SATURDAY 31 MAY     MERIMBULA TO TATHRA   25kms

We took our time this morning, getting up and getting ready to move on. With such a short distance to go, there was no point in hurrying. We were not expecting there would be much pressure on site availability, at this time of year, but still did not want to arrive too early.

Took the non-highway route, through the centre of town, and up past Tura Beach. It was a good road and, once out of hilly Merimbula, easy driving.

At Tathra, there was the really steep, bendy, but short, drop down from the Tathra village centre, up on its headland, down to the beach level where the caravan parks are. Stopped at the top, put Truck into low range and low gear, and ground our way down.

Booked into the Tathra Beach Caravan park – the one with direct frontage to the beach. I was a bit surprised at the cost – $28 a night – almost as much as the Big 4 park across the road. I wasn’t sure if it was a Council owned park, or not.

We opted for a site not close to other campers, of which there were few. Set up for a couple of days’ stay.

Not far from us was a row of little individual bathroom units, each room containing toilet,  hand basin and shower. These were not gender specific. I find such arrangements much preferable to the large communal blocks that are the norm, and wish more parks would adopt this idea.

In the afternoon, John went off to play bowls at the Tathra club, which was just across the road. Men only, so I had a lovely, free afternoon! I walked as far as the mouth of Mogareeka Inlet, along the sealed bike path that paralleled the road. It was a 4 km walk, altogether, and most enjoyable. Lots of titree and banksia scrub alongside the road, and on the large house blocks, ensured there was plenty of birdlife to look at.

I had driven Truck up to the shops, before lunch, and bought Saturday papers, so spent some time reading those.

I made a pineapple salad for tea, to accompany cooked sausages.

John came home with the news that he had organized for us to practice bowls, over at the club, tomorrow. If I must……

At night, we could hear the waves breaking on the beach – lovely sound to go to sleep by.