LOSTOCK DAM AND DUNGOG COMMON MTB - 25 TO 26 JANUARY 2023

 

LOSTOCK DAM

25 JANUARY

We stopped for takeaway coffee and petrol. The drive to Lostock Dam was pleasant though the roads were extremely potholed in sections.

We stopped at Dungog Common for a mountain bike ride. It was very hot, but I was keen to ride these tracks. The section I rode was grass at first with a steady uphill. The downhill was fun and narrow and traversed across the hill side. I ended on the other side of a pipeline where I started so I rode a few more tracks which were excellent, but the heat became too much so back to the van I rode.

Back in Dungog, we stocked up on a few food items and continued driving to Lostock Dam. The scenery along the way was very pretty.

Eventually, we reached Lostock Dam. We checked out the dam first. It would be a pleasant kayak. Next was the camp. We got a nonpowered site above the Paterson River. The heat was still strong so we headed down to the creek for a cooling dip in the water.

A relaxing afternoon under the shade on the thick grass. An echidna wandered by and there were a lot of bird calls.

 

26 JANUARY

After a pleasant sleep, I woke to sounds of many birds. After breakfast, we packed and drove home.

GLOUCESTER, COPELAND TOPS NP, WOKO NP - 22 TO 25 JANUARY 2023

 

GLOUCESTER Gloucester Holiday Park at $37 per night for a powered site. 22 JANUARY The rain was heavy on our journey to Gloucester. We witness a powerful car collision. One car waited then turned right in front of an oncoming car. All a bit surreal. At Gloucester, we had coffee and then settled into the Gloucester Holiday Park. The sites were big with shade on some of them. When the rain eased off in the afternoon, I had a bike ride around the camp, the town recreation area and down a road to view the start of a scenic walk. It was a fun ride. We spent the afternoon relaxing. 23 JANUARY A light drizzle to start the day. We decided to stay another night. The disadvantage with a campervan like ours is that you have to pack it all away when going out for the day. Local stuff isn’t bad as we either walk or ride our bikes. It takes about 20 minutes maximum to get the van ready to be on the road. We drove to Copeland Tops National Park for ‘Hidden Treasure’ track. It was a pleasant drive through the town of Barrington and along the turn off to the hike. Along the turnoff, there were a number of homes/farms nestled in the trees, on the hillside or beside the creek. The carpark was empty except for two other hikers who knew heaps about the area, birds and various plants. The hike was through dry rainforest. The track was up and down as well as being wide and narrow. Along the way we passed running and dry creeks, massive trees, ground and tree ferns, old gold mines and bits and pieces of the gold rush days. There were many birds flittering from tree to tree. We heard them and caught fleeting glances.   Back to Gloucester for coffee and lunch at the ‘Roadies Café’. Good food. At camp, resting and the drizzle has started again. 24 JANUARY A cloudy morning with some drizzle. After a while, we drove to Woko National Park for the High Cliffs hike. The drive was very pretty along a valley dotted with farms, cattle and mountainous views. There were a number of cattle grids to cross and a few bridges. The river was wide in parts and looked able to be kayaked short distances. The camp area at the national park was above the river with some sandy/pebbly beaches. Definitely a place worth camping.   The hike was up, up and up. The vegetation was very thick, and the humidity was high. Loose rocks and tree roots were needed to be watched. The top was a little cooler as it was dry rainforest. The cliff face had sprays of water flowing down the rock face. The journey down was easier being a wide grassy path. Overall, a good hike though it would be more enjoyable in cooler weather. PS The downhill grassy size looked good for ascending on an e-bike. The downhill would have been heaps of fun. Back at the van, dark clouds with thunder rolled over the hills. We decide to go but we didn’t outrun the rain. It bucketed down as we left. Back at camp, we ate a light lunch, rehydrated and relaxed.  A big thunderstorm with heavy rain in the late afternoon. 25 JANUARY We woke to thick fog and cool temperature. Neither lasted very long. After breakfast, we drove to Lostock Dam.

TIONA, BOOTI BOOTI NP, BOOMERANG BEACH - 19 TO 22 JANUARY 2023

 

TIONA

Powered site on the lakeside north for 65 per night.

19 JANUARY

We stopped at Boomerang Beach. The tide was very low and though there were waves there was no quality. We continued to our campsite at Tiona. A nice camp with a thick forest of cabbage palms between us and the lake.

A band started playing in the pavilion next to the camp. The music was good but very loud.

20 JANUARY

A coffee across the road from the camp area and a wander down the beach.

 

A hike around along the lake and around Booti Hill. A 8 km hike from our camp area. Along the lakeside was pleasant with the water lapping on the shore. At a picnic area with crossed a road and followed a trail up and up. At the top and to the right, we had a view of Shelley Beach. The track to the Booti camp area was up and down with a lot of rocks and tree roots to be careful of. There were no more views until the end of the track where we could see seven-mile beach. We followed the beach until we reached a track that led to our camp area.

 

21 JANUARY

A sunny morning. 

We drove over to Boomerang Beach, where I had an okay surf on some shoulder height rights. We sat in the sun on the beach and enjoyed the view.

Next stop was the Kembali café where we had coffee and an early lunch. Back at the campsite for a relax.

22 JANUARY

A quiet night’s sleep.

The weather was looking very bleak, so we decided to head out to the west.

HAWKS NEST, TEA GARDENS, MYALL LAKES NP - 15 TO 19 JANUARY 2023

 HAWKS NEST

15 JANUARY

Hawks Nest – Reflections Bennetts Beach - $316 4 nights powered site.

We woke, had breakfast, packed the van and were off for Hawks Nest.

The drive was easy with only minor traffic. Before we knew, we turned off the highway for Hawks nest/Tea Gardens. Our first stop was groceries then we checked out the waterfront at Tea Gardens and the Bennetts Beach in Hawks Nest. It was very windy. We checked into the camp area and drove over to Tea Gardens for lunch at the pub. The fish, chips and salad were good especially as they were washed down with a couple of cold beers for me and wine for Jacinta. We drove back to camp, settled in and I had a short sleep.

Later in the afternoon, I had a mountain bike ride around Hawks Nest. A few short tracks and some great views. Jacinta had a few walks to nearby Bennetts Beach even later in the afternoon.

 
After sunset, we had a walk along the beach.
 

A great first day.
 
16 JANUARY
 
Hawks nest - reflections Bennetts Beach
 
A great night’s sleep. Woke just before sunrise.
 
A walk to the beach along the track from the camping area. The wind was a moderate on-shore so it wasn’t very inviting for a swim.

 
Back at camp for breakfast. Afterwards, we drove to Jimmys Beach. The wind was much lighter and the water looked very inviting. We spent the morning there. I have a short snorkel and a couple of swims.

 
Next stop was Tea Gardens for coffee and cake. We sat on the waterfront, ate and enjoyed the view.

 
We drove over to Mungo Brush in Myall Lakes National Park. We did a short hike on the Rainforest Track. It was cool under the shade of the tree. 

Afterwards, we had a swim in Myall Lake. Well really a dunk. While there we saw a juvenile goanna and a number of ducks and lapwings.

 
Back at camp, we swap sites for a shader position and settled in for the afternoon.
 
A late afternoon walk along Bennetts Beach.

 
17 JANUARY
 
Hawks nest - reflections Bennetts Beach
 
I woke early and rode around the Hawk Nest tracks. I stopped for ..awhile at the surf club to watch the sunrise but he cloud cover on the horizon was too thick and high. Still, it was nice to watch the changing of the light. I followed a great track to Jimmys Beach and saw two groups of XXXX. Further on I followed another track to the bridge over the Myall River. There was no wind and it so pretty watching a fishing boat motor under the bridge ccausing small waves on the glassy surface of the water.

 
Back at camp and we drove to Tea Gardens to meet with an old college of Jacinta. We had breakfast at the Boathouse. Such a great view!
 
Next stop was Jimmys beach where we enjoyed the sunshine and had a few dips in the water.
 
18 JANUARY
 
Hawks nest - reflections Bennetts Beach
 
Windy day. We drove over to Tea Gardens where I had a kayak and Jacinta a walk. It was very windy on the unprotected side of the river islands. I paddled upriver then put on the kayak sail and had fun going down wind. There isn’t much control of these sails. They pick up the wind and I use my sail as a rudder. A bit of a balancing act.

 
Afterwards, we had a swim and a laze on Jimmys Beach. The wind had picked up stronger, so we headed back to the camp.
 
19 JANUARY
 
We woke to light cloud that gradually thickened and turned to a light shower, drizzle and rain.
 
We dropped by to see Rolf and Kerrie before we left Hawks Nest. A nice catch-up. Groceries and petrol and we were on our way north.