the outskirts of Grafton before continuing on to the McPhillips Rest Area 7 km south of Grafton for a lunch break. As we continued south we drove though multiple road works areas where the Pacific Highway is being upgraded.

Just north of Coffs Harbour we were slowed again to get past the scene of an accident where a car had been pulled out of a small lake beside the road onto the back of a break-down truck. There were numerous Police cars and emergency service vehicles causing the trafic to merge to one lane to make it way past.

Near Urunga we were diverted onto a recently opened section of the Pacific HIghway that took us all the way to the Nambucca Heads turn-off. This section of road is about 25 km and was under construction last year when we were here.

We checked in to the White Albatross Caravan Park at about 3:00 pm for four nights and we allocated waterfront site 18 on the lagoon. No annexe to worry about here, so we were set up with a couple of shade screens in a couple of hours,

Once again we had a wonderful sunset across the Lagoon.

Sunset over the Lagoon at Nambucca Heads.

Weather forecast was quite good for both days so we decided to leave packing up until Tuesday, as we will be leaving early on Wednesday morning.

One of our neighbours in the caravan park had a boat on his roof rack together with the trailer and the outboard motor. Not sure why we worry about about the weight of our gear on the roof of the Navara.

Boat, trailer and outboard on the roof rack.

It took us about 6 hours to dismantle the annexe and get everything packed away. The annexe travels on the roof rack of the Navara and will not come out again until we get back home. When we finished packing up we headed over to the the Talle Club across the road for a final meal.

Another sunset over Tallebudgera Creek.

Forecast for this week was not all that good with another East Coast Low to develop off the Northern NSW Coast with some fallout for the Gold Coast. Rainfall expected was 25 mm on Tuesday and 50 mm on Wednesday. After a couple of days of rain it was back to normal - fine and sunny and temperatures in the low twenties.

We rounded out our last full week on the Gold Coast with a few more walks over Burleigh Head to the Surf Club and had fish and chips in the Sports Bar on Friday, and Fishermans Baskets for lunch on Sunday.

Kids on their paddle boards on Tallebudgera Creek.

Not much business for the kayak hire man as every-one has brought their own.

Burleigh Beach from the Sport Bar at the Burleigh Surf Club.

Another sunset over Tallebudgera Creek.

The weather this week was generally fine and sunny with temperatures in the low 20s.

On Tuesday we caught the train into Brisbane to meet up with David's brother John who was in Brisbane for the day after a visit to the Sunshine Coast. We stayed at the Jen Hotel which is located next door to the Roma Street Railway Station. The added benefit of the Jen Hotel is that it is only 10 minutes walk from Brisbane's Mall. We had dinner together at the Hotel and caught up again for breakfast next morning. After a walk down to the Mall in the morning we caught the train back to the Gold Coast - using the Gold Coast train to Varsity Lakes and the bus from the station back to the caravan park took just on 2 hours each way - much easier than battling the Pacific Highway.

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday we walked over to the Burleigh Surf Club each day for a drink before returning to the caravan park, sometimes a cold drink and sometimes a coffee. We have it down to 35 minutes walking over the top of Burleigh Head to the Surf Club, and 27 minutes walking back to the caravan park around the bottom track.

On Sunday we decided to drive up to O'Reilly's Rain Forest Resort at Green Mountain in the Lamington National Park. The Resort is located about 35 km south from Canungra on a very narrow and winding road with many one way sections. About half way up to the resort we passed a tourist bus that had broken down on its way up the hill. On our way back down the mountain a few hours later it was still waiting to be rescued. The Rain Forest Resort was established by the family of Bernard O'Reilly who rescued two survivors from a plane crash in the National Park in 1937.

During a stormy afternoon on 19 February 1937, a Stinson three-engine aircraft travelling on a regular service between Brisbane and Sydney crashed into the Lamington Ranges in bad weather killing four of the seven on board outright and sparking a search that failed to turn up any wreckage. Nine days after the crash, Beaudesert grazier Bernard O'Reilly set out on foot to find the Stinson wreckage. Through his superior bush skills he found the crash site and, to his surprise, two survivors in desperate need of medical attention. After making them comfortable, he left them to organise a rescue party, but found another of the survivors that had died trying to get help.

In 1987 a movie was made starring Jack Thompson and Richard Roxburgh dealing with the crash and the rescue of the survivors. The model of the Stinson aircraft that was used in the film is now located at O'Reilly's Rain Forest Retreat.

John and David at the Hotel Jen.

Hotel Jen in Brisbane.

An old Roadstar van in the caravan park.

Home made tear-drop camper.

Tallebudgera Creek.

Palm Beach weather photo.

A bush turkey in the Burleigh National Park.

Another turkey riding a segway in the Burliegh National Park.

Wedding party lining up for photos at Burleigh Head - Richmond supporters perhaps?

Surfer at Burleigh Beach.

Burleigh surf boat crew on Tallebudgera Creek.

The view from the Lookout on the way to O'Reilly's Retreat.

Yet another shot from the Lookout.

Di at the Lookout near O'Reilly's Resort.

Di at the Lookout.

O'Reilly's Rain Forest Retreat.

Bird-life at O'Reilly's Resort.

Very smokey to the west from O'Reilly's Plateau.

Statue of Bernard O'Reilly with the two survivors of the crash.

The story of the Stinson crash in 1937.

Di in front of the Stinson model used in the movie.