Before heading south, we had a great Easter with Mum & Dad and my brother Andrew and his family, including a day on the boat for all the boys fishing and enjoying each others company. Finally, the crab pot came up trumps with 4 large mud-crabs that Jen, my sister in law, cooked up for us. They made excellent fresh crab sandwiches.
Then it was south again with a stop off at Port Macquarie on the north coast of New South Wales, a popular Aussie holiday spot, and no wonder why – this is a gorgeous place. We had the boat with us so one day was spent fishing on the Hastings River, with a little cruise around the canals to look at all the waterfront properties – most had big motor-launches but one house had a seaplane on its lawn!
We also decided to do a LONG 8km coastal walk, which included walking across five beaches to an old lighthouse at Tacking Point. I hope the photos do it justice as it was stunning – Ben actually thought it might be one of the most beautiful walks that he’s ever done. But an absolute highlight of the day must be watching a pod of dolphins riding the waves for fun! We all felt very privileged to witness this ‘Attenborough’ moment. While the lowlight was probably the lone nudist playing Frisbee on one of the beaches – seriously mate, why bother with the hat??
We also fitted in a history lesson on early colonial living at Timbertown in Wauchope, with talks on bullock trains, gold-panning, forging and blacksmithing for Ollie, and a hands-on back-stinging practical in whip-cracking for Cameron-ouch!
After a lazy day at the beach, which saw a return of the dolphins while we were in the waves (admit to a bit of panic seeing the ‘fin’ in the water), and we were back on the road to Sydney. Here we expanded our knowledge of
Sydney’s history with a day at The Rocks– the sight of the first settlement in New South Wales. These outdoor history lessons are a real hit with the boys, and the learning is quite tangible.
Histo
ry was also the topic of the day when I had a very civilised liquid and seafood lunch with my friend Kim in Darling Harbour, while Ben took the boys to the Sydney Maritime Museum where they climbed through an old submarine, a replica of Cook’s ship, the Endeavour, and naval ships while Kim & I did our best to catch up on our own more recent history – the last 14 years to be exact – and so much to say! Ben also had the chance for a bit of lunching himself, meeting up with some of his former GE colleagues at the Opera House restaurant – nice!
Ben teaching Ollie to drive the boat on the Hawkesbury River
State number 3 was Canberra where we caught up with my former bosses and good friends from my days at the Australian High Commission. We had a great reunion with Roxley & Loretta and Steve & Julie over a lovely dinner (we missed you Jen!!). Next day Roxley & Loretta took us on a tour of Canberra, with a timely trip to the moving and inspiring War Memorial WWI galleries. And with History firmly ticked off the curriculum list we headed to Questacon, the Science Museum for some hand-on activities and an engrossing or ‘gross’ lecture on the Mummification process – very cool in the boys opinions. We decided to drive down to the Snowy Mountains in the Australian Alps and the popular ski resorts of Thredbo and Perisher-Smiggins. It’s too early for skiing but as we watched the temperature guide drop down to 4 degrees we were greeted with icy rain and a dusting of snow across the tops of the mountains.
Poppies in the wall of remembrance.
This was a huge vertical gravity drop – easy for our daredevil.
State number 4 is Victoria and the self-proclaimed café-culture capital of Australia, Melbourne. But for us the journey was more 
rugged as we decided to cross the mountains, and border, via the Barry Way 4WD dirt track. It was a 220km journey following the meandering Snowy River through gorgeous eucalyptus tree covered mountains and along dusty narrow cliff roads. We only saw 1 other car and so the wildlife was abundant as Kangaroos, Wallabies and even small deer darted out on the road in front of us.
Now it’s time to see what the southern states have to offer, as we hang out in trendy Melbourne, ferry it to Tasmania (State 5!) and go ‘country’ in inland NSW!
Was the lone nudist on the beach called Ben?
I’m getting far too much abuse on this blog! No, it wasn’t me, they would have closed the whole beach down!! Hope all well. Ben
Well well well Walkers ….
At last you have started to see the pure futility of fishing. After an entire day you have relied on several life maudlin crabs to stagger into crudely built traps literally committing suicide for your culinary pleasure. We didn’t invent trawlers for fun guys , it is more efficient and relies on less standing about in the cold. I love seafood but I am not prepared to freeze my cobblers off or waste an entire day to catch something I will have to eat because I have caught it (but if truth be known would rather have something else nicer). Enough with the fishing for god sake! pay for your food like proper civilised people.
On a massively more positive note I have noticed that my cousin Andrew is slightly greyer than me! Overjoyed that a life of press ups and being shot at is still less stressful than living in Australia. Talking of the gorgeous country I have noticed that once again aussie madness has crept into your blog. Nudists I don’t have a problem with, I don’t have a problem about witnessing a lone nudist either……. My issue is …. how do you play Frisbee by yourself? surely that’s just chucking something to walk after, it makes no sense at all. and to do it tackle out beggars belief and to be honest practicality. Chaffing is not a subject to be taken lightly and especially not in a sandy environment.
Lovely to see you are smashing the history with the little guys. Just ensure they maintain a sense of perspective. What is history down under is mere memory back in ole blighty. England claimed Australia in 1770 about 150 years after it was discovered which I believe is usually called a cooling off period. However I would like to point out that in 1770 the tower of London was already 700 years old. Before anyone starts carping on about aboriginal cave paintings everyone knows its not history until the BBC does a costume drama about it.
Another thing…. Perisher-Smiggins …. Are you doing it just to wind me up?
So you have had a 220km journey through rodent ridden wilderness. That in my crude maths is 136 miles which equates to my house to Melton Mowbray. That to be honest is not that far to get your hands on a decent pork pie. Don’t big up the distances just because you have a lot of them. Just by saying it in Km so it sounds further and more European doesn’t change the fact that it is 2 hours on the motorway in anyone’s language.
Finally I have been looking at Melbourne and it being a trendy place almost the fashion conscience of Australia (did you see what I did there?). It looks good, almost European, I only have one concern. In this city of bohemian good taste and a la mode tastes , will ben stick out like a barramundi in a wash basin?
Lots of love walkers enjoy your adventures.
I’m sure i’ve seen a clip on BBC3 about forthcoming programmes that involved paintbrushes and a hot climate ……….I also vaguely recall nude sports and the eating of pork pies… but maybe it was a trailer for Game of Thrones after all !
Sounds like it, as long as we don’t get cast as the Starks, not a very lucky family. We’re all good, enjoying all the Tassie has to offer – great food, wine and beautiful scenery – post to follow when we’ve got better, and cheaper, wifi!
Well, its taken me nearly a week to think of a suitable retort, and as usual, I’m struggling!!! I think you should consider a writing career after you finish up in the RAF – really!!
Anyway, the following is an attempt to address all of your points in turn:
1. I think you’re missing the point of fishing, which is to while away countless hours in the company of your family, confined to a space of only around 40 sq.ft. (I’m not wholly convinced that the rest of my family share this view!).
2. I’m in no position to comment on this distinguishing feature of Andrew’s.
3. The nudist was playing frisbee with another chap who, curiously (but thankfully) enough, was fully clothed! The nude bloke did seem to be walking awkwardly though, so perhaps the sand had already taken its toll?
4. I don’t have a suitable retort in regard to cave paintings and BBC dramas, except to ask whether a David Attenborough documentary counts, surely so?
5. I can forgive you for thinking that we’re attempting to “big up” the distances, but its more that the speedo is in KM and my maths isn’t good enough to convert into miles, and Adele’s certainly isn’t (ouch!!)
6. As for me sticking out like a barramundi in a wash basin, thats a fair comment, but getting into a fracas with a lunatic on the tram did more to highlight my arrival in Melbourne than my attire!!
Glad to hear that you are enjoying eating, and no doubt cooking, again! Love to all. Bx