Hello Everyone!
Today we went for a drive. We went up a volcano. We had a look around up there and later we found a playground so we stopped for a play. It had a really big pancake swing. Me and C were pretending that we were superman flying around. At the volcano we saw a kangaroo with a baby in it's pouch. We saw a funny looking bird statue in some ones garden. We went past the airport and Dads work. When we came home we watched a movie called Getting Even with Dad. After that we watched some normal TV. E started to do some homework and I went up into my bed to play Lego Chima.
So far my favourite place has been Warrnambool. It was really fun, there was lots of things to do. There was a jumping pillow, a playground and a swimming pool. I really liked the huge TV in the games room because it had Foxtel.
A really fun bit on our holiday was when we went to Melbourne. Dad and I went to the MGC to watch the Tigers play the Saints. At the end of the game the Tigers were on 118 points and the Saints were on 57. I bought a toy from the Mascot Manor caravan. It was a Tigers mascot. When we got home it was really late so we had to go straight to bed.
At Mt Gambier it was really rainy. We did see lots of things and tried to avoid the rain. We went to see the Blue Lake, we went of lots of different look outs. At one point we climbed a thousand stairs to a really tall tower but then we realised that there was a car park. Dad was cranky that we walked up all the stairs when we could have driven up! We went to two sinkholes. One of them had two waterfalls and three movies on the wall. The next day we went to another sinkhole where there were possums. We took food to feed them. It was really funny when the possum lifted its tail up because there was poo hanging from its bum. We called it the dangly possum.
The other day when we came to the Big 4 park in Toowoomba we went to a really cool park where there were heaps of really cool plants cut into shapes. There was a Thomas the Tank engine that had seats in it. At the playground we saw Mickey and Minnie Mouse. At one section of the park we saw a mother duck with five baby ducks and on the other side we saw a turtle. When we went over to another section of the park there was a spider, a rabbit, a dinosaur, a lawnmower and lots of other things.
In the first caravan park in Toowoomba we went to Mc Donald's three times. Once for dinner, once for an ice cream, and once for my birthday. After my birthday we decided to not have takeaway and that we should have some real home cooked food. I really like the Big 4 caravan park because it has a heated pool with a water slide. It has a playground and a TV room but we can't go in there at the moment because they are building a jumping pillow next to it.
Yesterday in the caravan park we saw two Tawny Frogmouths in a tree next to our caravan. Today when we went to see if they were still there but they weren't so we are guessing that at night they flew away.
At Portland the playground was really fun. It had a three horse merry go round. It had a wooden bit, a plastic bit, a swing set and a broken tractor. There was also a rocking lady bug. Just outside of the caravan park there was another playground with a see saw, a swing and a wobbly snail.
At Apollo Bay it was fun because at the playground there was a flying fox, a bouncing swing, and some bars. There was a koala crossing the road and it went right underneath our car in the caravan park. That was a bit unusual. We looked at the water and all of a sudden there were whales popping up. The next day we went to the rock pools. It was really cold. I slipped over on the rocks. We found over 40 starfish. When we got back into the car we were looking out and all of a sudden we saw whales jumping up and down and splashing in the water. The lady at the information centre said the whales might have gone quiet because it had gotten cold.
At Geelong Mummy and I went to Target and I spent my money on a cool Lego Chima set and it came with two speed oars, a big lion thing, a ramp and a chi throwing thing. The two characters that were in the set were Cragger and Laval. They are my favourite characters. Every day when I have some quite time I like making up my own secret weapons for the chima characters and I think all the weapons I have made up look pretty cool.
We stayed at Barooga for a week. It was fun, there was lots of things to do. Because we had a spare tyre Dad used a rope to make a swing in the tree. There was lots of sand to play in. My cousins came the day after we arrived. Erin and I made treasure hunts. Two days later when everyone went to the bike track Mummy and I made a really cool treasure hunt and the treasure was caramello koalas and freddo frogs. The treasure hunt was a clue treasure hunt. I had the last clue which told them that they had to go and dig. It was really fun watching them run up and down looking for the treasure. One night mummy and daddy had a shower by the fire after everyone had gone to bed. The day we left it was so cold that we didn't get out of our pj's. C's hands were so cold they went all red and hurt. He was crying.
At Forbes we got cleaned up after staying at Barooga because we stank really bad. The next night we went to the pub for dinner. We had McDonald's for lunch.
The day we left we went to the Big Dish at Parkes. It was really big and we did the scavenger hunt there. We kept going to Dubbo where we stayed at a Top Tourist park, There was a jumping pillow, a huge playground and a TV room. We didn't go in the swimming pool because we only stayed one night.
We went to the Crystal Kingdom in Coonabarabran. We looked at lots of fossils and crystals. Then we went a long way to find a pottery place. We got to use clay and we made lots of stuff. After that we went an extra long way on a bumpy road to get to our camp spot. In the morning we went for a really long walk. We saw lots of aboriginal artworks. At the bottom of the gorge we saw a sign that said look up, when we looked up we saw one of the statues that we had passed.
After we left we drove to Moree. At Moree we had stayed at the caravan park for three nights. We went to the big swimming centre there. It was really fun. In the caravan park there was a heated spa. Mum, E, C and I played hide and seek. We used our scooters and bikes to play around the park. We went to the beer and bull shit corner to have a sausage sizzle. It was really nice in the caravan park but on the second day we looked at the fence around the park, it was barbed wire. The middle of town was nice but if you go further out of town all the houses were burnt down, grafitied or vandalised. There were people still living in graffitied houses. There were lots of police cars going around.
On our way to Warwick which is my last favourite place we stopped at Glen Innes to do some fossicking. It was really fun. I found a sapphire and Mum found a really cool green one. I also found a red garnet. At Warwick not one of the family liked the caravan park.
Today at Toowoomba there was 60 teenagers that arrived in the caravan park.
Last week was my birthday. I got four presents. Then I got one more yesterday. We went to Crows Nest. We explored there, we stopped for a quick play at the playground then we had lunch at the waterfall place. We had an explore around there. To get C to go back to the car I played a game with him.. We had a race to see who could get back to the car first. C won. We pretended we were riding our chima motorbikes.
Friday, 2 August 2013
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Toowoomba, QLD - Part 2
Another of our outings around Toowoomba was much more sobering. After talking to the man in the visitor centre about the floods in 2011 we went for a drive through the Lockyer Valley area. It is really beautiful, now, but when comparing what we saw to what we looked at on YouTube later of footage from the floods, I just cried. I think what it did was enable me to make the footage real. Watching it all on TV we do become so desensitised to the massive event that it was. It is just pictures. It doesn't mean anything. But when you can drive down the road that was washed away, when you can see where there used to be houses that were washed away in minutes with the occupants still in them, then it suddenly becomes so much more real. Now I watch footage and I know where it was taken, I can see for myself how no-one had anywhere to go. Now I drive through the intersection where a mother and son were washed away and I know what the flowers on the post are for. But it's not even just the major impacts of the floods that have become real, there is all the other stuff, the vastness of the area affected and the degree of damage caused all over the region.
On T's birthday we decided to go for another drive. It was T's pick which direction we would head and so north it was to a place called Crows Nest (just because the name sounded cool!). It was only about a 40 minute drive away. Crows Nest is a small town perched on the top of the great dividing range, like Toowoomba. There wasn't much to see or do so after a short play in the town centre park we decided to have our picnic lunch at the Crows Nest Conservation Park, where there was the promise of a hike to see some waterfalls. We had lunch in the picnic grounds with the company of a strange looking bush chook type bird who wanted a share of the spoils. The kids then did some rock hopping around on the banks of the creek that flowed through the park. Much to my dismay, when the spotted a random cow on the opposite bank T and E decided they would have to rock hop their way right across the creek to go and see the cow. In the mean time the cow had wandered away from site. I had my heart in my throat watching E head through head high grass and reeds towards where she thought T had gone, but in fact not going in the right direction, with a random cow somewhere around there and her not able to hear me calling out over the sound of the water over the rocks. I couldn't even try to cross myself as I had C with me and I didn't trust him not to try and cross too! Finally E found her way out onto the sandy bank and together with T they headed around the corner to find the cow. They found it! And from the look on their faces as they came running back, with many a glance over their shoulder, it would seem that the cow was just as interested in checking them out!! After lunch we completed the 3 km round trip hike to see the Crows Nest Falls. Hmm, it was a lovely hike but the falls themselves were a little disappointing. It was along this walk however that we got to see more of the widespread damage that the floods had caused. There were several paths that were now closed due to damage, rock falls, and unsafe edges. A large part of the park itself was now off limits as the granite rocks are too unstable and there had been several large rock falls in the near past.
T's birthday was finished off with our customary birthday person choice for dinner, and as expected it was off to the golden arches we went. I do hold hope that one day he will choose something else. One day.
We have been on a few drives around the town and district to have a look around and have found and tried out every playground in walking distance from the caravan parks. So, with that in mind and me being thoroughly playground-ed out, todays activity was to head to the city library to see what we could find. We had to beg and plead and get admin involved to try and get a membership as we have nothing we can show with a Queensland address, and thankfully the nice administration lady agreed that we could have one. Poor R looked like a fish out of water in the library. "It's not my kind of thing" were his words. The kids however thought it was pretty cool. The library has a cubby house, and much to C's delight, a fire truck to play in.
This afternoon, as is becoming the routine, the kids jumped into the pool for a swim. This park has a heated kids pool which is nice and shallow at one end, great for C, and quite deep at the other to allow for the curly waterslide. The kids were all a bit excited when the lady from the office came out to take some pictures of them for use on their website. E declared "I'll be famous!!".
Other than making some plans for upcoming bookings and planning some travel in September, that is our time in Toowoomba thus far. We are going to be taking off for about 4 weeks again in September as this is a quiet period at R's work so they are happy for him to take that time off and would love to see him come back again in October, and stay until Christmas! We haven't made any firm decisions as yet so will have to wait and see which way the wind takes us........
On T's birthday we decided to go for another drive. It was T's pick which direction we would head and so north it was to a place called Crows Nest (just because the name sounded cool!). It was only about a 40 minute drive away. Crows Nest is a small town perched on the top of the great dividing range, like Toowoomba. There wasn't much to see or do so after a short play in the town centre park we decided to have our picnic lunch at the Crows Nest Conservation Park, where there was the promise of a hike to see some waterfalls. We had lunch in the picnic grounds with the company of a strange looking bush chook type bird who wanted a share of the spoils. The kids then did some rock hopping around on the banks of the creek that flowed through the park. Much to my dismay, when the spotted a random cow on the opposite bank T and E decided they would have to rock hop their way right across the creek to go and see the cow. In the mean time the cow had wandered away from site. I had my heart in my throat watching E head through head high grass and reeds towards where she thought T had gone, but in fact not going in the right direction, with a random cow somewhere around there and her not able to hear me calling out over the sound of the water over the rocks. I couldn't even try to cross myself as I had C with me and I didn't trust him not to try and cross too! Finally E found her way out onto the sandy bank and together with T they headed around the corner to find the cow. They found it! And from the look on their faces as they came running back, with many a glance over their shoulder, it would seem that the cow was just as interested in checking them out!! After lunch we completed the 3 km round trip hike to see the Crows Nest Falls. Hmm, it was a lovely hike but the falls themselves were a little disappointing. It was along this walk however that we got to see more of the widespread damage that the floods had caused. There were several paths that were now closed due to damage, rock falls, and unsafe edges. A large part of the park itself was now off limits as the granite rocks are too unstable and there had been several large rock falls in the near past.
T's birthday was finished off with our customary birthday person choice for dinner, and as expected it was off to the golden arches we went. I do hold hope that one day he will choose something else. One day.
We have been on a few drives around the town and district to have a look around and have found and tried out every playground in walking distance from the caravan parks. So, with that in mind and me being thoroughly playground-ed out, todays activity was to head to the city library to see what we could find. We had to beg and plead and get admin involved to try and get a membership as we have nothing we can show with a Queensland address, and thankfully the nice administration lady agreed that we could have one. Poor R looked like a fish out of water in the library. "It's not my kind of thing" were his words. The kids however thought it was pretty cool. The library has a cubby house, and much to C's delight, a fire truck to play in.
This afternoon, as is becoming the routine, the kids jumped into the pool for a swim. This park has a heated kids pool which is nice and shallow at one end, great for C, and quite deep at the other to allow for the curly waterslide. The kids were all a bit excited when the lady from the office came out to take some pictures of them for use on their website. E declared "I'll be famous!!".
Other than making some plans for upcoming bookings and planning some travel in September, that is our time in Toowoomba thus far. We are going to be taking off for about 4 weeks again in September as this is a quiet period at R's work so they are happy for him to take that time off and would love to see him come back again in October, and stay until Christmas! We haven't made any firm decisions as yet so will have to wait and see which way the wind takes us........
Toowoomba, QLD
After our disappointing overnighter at Warwick we decided to head for Toowoomba as R had some work leads he wanted to follow up.
We checked into the Toowoomba Motor Village for a night and after setting up headed into the city centre for a look around and so R could go and do some job hunting. The plan was that if he was successful in finding a job we would extend our stay, and if not we would head for a friends place about 2 hours away. R dropped the kids and I in the middle of the city centre with the agreement that he would call once he was done job hunting and we would try and find each other again. The kids and I spent the afternoon wandering around the local shopping centre and up the main shopping street, then made our way to the local Queens Park, just in time for R to call to say he was finished. An hour and a half later and the decision was made - we were staying in Toowoomba. R had secured a job. This was definitely a bit of a relief given the ever decreasing bank balance.
R was now going to be working afternoon shift which suits us perfectly as we have the mornings to do things all together before he heads off to work. The work is casual, and the employers are aware of our situation so are happy for R to have time off if there is something particular we want to do. They have also expressed that they would love for R to stay with them until Christmas. We are not sure yet whether this is what we will do or not.
We extended our stay at the Motor Village for another week and a bit, and have since moved to the Big 4 as it caters a bit better for the kids. There is a TV room and a heated swimming pool with water slide. The kids have been in most days since we arrived here, but have yet to talk me into getting in with them despite the heated water. I have told them that I require the sky to be completely blue, ie no clouds what so ever, before I will be getting in. I'm kind of dreading the day that that happens, I'm not really ready for the swimming season just yet. It may be warmer here than back home, but it's not warm enough!
So, since we have become official banana benders we have checked out several of the parks and gardens in Toowoomba. Picnic Point, the highest peak in Toowoomba is beautiful. There is a giant flagpole which stands 53 meters tall, with a flag that is 40 foot by 20 foot in size. It is huge and can be seen from miles and miles away. The picnic grounds, waterfall area, playgrounds and café in the vicinity are so well maintained. We have definitely noticed that Toowoomba is a very clean, tidy, well kept and proud city. It really is a lovely place.
We have also been to Queens Park, in the city centre, several times. For those Adelaidians reading, it reminds be very much of the Plane Tree Drive park between the Botanical Gardens and the Zoo, if you add a couple of really cool playgrounds. There are some huge grass areas and some lovely tree lined boulevards. The playgrounds cater for all age groups too, there is a toddler playground and middle sized, and a teenagers area. A little further away is an awesome musical playground. All the activities revolve around sound. There is an interactive digital game, a solar powered piano, a giant xylophone and a whole heap of other stuff. It is really cool and the kids love it!
Another park that we have checked out was the amazing Laurel Bank Park. This is a garden park, not a playing park, but it is home to the original clubhouse and greens of the Croquet Club. This is the only ball game allowed within the park. The whole park was stunningly immaculate. It is made up of several sections, there is a rose garden, a topiary garden, a scented garden, a wisteria arch walk, and some garden beds which are planted out with flowers to make pictures and can be viewed from a raised platform. The kids especially like the assorted topiary. We found, amongst other things, a caterpillar with boots on, a spider, a lawnmower, mother duck with her five little ducks, a chair, a go kart, and an awesome Thomas the Tank Engine complete with painted face panel and bench seats in the carriages. We are planning another visit to this park just so we can have another look around, and so the kids can climb some more trees!
To be continued.......
We checked into the Toowoomba Motor Village for a night and after setting up headed into the city centre for a look around and so R could go and do some job hunting. The plan was that if he was successful in finding a job we would extend our stay, and if not we would head for a friends place about 2 hours away. R dropped the kids and I in the middle of the city centre with the agreement that he would call once he was done job hunting and we would try and find each other again. The kids and I spent the afternoon wandering around the local shopping centre and up the main shopping street, then made our way to the local Queens Park, just in time for R to call to say he was finished. An hour and a half later and the decision was made - we were staying in Toowoomba. R had secured a job. This was definitely a bit of a relief given the ever decreasing bank balance.
R was now going to be working afternoon shift which suits us perfectly as we have the mornings to do things all together before he heads off to work. The work is casual, and the employers are aware of our situation so are happy for R to have time off if there is something particular we want to do. They have also expressed that they would love for R to stay with them until Christmas. We are not sure yet whether this is what we will do or not.
We extended our stay at the Motor Village for another week and a bit, and have since moved to the Big 4 as it caters a bit better for the kids. There is a TV room and a heated swimming pool with water slide. The kids have been in most days since we arrived here, but have yet to talk me into getting in with them despite the heated water. I have told them that I require the sky to be completely blue, ie no clouds what so ever, before I will be getting in. I'm kind of dreading the day that that happens, I'm not really ready for the swimming season just yet. It may be warmer here than back home, but it's not warm enough!
So, since we have become official banana benders we have checked out several of the parks and gardens in Toowoomba. Picnic Point, the highest peak in Toowoomba is beautiful. There is a giant flagpole which stands 53 meters tall, with a flag that is 40 foot by 20 foot in size. It is huge and can be seen from miles and miles away. The picnic grounds, waterfall area, playgrounds and café in the vicinity are so well maintained. We have definitely noticed that Toowoomba is a very clean, tidy, well kept and proud city. It really is a lovely place.
We have also been to Queens Park, in the city centre, several times. For those Adelaidians reading, it reminds be very much of the Plane Tree Drive park between the Botanical Gardens and the Zoo, if you add a couple of really cool playgrounds. There are some huge grass areas and some lovely tree lined boulevards. The playgrounds cater for all age groups too, there is a toddler playground and middle sized, and a teenagers area. A little further away is an awesome musical playground. All the activities revolve around sound. There is an interactive digital game, a solar powered piano, a giant xylophone and a whole heap of other stuff. It is really cool and the kids love it!
Another park that we have checked out was the amazing Laurel Bank Park. This is a garden park, not a playing park, but it is home to the original clubhouse and greens of the Croquet Club. This is the only ball game allowed within the park. The whole park was stunningly immaculate. It is made up of several sections, there is a rose garden, a topiary garden, a scented garden, a wisteria arch walk, and some garden beds which are planted out with flowers to make pictures and can be viewed from a raised platform. The kids especially like the assorted topiary. We found, amongst other things, a caterpillar with boots on, a spider, a lawnmower, mother duck with her five little ducks, a chair, a go kart, and an awesome Thomas the Tank Engine complete with painted face panel and bench seats in the carriages. We are planning another visit to this park just so we can have another look around, and so the kids can climb some more trees!
To be continued.......
Saturday, 20 July 2013
Warwick, QLD via Glen Innes, NSW
We decided that instead of heading straight north for Goondiwindi from Moree we would instead turn east and head for Inverell and Glen Innes. The drive from Moree to Inverell was nothing special, nor was the drive from Inverell to Glen Innes, but on arrival in Glen Innes we headed for the Visitor Centre so we could find out about doing a quick bit of fossicking while we were in the Sapphire Capital of Australia.
We were directed to a local caravan park who offered fossicking on site for a relatively small fee. We watched a short video on how to sieve and pan the gravel wash and how to identify the sapphires before heading out to immerse our hands in freezing cold muddy water for the next hour or so (and pay for the privilege!!). However our persistence paid off and we were rewarded with a couple of small sapphires. And so, riches made, we headed off for our free camp site for the night about 40kms south of Warwick, or so we thought......
After stopping for a photo shoot at the border of NSW and QLD, and proving to the kids that we can be in two places at once, we kept heading north towards camp. However this was to be the first time that Apple iMaps failed us. It turned out that the turn off to our free camp was actually on a road that ran beside the highway and that we should have gotten onto a few kilometres earlier, and there were no other exits. Grrrr iMaps, you didn't show that part!!! Oh well, we decided that since Warwick was only 40kms away we would just continue on and find a caravan park for the night.
And find one we did, the most expensive park we have stayed in, with the worst facilities, and the most arrogant owner. So glad we only booked in for one night there. Again, we had intended to stay in Warwick for a couple of days to look for work but again we changed plans and decided to move on the following day. We did go for a bit of a drive around the city centre and were amused to see some of the decorations being hung in the trees for a Jazz and Jumper Festival. Would have been nice to see it all complete but the road and some more job prospects were calling us and so away we went. Next stop, Toowoomba......
We were directed to a local caravan park who offered fossicking on site for a relatively small fee. We watched a short video on how to sieve and pan the gravel wash and how to identify the sapphires before heading out to immerse our hands in freezing cold muddy water for the next hour or so (and pay for the privilege!!). However our persistence paid off and we were rewarded with a couple of small sapphires. And so, riches made, we headed off for our free camp site for the night about 40kms south of Warwick, or so we thought......
After stopping for a photo shoot at the border of NSW and QLD, and proving to the kids that we can be in two places at once, we kept heading north towards camp. However this was to be the first time that Apple iMaps failed us. It turned out that the turn off to our free camp was actually on a road that ran beside the highway and that we should have gotten onto a few kilometres earlier, and there were no other exits. Grrrr iMaps, you didn't show that part!!! Oh well, we decided that since Warwick was only 40kms away we would just continue on and find a caravan park for the night.
And find one we did, the most expensive park we have stayed in, with the worst facilities, and the most arrogant owner. So glad we only booked in for one night there. Again, we had intended to stay in Warwick for a couple of days to look for work but again we changed plans and decided to move on the following day. We did go for a bit of a drive around the city centre and were amused to see some of the decorations being hung in the trees for a Jazz and Jumper Festival. Would have been nice to see it all complete but the road and some more job prospects were calling us and so away we went. Next stop, Toowoomba......
Moree, NSW
Well, what an eye opener to the way other people live...... I had no reason to think that Moree was anything other than another country town and first impressions firmed that opinion. The main street of Moree was lovely. Beautiful old buildings, lots of lovely looking shops, well maintained. It wasn't until we were unpacked and settled into the Mehi River Caravan Park that we started to notice a few things that made us wonder......
The park itself seemed quite nice, and well maintained. We were lucky enough to secure the last powered site available in the park and so booked in for three nights so we could stick around and try our luck on the jobs front as there had been several advertised in the area. And so, it wasn't until a few hours later, when we were well and truly settled in that we went for a wander around the park with the kids and stopped for a chat with a fellow who was less than complimentary about the local indigenous community. It was after this conversation, during which he advised us not to go out at night, and after noticing all the signs in the park about making sure you lock your car and van, that we then noticed the fact that the caravan park was fenced with barbed wire!!!! If that alone wasn't enough to make us a touch nervous the next notice I read in the amenities block sealed the deal. Now most caravan parks have notices advising you to lock up your belongings, but this was the first one I had ever come across that advised us to lock the van even when we are in it!!!! After our drive to the supermarket later in the evening during which we also noticed that there was not a ground floor window, regardless of size, on any half way decent building that didn't have a security screen on it we made the decision not to make any job applications in this area. I told R there was no way I was going to live in the van with him at work in this town, and my decision was firmed even further when we took the kids to the playground the next day and the signs displayed around the play equipment stated no smoking, no drinking, and no syringes or blades!!!!
On our second to last day we took a bit of a sight seeing drive around the town, into the back streets, just so we could have a look. OMG!!! We counted in one street alone, four burnt out houses, one burnt out block of flats and so many completely trashed, as in no wall without holes, no full panes of glass, no ceilings at all and no complete roof, houses, that we lost count. There was an entire street of houses in this condition. At least a dozen houses all in a row in this condition.
In Moree's defence though, we did enjoy our hot artesian spas every evening in the caravan park. And did enjoy an afternoon at the new artesian water aquatic centre.. The aquatic centre had pools ranging from the standard outdoor pool temp right through to 41 degrees. From brrrr, to phewwww. I could only manage 10 minutes in the hottest spa before I got too hot and had to get out and the kids loved that Dad even got in for a swim.
While I'm not in any hurry to go back to Moree, I'm glad I did get to see the "other side" first hand. It certainly made for some very mixed emotion discussions. And I would be happy to go back to the park. It was a quirky, Australiana based, caravan park (including a beer and bullshit corner), and was the cheapest we have stayed in yet!
The park itself seemed quite nice, and well maintained. We were lucky enough to secure the last powered site available in the park and so booked in for three nights so we could stick around and try our luck on the jobs front as there had been several advertised in the area. And so, it wasn't until a few hours later, when we were well and truly settled in that we went for a wander around the park with the kids and stopped for a chat with a fellow who was less than complimentary about the local indigenous community. It was after this conversation, during which he advised us not to go out at night, and after noticing all the signs in the park about making sure you lock your car and van, that we then noticed the fact that the caravan park was fenced with barbed wire!!!! If that alone wasn't enough to make us a touch nervous the next notice I read in the amenities block sealed the deal. Now most caravan parks have notices advising you to lock up your belongings, but this was the first one I had ever come across that advised us to lock the van even when we are in it!!!! After our drive to the supermarket later in the evening during which we also noticed that there was not a ground floor window, regardless of size, on any half way decent building that didn't have a security screen on it we made the decision not to make any job applications in this area. I told R there was no way I was going to live in the van with him at work in this town, and my decision was firmed even further when we took the kids to the playground the next day and the signs displayed around the play equipment stated no smoking, no drinking, and no syringes or blades!!!!
On our second to last day we took a bit of a sight seeing drive around the town, into the back streets, just so we could have a look. OMG!!! We counted in one street alone, four burnt out houses, one burnt out block of flats and so many completely trashed, as in no wall without holes, no full panes of glass, no ceilings at all and no complete roof, houses, that we lost count. There was an entire street of houses in this condition. At least a dozen houses all in a row in this condition.
In Moree's defence though, we did enjoy our hot artesian spas every evening in the caravan park. And did enjoy an afternoon at the new artesian water aquatic centre.. The aquatic centre had pools ranging from the standard outdoor pool temp right through to 41 degrees. From brrrr, to phewwww. I could only manage 10 minutes in the hottest spa before I got too hot and had to get out and the kids loved that Dad even got in for a swim.
While I'm not in any hurry to go back to Moree, I'm glad I did get to see the "other side" first hand. It certainly made for some very mixed emotion discussions. And I would be happy to go back to the park. It was a quirky, Australiana based, caravan park (including a beer and bullshit corner), and was the cheapest we have stayed in yet!
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Coonabarabran, NSW
Well, we didn't hear anything from the jobs we applied for so we decided to move on from Dubbo, complete with our new travel buddy - Sharlene the Emu!! Sharlene has become our travel mascot and she has pride of place on the dashboard of the car. We have decided to have some fun by making Sharlene appear in random photos with us as we stop to sight see.
We made the decision to head for Coonabarabran and see what happened from there, and finally we made it to a planned destination!! Popped into the local information centre to suss out what there was to see in the town and local area, and after that made tracks to the local playground for a lunch stop. E and C thought it was pretty awesome that a gaggle of geese were wandering up the street and stopped for a snack of bread crusts.
After lunch we took ourselves off to Crystal Kingdom. For those who know it, Crystal Kingdom is very much like "Woodsies" in Mildura, and after that aimed the car towards Pilliga Pottery, about 25kms out of Coonabarabran. The drive into the property was just gorgeous. Beautiful country. Loads of big gum trees, some smaller shrubbery, emus, kangaroos and wallabies, and when we stopped the car all that could be heard was the birds. Awesome! Pilliga Pottery is a private property and business. They had some lovely pottery pieces for sale but nothing I would dare buy and try to transport around the country in Cara. The kids enjoyed the pottery as they were all given a fairly large piece of clay to make whatever they liked. They were occupied for at least an hour or so. There was also some demonstrations of pottery making and we watched a fellow make a couple of urns very quickly. I couldn't help but smile to myself thinking about a potters wheel and a scene from one of my favourite movies!! LOL.
When we had finished at Pilliga Pottery we decided to make our way, slowly, to the Pilliga Forest's newest attraction, Sculptures in the Scrub. We had been told by the information centre in Coonabarabran that there was free bush camping there and that we would be able to get the caravan in there. Well yes, we did get poor Cara in there, very slowly and very bumpily over 30 kms of dirt corrugations!!! It was definitely worth it though. The Dandry Gorge, where sculptures in the scrub is located, was spectacular. I know, I know, I keep saying that about so many places, but there really are so many beautiful places outside of the usual places we went to, and I'm sure I will keep saying it about so many more before we are done.
As seems to be a very usual occurrence for us, we again set up in the dark, so we cooked dinner in the van and went to bed, of course after venturing outside to admire the stars, millions of stars. After all, we were in the astronomy capital of Australia. We got up fairly early in the morning so we could go and do the 3km hike to see the sculptures. Wow! The sculptures are a series of 5 different pieces of artwork that have been placed around the 3 km hike through the Dandry Gorge. All are aboriginal art works as the gorge is a significant Aboriginal site. I loved them. They were all so well thought, planned and placed, and as described were very much in keeping with the landscape. The hike went along the top of the gorge firstly and then made it's way down along the bottom of the gorge. It was fascinating to see the change in the scrub from the top of the gorge to the bottom. The top was very scrubby and thick with trees, bushes and grasses, while the bottom was much more open and clear with lots of large gum trees and soft grass. It was just beautiful. R and I both commented how we could both very happily plonk ourselves in a swag with a campfire and just stay there in the gorge. It was so peaceful and tranquil with only the birds for noise.
After our hike, we packed up the van and made our slow and bumpy way back out to the tar. We made it to Narrabri for lunch and the kids (and Mum) had a play on a huge cotton harvesting tractor in the information centre. I was very excited as I have always wanted to drive a tractor!! Next stop, Moree..........
We made the decision to head for Coonabarabran and see what happened from there, and finally we made it to a planned destination!! Popped into the local information centre to suss out what there was to see in the town and local area, and after that made tracks to the local playground for a lunch stop. E and C thought it was pretty awesome that a gaggle of geese were wandering up the street and stopped for a snack of bread crusts.
After lunch we took ourselves off to Crystal Kingdom. For those who know it, Crystal Kingdom is very much like "Woodsies" in Mildura, and after that aimed the car towards Pilliga Pottery, about 25kms out of Coonabarabran. The drive into the property was just gorgeous. Beautiful country. Loads of big gum trees, some smaller shrubbery, emus, kangaroos and wallabies, and when we stopped the car all that could be heard was the birds. Awesome! Pilliga Pottery is a private property and business. They had some lovely pottery pieces for sale but nothing I would dare buy and try to transport around the country in Cara. The kids enjoyed the pottery as they were all given a fairly large piece of clay to make whatever they liked. They were occupied for at least an hour or so. There was also some demonstrations of pottery making and we watched a fellow make a couple of urns very quickly. I couldn't help but smile to myself thinking about a potters wheel and a scene from one of my favourite movies!! LOL.
When we had finished at Pilliga Pottery we decided to make our way, slowly, to the Pilliga Forest's newest attraction, Sculptures in the Scrub. We had been told by the information centre in Coonabarabran that there was free bush camping there and that we would be able to get the caravan in there. Well yes, we did get poor Cara in there, very slowly and very bumpily over 30 kms of dirt corrugations!!! It was definitely worth it though. The Dandry Gorge, where sculptures in the scrub is located, was spectacular. I know, I know, I keep saying that about so many places, but there really are so many beautiful places outside of the usual places we went to, and I'm sure I will keep saying it about so many more before we are done.
As seems to be a very usual occurrence for us, we again set up in the dark, so we cooked dinner in the van and went to bed, of course after venturing outside to admire the stars, millions of stars. After all, we were in the astronomy capital of Australia. We got up fairly early in the morning so we could go and do the 3km hike to see the sculptures. Wow! The sculptures are a series of 5 different pieces of artwork that have been placed around the 3 km hike through the Dandry Gorge. All are aboriginal art works as the gorge is a significant Aboriginal site. I loved them. They were all so well thought, planned and placed, and as described were very much in keeping with the landscape. The hike went along the top of the gorge firstly and then made it's way down along the bottom of the gorge. It was fascinating to see the change in the scrub from the top of the gorge to the bottom. The top was very scrubby and thick with trees, bushes and grasses, while the bottom was much more open and clear with lots of large gum trees and soft grass. It was just beautiful. R and I both commented how we could both very happily plonk ourselves in a swag with a campfire and just stay there in the gorge. It was so peaceful and tranquil with only the birds for noise.
After our hike, we packed up the van and made our slow and bumpy way back out to the tar. We made it to Narrabri for lunch and the kids (and Mum) had a play on a huge cotton harvesting tractor in the information centre. I was very excited as I have always wanted to drive a tractor!! Next stop, Moree..........
Thursday, 11 July 2013
Dubbo, NSW
Our plan for today had been to get away from Forbes quite early so we could get as far as Coonabarabran. Ummm, the best laid plans are always broken and we are now set up in a caravan park in Dubbo, only about 150 kms up the road!!!
We decided to make a stop at "the Dish" just outside of Parkes. What we thought might have been a half hour stop ended up being a couple of hours! It was a really interesting place. I really loved the scientific garden, with all its interesting facts and displays. They even have some apple trees growing there which are proven descendants from the tree in Sir Isaac Newton's garden, the one from which the apple fell. The kids enjoyed doing the scavenger hunt around the complex and C loved telling us every time the dish moved.
We stayed at the complex for lunch and then spent a little while talking with another travelling couple, of course the conversation started from E wanting to pat their dogs which were tied up outside their bus!! We have been trying to get our doggy pat fixes every time we see someone with a dog.
So, we reached Dubbo at about 3.30, and after spending about an hour in the visitor centre and playground, R decided that he didn't feel like driving any more today so we have checked into the caravan park for the night and will head off again in the morning - maybe. We have both applied for a couple of jobs in the area, all of which are short term, live in positions on large farms. Fingers crossed......
We decided to make a stop at "the Dish" just outside of Parkes. What we thought might have been a half hour stop ended up being a couple of hours! It was a really interesting place. I really loved the scientific garden, with all its interesting facts and displays. They even have some apple trees growing there which are proven descendants from the tree in Sir Isaac Newton's garden, the one from which the apple fell. The kids enjoyed doing the scavenger hunt around the complex and C loved telling us every time the dish moved.
We stayed at the complex for lunch and then spent a little while talking with another travelling couple, of course the conversation started from E wanting to pat their dogs which were tied up outside their bus!! We have been trying to get our doggy pat fixes every time we see someone with a dog.
So, we reached Dubbo at about 3.30, and after spending about an hour in the visitor centre and playground, R decided that he didn't feel like driving any more today so we have checked into the caravan park for the night and will head off again in the morning - maybe. We have both applied for a couple of jobs in the area, all of which are short term, live in positions on large farms. Fingers crossed......
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