Bigriggen 2008

Thursday

It was time for the annual pilgrimage to Rathdowney and the Bigriggen Campsite.

Mark, Sue and us turned up a few hours after we arrived, After spending the last 2 hrs setting up our tent we enjoyed watching other people setting up.

Our camp site

As the sun set we realised that the possums rely way too much on the campers for food and arriving on a Thursday, they hadn’t been feed in a while. We had one possum (we nicknamed possimo) not scared at all of jumping onto the arm of Mark's chair (between Mark and Sue’s) whilst they where finishing dinner. Possimo put his front paws on the table, Mark moved his plate away and possimo went after it, eating straight off the plate!

Possimo

Possimo

We all decided then and there that the food was going back into the cars for the evening (Mark and sue had one possum last year who ate a hole in the tent trying to get to the bread!).

Possimo

Thursday night was a freezing cold!


Friday

Rob rocked up on Friday – wanting to relax and settled into a book. Whilst Mark, Sue, Mikey and I went off to visit the Wineries – Kooroomba Lavender Farm first for a tasting. Great as always and a wonderful view. We then headed up the road to a new winery Bunjurgen Estate that only grows two types of grapes Shiraz and Chamborchin. It was wonderful – even Mark and Sue enjoyed it and they don’t like red wine! No tannins, organic, low in alcohol – we enjoyed all of them, it was great to have the owner run us through all of them, he was tasting just as much as we were!. We are especially looking forward to visiting next year to taste out their port! If you like Alaskan Malamo’s this is the place to come there are two massive ones and the wine is named after them.

View from Kooroomba

We ducked into Boonah on the way back to grab a few items then back to the camp site to meet up with Nick, Dionne and Phil (in his sparkling new white car!). Everyone caught up with each other over dinner and songs and night boule (light up boule balls).

Saturday

We all decided to drive to the lower portals and hike out, the brave boys (I wont say who didn’t you know who you are!) jumped into the freezing cold waters and swam up to the boulders – and as you can see from the photo’s they thought there white little bodies looked good! As one group of ladies said “quite the posers aren’t they”.

Freezing - Glacier Melt??

Dionne, Nick and Phil decided to do a rock scramble upstream for a couple of hours, whilst Mikey, Mark, Sue and I went back the way we came, we saw a metre long eel in the last portal (glad I didn’t get in the water!). Back to camp for a rest in front of the fire then dinner The boys then headed off for a session of night Frisbee, while the girls stayed by the fire with Possimo.

Sunday

Back to the real world – bye Possimo!


Gallery, slide show

Coffs Harbour Holiday 14-21 October


Tuesday 14th Oct

Drove south to Byron Bay grabbed lunch and had a quick look around. Then down to Grafton for a pitstop for a hot chocolate and a stretch.

Then to the Novatel to book in, just in time for the rain to start. We grabbed some supplies from the local Jetty IGA and Dinner.

Lovely room.

View from the Room on a good day

Wednesday 15th Oct

We drove into town, to have a look around as the weather was very over cast. Grabbed some lunch, then drove back to park beach Shopping centre to have a look around (Like a Westfields). Mikey actually managed to find a Texas BBQ joint (just behind the shopping centre), had a good ole chat to the yank behind the counter – so we had to have those for dinner – Yummy!

Michael at the Clog Barn

Thursday 16th Oct

The weather was yucky again so we ventured off to the Homemaker centre, grabbed some fish and chips for lunch, then back to the unit for some R & R. we had been recommended the Indian at the jetty (orborison) when we were in Byron. So we gave that a go – Very good food – nice and hot!



Friday 17th Oct – Mikey’s Birthday

It was a beautiful day so we drove to the Marina and walked through the Marina and over to Mutton bird Island (the marina connects the Island to the main land). Mutton bird Island as it is named is full of Mutton birds (so a bit stinky). We walked to the other side of the island and sat and watched the frolicking whales go home with their calves. The calves were especially active, we sat there for about an hour and a half watching about 6-8 pods – It was wonderful!

Maria pointing to some whales

We walked back to the Marina and grabbed some lunch (about 6 eateries there). We then drove to the Big Banana (can’t go to Coffs without going to the Big Banana).

Then back to the Novatel for a swim then changed for dinner. Mikey wanted to go to the SSS BBQ restaurant – it was fabulous – everything comes out on a stone grill so it doesn’t go cold.

They even gave him a birthday balloon and some choccies!

Saturday 18th Oct

We headed south to Bellingen – to go to the monthly markets – they were much bigger than we anticipated. There was a band, fresh food, 2nd hand and new goods & plants(lots of orchids). We ended up being there for 2 hours – definitely worth the trip. We then headed up to Dorrigo National park information centre, then the Dangar falls, then the Dorrigo falls. Then a 30 minute drive to Ebor falls. We were expecting to walk/hike into the forest like we do here in Qld, but all the falls were within a 100 metres of the car park.

View from Dorigo Nation Park

Goanna and Bush Turkey

Dangar Falls

Country view

Ebor Falls

Sunday 19th Oct

We went to the weekly Jetty markets then drove south 50minutes to Numbucca – a lovely seaside town. Beautiful clear blue water (not much beach) but absolutely lovely spot.

View from the lookout

We went to the most popular place for lunch “The V Wall Tavern” had a lovely lunch and a couple of beers looking over the bay and relaxing – this is definitely a great spot to down a couple of coldies ( I would put this above the Byron Bay pub now!). we walked the Bay walls that have all been decorated by tourist and locals with messages and marriage proposals etc. then drove back to the Novetel.

Monday 20th Oct

Headed into the Coffs Harbour Botanical Garden for a couple of hours, then back to the Jetty for lunch. Then drove to the small town of Sawtell for a look at the beach – very popular spot for the Locals.

Sawtell

Tuesday 21 Oct

Pack up and drove home – stopping at Woodburn at the Orchid Shop, Mikey’s version of Heaven! And Byron Bay park for a picnic lunch.



Wednesday 22nd Oct

Unpacked the car – sorted out the camping gear for tomorrow – off to Bigriggen.

Gallery, Slide Show

SA - 2008

10th – 12th Oct Visiting Debbie in SA.

I finally got a chance to visit Debbie down in SA (It’s been 3 years!)

Debbie picked me up from the new and improved Adelaide Airport at 10.30pm then we drove back to her place at Willunga (1 hour drive), then chatted till 1am in the morning.

Saturday 

A Beautiful 28 degree day.

Debbie took Rosie her fluffy white dog to the vet first up (as Rosie had been a little sick lately). Then headed to the Quarry markets at Willunga (much cheaper than Brisbane).

Then scoured some local op shops, then ducked into the Dentist to get Deb’s tooth fixed (she broke it in the week sucking on a sugar free lolly!)

Then off to body and soul for a special treat a 1 hour body massage – bliss!

more op shops and drove along the coast – an amazing view. Back home for a cheese platter and glass or two or wine and a chin wag of course.

We then drove into McClaren Vale (15minues away- in the wine region of SA) for dinner at Awganix. A great restaurant with a full Gluten Free Menu (the best I’ve ever seen) had a great local red wine and Kangaroo on corn and potatoes frittata, finished off with a port.

We then went and visited a couple of Debbie’s friends, before heading home for the night.

Sunday 

Another beautiful day – but a bit windy!

After a bit of a slow start we headed out to Victor Harbour for the local markets and shops – got some great bargains and nearly got blown away by the strong winds.

Then out to Myponga markets (no seriously that’s what it is called – I can’t make this stuff up!) had lunch then back to Deb’s to grab my luggage then off to Kingston Beach cliffs for a coupled of wines and relax.

Then off to the Lockleys hotel near the airport for dinner – then home.

Thanks for a wonderful weekend, it was great to catch up it won’t be so long next time. I can honestly say now that I don’t hate Adelaide!

a more sombre note Rosie the sweetheart had to be put down on the Monday afternoon. Her last hours were spent enjoying the sun and the view from the beach, with her Mummy.

Gallery, slide show