So, back in Hervey bay for a few days of relaxation, staying with some good friends again.
While we were there we had a lovely dinner at the dock restaurant which had all sorts of yummy tapas dishes. And another evening we left the kids with our friends and had a date night on board blue dolphin for a sunset cruise. The cruise went for 2 hours and cruised around near the harbour and past nearby round island. Iwe had a great time with a great sunset to go with the nibbles and drinks on the boat.
We left Hervey bay on the 10th of November and headed back to the gold coast to visit more family.
On Sunday 13th we headed to Byron bay for the day to explore.
1st up we all did the Cape Byron circuit out to the headland and to Australia’s most easterly point before travelling on to the lighthouse and then back to the car.
By then we were getting pretty hungry so we headed back into town and ended up at the beach hotel for lunch and a drink. The beach hotel is a great pub which had live entertainment all afternoon and yummy meals.
Monday we took a drive up to my tamborine and did the witches falls walk which is a nice 3.1km circuit taking in a waterfall and some great views.
For a while we had been talking about the idea of moving from the camper trailer to a caravan and over the last couple of weeks in Hervey bay and the gold coast we had been investigating the options and brands to see what we liked and suited our needs.
Our initial trip to a number of dealers on the sunshine coast and Brisbane were with a few exceptions quite disappointing. We saw so many new vans from newer Australian and overseas made companies that were really not well put together. Some felt flimsy others looked like there was no care factor in their assembly and one brand new van on display even had water damage from a leaking roof (we left that dealership very quickly).
As stated above, there were a few exceptions and we had really narrowed down the options to 3 potential makes. Kokoda, supreme or sunseeker.
We looked at a new Kokoda and supreme on our way to the gold coast but while both looked very well built, just didn’t quite have the layout and features we really wanted.
We had to wait until Wednesday 16th to have a look at a 2nd hand sunseeker wild child, which was not to far away in Ballina. So on Wednesday we headed off to look at this one and by lunchtime it was hooked up to the patrol and headed back to the gold coast with it all very excited.
The new van has everything we need and wanted and the only compromise was having an east west Bed as you can not get a van this small with bunks, separate toilet and shower with a north south facing bed.
It also has a washing machine which is really handy especially with the kids clothes.
Some of the other requirements we had were a maximum weight of 2700kg and being full off road so that it can handle the rough stuff like corrugations.
Excited about our new home we spent the afternoon swapping all our stuff from the camper to the caravan and getting a few new items for the van. Before continuing on our journey on Thursday.
A big thank you to my brother and his family for both looking after our dog while we are travelling and now also our camper trailer.
Thursday 17th November we are on our way again and this time we pulled up in Girraween Np for 3 nights.
Friday morning we ducked into Tenterfield for some supplies including some amazing sausages from the Tenterfield butcher before doing a nice walk in the afternoon not far from camp.
The granite arch walk does a loop from the picnic area, across the creek and around through an amazing arch made by a huge granite boulder resting on top of 2 others to form an arch. It’s a really interesting walk and the boys thought that the arch was awesome.
Saturday we headed back into NSW and bald rock NP which is right next to Girraween to do the bald rock walk. The walk is 2.6km each way and all uphill on the way there but oh so worth it.
The formations on the way up and the shear size of lump of granite that is bald rock is something to see, and the views are pretty good too. You do have to be careful on the upper sections of the climb and I wouldn’t recommend it in the wet as you walk along the side face of the rock and it’s a long way down if you were to slip and slide off the track.
Back at camp in the afternoon we relaxed and watched all the kangaroo’s and wallabies come in and munch on the grass near our camp.
Sunday morning we packed up the caravan which is so much quicker than the camper, not having to pack up beds or the camper itself. Before leaving though, we went up the road a bit and did the short 2km walk to underground creek. It is a nice little spot where the water slowly eroded the rock away until the rock collapsed above the creek. The water still flows under this hence being underground.
After the walk we hooked up the caravan and headed off to our next destination of cranky rock.
Cranky rock reserve is a nice spot just outside Warialda which is East of Moree. We had a quiet night there before exploring cranky rock the next morning. we even had a peacock wandering around camp.
Here there is a beautiful gorge with a water hole at the bottom with the rocks towering above on either side. No one really knows why it is called cranky rock but 2 theories are either because a cranky Chinaman who murdered a woman in the late 1800s was chased there by the police and to escape he jumped from the rock to his death. The other less exciting theory is that cranky is a term used for an unstable boat that is likely to capsize and the rock does look like it could topple over.
After exploring the reserve we hooked up again and headed to Tamworth. We were going to go straight to Coonabarabran but the direct route was still closed due to flooding so we decided to stop at tamworth and check it out on the way.
Tuesday 22 November we spent the day exploring Tamworth. We checked out the wax museum and guitar hall of fame before heading to the lookout for amazing views of the city.
From there it was off to Bunnings for some bits an pieces for the caravan to make it out own before an awesome steak that we got from a local butcher.
Wednesday it was off to Coonabarabran for 4 nights. Here we stayed at a free camp behind the golf club. it is a basic site on a slight hill but you can’t complain when it’s free and the club has a great Chinese restaurant.
That night we did a star tour at millroy observatory just north of town. It was a great night with lots of information and the chance to see lots of different things through the telescope. We saw the tarantula nebula, Jupiter, Saturn and some dwarf galaxies the kids also had a blast seeing all these places so far away. We also say heaps of shooting stars and satellites going past.
Millroy observatory also has the original telescope from the siding springs Observatory but it is not yet operational. It would be great to go back there when it is to see through it.
Thursday morning it was a bit of a late start after a late night and we stopped in at the information centre to get ideas before going to the siding springs Observatory. While you can’t go into the telescopes themselves because they are all research equipment, there is a great information centre with all sorts of info on the site and some of their discoveries as well as other fascinating facts about space and the stars. There is even a set of scales that will show you how heavy you would weigh on each planet.
If you are conscious about your weight you don’t want to know how much you weigh on Jupiter. However you would be very happy about it on Pluto.
There is also a small gallery in the main telescope building where you can see it and learn about it.
Friday morning we were up fairly early and off to the warrumbungles for a hike. First up was Fan’s horizon walk which is a constant uphill climb of 1.8km to the lookout. It was a bit of a slog up there but once we reached the top it was so worth it. Just spectacular views across the national park and siding springs Observatory in the distance.
We spent a bit of time up there having a rest and some snacks and taking photos of course before heading back down the path to the car. After some lunch we drove back towards coonabarabran stopping at whitegums lookout on the way. This one is a much shorter level walk to the lookout facing almost the opposite direction to Fan’s horizon from the eastern edge of the park. Another beautiful view, one that I would have to come back to for sunset before we left the area.
Another thing that was fascinating to see was the amount of destruction the fires in 2013 had done and how wall the bush has recovered.
Saturday we went back to warrumbungles Np and did the burbie canyon walk. This is a lovely 2km return walk up and back through a small canyon with multiple creek crossings and plenty of wildlife. The boys had a great time playing in the creek.
After that we drove north of town to the Piliga Forrest to see the sandstone caves. It is amazing to see these caves that were clearly formed by water yet are so high above the surrounding plains. It makes you wonder how long it must have taken to 1st create these caves and then wash away the surrounding areas. Millions of years in the making.
There are also some indigenous art sites and evidence of scrapings from making tools and weapons. Unfortunately these are now behind cages to protect them from people that can’t just leave them alone.
That night we had a delicious dinner at the Chinese restaurant at the golf club before crashing in bed.
Sunday 27th November we got going early and made our way to Hill End. Hill End is an historic gold mining town during the gold rush in the 1800s. It now comes under NSW parks protection and is a wonderful little town to visit. So much history and walking around the town there are plaques everywhere showing you what was there or still is and what life was like for the people living there 150 years ago.
The next morning we checked out the golden gully just outside town before hooking up and heading off towards the blue mountains. We stopped in sofala on our way for a quick look around. This is another old gold mining town and a pretty place for a coffee or some lunch. If you are staying in the area there are any number of spectacular camp spots right beside the Turon River East or West of town.
After a break in Sofala we continued to lake Wallace just west of Lithgow where we would stay for 2 nights. Lake Wallace is a really good free camp beside the lake with a huge area to choose from to camp, a playground for the kids, a dump point and even toilets and showers. The only restriction was that you are not supposed to stay for more than 2 nights although I don’t think that is enforced as we saw some that had definitely been there longer.
The rest of that afternoon we spent planning which hikes we wanted to do in the blue mountains.
Tuesday we had decided to do the grotto 1st and then minnehaha falls after that.
The grotto is a part of the larger centennial pass circuit but can be done by itself down and back from the carpark. The track down is mostly solid but with very steep stairs on the lower section before arriving at the creek level. From there it is just a short distance into the grotto.
To get right in there you either have to crawl along a ledge on the right side which in one part is only 1 foot width wide or you can wafe in the creek through a very narrow section cut through the rock on either side.
Making the effort to get in there was well and truly worth it as we found ourselves standing in a cavern almost with a pool in the middle and just up from that the water appears to come down through a hole in the rock but is actually a waterfall into a narrower section of the gorge in front of us. Such a spectacular place so close to Blackheath. For most people it would take about 20min each way but took us a little longer to help the boys through the trickier parts.
The only problem with all these beautiful places is that what goes down must come back up again. The climb back up on this one at least wasn’t to bad but we just took our time.
From there we jumped back in the car and drove to the carpark for minnehaha falls where we had some lunch before venturing down the track to the falls.
The track to the falls is 1.2km each way and is fairly rough in parts although not hard to navigate, just have to watch your footing. About half way there is a lookout that gives a great view of the falls from above the height of the top of them before heading down all the steps and ladders to the bottom of the falls where there is a great waterhole you can swim in. (if you’re brave enough to handle the 14degree water).
Another great spot with the water flowing well over the falls into the pool below. This one seems a popular place as there were plenty of other people there too, some going for a swim and yelling as they jumped into the cold water.
After spending a fair amount of time there just enjoying the scenery and letting the kids play, we headed back to the car, back to camp and an early night as we were all pooped.
Wednesday 30th November we left camp and drove into Katoomba to do a hike to Leura falls. From the carpark this one is a constant steep descent into the valley with lots and lots of steep stairs. On the way down we stopped at a number of different spots from dramatic rock walls with trees growing out of the rock, narrow cuttings between the rocks for the steps and a number of other named and unnamed smaller waterfalls and cascades.
The 1st waterfall we reached was Lila falls which only had a small amount of water coming over the small falls. from there we moved down to Linda falls which is a narrow waterfall of about 5m in height.
The turn off to Leura falls is just past Linda falls and we discovered that the unmaintained track is actually now closed, so after a bit of a rest and a look at the map we saw another possible track to the bottom of Leura falls a bit further down. Off we went in our search for the falls, however when we headed down the other track we found it was also closed near the creek downstream from the falls. Oh well, I guess this one was not to be.
After a few pics of the creek, we all started the long, very slow climb back up all those stairs to the carpark. This was a big climb up for us unfit people but the boys did extremely well with constant comments from other hikers saying how well they were doing.
We finally made it up and headed back to lake wallace where we hooked up the van and moved to the caravan park at Blackheath. This is a nice little park and the managers are very friendly and helpful, you can also have pets there.
Thursday we took as a bit of a rest day as the car was booked in for a service in Katoomba. While I waited for the car I looked around town and got a much needed massage while the kids and Belinda played around camp and caught up on washing.
That night we caught up with family at the Katoomba RSL. We all had a great night and stopped by the 3 sisters on the way home to see it lit up at night.
Friday it was back to hiking and finding waterfalls again. This time we started with Terrace falls followed by horseshoe falls.
The Terrace walk is a loop that takes in 3 falls, the 1st in the direction we went was Pyramid falls which is on a very short side track off the main circuit.
Next stop on the hike was Bedford pool, a beautiful lagoon in the creek at the bottom of the valley. It would be a great spot for a swim and a picnic on a hot summer’s day.
from there we stopped at little Terrace falls before moving on to Terrace falls for a play/ rest and a snack. (and of course some photos) Terrace falls is a beautiful set of terraces that the water tumbles down into a shallow pool at the bottom.
after a rest we continued the loop back up to the carpark for some lunch and then off to Horseshoe falls.
Horseshoe falls as just a short 600m walk each way from the carpark to a great little waterfall that you can actually walk all the way round behind the fall. Its not a super tall waterfall but gig enough to walk through the overhang behind it without having to crouch down. This place would have been really good to see at night too as glow worms live on the ceiling behind the falls.
Saturday 3rd December would be our last day of hiking in the Blue Mountains and we also had auntie sue visit us and join us on our days hiking. Today it would be the South Lawson loop which takes us past 4 waterfalls in about 3.5km. This is another not to difficult walk with plenty of opportunity to stop, rest and just enjoy the bush.
We started at the north end of the track and our 1st stop was Adelina Falls. From there it was on to Junction falls which is a beautiful big waterfall with an upper part that drops from overhanging rock, and the lower part that cascades over the rock face into a pool at the bottom.
After we had all finished taking photos and the kids had finished making boats to float down the creek, we moved on to Federal falls which is another medium size falls that tumbles down the rock face.
Then it was on to Cataract falls which is a bit bigger than the others and has 2 parts. the top come over a short drop, the runs down a rock slope before tumbling over the 2nd drop. From the bottom you can actually get in behind the lower part of the falls but not walk all the way through.
You can also get to the middle part of the falls down a short side track and we just stopped at the side there as walking out onto the rock itself would not be wise as one slip and you would be straight down the rock slope and over the bottom part of the falls.
From Cataract falls it is a reasonably gentle climb back up and around the rest of the loop, back to the carpark. It was a great day again and great to see auntie sue as well.
The Blue Mountains is an amazing area, so full of places to explore whether you are looking for family adventures right upto extreme caving, canyoning and multi day treks. We would have liked to have stayed longer but we need to make our way towards albury to transfer the rego on the caravan in a week or so.
If you are looking for some great guide books the ones by Lostmtns are great if a bit pricey. For each of the locations listed in the books, there is a QR code you can scan and it brings up a map showing you the route to get there and back. these maps are also usable offline which is very handy since there is often no signal away from the main town areas.
That’s all for this part of our big adventure. Stay tuned for the next part where we will be heading to Canberra, Albury, Kosciuszko NP and the NSW south coast.
A Love of Adventures 