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After a lot of head scratching, checking copious notes about loading, what to pack (it's the first time we've had this van away in winter), etc, we're finally on our way!
YAY!
First night's stop is a little place called Jennings. Hardly anyone has heard of it, but lots of folks have heard to Wallangarra on the Qld/NSW border. It turns out that Jennings is the name of the town on the NSW side. It has a pub, a school, a population of 211 and a lovely grassed area (and now a section has been sealed for RV owners who don't want to get dirty) available for free camping. Thanks, Jennings.
<Above> Jennings campground, late afternoon.
As it's winter, and we're in the Great Dividing Range, we know it's going to get a bit cool overnight. Luckily we have our new gas heater (it uses the same gas as the stove) and our douvet/doona/quilt.
Umm, where is the douvet? Of course, on every trip, something is left behind, and in this case, it's the douvet. Not to worry, the heater will keep us warm...
At 3am, we were both awake and wondering why we were freezing. The gas bottle had run out! It's fun to go outside with minimal clothing when the grass is crunchy with frost and change over the valve on the gas bottles! Anyway, warmth was thankfully restored.
Tomorrow, Dorrigo.
<Above> Dorrigo Falls
As there seemed to be a total lack of places selling douvets on our route to Dorrigo, we settled into a nice caravan park with power so we could run our air con on heat mode for the next few nights. We spent a couple of days here and also went down the mountain to Bellingen on the Bellinger River (confusing spelling?) where we'd been before for Camp Creative quite a few years ago.
Bellingen has turned into a rather nice arts and crafts town with lots of coffee shops. All good healthy food!
Sculpture to David Helfgott
Bellingen is also the home of David Helfgott, whose life was the inspiration for the film 'Shine'.
This sculpture was devilishly difficult to photograph with very high contrast between black and white, and shadows from the overhanging tress, to say nothing of tourists who kept getting in the way. :-) Also, finding an appropriate angle was tricky, so here's another couple above.
<Left> Just so you know where you are.
<Above> Two itinerant tourists at the end of the Skywalk above the rain forest.
<Left> The view across part of the Great Dividing Range and on to the coast.
<Above> Being a rain forest, of course it has rain forest inhabitants. The one above caused us to rethink our afternoon tea location. It's a beautiful Carpet Python (Morelia Spilota), about 3m (10') long, and like Douglas Adams said in the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, "Mostly harmless".
<Above> The Dorrigo Nat Pk is known as the Home of the Giant Leech. No, this is NOT real!
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