This Adventurous Age

Adventures travelling and working around Australia.

Monthly Archives: February 2017


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1999 Travels February 8

MONDAY 8 FEBRUARY     EVANS HEAD

It was still showery and windy today.

I did some washing, but had to hang it on clothesline rope strung under the awning, to try to get it dry. Waiting for good open air drying weather here seems a pointless exercise!

We walked up to the Post Office and collected our bag of mail. It was only a small one, this time. The only surprise that it contained was a renewal notice for my passport. It is ten years since I got it, in a very last minute rush, after my boss gave me very late notice that he wanted me to attend the IB Conference in Singapore. It has been an eventful decade since. It will cost $126 to renew it, but worth doing, since we may need it to visit S on one of her overseas postings, or to holiday on Norfolk Island – something that has interested me for years.

A letter from S was the only personal mail.

After lunch, I walked back to the Post Office, after completing some replies and paperwork  related to shares, that had come in the bag. Mailed all that off.

Then we did a walk along the beach and the break wall.

The washing mostly got dry through the day, due to the breeze. Had to drape a few things over the rails in the van.

Tea was curried carrot soup – it has lasted well. Cold pork, steamed vegies; melon to finish. A repeat of yesterday – but one uses what they have!


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1999 Travels February 7

SUNDAY 7 FEBRUARY     EVANS HEAD

After an early breakfast, John went to bowls at Broadwater, to a singles event. This is unusual because most games are for teams of multiple players. It was a morning event.

I finished a letter to friend T. Walked up to the Post Office to the central mail box, to send this,  along with postcards to the offspring. I really wanted to get these away, but found the mail was not collected until 5pm Monday, anyway! Still, the walk was exercise.

John came back exultant – he’d won the competition and collected a $20 prize. He said it was strong competition, too.

02-07-1999 winner broadwater bc.jpg

Victorious! The cabins next to our van can be seen here – and grey skies.

After lunch, we cycled across the river bridge and around to the other break wall, on good bike paths. The river looked high. There were people swimming in it, and many were fishing closer to the break wall and catching decent bream there. The recent storms had done some damage to the top of the break wall, towards its end, where the waves had been breaking over it.

Rode back over the bridge and continued out the Broadwater road, through low coastal type scrub. Took the Salty Lagoon walking track, on the bikes. It was very narrow and we were hitting bushes quite a bit. Came to some places where there was foot deep water across the track, and we rode through these deep puddles. Then the water over the track became knee deep and we had to walk, trying to find dry patches for our feet. The track turned into a creek – it was actually flowing! We reached the Salty Lagoon, which we found was a pretty ordinary looking swamp behind big coastal dunes. Apparently, when the lagoon entrance is broached, the prawn fishing is excellent here. I bet there would be lots of local people taking advantage of that.

Retraced the way back to town. We had a head wind, so it was less pleasant riding, and we got rained on as well. It is good to be back on the bikes again, though I was a bit sore after the ride! My bike speedo has stopped working – maybe it needs a new battery? We rode 17.2kms today, according to John’s.

Tea was soup, cold pork, steamed vegies, followed by rock melon.

There was much rain through the night. I am sick of rain!


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1999 Travels February 6

SATURDAY 6 FEBRUARY     EVANS HEAD

Today was a moderately sunny day, but still quite windy.

I walked to the shop for the weekend paper and we read that for a while.

After an early lunch, we drove to Ballina, taking the most direct route, through Broadwater National Park.

Found our way through Ballina to a place beside the Richmond River mouth, where we could park and then walk out on the sea wall at the river entrance. The waves were still big, and were crashing on the rocks at the base of the sea walls. These are long – it is a big river. We walked out on the wall and watched the waves for a while.

Ballina seems just an ordinary seaside “resort” town. There are several caravan parks. The large chain one looks ok – for future reference. However, the small settlements along the coast, north of Ballina, may be equally good for a stay sometime.

We drove up to the Headland lookout and watched the sea for a while. When it is rough like this, it is quite mesmerizing.

02-06-1999 ballina breakwall rough seas.jpg

Rough seas at Ballina

There are good bike paths in Ballina.

Returned to camp the way we had come, in time to cook roast pork for tea, with roasted potato, pumpkin, parsnip, and beans. It was an excellent meal – the pork was quite lean.

Today’s outing was 100kms. Evans Head is really quite central for a lot of looking around the area.


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1999 Travels February 5

FRIDAY 5 FEBRUARY     EVANS HEAD

This morning, the rain has mostly gone, but it is still very windy and the seas are huge.

After breakfast, we walked to the break wall. The waves are still breaking strongly over the ends of the break walls. They are coming in at 3-4 metres high – very spectacular to watch, with spume spraying off their backs and them looking a really deep green as they rolled over. Unfortunately, it was still too damp to take the camera with me!

After lunch, John went to bowls.

I walked to the Library and changed a couple of books. Then went for a walk along the beach. I got a bit damp because of the spray being blown in off the wave tops, but it was quite exhilarating.

For tea I cooked flake cutlets just dipped in flour and egg, with potato slices brushed with oil and cooked in the electric frypan. The fish was lovely done that way.


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1999 Travels February 4

THURSDAY 4 FEBRUARY     EVANS HEAD

The rain has come back – quite heavily.

We drove to Lismore, to shop. We went along the east side of the Richmond River, this time. Some of the way was across flat farmlands, but mostly the route followed low ridge lines. It was too rainy to get much of a view of what we were driving through.

We found we would fit in the under cover carpark at the Woolworths complex. Did our grocery shopping and bought some produce from a fish shop, too. We ate a late lunch in the Truck, in the car park – it was teeming rain, so anywhere outdoors was not a possibility.

We refuelled in Lismore – 71cpl. No more cheaper Qld prices.

Drove back through rain. That was a 124km round trip.

Later in the afternoon, between downpours, we managed a short walk, out to the break wall. The waves are coming over its ends, on both sides of the river mouth. There are no fishermen out there, now! It is really rough.

02-07-1999 evans head rough seas.jpg

Rough seas at Evans Head

Gale force winds are forecast! I am starting to come to the conclusion that this is not a great time of year to be visiting these parts.

Tea was soup. I “bbq’ed” some lamb chops in the electric frypan and made some salad.

John phoned brother C to reassure him that we would be visiting, when we reach the Kempsey area.


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1999 Travels February 3

WEDNESDAY 3 FEBRUARY     EVANS HEAD

When I got up, at 8am, the sky was blue, with lots of fluffy clouds. So much for my theory about a rainbow ringed moon! There was quite a bit of sunshine through the day, but it was also windy, and there were some sun showers.

John went fishing from the break wall, with the incoming tide. He lost a lot of his pippi bait, but did not catch anything. The locals are catching flathead in the area, and bream in the river, he was told.

John went to bowls in the afternoon – no shortage of games here.

I walked on the beach for an hour, then went to the Library. Now that both my original books have been returned, I can borrow more at once, so I took out several. Back at the van, I read.

John won at bowls – not well enough to bring home a prize, but he was happy not to lose.

I made curried carrot soup and we had some for tea, followed by a vegie stir fry.

John discovered there were some messages on the phone – we are still getting used to this gadget, it seems. One was from R with the news we already know. One was from a former colleague of John’s, just to say hi. One was from John’s brother C, anxious to know where we are. He knows we are heading south again and I suspect he is worried that we might pass him by! I think he really used to enjoy the calls we made to him on the HF Radio, before we bought the mobile phone. Took him back to the old days.


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1999 Travels February 2

TUESDAY 2 FEBRUARY     EVANS HEAD

There were still rain clouds looming when I got up.

John went off to morning bowls, but it was called off, so we went on the Tourist Drive. This took us to New Italy which, as the name suggests, was settled by a group of Italian immigrants, in the 1880’s, and where this heritage has been kept alive. From there we followed back roads to the hamlet of Whiporie, through ti-tree swamp areas and much State Forest. Parts of this route felt quite isolated. At Whiporie, turned north, onto a more significant road, but detoured off this because John wanted to check out the Wyan Sawmill – but he found it only handles pine, which is not a timber that interests him for woodwork. Then it was onto a minor road again, that took us through more forest and out onto farmland near Coraki, where we stopped for a look at the river there. Spotted a Sacred Kingfisher. From there we went on to Woodburn and back to Evans head.

There was heavy rain as we came from Woodburn, and it had obviously been raining in our area for some time.

We drove 208kms today.

We had a very late lunch!

The weather cleared enough, later in the afternoon, for us to go for a walk to the break wall, and then along the beach. We did get a little rained-on, though.

Tea was reheated left over vegie burgers, with beans, tomato and broccoli. John does not like the vegie patties, he has decided.

At night, I could see a full moon through breaks in the clouds – there is a big rainbow coloured halo around it! I am not sure what that signifies, but suspect it is not fine weather!

John phoned R – she has gotten into the Melbourne Uni course, which is good news. She is flat hunting.

John played computer games until the early hours, again.


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1999 Travels February 1

MONDAY 1 FEBRUARY     EVANS HEAD

We went for a drive, this morning, across the river – there is a bridge down the river end of town. Found a lookout point that gave a good view over the river entrance and the beach, stretching away to the north.

We continued on to Chinamans Beach, a little to the south. Parked there and walked a short track to the beach, then walked to the north as far as a rocky barrier – not all that far. Retraced our steps and walked south until we came to signs that indicated we should not go any further because it was Defence land and a bombing range. So turned around and went back. It was very pleasant walking.

We ate our packed lunch in the picnic area at Chinamans Beach, then spent some time trying to spot some birds that were being elusive.

Drove back across the bridge and back to Broadwater National Park, where we were yesterday, and gathered some pippis from the sand.

After we got back to the van, I walked to the Library, returned one book and borrowed another. I am still reading Di Morrissey’s Songmaster. I can’t make up my mind whether she over-idealizes and romanticizes the Kimberley aboriginal scenario. The picture she paints does not really accord with what we saw on our 1993 trip there. She does touch on relevant issues such as land rights, tourism to sacred sites, exploitation of aboriginal artists by unscrupulous white dealers, and by their own families; she also highlights the variable quality of such art. Anyway, I am finding it worth reading!

There was more rain this afternoon.

Tea was soup, vegie burgers that I made, and salad.

John is all upset because his waistline has not reduced any since last week! But he has eaten steak and kidney twice and Red Rooster take away – all his idea! But he blames it on drinking wine and has decreed we shall no longer have any in the van! I have informed him that, if this is to be so, then his beers at happy hour time must go, and at bowls clubs he must drink only water. I don’t like the chances of that!

John played computer games until 3.30am.


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1999 Travels January 31

SUNDAY 31 JANUARY     EVANS HEAD

Woke to find that the storms are over and the rain has drained from the ground remarkably well. The soil here is sandy – no surprise about that – and dries quickly.

More people moved out today. The place is really quite empty now. It feels rather strange to be in such a large, almost deserted caravan park.

Truck has had a rest for a couple of days, but today we went for a morning drive – out to Broadwater National Park, just to the north of here. Went to the picnic area and its associated beach. To get there, drove through the usual sorts of coastal bush, which included some really big and old coast banksias. We watched the sea for a while, and some pippis digging themselves into the sand by the rocks that outcropped right along the beach here.

We went back to the van for lunch, having only driven 29kms.

John watched sport on TV after lunch, and I sewed.

Later in the afternoon, we went for a walk, to the breakwall and walked out along it.

02-06-1999 Evans Head aerial.jpg

An aerial view of Evans Head, taken from a postcard I bought. The caravan park is on the right, with the big drain evident as the atraight line through it.

There was more rain, on and off, through the afternoon and this limited what we felt like doing.

Tea was soup, steak with mushrooms, potato, tomato, broccoli.


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1999 Travels January 30

SATURDAY 30 JANUARY     EVANS HEAD

After breakfast, we walked on the beach for about an hour. Then we walked to the local library, which is not far from the park. We were told that, as we are Council tenants, we can borrow from this. I took two books. After this initial loan is returned, I will be entitled to five at a time. This is soooo good! Reading orgy coming up!

Whilst I was browsing for books, John used the internet at the Library to do some research on solar panels. We are both very aware that, once this initial foray up and down the east coast is completed – when we return to Melbourne for K’s wedding – then our further travels will be much more flexible with solar power for the van. So, knowledge about same is becoming important.

After lunch, I read the Weekend Australian. There was no bowls on today, so John watched tennis and cricket on TV.

During the afternoon, there was a massive cloud build-up. Then we had huge thunder, lightning, heavy rain for an hour or so, followed by steady rain through the night. We seem to be in a sheltered spot, though, and were not much affected by the wind. It was all quite elemental and dramatic.

Some spectating entertainment was provided through the day by some family groups that had obviously been set up here for the duration of the holidays. They were moving out today. Some had huge establishments that required two vehicles, with trailers, to move: floorboards. fridges, freezers, washing machines and all. I think they may be families from the region, rather than travellers as such. A bit like the family camps that set up for summer at places like the Mornington Peninsula camp areas.

Tea was a chicken and water chestnut stir fry, which was excellent.