Coffs Harbour, Australia

January 11th - January 13th 2012

We got up a bit later than we intended but didn't have very far to drive for our next destination so it didn't matter much. We got to Coffs Harbour and found a bargain of a caravan park although it was right next to the main road but cheaper than the other places that we looked at. We drove into Coffs Harbour and went for a walk along a deserted pier, the sun was beating down and there were lovely views out to sea.

Coffs Harbour Pier

After lunch by the sea we drove to the jetty and parked up so we could go for a walk on Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve. It was a steep walk to the top but we were rewarded with views over the harbour. We walked to the other end of the former island which was lovely and peaceful, the island was covered in pretty wild shrubs and flowers and is a nesting spot for birds. We went back to the caravan park and Craig had a dip in the pool. In the evening while we were chilling out we heard some rustling in the bushes outside. We saw a couple of little animals playing in the trees and on the grass, they were really sweet but we weren't entirely sure what they were although we guessed that they may have been possums.

Coffs Harbour

The following day we found internet and organised our travel from Melbourne to Adelaide for in a few weeks when we won't have our campervan. We had spaghetti by the pier where we walked the day before and then drove to the Coffs Harbour Art gallery which was showing an exhibition based on the theme of 'still life'. There were some beautiful pieces, some obvious still life's and some very abstract. After our wander around the gallery we started our journey on the Waterfall Way Tourist Drive which would take us inland to Armidale and past some dramatic scenery. We stopped at Bellingen which is a really pretty little town with lovely architecture. We walked up and down the main street and found a quaint little second hand bookshop with piles of dusty books.

Ye Olde Book Shop

We drove on up the twisty roads which reminded me of the way to Kuranda up in Queensland. The campervan seemed about ready to give up and we were starting to panic that she wouldn't be cut out for this type of journey but she made it to our stop which was a dark lay by with some cobweb filled toilets. It was pretty chilly up in the hills and we were parked up next to some dark woods which was a little creepy. Doing Australia on so much of a budget in a campervan means that you don't always get luxury but luckily both Craig and I aren't afraid of roughing it in these types of locations. Camping in muddy fields for festivals back home has well prepared us for this type of adventure and I think you get to see more of a place when you aren't confined to hotels and the main tourist towns and attractions.