Tag Archives: Camping NZ & Au

Day 20

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20th Friday
Headed off to Scottsdale, Lavender Farm, and up to Bridpost, well what lovely places, we are going to stay a week at Scottsdale in the free camping. $3 for a 4 min hot shower, but hey how good is the town doing this. Bridpost has a lot to offer. Loved the Lavender Farm at Nabowla area. Bought a few things and had Devonshire Tea. Came home via the Tamar H’way thru Pipers River.
TreetopsAdventurePark  Amazing buildings in the bush by the mountain bike park.DSCF4293For all those people who like a mountain bike challenge
DSCF4298 IMG_0664 IMG_0665  Camping allowed for 24 hours, nice toilets no showers.IMG_0675  Track to the fallsLillydale Falls 1First Falls we came to at Lillydale, shame about the log, that’s nature for you.Lillydale Falls 2  Falls number 2IMG_0725 IMG_0726 IMG_0728 IMG_0739 IMG_0752  Tea gardens at the Lavender FarmScottsdale  This is at ScottsdaleIMG_0760  Park at the reserve where you can camp.IMG_0761  Another angle, this is a very big reserve, made up of many paddocksIMG_0814 Driving into Bridport  The view of the beach as we came over the hill at BridportRocky Beaches at Bridport  Very rocky beaches.Old Jetty, Bridport  Old jettyIMG_0874  Heading home via this way.IMG_0887  Heading back into Luanceston, been a long and wonderful day.Coming into Launceston

Here’s the entrance coming into Launceston.

Day 12

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12th Thursday

Went into town on our way out and dumped the rubbish, no dump point in town. Had a lovely drive down the Maroondah H’way, got to Healesville at 12.30, got set up and had lunch, showered and then went into town, had steamed fish and chips for tea. Don has come down with a head cold. Did a big wash and dried in dryer, so all summer clothes are clean and now bringing out the winter.
IMG_0460Healesville  We got a en suit at the van park, so nice. I use to live here some 38 years ago and so much has not changed. Still lovely.IMG_0457Cathedral Range  Cathedral Range on our way down.IMG_0451 From a look out on the trip, many paddocks are very dry, need rain,

Day 11

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11th Wednesday
Last day here, I took a drive into town, went to bank, book store and chemist. nice town. Toilet still leaking, I am over it. this is our 3rd toilet, never will we buy BCF toilets again. Made a yoghurt today as I use it as a cream as well. Started to tidy up and pack what I could for tomorrow. Did a some night shooting and some Milky Way shots.
IMG_9941 IMG_9947

Day 10

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10th Tuesday
Had a lazy day, Don went into town and I caught up with my friend on phone.Our days are hot and the wasps are very annoying. Nights are cold. Walked around the river, very lovely. Bird life is quiet good. been doing star trails and time lapsing.
StarStaX_IMG_9894-IMG_9938_gap_fillingComet

You can see the line in this image, it was a shooting star.

Day 19

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Wednesday 7th. 
Had a long day getting home, went via the Paddy Flat Rd, and looked in at Paddy Flat camping, didnt think much of it, and the rest of the trip was slow, so added on hours to the trip, got home later than would of liked, 6 pm. Bought Chinese takeaways, so tired. Great time away, loved every bit of it. For those that have been following my trip, hope you have enjoyed as well and thank you for all the likes. 🙂
DSCF3966  Last swim to cool off after all the packing was done.DSCF3970  Our foot print.DSCF3968  Opps Don sprung a leak.DSCF3961 Nearly all packed up.

Day 13

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Thursday 1st January 2015  Happy new year.

Woke to a beautiful day,  had breakfast and then went for my walk.  Was pretty hot, so I’m going to start doing it earlier. Had a quiet day,  I cleaned the house, washed the sheets etc while Don went for a walk up the valley.  By afternoon the clouds were building and we got the most lovely lightning show, we only got a light shower and it cooled things down nicely. Went down to Kays while Don had a sleep.  They had a wine and I had my water and a cracker.  Lovely cool night for sleeping,

IMG_8971  Wonderful way of keeping cool and the sun off as well. Thanks Guys, lovely family.IMG_8976  Don signaling that hes back safe from hike.IMG_8970 Don heading off on a hike up into the hills, keeping his clothes dry until he gets over the other side.

Day 12

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Wednesday 31st,  last day of the year.

Woke to  very clear skies,  going to be a hot one, waiting for breakfast to settle then walk.  Got short way and had to retreat back to the loo. So stayed home and did all my Qigong and Tai Chi. Took morning tea up to Kays and then decided we’d take the drive up the Wier and dam area, 28km up from our camp spot, taking the upper rocky river rd. Just beautiful scenery,  large rocks and the river goes all the way,  crossed over a wee bridge and people were camping there. Got to a area in shade for lunch then had a swim in the river there, not deep but cooling. Met Kay and Mark at the top of the range on our way home. Got back and took the mileage from where we walk to the camper was exactly 1 km so 2km return everyday we have done it.  One morning was too wet. Doing a fire soon to do my bread and roast veggies for tea, will have a glass of my wine that I didn’t have for birthday. Lovely fine day, 33 deg and clouds building again, seems to happen each night but so far so good, making the most of it. Asked Duck about the story for my painting Bruce did for me as Bruce has gone into town, means Dolphin dreaming.  He dreams of the mullet and when the fisherman come and take to many he splits them up so some left for him. Other two brothers have gone to town. Went to Kay and marks for a drink and we stayed awhile then came over to Harveys and Diannes group watched their fireworks,  really lovely.  Came home and sat listening to their music for awhile. Went to bed, the music did not stop until 2 pm. Great day.

IMG_8968  My gluten free damper bread, was really nice.IMG_8961  Huts in the middle of nowhere.IMG_8910  The Weir IMG_8863  Another place that’s nice and isolated.IMG_8856  Huge rocks every where, this is just one I liked.IMG_8908 Down at the weir.

Day 10 & 11

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Monday 29th 

Going into Tenterfield today get some bits, like fill gas bottle, fill petrol, gumboots, fresh fruit and vegetables. Milk and bread, etc. Well we got most of what we need, spent some time just getting a few extras. Love Tenterfield. Neat place. Went into Crooked Creek and had a look around. Went over to the equestrian place and one has to book now so we have the phone numbers to ring. Got home and put the groceries away.  Went down to Kay and Mark,  had a chat,  we have all agreed that if the rains are going to continue we will pack up at 1st possible time and head to Texas,  check out Bonshaw Wier if full go to Demasque river at Texas. We have had tea. The river has dropped a bit. No photos today.

Tuesday 30th 

Woke to very dark clouds all around the hills, but wasn’t long and they had burnt off to a very warm day. We had breakfast, cleaned up and then did our walk, if you are not back from the walk before 8.30 am it’s just far too hot for me. The family next to us were having great fun going over the Rapids so Don and I started taking pics of them and did a video.  I went over and told them and said I’d like to email them to them as i don’t want them. Harvey took me on the buggy down to the bottom of the rapids so I could do a video of them coming towards me. Then in the late afternoon Harvey took Don up the hills in buggy, I chose not to go as a bit rough on my back.  We must of had 6 swims today. Kay and Mark came up for a swim in our waterhole as it’s in shade,  their’s is in sun, not good for Mark. Sat around the fire for awhile and got all our scrapes burnt then bed.

IMG_8835  These kids just bobbed around like little corks, they had so much fun.IMG_8818  Here they come down the rapids.IMG_8777  There the kids go, there helmets and camcorder on there heads, DSCF3889 I would sit in the shade here and the cows would hang around, so neat.

Day 8 & 9

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Saturday 27th 

I’m up having a cuppa around a nice hot fire. Drizzling still, the river is up by about 6 inches so my water hole is going to be deep, We have little frogs jumping back across the grass inland direction,  dont understand, in the evening they jump towards the river, dont know where they live in between. Went for our walk, found it hard today. Zoe was driving up the road and stopped and chattered,  they had a nice xmas and came home to damage from the storm two nights ago, there thunder box blew over, ripped the seat off it. Some fences are damaged so they are having to fix them as Garry’s stock can get through. Got back from the walk and did our exercises, had a swim, the river has come up at least 12 inch now, so we are watching. Made a milo and toast, took it up to K&M but they were still in bed so came home and had it, then I decided to make a cake out of my muffin pre mix in the camp oven, even though its raining, well bugger me turned out great, then I threw in some scones and they turned out great. Very happy. Well the rain has not stopped and it’s chilly.  Kay popped over she’s had a good lazy day and sleep.  I have used my dehydrated pumpkin soup mix for tea tonight,  see what it tastes like.

Sunday 28th 

Buy gumboots,  short ones.

It has rained all night.  Still raining it’s 9.30 qld time. River has risen, Don has a stick on the bank for a marker and if the water gets to that we will be packing up. I have got heaps of uke practice done. Oh, the pumpkin soup last night was delicious,  even Don loved it so that’s saying something. I did put 2 cubes of spinach frozen into it. No walk today,  we have walked 6 days want one day off and its so wet as well. The river has been rising more and our sticks are under water. We will make a decision in the morning. Went for a drive up thru Garrys place next door and went only 10 km was lovely, people are camped down by the river there and the river is only couple of feet bankment, crazy. There are too river systems running into this one river so no wonder it’s rising as we could see it still raining up in the hills.  Went down to Kays and saw the platypus playing,  there were two that we saw. Got photos but not good enough to keep. I had a dehydrated meal for tea and Don even liked that one. Crikey. Still raining.  Batteries are doing much better now that the charger is working properly. It’s cooler and the freezer is sitting on -10 most of the day. I have put these two days together with the few photos as to wet for photography.

IMG_8732  Cant even see the rocks that the kids were sitting on few days ago.IMG_8726  Just outside our camp.DSCF3882
  The drive up the road.

Day 7

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Friday 26th Happy birthday to Thomas. Boxing day.

Well it rained all night, woke to a cool morning then it started to warm up. We had breakfast and then did my Tai Chi and walk,  the walk we timed it was just on 30 min brisk walk one way and climbing the hill is good, gets the heart rate up. Went and got some wood before everyone started arriving then in for a swim.  The river has risen and the we hole I stand in is now up to the middle of my chest. So nice to be able to just plop into the water anytime, clothes and all. Still overcast and the odd drizzling,  can hear thunder in the hills rumbling. Popped down to Kay’s and had a chat for awhile then came back for lunch. Got a fire going so I could heat my pie up in the camp oven. Had tea and Kay and mark came over we chattered around a fire. Lightning was all around us but no thunder now, drizzled most of the night but no wind so we were able to leave windows open. Warm night.

IMG_8715  The horse was causing havoc in neighbours gazebo so we shooed it out, they love bread.IMG_8696 Horses crossing at our waterhole, its pretty deep now.