Goolawah Community

During our southwards treks we always call in to visit and stay with our great friends Roger and Belinda at the Goolawah Community near Crescent Head. We always get to partake in terrific walks in and around Maria River National Park, this visit was no exception. On this occasion we walked across country to the coast. The total distance of the return walk was 12.7 km. You could say we were a little tired on our return to Goolawah Community but we had enough energy to down a few beers.

This was our last stop-over before we reached Goolawah Community. A large and well grassed free camp area behind the Shell Roadhouse at Halfway Creek, just 35 km south of Grafton. That is our caravan visible in the distant background. We are the only campers in  this photograph but we had many neighbours later in the day.

Halfway point of our bush trek, lunch on the beach. From the left Judy, Belinda and Roger. This and the next two photographs taken with my iPhone.

We had rain in the area a couple of nights previous to our walk and this meant we had to wade through water, sometimes above our knees, through about five sections of lowlands. Roger is leading with Belinda following then Lucas, a German visitor to Goolawah, then Judy. 

Another section of water and positions reversed here. Judy, Belinda and Roger.

Grafton/Goolawah Community

On the way to visit Roger, Belinda and Glen at Goolawah Community, this is near Crescent Head, we pass through Grafton. We decided to stay at there for a week because the show grounds are a very easy walk from the Grafton CBD. We were able to leave the car parked and discover much of Grafton on foot and it is only $125 pw with power.

We had been invited to Goolawah Community to celebrate Roger's 60th Birthday on October 3rd but we set up the van and stayed for a week. I didn't attract ant Tiger Leeches this time but Jude collected several large ticks on her torso. Jude is now known as a "Tick Magnet". We also found a dead tick in the shower recess on the way home.

Roger, Belinda and Jude preparing a picnic lunch.

Our view from the picnic table over the Hastings River towards Port Macquarie.

Looking in the other direction along the Hastings River towards the ferry landing at Settlement Point, Port Macquarie.

Nambucca Heads

On leaving Roger, Belinda and Glen at Goolawah Community we drove off not really knowing where we would be staying that night. We did have thoughts of visiting Bellingen and camping in the Showgrounds. Once we laid eyes on the shade enveloped showgrounds that was enough to quickly propel us out of the town and follow the road to Nambucca Heads, where we stayed in the Foreshore CP. Day two arrived and I was down and out for the count with a bout of the flu, stayed in bed most of the day. Jude went for a walk around the town, mostly to stay away from me. Day three saw a huge improvement in my enthusiasm, enabling us to walk to the mouth of the Nambucca River and around the town only to return to camp and discover that a camp neighbour had backed his F350 truck into the right front guard of our car. Now we have an appointment with a Crash Repairer in Maroochydore on 27th July. This event encouraged us to move out of Nambucca Heads next morning and head onto our next stop, "who knows where?" Grafton Showgrounds was where we found a place to settle in at $95 per week. I was on a downer again from the flu, only recovering several days later. Hope it has finally cleared my system now. The turn over of caravans and motor homes in the showgrounds has been astounding, we have met so many interesting people here.

An Echidna in the wood pile at Goolawah Community. This fellow was a regular fossicker in the community area.

The extensive rock wall on the Nambucca River is covered with graffiti, mostly names of families visiting the area, many return each year.

The Nambucca River just before it reaches the sea.

At Grafton now, this is the bridge over The Clarence River. This bridge is unique in that it has two sharp turns along the span. These turns make it interesting when towing a caravan across, one has to nudge the centre line with the tow vehicle to make sure the caravan clears the kerb on the inside.