Rob's travel blog

Spent the day travelling and exploring the roads from Gunnedah while ultimately heading to Mudgee.  We visited little places such as Dunedoo and would probably suggest ýou don't'.... but also headed to Coolah...which was a small town, but more active than Gnowangerup with little shops set up and a lovely café/coffee shop which was very busy with all the locals having coffee, meet-ups and lunch as well as a few fellow travellers who were passing through like us.  We bought some groceries and lunch to support the town as we like to do.  The final leg of the journey we took to Gulgong which was an amazing surprise!  It was a very historic town with so many shops it was incredible and we will go back for a more thorough exploration.  It reminded me of all the towns in Victoria where the original buildings have been preserved. Tiny streets are a problem for caravans and motorhomes but the histpry of the place is amazing.  The town used to be featured on the old ...

Bendemeer RV site alongside the river was a $5 donation for the privilege of camping as a self -contained unit.   We were amongst five other campers who drove in at varied times. It is fantastic to see fellow travelers respect the opportunity to camp overnight for up to 24hrs without having to book into a caravan park.   These campers all kept the sites clean and left only their footprints! We travelled the fog filled highway to Gunnedah today and all along the highway you could see the huge mass of clouds were sadly, not rain bearing for those who are so drought affected here.    This town is a very busy but vibrant community in an apparent valley surrounded by the Nandewar Ranges in the Liverpool Plains….no prizes for guessing where the first settlers came from! It is the koala capital of Australia and the adopted home of Dorothea MacKellar author of “My Country”…born in Sydney but spent a lot of her youth here on family owned properties. Breaker Morant a...

Revisited Glen Innes, Tenterfield,   Armidale, Uralla and now Bedeemer where we are camping at the showgrounds for $5 on an honour system, next to the river…not flowing though as t here has been a big drought!   It is lovely to meet new acquaintances who are traversing the countryside… all of us meandering along different pathways with the journey in mind rather than the destination! Armidale and Tenterfield both have a variety of buildings which are stunning to look at and there are far too many to show.   You can visit bookshops with lounges and fireplaces warming the rooms while you sit and read; you can visit the Art Museums, old teacher training centres, historic building or just enjoy driving around and looking at the history depicted in the construction of the town and its buildings.  Please note the snazzy laundromat..the best I have ever seen and designed to keep all customers happy with a place to sit, read, and enjoy warmth and colour!  Impres...

Family members had Byron Bay on their bucket list and I had always been near it but never visited. The scenery from the lighthouse was stunning, just as all the beach vistas we see in West Australia.   People were out there watching for whales passing by heading to the north.   There were people of all nationalities and ages mingling with the locals sightseeing and doing the fitness trails up the hill and along all the designated beach tracks, including Mums pushing the prams up the steep climb The shopping precinct was choc a block with young people from families to teens and up to say those in their 70’s out enjoying the nightlife, the bars, food venues and the ambience of the holiday area.   Shops were open in the evening, though not all, and prices ranged from budget prices for knick knacks to exorbitant for exclusive type clothing, jewellery and art works. To our delight the caravan park had bathroom facilities like those in Beacon WA with ensuites for indi...

Travelling around Oz in the old motorhome is a wonder each time we traverse the hidden gems of our country. One such delightful new experience was Dubbo’s Great Western Plains Zoo.   You can drive your own vehicle around the 5km; cycle, walk or hire a cart (extra costs of course).   Walking was easy, and two refreshment kiosks are situated well.   Not a lot of seating for oldies or young tired children, but beautifully designed and planned with closeups possible of all animals.   Optional aspects were to have special time with the Meerkats or other inhabitants but of course not the carnivore types!   Accomodation is also available within the compound from camping in tents to glamping or villas. My favourites were the giraffes who are in a conservation program for breeding.   One particular giraffe seemed to ‘preen’ and seek attention from all observers who attended the keeper information talk and, if lucky in timing, the feeding of the herd. A new addi...

Do yourself a favour and make sure you do the 12km detour when crossing the Nullabor!   From late May to late August our Southern whales migrate here to the nursery every year and Mothers and babies can be viewed from al vantage points provided on the platforms purposely built.   You can view them across to the bay as well as moving along towards the west close to the Bunda cliffs.   I found it an awesome experience to view so many together!                                My pics are old ones from 2016 as I have yet to transfer new ones!