Up early, well rested after a couple of beers in the pub, hot showert and relaxing breakfast in the sun.
Pack up and were off in search of the birthplace of Slim Dusty!
So head up the highway to Kempsey, coming into town drove past a building site with a picture of Slim but thought nothing of it.
Stopped at the tourist information expecting there to be a wealth of slim related things to see and do in Kempsey but alas the friendly man informed us that the musuem would not open for another couple of years, however there was one shop in town that may have one of his cd's.....
Off to do a lap of the town and the shop had closed down but did have a picture of slim in the window.
Thoroughly disheartened we headed off to bigger and better things in the shape of Fredos pie shop, famous for having 50 or so varieties of pie on sale.
this was much more like it!
On offer were crocodile pie, emu pie, kangaroo pie basically if it moved, they killed it and put it in a pie.
We played safe and had a roast lamb and mint sauce and a beef, beer and chilli pie and all thoughts of slim had dissapeared.
Just up the road were South West Rocks, a cute little town on the edge of Arakoon national Park, a little further on and we arrived at the Gaol, Trail bay, an old prison on a rocky outcrop. Spoke to the ranger and parked up at a beach side spot with our own BBQ and beach shower.
Had our first bushwalk along the shoreline and came across the biggest kangaroo i have seen! (Carmen later informed me that this was not a big one!) Huge he was, bigger than me!
A testament to our firelighting skills was the BBQ we lit in breezy conditions that night and we went to bed happy campers.
Day 5
Woke up early (again) and got the solar panels out for the first time and connected them up. Sat down to a bacon and eggs breakfast by the sea and enjoyed our view (of the solar panels).
Heading for Bellingen today to see our friends Tim, Alice, Bonnie and Elvi.
First stop however was Smoky Cape lighthouse and a brisk walk up the hill led to great viwes along the coast in both directions (as you would probably expect from a lighthouse!).
Had lunch at Nambucca Heads and pulled in for a brew up at Urunga (the benefit of the van). Arrived in Bellingen (the birthplace of Troy) after a lovely drive through the countryside, stopped to get our bearings (and some wine) and arrived at Tim and Alice's to find Alice unpacking as they had just moved in that day!
Parked Polly in the garage and enjoyed a beautiful home cooked meal and the tele!!
After less than a week away we had already lost touch.
Day 6 (a day trip to Dorrigo)
Had a lie in (8.30) and packed a lunch for the Dorrigo World heritage rainforest.
Stopped in Dorrigo and nearly got lost in the antiques (junk) shop, could have spent all day in there but made it out and also resisted the temptation of another pie (dangerous place Dorrigo). Up the mountain to the park, walking shoes on and were off, 6.6KM including two waterfalls and some big trees.
Back to Bellingen for another wonderful home cooked meal and a drink infront of the fireplace (thanks Tim and Alice (Carmen says sorry about the key)).
Day 7
Big banana pretty much says it all for today so if your short on time just skip straight to day 8.
Lovely Sunday morning stroll to Bellingen river and we were off for Coffs Harbour and our first 'big'thing, the big banana.
To be honest i was unimpressed, "is that it?"
Just North of Coffs and after several wrong turns off the highway including a caravan park whos theme was loud annoying birds (lorikeete) Surely not something to entice campers in, loud birds??
We arrive at Corindi beach and pull up in Pollys prefered overnight setting, right next to the sea.
