Urunga, NSW

Just south of Coffs Harbour, the neat and spacious Urunga Heads Holiday Park is right on the water. Our van overlooks the spot where the Kalang River joins the Bellinger River to flow out to sea. There is a long boardwalk running all the way out to the surf beach. It has had many incarnations and was originally built for the pilot station staff to run out to the river mouth to guide the ships in. Sailing ships used to land here to transport the cedar out. After walking the boardwalk we’ve worked up a thirst so we head to … Continue reading Urunga, NSW

Poetic Justice

We’re scooting across the Hay Plains, when the phone rings, it is the sergeant from Dareton Police Station ringing to tell us that the fellow who let loose with gunshots in the caravan park at Buronga last year has been in custody ever since and has now been given a two and a half year sentence. Apparently his exploits were known to the police. Here’s a link to the original story: You Should Try Caravanning… and the resulting poem There’s Movement at the Van Park . Well isn’t everyone prompted to write poetry when someone is running amok with a gun? Continue reading Poetic Justice

The Biker

There is a charming young English biker fellow camped in a tent beside us in Bourke. His name is Andy and his motor bike has broken down. If that isn’t bad enough it is only the first day of his three week outback trip. To add to this he has only just joined NRMA and the rules state that he can’t ring for Roadside Assistance until Monday. He must be a member for 48 hours before requesting assistance. He’s hoping for a 160km lift down to Cobar as that is the nearest motorcycle repairer. Probably scariest of all is his … Continue reading The Biker

Spending a penny and learning a lot

Gunnedah in country NSW has a Dorothea Mackellar memorial because she was inspired to write part of her much loved poem “My Country” in 1905 when she visited one of her family’s properties at Gunnedah. The good folk of Gunnedah have taken things a little further by engraving poems on the backs of the public toilet doors. One can choose which poet they’d prefer to read as the names are on the outside of the door. Now after we compared our photos I have a sneaking suspicion that the poets match the gender of the toilet, but that is only … Continue reading Spending a penny and learning a lot