N.S.W. Road Trip March 2023
Day 1 - Beenleigh to Woolgoolga
We had been home bound for one reason and another, so we agreed it was high time to hit the road again. We decided to do a long drive on day 1, heading for Woolgoolga, a town on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales on Gumbaynggirr land. It is a lovely sleepy little seaside town with great beach and ocean views. Permanent European settlement occurred in the 1870s, timbergetting and sawmilling was established in 1883. The area has long been a centre of banana growing in New South Wales, but this industry has declined in the face of competition from Queensland. Recent times have seen many banana plantations replaced by blueberries.
It was a sleepy, Saturday afternoon when we arrived. We caught the end of the beach side markets and sampled some Punjab foods before exploring the area. The town has an intesting heritage walk. Our accommodation was beside the Seaview Tavern, so we enjoyed a few drinks and an exceptionally delicious meal with great views from their veranda before retiring.
We had been home bound for one reason and another, so we agreed it was high time to hit the road again. We decided to do a long drive on day 1, heading for Woolgoolga, a town on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales on Gumbaynggirr land. It is a lovely sleepy little seaside town with great beach and ocean views. Permanent European settlement occurred in the 1870s, timbergetting and sawmilling was established in 1883. The area has long been a centre of banana growing in New South Wales, but this industry has declined in the face of competition from Queensland. Recent times have seen many banana plantations replaced by blueberries.
It was a sleepy, Saturday afternoon when we arrived. We caught the end of the beach side markets and sampled some Punjab foods before exploring the area. The town has an intesting heritage walk. Our accommodation was beside the Seaview Tavern, so we enjoyed a few drinks and an exceptionally delicious meal with great views from their veranda before retiring.
Woolgoolga was an early centre of Sikh migration to Australia and now has the largest regional Sikh/Punjabi population in the country. The early settlers came from the farming community of Punjab. Initially they worked as labourers on the banana plantations, but later acquired leasehold and freehold banana plantations.
Day 2 - Woolgoolga to Port Macquarie
Our drive to Port Macquarie was scenic with stops at Coffs Harbour and Nambucca Heads along the way.
Our drive to Port Macquarie was scenic with stops at Coffs Harbour and Nambucca Heads along the way.
Port Macquarie is a coastal destination at the mouth of the Hastings River. It has beautiful beaches and waterways with lovely walking tracks and many interesting outdoor art attractions. The town is also known for its koala population, being the home to the Billabong Zoo (a wildlife park and koala breeding centre) and the Koala Preservation Society's Koala Hospital, caring for koalas injured through bushfire, dog attacks and collisions with vehicles.
We found plenty to do and were glad to have allocated two nights. Our hotel was near Gaol Point and offered magnificent views of the ocean and surrounding beaches.
We found plenty to do and were glad to have allocated two nights. Our hotel was near Gaol Point and offered magnificent views of the ocean and surrounding beaches.
Along the southern breakwall of Port Macquarie's Hastings River is a series of painted rocks that provide hours of entertainment as you wander along.. They began as an art competition in 1995, but are now a sort of outdoor gallery that anyone can add to. Typically, the colourful rocks along the wall display pictures, tributes to loved ones who have passed away, commemorations of anniversaries or holidays, and words of wisdom.
Day 4 - Port Macquarie to Newcastle
We had originally planned on bypassing Newcastle, but were told it is a wonderful place to visit, so we booked two nights in a hotel on Newcastle Beach. Lack of forward planning meant we did not realise the place was full swing in preparations for the Newcastle 500, an annual motor racing event for Supercars. Street closures and preparations of the circuit meant some tricky navigating to get in and out of hotel, but fortunately we left before the race started.
Newcastle is one of Australia's oldest cities. Containing a quirky blend of new and old architecture, a rich indigenous history, a working harbour and fabulous beaches, Newcastle is unique and eclectic. I covered many kilometres exploring the city and beaches on foot. It is the second-largest city in New South Wales and the sixth-largest in Australia, located at the mouth of the Hunter River. Historically a coal and steel town (exploiting the excellent harbour at the mouth of the Hunter River and the vast deposits of coal under the Hunter Valley) it has reinvented itself in the past two decades. Today it is a modern city with an elegant and updated harbour foreshore with many chic restaurants and pleasant boardwalks. Other attractions include historic buildings, museums, street art, parks and beaches.
We had originally planned on bypassing Newcastle, but were told it is a wonderful place to visit, so we booked two nights in a hotel on Newcastle Beach. Lack of forward planning meant we did not realise the place was full swing in preparations for the Newcastle 500, an annual motor racing event for Supercars. Street closures and preparations of the circuit meant some tricky navigating to get in and out of hotel, but fortunately we left before the race started.
Newcastle is one of Australia's oldest cities. Containing a quirky blend of new and old architecture, a rich indigenous history, a working harbour and fabulous beaches, Newcastle is unique and eclectic. I covered many kilometres exploring the city and beaches on foot. It is the second-largest city in New South Wales and the sixth-largest in Australia, located at the mouth of the Hunter River. Historically a coal and steel town (exploiting the excellent harbour at the mouth of the Hunter River and the vast deposits of coal under the Hunter Valley) it has reinvented itself in the past two decades. Today it is a modern city with an elegant and updated harbour foreshore with many chic restaurants and pleasant boardwalks. Other attractions include historic buildings, museums, street art, parks and beaches.
Day 6 - Newcastle to Gunnedah
We drove through the beautiful Hunter Valley on a sunshiny, blue sky day from Newcastle to Gunnedah. However, it was not the vineyards that beckoned us, but rather the cemeteries along the way. My husband's ancestors haunt many of these, and I gleefully went in search for their graves. These people were descended from convict stock and settled these area in the 1800s.
We drove through the beautiful Hunter Valley on a sunshiny, blue sky day from Newcastle to Gunnedah. However, it was not the vineyards that beckoned us, but rather the cemeteries along the way. My husband's ancestors haunt many of these, and I gleefully went in search for their graves. These people were descended from convict stock and settled these area in the 1800s.
Our plan to stop over in Gunnedah was based on the fact that Reg's grandfather was supposed to have been born here. It turned out to be a most delightful town with so much to see. Its claim to fame is that the poet, Dorothy Mackeller spent a lot of time at the family farm near the town. Most notably she is famous for her poem, My Country. The Mackellar Centre in town holds the annual Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards. Nearby is the MAAS walk where Dorothea Mackellar poems featuring Gunnedah, “Dawn” and “Burning Off”, are referenced through sculptural elements and within plantings.
Pensioners Hill is a great place from which to view Gunnedah and the countryside that inspired much of Mackellar's poetry. Once a shanty town during the great depression, Pensioners Hill is now home to the Heritage Sculptures showing some aspects of Gunnedah's cultural heritage. The stones show Red Chief, a famous local Aboriginal leader, a coal miner, a pioneer woman and agriculture. The rainbow serpent leads from one stone to the next symbolising energy, fertility and dreamtime stories. Native plants line the path that winds its way up the hill past the sculptures to the top where a stunning view of Gunnedah awaits.
Day 7 Gunnedah to Armidale
The drive to Armidale was through more beautiful countryside. Armidale is an attractive and graceful city of tree-lined streets with beautiful old buildings. I thoroughly enjoyed my self guided heritage walk to soak up the city's history and atmosphere.
The drive to Armidale was through more beautiful countryside. Armidale is an attractive and graceful city of tree-lined streets with beautiful old buildings. I thoroughly enjoyed my self guided heritage walk to soak up the city's history and atmosphere.
We were unlucky with our timing in Newcastle, but we were very lucky with our timing to stay in Armidale. We arrived in time to experience Culture Fest, a free annual event showcasing the rich diversity of cultures that are in the region. The evening of international food stalls, live music, cultural dance and song, pop-up bars was held at Civic Park. The inspiration behind it continues to be the international students studying at the University of New England.
Day 8 Armidale to Iluka
The drive from the tablelands to the coast provided a chance to visit some waterfalls along the Waterfall Way. Our first stop was at Wollomombi Gorge where we walked to a viewing area that provided excellent views of the Wollomombi Falls. We had a bite to eat at Dorrigo before dropping to the coast.
The drive from the tablelands to the coast provided a chance to visit some waterfalls along the Waterfall Way. Our first stop was at Wollomombi Gorge where we walked to a viewing area that provided excellent views of the Wollomombi Falls. We had a bite to eat at Dorrigo before dropping to the coast.
Day 8 to 10 Iluka
We ended our little road trip with a couple of nights at the sleepy little fishing village of Iluka on the mouth of the Clarence River. It is situated directly across the river from the resort town of Yamba. Reg's great-grandson bears the same name (Iluka), derived from an Aboriginal word meaning "near the sea." We hadn't booked ahead, but were lucky to get the last motel room at the local caravan park, which turned out to be a great place to stay.
We ended our little road trip with a couple of nights at the sleepy little fishing village of Iluka on the mouth of the Clarence River. It is situated directly across the river from the resort town of Yamba. Reg's great-grandson bears the same name (Iluka), derived from an Aboriginal word meaning "near the sea." We hadn't booked ahead, but were lucky to get the last motel room at the local caravan park, which turned out to be a great place to stay.
Day 10 Iluka to Home
It was a pleasant drive home, with a short stop at Pottsville for lunch before crossing back to Queensland and turning our clock back an hour. It's always good to get home, but we look forward to more explorations south of the border in the near future.
It was a pleasant drive home, with a short stop at Pottsville for lunch before crossing back to Queensland and turning our clock back an hour. It's always good to get home, but we look forward to more explorations south of the border in the near future.