Sunday 29th September - Newcastle (Stockton Beach Tourist Park)

Had a lovely day today doing the "Tourist Bit" in and around Newcastle.  We caught the Ferry from Stockton to Queens Wharf and wandered around Newcastle for a few hours, catching up on some retail therapy.  Very nice town and tomorrow we are going to drive over to Newcastle and have a look at beaches along Bathers Way which is a 5km coastal walk.

Ferry 

 Queens Wharf

 This is "Wooden Art" pic doesn't do it justice.....

 Sculpture in the street

 Ferry making it's way back to Queens Wharf

 Small coal ship coming into Newcastle Harbour

Looking back to Newcastle

Saturday 28th September - Newcastle (Stockton Beach Tourist Park)

Left our camp at Woolomin and continued along the Nundle Tourist Drive on our way across to the The New England Highway and down to Wallabadah.  Stopped for some pictures at Chaffey Dam and then climbed up a very steep climb (Lindsay's Gap) before popping out to a spectacular view across The New England Ranges. This is truly spectacular country. We stopped at Wallabadah where there is a memorial to The First Fleet.  Very nice garden and some interesting information to have a look at.  Then it was on thru Willow Tree & Murrurundi.  Passed on thru Mussellbrook to Singleton where there a HUGE Coal Mines and trains that stretch on for miles, or so it seems. At last have booked into Stockton Beach Tourist Park and set up camp for 3 days,.  Plan on going into Newcastle tomorrow on the Ferry and checking out the tourist traps before leaving on Tuesday 1st October.

Friday 27th September - Moolomin Free Camp 174

Met some lovely people camped on the banks of the Dumaresq River whilst staying at Texas.  Gordon & Robyn from Ballina as well as Gordon’s parents Howard & Anne. We leave Texas this morning and drive down towards Newcastle where we are staying for 3 nights before moving into The Lane Cove Tourist Park to catch up with Glen. Beautiful sunny day today with no wind as we leave QLD and move on thru Inverell, Uralla and then down towards Tamworth for the night.  As we drove along the road between Ashford and Bukkulla there was some very “radical pruning” along the side of the road.  No chainsaws used for this pruning, would have loved to see the equipment used to rip the branches of the trees, there was no smooth cut, branches just ripped off and left laying on the ground. (Couldn't stop for pics) We have spotted another fire approx. 15kms Nth of Uralla, long way from where we are going so no problem.  As we drove into Tamworth we noticed a sign to “Nundle Tourist Drive”, so we turned the corner and off we went.  Beautiful drive and have ended up at a camp beside the Peel River at Moolomin.  Very quiet, grassed and only 3 other caravans here on a very big site.

Thursday 26th September - Texas Free Camp

37 degrees today and quite windy.  Had a couple of swims in the river and managed to stay reasonably cool.  Our neighbours are taking their plastic chairs into the river and sitting on them.  Very good idea....There is a fire behind us at the moment but no one has come and told us to move on so I am assunming all is OK.  Barry isn't worried and we are checking the internet often. Some good photos of the sun through the smoke and our Kookaburra that comes and sits on a branch in front of the caravan of an evening. We leave tomorrow morning and head towards Newcastle .

Sign on the tree on the track heading into our camp - Pretty relevant I think.....

 Neighbours Howard and Gordon cooling off in the river.

 Sun thru the smoke - very pretty

Barry's buddy the Kookaburra

Smoke behind the Caravan

Wednesday 25th September - Texas Free Camp

What a beautiful spot.....we will stay here until Friday morning when we will journey on towards Newcastle where we are booked for 3 nights in a caravan park at Stockton Beach.  We have been swimming in the River and have also been for a drive in to have a good look at Texas.  There is a music concert here this weekend, would have been nice to stay and have a look but we are now on a schedule to be in Sydney on Tuesday 1st October. Barry has done his back and is in a lot of pain so I am hoping that a few days here will see it right again.  If not, then it looks like Kay will be in the drivers seat, that should be fun!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday 24th September - Texas Free Camp

Spent Monday sitting around the camp after going into Jandowae to check out the "Booteek". Managed to get a couple of egg cups which were needed in the caravan. An absolutely beautiful sunset tonight, and also swams of "Budgerigars" which was great seeings it is our last night here at this camp. Have decided to head off tomorrow, Tuesday, towards Texas on the QLD / NSW border. Met a lovely couple who had morning tea with us (Lee & John) from near Tamworth.  They came for a drive out to have a look at the weir, they are staying in the caravan park at Jandowae and were disappointed that they hadn't seen this camp first. Tuesday morning woke to a very windy day, glad we decided to move on towards Texas.  Still on the Dingo Tourist Drive for a short time as we head down towards Cecil Plains where we stopped for MT. Thru Millmerran, Inglewood, Limevale and then into Texas.  Terrific camp right beside the Dumaresq River where we have already been for a swim.

 Beautiful Sunset Jandowae Recreational Reserve

Murals on the water storage at Millmerran

Sunday 22nd September - Jandowae Recreational Reserve

Sunny day and we are on the road early. Max & Carol went one way and we went the other – sad it is over but looking forward to the next trip.  Drove down to Kumbia after filling with fuel and then turned off the highway and made our way to Jandowae along a nice quiet back road aptly named “Dingo FenceTourist Drive”, a very quiet road, only passed one other car heading in the opposite direction.  Noticed an 18” lizard darting across the road but he was way too fast for me to get the camera out.  Arrived at Jandowae and went for a stroll around the Sunday Market that was happening at the old Jandowae Railway Station that is no longer in operation. We have found a fabulous free camp at the Jandowae Recreation Reserve right beside a weir that is used for water skiing.  Found it on Wiki Camps which we haven’t used before, but will most certainly use again if this is an indication of the camp sites it promotes.  No skiers out today and there are NO OTHER CARAVANS…..Hooray…..We are about 4.5 kms outside of Jandowae and will probably stay at least a couple of nights. Have been for a swim and the water is beautiful.  There is even a cold shower in the toilet block…..too good. Later in the afternoon and a speed boat has arrived with some skiers all ready for a fun day, mostly on knee boards but obviously having a great time.  It is absolutely perfect here. So, free camp, phone access, internet access. great TV reception and able to post my Blog....there is no way it could get better than this........
AND Pizzas for dinner on the Baby Q.

 Max & Carol leaving for home after 9 weeks on the road

 Off they go.......so sad

Dingo Fence on the Dingo Fence tourist Drive

Kay being silly doing a "Maree"

 Jandowae Township

 Jandowae Recreational Reserve Free Camp

Fantastic spot right beside the water - great swimming
 

Saturday 21st September - Kingaroy Free Camp 564

Woke this morning to a beautiful day with NO wind - Hooray.... Max & Carol had a nice sleep in before we all embarked on a bit of wood gathering later in the day for our camp fire.  Max set about with his trusty hammer and a length of rope.  Hammer was tied to the rope and the idea was to throw the hammer over a nice bit of dead wood high in the tree and then pull the wood down.  Great idea...!! But, the funniest thing to happen was the hammer with the rope attached went over the branch and then the rope kept of going over the branch until it all ended up on the ground.  Max had to get Carol to hold the loose end so it didn't happen again. We all had a great laugh but did manage to get a bit of firewood.  We had the fire going early so we could get the coals going for the camp ovens.  Our farewell dinner tonight was a roast (joint effort) Kay & Barry the meat and Max & Carol the vegies all done in the camp ovens.  A slow start but a magnificent outcome and delicious meal.  For sweets Carol had decided on something very "healthy".  Jaffles, with Banana, Marshmallows, Chocolate and finished with cream......how yummy does that sound and I am here to tell you tasted out of this world.....You may think that "healthy" shouldn't apply, well think about it.......

• Banana = Fruit, 
• Chocolate = Organic healthy dark chocolate
• Bread = Vitamins & Minerals  !!
• Marshmallows = (I need to think a bit longer about this one) !!
• Cream = Dairy intake for the day

Tomorrow morning Max & Carol head for home and we head towards a town called Jandowae before going on to Dalby.  Need to be in Sydney on the 1st & 2nd October to catch up with Glen so we have a few days to fill in. Hopefully we will be able to find some free camps now that it is school holidays. Still can't believe that it has been 9 weeks and is now over.  
Thank you Max & Carol for some fantastic memories to cherish and a lot of laughs.  xxx

Carol holding the end of the rope.....