Travel with kids

5 top car travel games with kids

2012-02-08T13:49:00.000+10:00

Planning a road trip this Easter? Avoiding squabbles in the back seat can be a mammoth job sometimes. With a few new games up your sleeve, the journey can be much more pleasant. For more great ideas, click here.

No Go

Before you leave home, pick three words that mustn't be said during the journey. Then try to trick each other into saying them in conversation. The person who notices a slip says “No Go” and gets a point.

License plate headlines

Using the letters on license plates as the start of words, and see who can make up the funniest headline! (For instance: KWQ might end up as Kids Welcome Queensland!) For younger kids, see who is the first to count to 10 using the numerals on license plates.

Mix and match stories

One person starts with the first sentence in a story, and the next contributes the second… the story continues until someone says “And they lived happily ever after”.

In my backpack

Like the old ‘grandma’s shopping list’

this memory game is all about listing things in your backpack. One family member starts with “In my backpack I have…”. The next person repeats the items mentioned by the person before them and adds one item on the end. The game continues round the group until someone forgets the order.

On my journey I saw…

Give each child a large piece of sketch paper, something hard to lean on and plenty of coloured pencils. (Pencils are less dangerous in the back seat than textas.) Write the name of the day’s starting location in the middle of the page then kids draw things they see along the way around that location. (Zoo, park, swings, church, lighthouse…)They can draw arrows between them if they like. This way they end up with a ‘time map’ of their journey. This is a great way to encourage kids to keep a journal and even works for those who can’t write.

There are plenty more travel ideas at www.kidswelcome.com.au. Do you have other cool games to share? Post a comment to share with other families!

Rainy day activities in SE Queensland with teens

2012-02-03T11:26:00.001+10:00

Not long ago, my friend asked me whatever she should do with her teenager during the rainy Queensland summer. They had exhausted trips to the mall and were slowly going broke.

It's a problem many of you probably face: how to entertain your older kids without breaking the bank, and while keeping their online time down. (Yes, that's often the hard one!).

So, here are three of my favourites in Southeast Queensland:

Sunshine Coast:

East Coast Originals is held the first and third Sunday of each month at Peregian Beach just after the local market packs up shop, and in Nambour on the other Sundays. Kicking off around 1pm, bands travel from around the region for the priviledge of playing to this crowd. Music if varied, but always original and this is a place where families can take a picnic and spread out on the grass and teens will even be happy to be seen. Best of all it's free!

Kayak tour:

Departing from Boreen Point, Kanu Kapers leads kayak tours through the Noosa Everglades. It is not necessary to have kayak experience and this tour is suitable for all ages except the very young.

Gold Coast:

Push teens physical boundaries at Thunderbird Park in the Gold Coast hinterland. The high ropes course here is challenging and a great way to bond with older kids. Spend around three hours swinging and pulling yourselves along cables, sliding down flying foxes and balancing on high beams without touching foot on the ground.

Brisbane:

Livewired at the Brisbane Powerhouse is a free comedy event. It will restart for 2012 on March 4 and takes place on Sundays from 6.30pm. In the past, the crowd has been treated to gut wrenching laughs caused by Tripod, Josh Thomas and Stephen K Amos. One word of warning is that the content can be a little adult at times so this is more suited to older teens than younger ones. It's also on the night before school, so bear this in mind!

For more cool events with teens, and younger kids, don't forget to check out www.kidswelcome.com.au

More to follow!!

Kids Welcome Ballarat and Great Ocean Road

2012-01-27T16:13:00.000+10:00

Here's a photo memory of the second portion of our recent adventure to Victoria. This section covers Sovereign Hill, Ballarat and the Great Ocean Road, including Apollo Bay, Port Campbell, Port Fairy, Portland, Loch Ard Gorge and the 12 Apostles. What an adventure we had, and highly recommend this trip for any family.

Over 100 new reviews of this area will be live on www.kidswelcome.com.au within the next couple of weeks so watch this space (and the slide show!).

Brisbane to Melbourne

2012-01-24T18:18:00.000+10:00

Well, we've been back almost a week, and the memories made on our trip to Victoria will last a lifetime...
Until we can travel again, here's a reminder of the first third of our trip from Brisbane to Melbourne via Wooli, Forster, Sydney, Lakes Entrance, Nowa Nowa, Phillip Island and Mornington Peninsular.

Enjoy!

Dubbo and Moree

2012-01-17T21:49:00.000+10:00

This combined family of six kids and a couple have become Amber’s best buddies and she is loving table tennis, the jumping pillow, riding their bikes together and shooting the breeze.

This morning one of the kids called to Amber at 7am, but she didn’t stir until about 8. Once her friends headed off to the Zoo, Amber and I jumped on our bikes and pedalled the Tracker Reilly circuit around the Macquarie River. What a lovely track this was and right outside the caravan park.

Next we headed into town. First stop the new Royal Flying Doctor Service interpretive centre which was unfortunately closed on Mondays. Then the craft centre which reminded us of the Buderim Craft Cottage and not the hub of creative activities we found at the Bendigo Pottery.

Next we found This blog covers two days: the first was spent in Dubbo, mostly in the company of our new friends. a water park and a beautiful Japanese Botanical Gardens with huge carp, stepping stones, a teahouse and pergola. Lovely!

By now it was time to go to the Old Dubbo Gaol and it was just as wonderful as I remembered. We were in time for the ‘escape’ re-enactment and met up with our new friends there, which made it even more fun. They invited us out for dinner so, back at camp we cleaned up and wandered to the bowls club next door. This impromptu party ended up growing with two other families joining us and I really enjoyed their company. What a lovely evening!

On to today... we were on the road by 9.30am. Amber was understandably sad to say goodbye, but games in the car got her out of a slump. A few stops, and five hours later, we arrived at Moree and checked into Gwydir Carapark: the only camp spot in Moree with its own series of hot springs.

The rest of the afternoon and evening has been spent soaking. One pool is 39 degrees (the temperature the water comes out of the ground) and the other four pools go down from there as water is pumped from one to the other. As Ii write, Amber is in the middle of a game of Marco Polo with four other kids in the large, coolest pool and a couple of grandparents are keeping an eye on her.

Tomorrow we head to the Gold Coast. This is our last night under canvas before heading home. What an amazing adventure this has been!

Lake Cargelligo to Dubbo

2012-01-16T09:31:00.000+10:00

I woke well before Amber and got on my bike as the sun turned everything orange. I rode down to Frogs Hollow which Pete says is the site of a couple of ochre pits. I couldn’t find them (a sign indicated they were there somewhere) but I did have a lovely chat with another camper, Alan, who was up enjoying the early morning too. He was camped at the free camping area along the bank of the river and he and his wife had been on the road for three months already. Ahh, the life of a grey nomad! Something to aspire to!

We were on the road by 9.30am and heading to Ootha to see the Utes in a Paddock. This amazing sculpture park depicts various aspects of Australian life, all painted on, or crafted out of, Holden Utes. What an extraordinary exhibition this is. Many of the artists were recognisable (for instance John Murray from Lightning Ridge whose prints adorns our wall at home). The signs accompanying the utes tell a range of stories and many are worth reading to the kids. Amber especially liked the story behind a ute painted by the local aboriginal kids.

From here we were on to Parkes where we were lucky enough to catch the tail end of the Elvis Festival. The information centre was teeming with Memphis look-alikes. This weekend-long event takes place the second weekend in January each year and is apparently long awaited. Seems incongruent that such a wonderful town named for one of the founders of this country, and one of the best radio telescopes in the world should be known for a man who lived and died half the globe away, but the world is a funny place!

Next stop Dubbo. We were staying at Dubbo Parklands Big4. I have stayed here before and really love this spot. Manager, Deidre, showed us their new safari tent accommodation before we set up (avoiding the rain). The rest of the day was spent relaxing, swimming in the pool, playing table tennis and making friends with other campers (most importantly other kids). Amber was definitely ready for the company of other kids and thoroughly enjoyed a huge game of Red Rover.

Murray River to Lake Cargelligo

2012-01-14T21:03:00.000+10:00

Water is the theme today and this blog covers two days.

First, yesterday, we spent the day at Echuca. It was a day I was really looking forward too... first we were going on a paddle steamer, and second we were looking forward to exploring the old port.

The paddle steamer didn’t disappoint. We joined the PS Canberra at 2.30pm for a hour-long cruise up and down the river. This beautifully restored vessel is run by steam and the engine is exposed so you can see every piston movement and the smell of wood smoke permeates.

We sat on the upper deck, right on the bow, watching the Murray River Ensign flapping before us as we rounded each bend with a ‘toot toot’ to warn vessels coming the other way. When we turned and headed for home kids were allowed a go at the wheel. As you should be aware, I am just one big kid so, once the little tikes had a go, I was next in line. I hogged the wheel for a bend or so and what a thrill it was!

I found Echuca surprisingly disappointing. The wharf area is certainly beautiful, but the overly kitsch and commercial nature of the old port left me wanting. For instance, there’s a lovely looking self-guided walk of the dock area which takes in the museums and waterfront boardwalk, but you need to pay for it... which seems a little money-grabbing. We certainly enjoyed the cheese shop, bakery and the ice cream shop though!

The highlight for both of us was seeing the Pervensey which is the vessel used in All the River Runs. Although we didn’t actually get onboard (we had chosen another company), it was wonderful to see her as she passed, and this distance afforded us wonderful photos.

Today we were up early (by VIC standards) and on the road by 9.30. We had a long drive ahead to Lake Cargelligo, somewhere new. Along the way we stopped at Jerilderie where Ned Kelly delivered his manifesto to the printer, and Narrandera where we strummed the largest playable guitar in the world. We even had time for a strawberry slice at The Big Strawberry.

Lake Cargelligo is like an oasis in the middle of the golden plains. We are staying at Lake View Caravan Park. It, and the area, attracts numerous ski boats, and apparently has been an aboriginal settlement for eons. Pete (another resident at the caravan park) is a real ambassador to the region and gave us a wonderfully concise visitor guide spiel. He also came over armed with ant spray just at the moment we were about to retreat into the tent, hopping all the way. Thanks Pete!

The banks of the Murray

2012-01-12T21:48:00.000+10:00

Ah, the Murray. It seems to have a hold on both of us, similar to one I once experienced from Uluru. We can’t help looking at it: the flowing muddy water, the twisted roots supporting huge proud trees and the dusty eroded banks all have a magnetism to them.

Amber and I prepared for our visit here by watching The Rivers Run, an old mini-series about a couple plying these waters on a paddle steamer. The romance of that rendition was catching and we could both camp here on the banks for months.

Southerners are far different than Queenslanders when it comes to camping. We like to get up with the sun, and go to bed with it too. Perhaps it’s the cold, but at 9am this morning Amber and I were the only people up. (We had only been up half an hour, but whose counting?).

Today we chose to stay put, rather than drive into Echuca, and I am glad we did. The day started with a paddle upstream while Amber hid herself in the tent with one of her books.

Then we both jumped on our bikes and explored our surroundings. Downstream we found tracks following the river and rode for about an hour, twisting and turning and eventually returning to camp. Sitting on a carved log overlooking the river together was something I will always remember.

Lunch and laundry done and we boarded the kayak together and paddled upstream again. Amber insisted on climbing out on every tree root and large snag and we weaved our way between them. She even found a rabbit amongst some of the roots. We rushed home with the river, then headed for the pool to enjoy the only hour that could remotely be called hot. Amber swam, I chickened out.

Now we sit by the campfire Amber lit a few minutes ago. She is drawing and I am tapping. Most of the ski boats are tied to the bank and the rustle of trees and screeching of cockatoos is dominant. The light at the river is starting to subdue and I wish I was a painter.

Soon I will warm up dinner and the games will begin... Mastermind tonight, I reckon!

Bendigo rises to the challenge

2012-01-11T21:26:00.000+10:00

This has to be my favourite day of this trip so far. We woke early (nice and warm) in the cabin we had booked as a break from camping so we weren’t late to meet Bev at the White Hills Cemetery. Bev is a volunteer and historian here who was helping us find the whereabouts of Amber’s GGG Grandparents and their three infants who were all buried here in the 1860s.

Unfortunately, none of them had headstones remaining, but we did find out they were buried in the independent section, not a specific denomination. We also were treated to a tour of the cemetery including stories of some of the other residents (including the black American who was one of the miners charged for the Eureka uprising). We left Bev giving her a copy of the John Grimson’s life story which she was absolutely thrilled to receive, saying she would be including his story in her tours of the cemetery in future.

Next stop was the Talking Tram tour which takes about 45 minutes. Our particular tram was build in 1914 and was beautifully restored. The tour took us past all the beautiful buildings of Bendigo, and told stories of old resident who would have been here at the time of John and Emily.

Next stop was the Bendigo Pottery where Amber and I had signed up for a half hour pottery lesson. This was so much fun! We learnt to throw a pot and shape it on a wheel. Our creations will be fired and sent to us some time later this month. Bendigo Pottery is well-known nationwide, and we have now made some of our own! Our instruction, John, was a lovely man who had studied his craft in England. He was off to Antigua tomorrow where his son had married a West Indian woman. We had plenty to share, as you can imagine!

There was one more thing to do before leaving Bendigo... try and track down areas where John and Emily had lived. We knew their second daughter, Marion, was born in Adelaide Flat; they had lived for a while in Dead Horse Flat and New Chum; that John had suffered a mining accident in Kangaroo Flat and his will included two weatherboard homes: one in Little Bedford Road and one in New Chum, near Mr Lazarus’s machine.

How exciting it was to find Lazarus Street, New Chum Street and Adelaide Gully (in Kangaroo Flat)! Some of these streets even had old cottages which might have been similar to those John mentioned!

It was well after 4pm when we finally dragged ourselves away from Bendigo and headed for Echuca. We didn’t have time to stop in the town on our way through, but headed to Morning Glory Holiday Park about half an hour further, on a quiet section of the Murray bank. What a fantastic spot!

We set up camp and set a fire, made friends with the neighbours then played cribbage along the river bank before bed! Certainly a ten out of ten day!

There’s gold in them hills

2012-01-11T21:22:00.000+10:00

We had a 3-4 hour drive today so it was important to leave on time. Not as easily said as done ,however, since Amber has truly made the transition to ’tween’ and is now sleeping in. I dragged her out around 8.30am for breakfast and then we packed up in lovely sunny (not overly windy) conditions.

We weren’t far down the road before we spied an alpaca farm called Blue Moon and diverted to take a look. Hand-feeding seems to be rather a trend for us at the moment, so we couldn’t miss the opportunity to add another species to our list.

Then we were off driving down the Goldfields Tourist Route to Bendigo. I listened to Eva Cassidy while Amber caught up on her sleep once again. (Add this to her tremendous appetite at the moment and she must be doing a growth spurt!).

I started to get excited as we neared Bendigo. The idea of being around the goldfields that my great, great grandparent worked was exhilarating. We stopped at the Central Deborah Gold Mine where we had planned a ride in a miner’s cage and a mine tour.

First came the cage tour with Laurie and we dropped four levels in a matter of seconds, getting out to pitch black and learning how miners went to work this way until the 1950s. Then we joined Georg, Snowy and John for an extended tour through the second level. We donned our miner’s helmets complete with back-battery packs. We learnt about reefs, dynamite, drills and different lighting methods and all the guides imparted this knowledge in a humorous way. It was easy to see why this is an award-winning attraction and I would recommend it for all kids (unless they are really scared of the dark).

Back at surface, we drove to Big4Bendigo Ascot Holiday Park and checked into our cabin. That’s right, we had given ourselves a treat and booked a cabin to completely relax tonight. A little TV, dinner cooked for two nights and a hot shower, and we are ready for an early wake-up call in the morning. We have even mapped out different parts of Bendigo to visit where John and Emily Grimson lived or worked... very exciting!

Halls Gap Zoo and Meerkats

2012-01-09T21:51:00.000+10:00

Today was one of those highlights of this trip we have been eagerly awaiting; the day we got to feed the meerkats at Halls Gap Zoo!

This little zoo was rather rundown until new owner Evonne and her Husband took it over four years ago. Slowly they have improved the enclosures and got the animals into better shape and they should be proud of their efforts. The zoo is intimate, yet gives a chance to see some unusual animals up close.

We started with a Meerkat Encounter where we were the only participants to go into the enclosure and hand feed corn and mealy worms to this delightful creatures. (We weren’t so keen on the squirming worms, but the meerkats loved them!).

After that excitement, the rest of the zoo paled in comparison but the Tassie Devils, dingos, fallow deer, bison and bilbies were highlights. Amber took this hilarious picture of a wallaby, which i just had to share! I must say the bison looked rather forlorn... and wouldn’t you too if your entire species had been hunted to near extinction...

After lunch in a lovely park in Halls Gap we headed up the hill to visit a waterfall and lookout. It had been threatening to rain all day, and was spitting from time to time. Yet, it stayed clear while we walked and enjoyed this beautiful natural environment.

Back in Halls Gap for ice cream at The Four Clowns where Amber announced “I could live in this shop, Mum”. Then back to the caravan park to chill, ride bikes and play cribbage. What a fantastic day!

Storms and seaports

2012-01-08T17:25:00.000+10:00

The wind was high when I woke but Amber was blissfully sleeping through the rattling and didn’t stir until almost 9am. Then it was time to pack up and say our goodbyes to the Pyes and head inland.

Good idea too... the storm clouds were building and it looked like running away might be the best option. We did have time for a short walk and a few slides before we hit the road... then we stopped for a drink in Port Fairy too. This beautiful small town has 50 heritage listed buildings and a lovely little port. I had a similar reaction to it as I once had to Buderim and feel I might return one day! Perhaps it was the old church for sale, right on the highway, which would have made a ‘heavenly’ cafe!

We outran the storm all the way to the lake near Halls Gap where we would set up camp. We didn’t manage to avoid the wind, though and it was hard driving at times with the kayak shifting occasionally and grasses blowing across the road and getting stuck on the window screen.

We stopped at a deserted farming town for lunch. The only sign of life was the Phillipeno lady at the grocery store where we picked up a few supplies before eating cheese and crackers in the car (while it rained) and continuing on.

Lake Fyans is vast, and strewn with white water at the moment. No kayaking today, but the wind is drying the laundry well, and the screeching cockatoos are hanging on to gum trees with both talons.

Amber and I just borrowed raquets and hit a ball around the court (in deference to the comp going on in Melbourne), and soon will, fry up eggs and bacon for dinner!

Seals by Sea, and slides by land

2012-01-08T17:22:00.000+10:00

(Yesterday)

What another perfect day... we rose late and cooked up pancakes for breakfast then chatted more with Maggie Pye for a while. Then it was off to Cape Bridgewater for a RIB tour out to see the seals with Seals by Sea.

Cape Bridgewater was about 20 minutes past Portland and a sleepy little town. We arrived about half an hour early which gave us time to go to the Petrified Forest and Blowholes before meeting the boat.

The first of these attractions looks like trees have been drowned eons ago, leaving cylindrical holes looking like trees. Truth is, trees had nothing to do with it, and it is more about different rocks and minerals, but the name stuck and it certainly fits.

It a 15-minute walk to the dock where we met out boat which followed the cliff with lovely views. We didn’t see any wildlife on the way, although we kept looking. At the dock, however, the water was extremely clear and we chatted to abalone divers and learnt about their catch. Then Daniel arrived with our boat and we jumped onboard for a short ride around the headland to the Australian Fur Seal colony. What a magic thing this was... even though the smell was pretty bad! We watched fights and games, and saw very young seals on the rocks. Then we headed around the next headland where another colony lived... this time New Zealand Fur Seals which are slightly smaller and blacker. They also have quite a different crying sound rather than the bark of their Australian counterparts.

When the swell and smell became overpowering we headed out to sea in search of dolphins and it wasn’t long before we had three playing under the bow. Amber let out a squeal every time one surfaced! What a magic experience!

It was a 40 minute drive back to Yambuk Lake where we chilled a while, then Amber hit the giant slide and I paddled the lake spotting herons. More chilling, talking, dinner and now Amber is drawing and I am blogging! Tomorrow off to the Grampians...

Marine adventures at Flagstaff Hill

2012-01-07T20:58:00.000+10:00

(Only one day behind now!)

Today we left Peterborough bound for Yambuk Lake, about two hours away.

First stop was the Allensford Cheese Factory where we tasted different cheeses and wandered around the free cheese museum. Then off to Warnambol and Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum. Much like Sovereign Hill, this village promised to give an insight into life in a fishing village. The buildings and boats certainly delivered, but it was lacking the connection provided by the actors at Sovereign Hill. Unfortunately, buildings don’t engage kids as much as people.

What WAS exciting here was the artefacts found on the Loch Ard... the ship’s bell, Dr Carmichael’s watch and the most extraordinary 7ft high peacock sculpture which, amazingly, survived the wreck.

The highlight of our visit to the Maritime Centre was a craft activity where we each made a felt sailor’s pouch...

On to Yambuk Lake where we met Margaret and Trevor Pye, the caretakers. They welcomed us with stories of possible relatives, then set us up on a grassy slope, leaning in the right direction so we would roll into, and not out of, bed. Our lovely site overlooked the lake.

Set up, dinner downed, and we were back in the car on the way to Warmambol again for the Loch Ard light show at the maritime centre. What an extraordinary entertainment this was, with film projected onto sprayed water over the lake, telling the story of the wreck and survivors Eva and Tom.

It was about 11pm before we snuggled in bed after a very full day.

Highlights of the Great Ocean Road

2012-01-07T20:42:00.000+10:00

(Two days later)

This was the day we had long awaited. We were going to see most of the highlights of the natural side of the Great Ocean Road today!

While we ate breakfast, I read Amber the story of the Loch Ard which wrecked on the point of a narrow gorge now bearing it’s name. This had been my favourite part of the GOR last time I was here, and I think most kids would engage with the story of the two survivors: Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael. He was a deck hand, and she a passenger who lost her entire family. She couldn’t swim and he was quite capable... rescuing her where she was latched onto a fractured spar, keeping her sedated with grog, then clambering up the cliffs to get help.

The newspapers of the time (1873) had a field day since these two were about the same age, but romance was not to be, and snobby Eva returned to England eventually.

So, back to today... Loch Ard Gorge was our second stop...the first was the famous 12 Apostles, (which used to be called the Sow and Pigs). We got there around 9am, well before any tourist buses and essentially had the site to ourselves. What a magnificent feature this is! Since I was here last (over 14 years ago) a new visitor centre cafe and toilets have been built. The ‘info centre’ is sparse on information, but the toilets are welcome since most stops don’t have them!

Back to Loch Ard Gorge where we looked at the narrow entrance, walked down to the beach and found the caves in which the pair would have sheltered, and wandered around the graveyard finding remnants of the four bodies which were recovered from the wreck.

Then it was on to The Grotto before fish and chip lunch at Port Campbell... in the same spot where Amber’s Dad and I had shared fish and chips so long ago.

One more attraction on the agenda: London Bridge... which fell down in 1990, leaving two people stranded on the end. My parents had walked out here in 1989, so we called Mum to tell her we were here

Quite tired by now, we headed back to camp to chill for the rest of the afternoon: a much welcome repass! After dinner we plan a short bike ride around Peterborough....

Great Ocean Road, storms and koalas

2012-01-07T20:37:00.000+10:00

(A couple of days later!)

Yesterday I spent quite some time chatting to Amber about the numerous shipwrecks along this coast. It had little impact in the beautiful sunny conditions. But things change quickly around here and the weather rolled in overnight. The wind came first and i was up securing the tent in the dark. Then the rain came, blowing sideways, so I was up dragging much of our gear inside. Needless to say, I didn’t get too much sleep and it was 8.30 before Amber and I dragged ourselves out from under the covers to a chilly day.

Breakfast and shower later, we packed up and parked the car and trailer across the road, preferring bikes for a wander into Apollo Bay. This gave us the chance to zip in and out trying to replace our light bulb and eventually we succeeded!

Back on the road we headed towards Cape Otway Lighthouse which is about 12km off the Great Ocean Road. I had researched the lighthouse tours, but was not prepared for the excitement on the way: the road was home to endless koalas! First one we spotted because a fleet of cars were pulled over on the verge. After that one, they came hard and fast so, by the time we got to the lighthouse we had seen 33! They are quite a traffic hazard too. One driver (with kids in the back) screeched to a halt and backed up around a blind bend, crossing into the other lane... I wonder how many accidents are attributed to wildlife?

The lighthouse tour was self-guided so you could go at your own pace. Up the tower we climbed for extraordinary views. Then we headed to an aboriginal centre on the facility where we painted an shell to take home.

All this excitement meant it was getting late when we drove past the 12 Apostles and, since we have two nights at our next spot, we decided to keep going and come back tomorrow for this, Loch Ard Gorge and London Bridge. This gave us time to set up in light, get the laundry and lunch done and even ride around the park before bed!

Can’t wait for tomorrow!

Challenging day to Apollo Bay

2012-01-05T19:45:00.000+10:00

(Three days later)

The heat eased in the night which meant we got a better night’s sleep and Amber slept in. Then we packed quickly for our big day to the Great Ocean Road (stopping at a wonderful marine discovery centre and tide pools before we left Queenscliff).

Before long we were excitedly headed for Bells Beach, Australia’s most renowned surf beach. We passed a sign welcoming us to the Great Ocean Road which had us ‘high-fiving’ in the car. Then, passing through Torquay, it was instantly evident we were in surfer country... passing surf shop after surf shop.

It was a hazy day, but still stunningly gorgeous... until I looked back in the rear view mirror and realised the bike rack was swaying a bit more than it should. Inspection confirmed my growing fear: the welds on my new bike rack addition were cracked and wouldn’t last much longer. We limped on for a while and i am not sure if it was my imagination, but it seemed to be getting worse on every bend so we pulled over.

I called ahead to our caravan park and discovered there’s a mobile welder in Apollo Bay (Snowy) who said he could fix it. YES! He could also come to us, so we didn’t have to risk driving any further. While we waited the expected 40 minutes, Amber and I clambered down a grassy slope to a deserted beach and explored the tide pools. Magnificent!

Snowy put our bikes in his trailer and we followed him to Apollo Bay Caravan Park. There, we set up and he started welding (tutting all the while at the bad initial job).

Finally he was done, and the work looked great. Thank you Snowy for your wonderful professionalism AND the reasonable price. We really appreciate it.

We were pretty tired by now and the day was fast disappearing. Just time for dinner and a cool in the pool before my eyes are currently closing!

We travel for adventure and today was certainly one of those!

Ballarat to Queenscliff

2012-01-03T07:12:00.000+10:00

(Posted a day late) Boy was it hot when we woke up this morning, and it didn’t get any better with a top around 40 degrees. Packing up was a challenge but we took it slow and got there in the end.

As we checked out, we talked to Byron about our trailer plug which had fallen out on the way, dragging on the road. It wasn’t working and it was a public holiday, so difficult to find an auto electrician. He kindly offered to help us rewire if we were able to find a plug.

A fuel station, Bunnings and Auto One later, we found one and returned to take him up on the offer... learning by watching, and talking while we went. Byron told us of the cemetery where Eureka miners and soldiers are buried so we headed there and wandered around. Then we drove to Geelong and escaped the heat for a while.

I think you can judge a city by the way it uses public art and Geelong is very welcoming. The famous painted bollards line the harbour where a long jetty sticks out and an old fashioned carousel welcomes visitors.

Queenscliff was only a half hour drive from there and our campsite is beautifully located overlooking the beach.

We were itching to get in the water but the tent had other ideas... with the zipper breaking... I was so proud of Amber who calmly worked with me for about half an hour before we got it fixed.

What teamwork!

In such heat we had not expected the ocean to be so cool! It was refreshing, though, and we rode the small waves for a while enjoying getting wet. After dinner we took off on our bikes and explored this lovely and attractive town. At the ferry terminal (ferries run to Sorrento)a huge tower offers 360 degree views once you have climbed the 137 steps. Now the dark is upon us and it’s time to cuddle in bed... good night!

Sovereign Hill back in time

2012-01-01T20:59:00.000+10:00

What a spectacular day. After a late night, we didn’t push ourselves but had a leisurely breakfast. Around 10.30 we headed the short walk to Sovereign Hill, with excitement building.

From the moment we entered the doors, it felt like we had been transported back in time to the 1850s. Many such attractions attempt to do this with old buildings but Sovereign Hill combines an entire village of architecture with period-dressed actors. It is the latter that really makes the difference and we recommend engaging the actors in as many conversations as you can.

We certainly did and learnt all about horse shoes from the blacksmith, about fiddle tunes from the musicians, about the latest remedies from the Doctor and about how to whiten our clothes from the haberdasher.

Not only that, but we signed up for one of only two additional cost items: a mine tour. We chosen TRAPPED and watched an extraordinary light show rendition of a real-life disaster at Red Hill Mine.

I was struck by the affordability of Sovereign Hill. Delicious pies and pasties are similar prices to those you would pay ‘on the outside’ and unique gifts are also very reasonable. After going through a lesson in the National School, Amber bought herself a pen and ink set. We also spent about an hour gold panning in the creek and came away with a small bottle with a few glinting flecks which was very exciting.

The day moved way too quickly and before we knew it, the doors were closing and we were hobbling our way to the exit. On a personal level, this had been an extraordinary day because my great, great grandfather had been a miner, and before that a policeman in this era. Sovereign Hill bought history to life in a way nothing had previously done.

Back at camp we donned our togs and headed for the pool. With tens of kids in it, you couldn’t see the bottom, but it certainly was refreshing. Follow that with Pad Thai and Amber is now rip-sticking... I can see her wheels which light up as she goes....time to get her off for bed! More tomorrow...

Sovereign Hill for New Year

2012-01-01T09:02:00.000+10:00

Today’s the day I have been waiting for: I pick up Amber at Melbourne airport after her first ever solo flight! She’s excited and nervous as you should be before a major adventure...

In my excitement I was up before the rest of the campsite. Late by Queensland standards (7am) but early for these southerners who have become accustomed to daylight savings. What a cultural different it creates. By now Mooloolaba beach would be buzzing with runners and walkers, yet Mornington Peninsular is quiet.

So I will slowly pack up my tent and get on the road right behind me (the same one the hoons were screeching down last night). It will take me about 1.5 hours to the airport and I need to be there about 1pm. Then it’s off to Ballarat t see the Blood on the Southern Cross show tonight, and bring in the New Year with my favourite person. I’ll write more later!

Well, now it’s New Year’s Day and last night was really awesome. Amber arrived without drama and we drove to Ballarat, stopping for groceries on the way. Once we set up at the Big4 Goldfields Park, we had Christmas together and shared presents.

Then, at around 8.30 we wandered the 400m to Sovereign Hill for the Blood on the Southern Cross light show which depicts the Eureka Uprising of 1854. What an extraordinary experience this is, and made even more educational when we related it to my GG Grandfather, John Grimson’s experience as a policeman in Bendigo at the time. He wrote home that he was on call and ready to respond and thought he might have to use his pistols. This is what he wrote in a letter back to England:

“I thought I should have been in for it once, at the time of the row in Ballarat. There was some went from Bendigo, at the first outbreak, and it was expected there would be several more. At the second outbreak, there was an order came up to Bendigo for thirty of us to hold ourselves in readiness, to be off in a hurry at any moment. Horses were to be saddled and we dressed, expecting to be off every minute, but it turned out we had not to go.. If we had, I suppose I should have had to have used some of my weapons there.”

Not long after the uprising, police pay was halved and John decided to try his luck with the miners instead... with some success. His wife Emily and two girls came out on a ship and they lived in a calico tent like those we will see today at Sovereign Hill. It was a hard life and they lost three infants along the way. Things went from bad to worse, and Emily died, then John died from Tuberculosis after eight months in hospital recovering from a mining accident.

The two remaining girls, Emily and Marion, were sent back to England on a ship at the age of 11 (the same age as Amber is now) and eight. Emily was my father’s grandmother.

As you can see, the experience we are having how has tremendous personal connection and it’s time we wandered over to Sovereign Hill! More later. Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T07:08:00.000+10:00

(Posted a day late due to internet issues)

There are many reasons for camping, and the universality of this pastime mean that sometimes campers clash. Whereas I might like peace and quiet, the freedom of being in a natural environment and the ability to go to bed with the sun, young campers sometimes prefer the freedom to catch up with friends and share a slab or two.

Now, some campsites attract boring old farts like me, some just families and others the party crowd. While I jostled for position at the amenities sink last night with three teens applying makeup (while I was trying to do my teeth before bed) I got the distinct impression that campsite might be the latter. I was correct and I found myself (for the first time) calling to turn my neighbours in. It WAS midnight, and I HAD been guessing the answers to their charades for the past hour or so... so that’s my excuse.

A disproportionate number of singlets, tats and stubby holders give me the impression tonight might be a repeat performance. A group of youngsters next door have been chugging the beers for the last few hours which has affected their hearing and an increase in decibels and words beginning with F. It’s not even dark yet.

Between my tent and the loud ones is a family on their first ever camping adventure. The six-year-old girl rode without training wheels for the first time this afternoon, and the delight on her face was electric. At 8.30pm, I imagine she and her brother are getting ready for bed... just as the volume increase. It makes me wonder: should campsite be divided into experience requirements just like cemeteries are divided into religions? Maybe ‘family, nature or party’ would do it!

Penguin Parade

2011-12-31T07:04:00.000+10:00

(Posted two days late... internet connection poor!)

What a spectacular day this was. First I took a walk to the gorge. The walking track was really poorly marked and I took a few wrong turns, but made it to the overgrown lookout eventually. The journey was more fun than the destination with lovely wildflowers and butterflies. If I had come in another month, the blackberries would have been ready to pick!

I packed up and bade goodbye to my new friends then headed into Lakes Entrance. Only 20km away, it was extremely busy and hard to find a place to park. I didn’t stay long. I had a date to keep. My mentor Stephen Lamble and his wife Lyn were only a few short hours down the road in their caravan. I hadn’t seen Stephen since he quit uni six months ago (with health issues) and decided to travel the country, so I was convinced we had a few travel tales to share.

How lovely it was to swap stories over a cup of coffee. They had been in Western Queensland, down the middle, and now exploring Victoria. Next they were heading to Tasmania then across the Nullarbor. We reluctantly parted so I could make my way to Phillip Island to set up before dark, and make another date with the penguins.

I grew up in England in a town called Cowes, and it was like being transported back in time arriving on the island.... all the place names from the Isle of Wight had been transported with me... Cowes, Ventnor and many more!

“It is really commercial” my mother had said. “We used to just walk amongst them when we were kids” was Stephen’s reply. Both are true, yet, if you can see thorough the crowds, this attraction is world class AND it has actually saved the penguin colony here, so it is environmentally friendly too.

This evening was sold out which means about 3000 people had come to see the little penguins (or fairy penguins if you are from NZ) in action. Everyone gathered in the visitor centre – a huge mall-like structure with eateries, toilets, shops and penguin displays. I grabbed an MP3 player and headphones with a commentary and headed down the boardwalk.

As you walk well above the sand dunes, penguin burrows dot the landscape. Most of the penguins are not there until after dark though. As I walked, they were gathering in ‘rafts’ at sea and waiting for the cover of darkness to make their way ashore. At this time of year, many of them had been gorging on fish to regurgitate for their young hidden well inside their burrows.

At dusk it happened. They started wandering up the beach in formation, right past our viewing area. Now I could see why they call this a parade. These creatures are small, with dark blue feathers and waddle much as you would expect... sometimes stopping for a two-minute cat-nap until the penguin behind knocks into them.

Watching them arrive was extraordinary, but wandering back up the boardwalk and waddling alongside them way my favourite. Although they were on the other side of a barrier, they were within touching distance and it feels like taking the dog for a walk! Right at the top of the walkway, the throng of people ground to a halt as an errant penguin crossed from one side to another. Fancy – a penguin crossing!

Hidden treasure at Mingling Waters

2011-12-28T21:14:00.000+10:00

Ah, I am stuffed... partly from driving, but mostly from the feast produced by my wonderful neighbour Judy who invited me for dinner!

What a busy day it was. First I pedalled around Merimbula Beach taking pictures, then packed the trailer in glorious weather, and headed into town with a map dotted with things to see courtesy of the wonderful staff at the caravan park.

Bar Beach is a wonderful place for small kids so I started there. On to town where the parking fairies were hard at work and I managed to find TWO parking spots next to each other, right in the middle of town. The information centre was helpful, and the Waterfront restaurant a real winner... then on to Fishpen Road where I discovered a wonderful bike track with pelican sculptures on poles in the water.

It was noon before I finally dragged myself away from Merimbula and headed south. First stop the Eden Whale Museum, then continuing south. What beautiful scenery as I crossed into Victoria! And then again when I crossed the Snowy River!

Tonight I was welcomed by Mike at Mingling Waters, 20km north of Lakes Entrance. It doesn’t look much from the road, but this place is a real treat. Fluffy couches in the camp kitchen, a partially renovated amenities and individual old cabins add to the charm, but its the waterway that tops it off. The water here is a constant 28 degrees, fed by an underground spring. Tent up, and neighbours met, I dropped the kayak in the water and headed out for a paddle and a swim (the latter sinking up to my knees in the soft mud). As I dragged the kayak back, my neighbour Judy invited me for dinner and the rest, as they say, is history. Two hours later my list of places to visit has expanded (especially due to Drew from Bendigo!), and I have made new friends! Ah, the joys of camping...

On the road again!

2011-12-27T20:38:00.000+10:00

I felt very mothered this morning (in a good way) as I headed away from Sydney with individual packages of Christmas cake, a butter container full of carved ham and three people waving madly as I pulled from the driveway. For the next few days I will make my way south, much like the Sydney to Hobart boats I watched exit the Heads yesterday... and I will initially follow their course.

I had imagined I would drive down the coast but Jessie the GPS (who leads me astray often) decided Canberra was the fastest way to Merimbula, so that’s the way we went. Probably a good choice because i was able to get some good miles under my belt without stopping at every beautiful vista along the way.

From Cooma, however, the road was new to me as it wound down from the Snowy’s to Bega. It was spectacular too so my progress slowed... first as I stopped at a duck pond for lunch, then at the stunning Fred Piper lookout where I took a short rainforest walk.

I couldn’t resist satisfying my tastebuds at the Bega factory and arrived at the Big4 Merimbula Beach at around 5pm with a heavy southerly blowing and the Sydney to Hobart fleet beating against it as I tried to get my awning up. It’s all about technique: for them and me both...

What a lovely caravan park this is... the cabins all have million dollar views, there are two pools, a games room for older kids, movies at night, jumping pillow, playground, shop and cafe... more like a resort really!

So, I toast those sailors sitting on the rail with constant salt spray in their faces, and thank goodness I saw the light and gave up sailing for camping! Cheers chaps!

Last day on Heron

2011-12-15T11:57:00.000+10:00

I woke early with the overwhelming desire to try and pack as much as possible into this last day. While the kids and Mel slept I went for wander down the beach following the turtle tracks from the night before. The early morning light cast shadows on them, making them look like deep 4x4 tyre marks.

Only a few hundred metres down the beach I came across a track which didn’t lead to the ocean and discovered a stranded turtle, left behind when the tide receeded. I sat with her for a while wondering what to do. Then headed off to the research station to alert the troops.

The research station was almost deserted, but I found someone who said this is pretty common… she would make her own way back to the water and was probably just resting. So, I cut back through the bush to our room. The occupants were still asleep, so I headed for the restaurant for a cuppa, returning with mugs of hot chocolate and a strong coffee for Mel.

Once they had sipped their treats, and their eyes opened, everyone wanted to go see the turtle, so we wandered down the beach again and sat watching her as she slowly made her way back to the turquoise ocean. What a special treat this was on our last day. Follow this with a mega breakfast, and a last snorkel near the harbour, and it rounded off our visit very nicely.

Day two: Heron Island

2011-12-09T15:27:00.000+10:00

How could we possibly top yesterday? But top it we did.

Amazingly, Amber found Molly, a girl in her class at school, who was also on the island this morning. Sharks cruised the reef at breakfast and it wasn’t long before I was swimming after them again. The girls practiced snorkeling in the pool before braving the harbour where we snorkeled with over 30 rays. Ever since Steve Irwin died, Amber has been very nervous of rays, so she was pumped to get over this fear and discover how placid they really are.

After another mega feast at lunch (I will certainly go home heavier), we walked across the island together with Molly. The kids discovered if they screamed, it set off all the Noddy Terns, so they delighted in starting an environmental riot.

Shark Bay was a postcard. There is no other way to describe it. Unfortunately, it was low tide when we arrived, and the sharks had retreated, so we vowed to return tomorrow morning and instead lounged on the beach, climbed the trees and found last year’s turtle eggs in the sand.

Walking back along the beach was a struggle in the afternoon sun, so we retreated to our rooms for a reprieve. Here the kids decided to create their very own spa and charges $3 for massages… delightful!

Amazingly, we were hungry again at dinner time. No idea how! We were, however, too tired to search for turtles and flopped into bed soon after stuffing ourselves!

Day one: Heron Island

2011-12-05T19:41:00.000+10:00

The day we had long awaited was finally here…

My best friend Mel, her daughter Tea, Amber and I were off to Heron Island. It had long been on my bucket list. Now, a week later, we are still telling stories of our adventures… so let me share a few!

Let’s start with the journey.

Gladstone is the jumping off point for Heron Island which is a long two hour journey due east on the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. This length of time on a boat could be daunting, but we were lucky and hit a completely glassy day. Even Tea (who’s a bit unsure of the rocking) braved the bow and squealed in delight as we rose and fell over the miniscule swell. Regardless, I still recommend giving the kids a Kwell well before the journey because they don’t work once you start feeling ill.

As we approached this tiny atoll, we were joined by dolphins, spotted 13 turtles and numerous rays. The ocean was so clear we could see coral on the bottom as we slowed through the man-made channel through the reef.

First impressions of this island were extraordinary. Turquoise ocean fused into white coral sand; the incessant sound of Noddy Terns nesting on every limb of every tree; the tremendously bad smell of their poo as you walked up to the resort; jumping up from lunch to watch sharks and rays cruise the reef. It was serious sensory overload!

After unpacking we donned our snorkel gear and headed for the reef. Amber and Tea were, understandably, reticent after seeing sharks moments before, but they gave it a go. When they couldn’t handle their fear any more, Mel and I continued on our own and weren’t disappointed… Mel spotted her first shark and didn’t completely freak! I, on the other hand, am a little mad, and chose to chase it with my video camera… the shark trying really hard to get away…

This was Mel’s birthday and the evening meal was the weekly seafood buffet. I think she downed a dozen oysters before I even finished my first bug… Top it off with the birthday cake we ordered ahead, and Happy Birthday from the resident singing duo, and she was on cloud nine!

THEN we wandered down the beach to find turtles laying eggs… and wondered if day two could ever get better than this??? Tune in tomorrow to find out!

When kids turn into ducks...

2011-11-23T13:13:00.001+10:00

In some places you can access a coral reef from a beach (for instance Heron Island). This can be daunting for kids, though, so I suggest giving them a pool noodle as floatation. They put this under their armpits and across their chest. Try to stay flat on the surface, hold hands if you need to, and slowly kick until you reach the reef.

Make sure you tell the kids not to touch the reef since coral is sharp and, believe it or not, some of it stings.

For your first time, keep in deep enough water that you are unlikely to kick the reef, even when coming up to chat and if kids get water in their mask, ask them to tread water with their noodle while you slowly pull the bottom of the mask away from their face and let the water out. There’s no really need to take it off their head. If they need to stand up, swim to shallow water and look down before standing.

Now, it’s possible the kids will get the hang of this really quickly and become immersed in watching tropical fish. Even with teens, it’s important that they buddy up and stick with their buddy at all times. Once they feel comfortable, discard the noodle and explore together. AND if the become real fish, they can try diving down to get closer to the coral. To do this, they simply hold their breath, do a duck dive and hold enough breathe in their lungs to exhale when they come up.

When they reach the surface again, a short, sharp ‘TSS’ into their snorkel will push the water out the top, or through the purge valve at the bottom, and they can breathe again…

There is something absolutely magical about snorkeling. Time suspends and the sound of breath in and out is almost meditative. Only three more sleeps and I get to show Amber how it works! I’ll tell you next week!

Getting wet

2011-11-22T16:08:00.000+10:00

Now, it’s time to get wet! In the pool, or in the bath tub are the best places to start getting kids comfortable. To reduce fogging, spit in your mask and wash it around then rinse. If this is too gross for kids, very diluted soapy water (dish soap) does the same thing.

Get their hair wet first and place the mask, making sure not hair finds its way inside to break the seal. Keep the strap high on their head and slowly put just their face in the water. Tell them to keep their mouth closed around the snorkel and breathe through it like a straw. No laughing, because the water will come in around their laugh lines! Don’t bother with fins at this stage. When they feel comfortable with breathing they can try swimming at the same time.

When they feel comfortable with that, I suggest you graduate to a calm beach. Still, don’t use fins for a while. Walk up to their waists, put the mask on and do just what they did in the pool. The visibility at the beach is likely to be much worse than the pool and this takes getting used to.

Next step, put on fins. There are two ways to do this: first, on the sand, then walk backwards into the water. Second, if the water is nice and calm, walk up to their waist holding the fins and put them on while in the water. I suggest a pair of socks because this stops the rubbing…

Now, the idea is to try and lay flat on the surface with their face in the water and slowly kick up and down with their legs, keeping their legs (and fins) underwater. The more splash, the fewer fish they will see, and the more tired they will get. Practice this in an area they can stand up at first but be very careful where you stand if you have to stand up. Fins are responsible for enormous reef damage, and this is why it’s important to have control before exploring the reef.

Tomorrow, let’s talk about actually snorkeling on coral reefs together!

Heron Island here we come!

2011-11-21T10:11:00.000+10:00

So, there I was this morning, digging through the summer toys looking for snorkels and masks. Why, you ask? This weekend we are off for a couple of night at Heron Island and it’s a place I have long wanted to go… lounging on the beach, watching turtles nest, snorkeling with tropical fish at the place where two currents meet and the range of species is extraordinary.

As dug through all manner or paraphernalia, it occurred to me you might be intending to snorkel with the kids this summer too… so, I thought I might help you along the road. (I used to teach kids to snorkel on the Barrier Reef and Hawaii, so I probably know what I’m talking about…). Today let’s talk about buying the gear…

First there are the fins and we all know how quickly kids’ feet grow. If you are planning to snorkel with tour operators I don’t recommend buying your own. They will have plenty of sizes to fit most kids. Just check ahead for availability if your kids’ feet are on the extremely small side.

When it comes to masks, however, I really recommend getting a properly fitted one for each child. There is NOTHING guaranteed to turn kids off snorkeling faster than an ill-fitting mask. Things to watch out for are that the silicone is small enough to fit their face. Hold the mask up against them, without the strap and ask them to breathe in. If it stays there, it fits.

When you get your new mask home, clean out the inside of it with toothpaste. This removes the thin layer of silicon and reduces fogging.

Then there’s the snorkel… and one of the most uncomfortable parts of snorkeling is the mouthpiece, especially for kids. Most ‘off the shelf’ snorkels come with a large mouthpiece. Luckily these can usually be replaced and I suggest taking your mask to a dive shop and buying a small mouth piece for a few dollars.

Now you’ve got your gear, it’s time to learn the basics… doing this right first time can be the difference between comfortable kids and fearful ones, so I’ll share my tips for getting in the water tomorrow!

Photo courtesy Tourism Queensland

Live and waiting

2011-11-19T16:26:00.000+10:00

Well, the dust has settled and it has now been a week since the launch of www.kidswelcome.com.au at UnderWater World on the Sunshine Coast. And what a successful launch it was…

Over 100 people (half of them kids) arrived around 6pm and were greeted at the door by my wonderful team of PR students from the University of the Sunshine Coast. While adults mingled and swapped holiday stories, the kids were whisked away to the seal viewing area for dinner, and divided into scavenger hunt teams… red, blue, green and yellow then set off with clipboards in hand and a exploration booklet. How exciting it was to be in this iconic attraction at night, without anybody else so they went a little wild and ran from clue to clue!

Upstairs, adults gathered in the Turtle Theatre where local celebrities shared their thoughts about Kids Welcome. MP Fiona Simpson applauded the ingenuity, Sunshine Coast Destination Limited representative Tony Quarmby called it ‘unique in the western world’ and Councillor Debbie Blumel reflected on how far things have come since the launch of Kids Welcome to Queensland in 2009. After I showed everyone through the site, it was officially declared open by Channel 7 New’s Rosanna Natoli…

Now it was time to explore UnderWater World at night. Parents and children were united to wander through the shark tunnel, wander through the Billabong and spot ‘Nemo’ in an anemone.

The evening wrapped up with a prize giving for the winning scavenger hunt team and a prize draw for tickets to local attractions.

So, now the web directory is officially open. It includes over 2000 reviews of things to do with kids in Queensland, NSW and the ACT with more states to follow soon. It’s free to use and you can even upload your own reviews and images to help other parents make good choices for their own kids. I have provided the framework and it’s up to you, the user, to determine the direction this resource takes.

I’d love it if you can log on and give me an insider’s view of those places you most love….

Kids Welcome web directory live!

2011-10-19T23:06:00.000+10:00

Today’s the day I have been waiting for…

The Kids Welcome web directory is now live!

Five years of travelling around this beautiful country and writing reviews (someone has to do it) has finally resulted in a parental resource of which I am very proud.

Why did it take so long? Because I had big ideas, and the bigger the dream, the longer it takes for it to reach fruition! The result is a site with over 2000 reviews (for starters) a unique traffic light rating system, the ability for you to share your own holiday images and videos, and even become a Kids Welcome reviewer yourself! I invite you to become part of the Kids Welcome community.

Today I wanted to share some of the journey with you… starting with a night in 2006. It was a night I couldn’t sleep (which is pretty unusual for me). Ideas were flooding through my consciousness and I couldn’t resist so I sat by my keyboard and tapped ideas. By morning I had a blueprint for my next few years:

I wanted to write guidebooks to make it easier for parents and children to explore the world around them. This desire was born from a childhood of travel and a belief that kids learn just as much outside a classroom as within.

The problem was, I didn’t really know how to write. So I called my local university and discovered they had a Master’s degree program in journalism starting in a few weeks. Impetuously, I signed up and spent the next three years learning and cutting my teeth at the local paper. Eventually I graduated in 2009 with a Master’s degree and a job as a local magazine editor. Later that year I published my first guidebook, Kids Welcome to Queensland.

Environmental disasters in Queensland this year, and the demise of my biggest retailers caused a rethink of the business. I am glad it did because the Kids Welcome web directory is the result. Now I can reach more families than ever before.

Not only that, but the range of ways to use Kids Welcome reviews has expanded from print only to print, pdf and soon even to a phone app.

A few years ago now, a young couple printed a small book called “Across Asia on the cheap” in their Melbourne garage. Fast forward and the fledgling company they created is still called Lonely Planet. They are my inspiration…the sky’s the limit!

Chock-late!

2011-10-02T15:27:00.000+10:00

My world flashed before my eyes… or more exactly, the nearby camp site (looming larger by the second) flashed before my eyes. A glint of a high chair, flash of campfire and three four-wheel drives standing like gate posts between me and them.

I was careening down a slope, dragged behind me runaway trailer and trying desperately to act as the brake and avoid disaster. Moments before, the world had been serene as I chose what appeared to be a flat clearing and unhooked from the car. Needless to say, it wasn’t as flat as I had thought and lifting the trailer arms had caused enough momentum to start a roll which didn’t stop.

“HELP!” I screeched at the top of my lungs to my fellow campers. They rushed forward in slow motion as I continued down the hill: a drogue in a sea of gravel.

Doesn't look like a slope!

It ended as quickly as it started with a grinding thud as the trailer met one of the cars: denting both. All I could think of at that moment was “Thank you”. I had missed the baby, missed the happy campers, and only wiped out one of the three cars.

Yes, I had left a fair chunk of my leg in the gravel, and yes, I had made a very silly mistake by not chocking my tyres, yet everything that mattered was still in one piece. The lesson was learnt without trauma and I am now the owner of a brand new set of bright yellow chocks… soon to be mounted on the outside of the trailer like warning beacons!

Hail Port Stephens!

2011-09-22T16:29:00.004+10:00

Sometimes we meet amazingly warm people when we are camping. One of these was Tars from Port Stephens Tourism who kindly helped us book a few activities before we arrived. Not only that, but he met us at our first activity and took pictures of us launching into the sky on a tandem parasail.

To thank Tars for his support, we invited him and his son to join us for a sausage sizzle at our campsite one evening. All sounds pretty manageable… and that’s what we thought…

Our days were packed as we rushed from Oakdale Farm to the Toboggan Hill, and from the Australian Shark and Ray Centre to Sahara Trail Rides. As it neared time for our guests to arrive we ran into the shopping centre to grab a few last minute goodies.

It was then the forces of nature dumped celestial buckets on Port Stephens. Not only that, but hail, well, hailed down. The cacophony inside the supermarket was deafening and the 10 metre run to our car left us totally drenched.

As we approached Fingal Bay Holiday Park trepidation set in. It looked like a refugee camp. Tents were strewn across the lawn, disheveled campers wandered around picking up errant pieces of caravans.
Gratefully, our camper trailer (Blueberry Pie) was where we had left it. Our kind neighbours had lashed it to a nearby tree and pole breakage was minimal. Our welcoming shade cloth mat was covered in debris and it looked like a stream had run through our campsite. Every single thing was wet. It was 10 minutes before our guests arrived.

Now, if you have ever wondered what if feels like to be on one of those reality TV shows with the clock ticking… this was it. Amber and I raced around in high speed motion and JUST got things together in time to start sizzling a sausage and hand our guest a glass of wine. We must have looked a sight…. Our rain jackets still on, soaked to the bone, but smiling!

And what a lovely evening it was. A lovely conversation for me, someone for Amber to impress on her scooter, and tales to tell for years to come!

I honk for geese!

2011-09-16T17:02:00.000+10:00

I don’t know what itis, but Amber and I seem to attract lost animals. Many’s the time we haverescued dogs wandering around the road and taken them to the nearest vet. But it’s not tales of wandering canines I wishto share today, but more unusual species…

We were heading out ofPort Stephens on our way north one day. Amber had just settled in with her DSand the traffic was thinning as I moved further from town. One last roundabout to circumnavigate and wewere on the straight highway.

It was then I saw it.I flash of brown, black and white on the verge; No tail; Stumpy legs. “Oh, no!”I thought… not a guinea pig. An internal battle raged then between my angelicself and pragmatic self who really wanted to get a few ‘k’s under ourbelts. I glanced over, and Amber hadn’tseen it. I could simply keep driving.

Why I didn’t, I willnever know. I turned the car around and came to rest on the grassy verge wherethe flash of colour had disappeared into the bush. Amber was immediately alert andI found myself telling her what I had seen… much to the dismay of my internalpragmatist.

We spent the next halfhour trying to coax this furry pet from the thick brambles. He or she hadobviously been there a while and a warren of trails disappeared into a virtual guineapig city. Not a place he or she was going to leave in a hurry. We dug outapples from the esky and tried bribing. All the time I was wondering what everwe would do if we actually caught it! (The nearby house seemed the most likelychoice). Once it became evident this wasand impossible mission, I had to convince Amber the guinea pig might actuallylike living here… and reluctantly, I drag her away.

Then there was thegoose…

We were just north ofGympie for that one. A domestic goose with a broken wing had slid down theescarpment onto the edge of the road and was trying desperately to get back up.

How ever do you save a wounded goose, I hear you ask? Luckily, on that occasionwe had a friend travelling with us. We tossed the car blanket over its head andtentatively slid out hands under its belly. I hadn’t quite realised how heavy agoose is! Especially when it’s sitting on your lap in the front seat! While myfriend drove, a kept the blanket tight to avoid being pecked to death and wemade our way to a local wildlife carer we had tracked down by phonemid-operation!

Sometimes diversionfrom your chosen path yields rewards and this was such an occasion. We werewelcomed into the home of two wonderfully kind people and spent the next hourhand feeding joeys and being followed around by a tame duck! Not a travel experience we had planned, butone we will always remember!

Peter Pan to the rescue!

2011-09-06T11:55:00.000+10:00

I always face Scout camps with excitement and a little trepidation. Last time I put my hand up, I ended up cooking three meals a day for 30 kids on a 10-day drive to Canberra, so you might understand!

This time we were only going for 24 hours, so how bad could it be? Wraps for lunch, burgers for dinner and cake in between sounded like a walk in the park, and it was. And it was an Astronomy camp, so watching the planets sounded like a relaxing way to spend a Saturday night.

Of course, there were plenty of activities planned before dark descended and I always seem to come away with a new bruise or two. This camp was no exception: scrapped knees and elbows from the giant climbing wall, bruises up one arm where my archery bow connected with flesh, and sore hands from showing off my gate vault.

All predicable, but I hadn’t bargained on the GIANT SWING! Picture a telegraph pole standing in the middle of a rainforest clearing. Then imagine cinching down harness straps and clipping in a helmet then locking onto one end of a rope that’s fed through a pulley. ON the other end are 15 kids running as fast as they can away from you, to hoist you to the top of the pole.

The kids count you down “Three, two, one” and, with blind faith, you let go of your safety blanket and drop several metres. The rope tightens and within seconds you are flying through the trees like Superman or Peter Pan! I DID IT, without dirtying my shorts! I wonder what they will throw at me NEXT time?

Pincushion Island: Father's Day

2011-09-01T15:21:00.001+10:00

As Father's Day approaches, I find myself thinking about my Dad, who died a couple of years ago. Yesterday, I posted a few pictures of him on my Facebook site, and the response was so warm hearted, that I wanted to share something I wrote about another Father's Day together. Enjoy... and cherish your Dad while he's there!

Pincushion Island...

With the swing of my mood, I change my desktop image often: from the latest image of Amber, to times long forgotten and people I cherish. This one has been there a while and I can’t seem to let it go. It pokes out below my email panel. Head and bodies are hidden and it’s only the feet that show.

I knew his feet: Dark and wrinkled as raisins - lumpy yet strong. The heals were gouged with deep cracks bordered by dry dead white scar tissue which often opened and left red dots on the linoleum. There was seldom a day he didn’t support at least one plastic sticky bandage haphazardly on an angle and often scrolled at the edges.

The nails were, more often than not, blackened from long forgotten arguments with the furniture. Nails, hard and thick, had long been trimmed with a clipper because they were too tough for scissors. His feet told the story of his life just as eloquently as his face. Years of barefoot sailing left them bronzed and wide. A youth of high energy gave them a strength not expected in one of his age. The end of a pencil-thin scar started just above his ankle and ended at his hip. From here, doctors harvested veins to keep his heart thumping in his chest.

X closes my email and I click it, to expose the entire image behind. Muscular calves are exposed. His legs are apart and a strong arm flops relaxed between them. The other loosely wrapped around my four-year-old daughter to whom he was the rock on which she then judged all men.

Out of the pocket of his favourite and well-worn collared golf shirt, the pointed tip of an errant feather protrudes. They always found feathers together: Or leaves. I remember bouncing down the boardwalk at Buderim Forest in Autumn. She picked up all the red ones and stacked them in his huge hands. When more space was needed they were shoved in pockets until his clothing bulged and he molted occasional leaves like a parrot dropping its tail feathers.

Behind them the crystal clear skies and sparkling waters of Maroochy River anchor them in the moment. It was one of our adventures in a non-assuming little boat called Tin Lizzie. The picnic had been packed, we launched at Cotton Tree and the three of us ‘put-putted’ across the river to the North Shore. She didn’t go very fast, Tin Lizzie. In fact the engine sometimes didn’t even go at all and we would lock in the oars and make our way at a leisurely pace, time unimportant. We had climbed to the top of Pincushion Island which sat, dejected by its demotion to ‘headland’. So long had it sat in the mouth of the river that the sands had shifted around it. Just as sad, the walk way to the top had long been orange-taped and deemed unsafe. We went anyway. Amber was concerned and we assured her the police were unlikely to follow us.

At the top she stands next to her granddad, barely reaching his shoulders as he sits on the weathered bench. Both delight and uncertainty show on her face. His is relaxed beneath his peaked cap. Spectacle strings dangle and his mouth is slightly parted in an ‘almost-smile’. Beard neatly trimmed and eyes hidden behind dark lenses, his face is welcoming yet proud.

The image captures a time before the holes developed in his memory; before frustration made him less sociable; before his knees and hips refused to carry him up hills. It captures the golden times of old age. Free of work and flushed with spare time, he indulged his granddaughter at a time when she needed him most. Her world was topsy turvey and his constant, reliable presence kept her grounded. No wonder she misses him, and no wonder I prefer to keep him there, wiggling his toes at me, below my email.

Electronic ground rules

2011-08-26T16:45:00.000+10:00

It’s something OUR parents didn't even have to think about, and often the bane of our own existence.

The delema doesn’t go away when you are travelling and I found myself recently in a negotiation with Amber about where we would draw the line…

For me, I wanted to make sure she didn’t miss all the wonderful experiences. For her, escaping into a world of earphones and games is ‘chill out’ time away from the excitement.

Now, I’m not saying I always get parenting right, but on this occasion I felt pretty successful. “What boundaries do you think we should have?” I asked…

“What If I can play two hours a day?” she said…

That was a good start and for once I could give her a perceived more than she asked for… (doesn’t always happen). “How about you can use them when we are driving, and they stay in the car?” I said, knowing we were likely to drive about three hours a day.

A rare WIN WIN was decided, and it has worked ever since! I have her full attention when I want it, and she can zone out as I drive… It turns out,asking what is was SHE wanted, created a great starting point!

Welcome to What's On 4 School Kids!

2011-08-24T22:20:00.014+10:00

Today’s an exciting day… I would like to welcome to followers of www.whatson4schoolkids.com because “Behind the Scenery” blog is now part of this wonderful resource.

Whether you have joined me through What’s On, or through Kids Welcome, it’s probable you are a parent, and likely that tales and tips about things to do with kids would help you fill pupil free days or holidays.

So, welcome… and let’s start with a little about me for the newcomers: I’m a single Queensland mum with one gorgeous 11-year-old daughter. We have both been bitten with an insatiable wanderlust and we spend every spare moment in our camper trailer (which Amber has called Blueberry Pie). Sometimes we can be found camping 10 minutes down the road, simply escaping the laundry and internet. Other times we hook up the trailer to our Outback, affectionately known as Zane (as in “you’re driving me in Zane”), and traverse our glorious country in search of amazing things to do with kids.

Amber is definitely my chief expert and she tests everything: from activities to attractions, tours to places to stay and playgrounds to beaches. Our resulting reviews are published in our Kids Welcome guidebooks and will soon be easy to find on our extensive web directory and phone app… watch this space and I’ll give you the heads-up so you can be first to use it!

As you can imagine, all this travel has generated quite a few amusing tales along the way, and that’s where this blog comes in. Don’t expect sanitised reviews here… instead we are likely to laugh together and share the stories ‘behind the scenery’. Hop onboard for the journey!

Frozen Smiles

2011-07-19T13:05:00.000+10:00

It was five years ago when I last suggested to Amber we go on a jet boat. To her defense, she was only six and we were in New Zealand, staring at windblown jet boaters as they got off with startled looks on their faces. She said NO.

Obviously, after that rejection, it took quite some time to get up the courage to book a jet boat tour. This time I didn’t ask her... With reservations, she agreed to go and we joined Ozjet for a high-speed adventure tour of Sydney Harbour.

The experience started poorly (our fault entirely) when we were late for the safety briefing. We don’t remember being told to arrive 15 minutes ahead, but that’s neither here nor there… The good news was, Amber didn’t have time to back down.

There were only two seats left onboard: right at the front. “Beauty!” I thought!

The captain thought differently.

He envisaged Amber’s slight body bouncing overboard, and tried to get other passengers to swap. They wouldn’t, so we climbed on in with a warning from the captain to his less-than-generous-crew.

“I’ll have to go slower since we have a small person in front”, he said. That made us feel great (sarcasm intended).

What resulted was half an hour of fast-paced excitement from Circular Quay all the way out to the Heads. I don’t think the captain let-up and it wasn’t long before the cold Sydney spray had completely frozen our giggles to our faces. (It was VERY cold and I got an ‘ice-cream headache’).

It turns out, the front seat was a fantastic place to be and we think our experience was enhanced by it! In the middle of the excitement Amber turned to me and said “Don’t let me say no to this again!”

So, after finally doing it, my tips are:

·         Take a change of clothes because the spray WILL go down your neck
·         Arrive in good time!
·         Think of it as a fairground ride: if they like THAT, they’ll love this!
·         Get it the front seat!

Happy Christmas!

2010-12-23T22:38:00.000+10:00

Yes, I know I have been slack... part of the last few days we have been out of internet range. The other part, I have been lazy. Trial Bay continued to get better and became our favourite campsite. Amber’s friendships with the camp kids continued and over two days I don’t think I heard a cross word. There was Jasmine and Cody from Canberra, and whose parents were very warm and friendly. Then there was Sarah who Amber connected with straight away and Lane who is taking a year off starting in March and travelling around Australia with his parents.

Out second day at Trial Bay Amber played with these buddies until about 10am then we took off to investigate the gaol. Built in the late 1800s, it is the only Australia prison designed purely to built capital works... namely a seawall which self destructed shortly after it was finished. During WWI this gaol became an internment camp for German Australians who were considered a risk to the war effort. They had a live theatre, grew their own veggies and many learnt a trade. At the end of the war, instead of releasing these model citizens, most were shipped out to Germany which seems really strange.

Next stop was Smoky Cape lighthouse which is very pretty, but without the tour (these run only twice a week) it wasn’t particularly engaging because you can’t go in the lighthouse itself.

Back at camp, Amber played more and I relaxed. Then, around 3.30pm we put the kayak in the water and headed down the creek to a lake. Our new friends (Jas and Coby and parents) rented a canoe and joined us, but it wasn’t Jas’s scene and we found ourselves alone paddling across a wide expansive lake towards pelicans and black swans. How beautiful it was... even though the thick pond weed made the smell rather unsavoury.

That evening we headed back to gaol (do not pass go...). The Lion’s Club carols was on and the skies cleared for the event. The carol book didn’t have many that were actually sung, but the idea was good and one local primary school boy stole the show on stage. The sun set in a orange fire and the walls of the gaol changed from cold grey to warm amber.

It was hard to leave this place the next morning but we were heading to a place previously loved: Nymboida Canoe Centre. On the way we stopped at Nambucca heads, bought paints and left our mark on the Vee Wall! This was so much fun!! And hunger making so we ate at the RSL for lunch.

It took a couple of hours to get to our destination and we listened to the book on tape we bought with us as we drove. This has proved to be a very good activity which engages us both. Once arrived we went searching for Rob the manager and when we couldn’t find him we grabbed inner tubes, helmets and jackets and did a run down the river before it got too cold.

Next day (Dec 21) at 9am we met Dan from NRG Rafting, next door. He was going to take us on a half day white water paddle down Goolang Creek, starting just below the power station. After a brief and practice on dry land we were hurtling downstream trying to keep in time as we paddled. I think Amber is hooked since she squealed with excitement at every opportunity. Dan takes kids from six up on this river because it is pretty tame, but fun enough for parents to get a thrill too. Dan also runs platypus paddling tours further up river and guarantees a sighting.

Back at camp, and pretty tired, we had a rest before heading 4km up the road to the Coaching House Inn. Owned by Russel Crowe, this lovely old pub and quality accommodation place is also home to the Museum of Interesting Things... all from Russel’s collection. As you might imagine, there are numerous movie memorabilia and sporting souvenirs. This is such a kid-friendly museum because there is very little reading, it’s small, yet well organised and stroller-friendly. Quite a find.

Now, I sit tapping away at Woody Point in Bunjalung National Park near Iluka. This is a lovely campsite with beautiful sites, clean amenities, right on a beach (not particularly attractive because of green slime) and friendly staff. It’s quite expensive for a National Park, and you still have to pay extra for showers, but you get the impression many people book here and come back year after year. Just as the sun set Amber and I took a walk to the tide pools and watch the fishing fleet heading out to sea. We learnt about port and starboard lights...

This is our last night on this trip and I feel quite sad this evening. Off to the Goldie tomorrow for family Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone!

Go to gaol... don't pass go

2010-12-19T20:26:00.000+10:00

I think we have finally settled into holiday mode. Amber was up early and on the jumping pillow with the other camp kids. I got up more leisurely, made eggs for breaky, followed her into the pool to watch the kids swim, then relaxed with a cuppa.

At about 10am we took off to go see the Trial Bay Gaol which was fascinating. Not, in my opinion, as kid-friendly as Dubbo Gaol because there was no re-enactment component, but interesting buildings and a good self-guided tour brochure. This building was built to house prisoners who completed capital works, namely built a sea wall (which disintegrated in the first storm). It was later used to inter German Australians in WWI. They were allowed out during day hours to work (overseen) then back in at night. These ‘prisoners’ grew their own veggies, were paid for their skills and even had a very vibrant theatre company. Surprisingly, after the war, most of them were sent to Germany and only 300 managed to repeal this exportation.

Next stop was the Smoky Cape lighthouse. A beautiful structure which we wished we had been able to enter. Tours only depart twice a week and we hadn’t arrived on the right day. It was a lovely view from the point, however, and would be a magic spot when the whales pass through.

Amber was keen to get back to her new friends so we bought a couple of bread rolls and headed back for lunch and a play. I sneaked a little nap then, mid afternoon, we lifted the kayak off the roof and paddled along the creek and out to a very shallow lake. Our new friends hired a canoe and joined us, but one of their children got scared and they backed out. The lake was magical. A large expanse of water lined with native grasses, with fish jumping regularly. Before we got to the vast opening we saw an osprey, kingfisher and heron. Then, the lake revealed a huge flock of pelicans and black swans with cygnets. How wonderful it was to have this lake to ourselves. We could have been in a number of top wilderness areas in the world!

More playing... then dinner and back to the gaol for carols by candlelight. I have never sung in a gaol, so we couldn’t miss this opportunity. It would have been better if the songbooks given out had included songs that were actually sung by the choir, but that’s being picky. What had been a very ordinary weather day had turned into a spectacular evening and orange sunset.

Ah, the camping life for me... Amber is in bed, I can hear the wind in the trees, muffled voices across the campground. It takes me back to my own youth... the only thing missing is the hissing of the gas lantern!

Wake to koalas

2010-12-18T21:36:00.000+10:00

Amber woke me this morning at about 7.30 with “Mum, they are feeding the koalas at the hospital in half an hour, we have to go” so, hair and teeth tidied, we headed off. As we arrived, pandemonium had broken out, along with two koalas and the team were trying to capture them with long poles and rags on the end. Apparently, they don’t like something over their eyes and will climb down to get away from it. We watched an old koala getting her formula and Amber bought a book about these marsupials, vowing she would work at the hospital in the Sunshine Coast one day.

Since we were away from the tent we headed into town to the Pancake Place for an amazing (and completely calorie-free) breakfast of blueberry and banana pancakes. This restaurant caters to kids amazingly with their own menu, play area and movies.

On the drive north, we stopped at Richardoes Tomatoes where a passionate couple have turned their hydroponic farm into an award-winning tourist attraction. It has been said that kids these days don’t know where their food comes from, and this place is slowly changing that, one kid at a time. Picking strawberries here is easy because they are grown in terraces and kids and adults pick at different heights! They can pick their own lettuce too. We tasted tomato and passionfruit jam which was sensational, and we couldn’t resist a jar.

Next stop was an unusual stable... where rocking horses are born. 82 –year-old Mick Campbell has made exquisite horses for 30 years and it’s a delight to see old-fashioned craftsmanship.

Finally we arrived at Trial Bay where our caravan park was one of the best so far: Jumping pillow, playground with climbing wall, free internet, games room, lake, lovely grassy site and lots of kids for Amber to meet. I didn’t see her for the rest of the day and, as the sunset, she joined in on a four family game of backyard cricket. I watched with red wine in hand.

The weather is beautiful, the vine-ripened tomato bolognaise sauce was delicious and I am very content!

Trivia: Why is a tomato a fruit?

The tomato is technically a fruit because it develops from the ovary of the plant. Scientifically and botanically, the ovary, and its seeds, of a flowering plant are the fruit of the plant.

We LOVE Port Stephens!

2010-12-17T21:16:00.000+10:00

Yes, I missed writing yesterday, but for the best reason possible... we were having too much fun experiencing Port Stephens and were WAY too tired to write in the evening! What a family-friendly mecca this is!

Our first day started with a boat tour with Imagine Cruises, a catamaran which does dolphin watches, whale watches and snorkelling cruises depending on the season. No whales are around at the moment so dolphins and snorkelling were the order of the day and owner/skipper Frank was in charge.

We spotted a pod of female and baby dolphins which was fantastic. Unfortunately they didn’t come too close, so it was on to Lighthouse Cove on Fingal Island for snorkelling. Amber was a little uncertain about this since Woebegone sharks were a probability, but she gave it a good go. I managed to find another buddy for a short snorkel and yes we DID see a shark which was very exciting.

Back onboard, Amber perched on the bowsprit above the nets and didn’t move from there for the remainder of the trip. Three and a half hours sped by and we arrived back in the harbour just after five and set up camp at Fingal Bay campground.

The next day was a mega activity day, arranged by our new friend Tars. It started with parasailing. I have done this before but Amber hasn’t. She was nervous, but it didn’t last and she wanted to go back up as soon as she got down! We rode tandem which is really great for kids, and even got to be partially dunked during our 10 min ride.

Next stop was Sahara Trail Rides where we joined a 1 hour walk through the casurina forest, following a creek on this private property. What a lovely spot and, unlike many other horse trails, the owners have created different trails for differing abilities. What this means is that the horses don’t rush off, thinking they have an expert on their backs, and it is therefore safer for kids.

After that to Oakvale Farm where we fed baby goats, milked a cow, patted a koala and fed kangaroos (and had lunch). After that it was off to the toboggan run where we zipped downhill on a silver track at about 50km per hour. A good adrenalin boost and also great for kids! Little ones ride with a parent and bigger kids control their own toboggan with an easy brake.

The evening ended with us hosting Tars and his son to a barbie in our tent. We were shopping at Coles when the heavens opened in a huge hail storm. By the time we got back to our tent we were met by our neighbours who had feared it was taking off, and tied it down. The trailer was half collapsed and bits were broken. Regardless we had almost cleaned up in time for our guests and shared the most wonderful evening of conversation. It ended all too soon.

This morning it was off to the famous sand dunes.... the largest moving sand area in the southern hemisphere. A chance meeting at the caravan park just before we left, had led to an invitation to go sand boarding, so we joined a tour and slid down a sand dune for about an hour. That was all our little legs could take (doing the uphill climb). What a wonderful family activity!

The drive to Port Macquarie took about three hours and it rained most of the way. Now camp is re-erected and the dryer is going in the laundry so we have something dry to wear tomorrow! I wonder what excitement tomorrow will bring?

Sailing with dolphins

2010-12-15T20:11:00.000+10:00

What a marvellous day! Before packing up the tent we took a walk on the beach, then, on the road, we headed for Port Stephens where a wonderful man called Tars had organised a few activities for us. He called us en route and arranged to meet and take us to Imagine which is a catamaran conducting dolphin and snorkel tours.

Nearly at Nelson Bay, we noticed an unusual attractionwhich advertised shark and ray feeding so we diverted off. What a wonderful kid-friendly attraction this is! Kids and adults alike were in pools where woebegone sharks and rays of various types lived. They feed them with shimp on a pole (attached by a clothes peg) and they can snorkel with the creatures if they wish. Maybe we will come back here on the way out of town...

We met Tars and Frank who was the owner of the boat (and Rodger his mate). Other passengers filed on and before too long we were off searching for dolphins and Amber was tentatively climbing in the net under the bowsprit. It didn’t take her long before she was bouncing around like a monkey with the other kids onboard. Then we spotted a pod of female dolphins with a few young ones and followed them for a while, as we headed for Fingal Island and Lighthouse Cove.

Frank used to be the lighthouse keeper here, so he had plenty of stories as we dropped anchor. The water was chilly, but we slid over the side with a mask. Amber was really tentative and didn’t make it past the stern, but she gave it a go. I got a little further and saw a pretty big woebegone (toothless) sharks which was a treat.

Back on board and we weighed anchor and motored out in near calm conditions. We did raise the sails for a short while, which was lovely (especially from the bowsprit where Amber and I perched). What a delightful trip for kids...

After saying our goodbyes we trundled off to Fingal Bay where we were camping, put the tent up in the heat and cooled off in the pool before dinner. Tired and happy!

Back with Amber

2010-12-14T20:56:00.000+10:00

Back on the road again, this time with Amber. We flew into Sydney on Sunday (just in time to avoid the circus surrounding Oprah who will have, by now, renamed the opera house). Yesterday we ticked off something that’s been on my bucket list for a while, and went to see the Terracotta Warriors, some of which are visiting the National Gallery. They have a great audio tour here for kids too, which engages kids in art.

Today we were on the road by about 9am and headed for the Australian Reptile Park (where we saw a baby Tassie Devil up close) then onto Penang Gardens to hug a boab tree.

From there it was to the treetops high ropes course in Ormiston which we absolutely loved. Kids from four can enjoy this adventure, but over ten is the best age because there are more suitable courses. Over 16 allows access to ALL courses. We spent a couple of hours in the tree tops balancing from tree to tree...

Then we drove to The Entrance just in time for Pelican feeding at the waterfront. What a wonderful attraction this is, and it takes place right beside a colourful waterpark... so we spent longer here than expected! We are staying at Toowoon Beach tonight, on a grassy cliff overlooking the beach where we played in the tide pools before dinner. Stirfry and games of Mastermind later, and we are ready for bed. Ahh, it’s good to be under canvas again!

Changes of plans

2010-12-08T20:47:00.000+10:00

I was so excited when I woke... today I was going out to Montague Island. I called Amber in anticipation... and jinxed it! When I got to the dock, owner Daryl told me he had called the trip off due to weather.

The good news was, this gave me longer to meander towards Kiama so I stopped lots along the way and found Bodalla Dairy Shed, The Berry Treat Factory, the blow holes at Kiama (they weren’t blowing) and the Boneyard rocks... this is such a fascinating coast!

My campsite tonight is the best yet I am at East's in Kiama and I couldn’t get closer to the beach if I tried. There's even a palm tree just for effect. This caravan park has a pool, jumping pillow, kids wading area, lots of little bridges AND the beach. Now it’s a toss up...do I like Narooma best, or Kiama??? I think Narooma still take the cake... just. Tomorrow I drive to Sydney airport and leave the car there to fly home. I can’t wait to pick up Amber from school and start the next part of our journey! She is going to LOVE this!

I've found heaven (at least the southern version)

2010-12-07T19:49:00.000+10:00

I woke to sunshine for the first time since I left home and basked in it, only leaving the campsite at the allotted 10am. First stop was the info centre in Bateman’s Bay where I explained what I was doing and asked the lovely young lady if she could tell me about any low or no cost things to do with kids in her town. “Will it be published?”she asked. “Then I can’t talk to you, you will have to talk to the advertising department.” Was this an information centre? I thought. Was it a TOURISM information centre? I was so taken back that I told her not to bother and left.

I drove south, back to Mogo where people had been so welcoming yesterday. It hadn’t been a fluke. The goldmining reinactment town in Mogo welcomed me with open arms and I joined a very informative and kid-friendly tour. Even got to pan for gold, but if this is how slow it is to get rich, I think I had better stick to books. I stopped at the Mogo Ice Creamery felt like coming home. The tiramisu ice cream amazing, by the way.

It took about an hour to get to Narooma and I think I have discovered heaven. If it wasn’t in a cold climate, I would consider living here. Small, laid back, water everywhere, dolphins in the bay, bike trails and walking trails to suit even the novice rider and wonderfully friendly staff at the caravan park. Amber would LOVE it here and I am starting to miss her.

My campsite for the night is right on the water’s edge at East’s. In the morning I will walk 200m down the bike path to the wharf where I meet Daryl who will take me across to Montague Island. Hopefully we will see more dolphins, penguins and seals on the way. Keep your fingers crossed!

It's a zoo out there!

2010-12-06T19:53:00.000+10:00

Today was better weather wise... first it threatened to rain while I packed the tent and didn’t, then the rain held off while I kayaked up the creek at Jervis Bay, it held off while I investigate Mogo Zoo and even held off when I put the tent back up in Batemans Bay. When did it rain? I hear you ask... while I was driving was pretty much it today... black clouds all around the rest of the time, but no rain...Yippee!

I put the kayak in at Huskisson boat ramp and headed downstream to the river mouth and Huskisson wharf. There I watched the tour boats going out which took me back to boat driving days. The water here is so clear that, on the paddle back I went right over the top of a huge black stingray. That was such a thrill.

Kayak back on the rooftop (I now have a pretty good routine to get it up there) I headed for Mogo where I had an appointment at 2pm to see the zoo. I nearly made it by the allotted time and chatted to GM John. This zoo was created by a woman with a vision. As you can imagine, I immediately connected with her journey. She knocked on doors until they gave her a permit then took the old and sick animals from other zoos until she proved herself. The zoo is now 20 years old and still owned by the same woman.

Unlike newer facilities, the enclosures aren’t huge or flash. This probably isn’t preferable for the animals, but they have been designed long and narrow so you get to see the animals up close and, I have to say, this makes for a better visitor experience than with the bigger safari zoos. Besides, it’s easy to walk around this one... even for little ones. Did you know that there are NO white lions left in the wild? They have several here. Not to mention these amazingly cute red pandas!

I ended up at the Big4 at Batemans Bay and erected the tent, taking no chances of leaks. Of course, this meant the weather hasn’t materialised, but I can cope with that. Just met some wonderful neighbours who are trying out their new caravan, got some laundry done, so my car doesn’t stink of wet towels anymore, and settled into chilli and rice for dinner. Ahh...life is good!

Back to the coast

2010-12-05T23:21:00.000+10:00

I was not happy when I woke: partly because the band had only stopped playing four hours before, partly because everything outside my tent flap was soggy and partly because the path to the toilet was deep with mud and reminded me of Woodford three years ago... come to think of it, the people wandering back and forth in a daze looked like they belonged in Woodford too!

It took me a while to get my act together and stumbled myself to the food tent where I offered another donation for a hot mug of chai. That drunk, I felt better and packed the tent slowly, attempting to leave as much of the mud behind as possible. Goodbyes to John and Kim later, and I was on the road for a long journey south: Jervis Bay the eventual destination.

I took the inland route past Putty, which was stunningly green and beautiful, explaining the weather. My only scheduled stop today was at the Illawarra Fly, a man-made tree-top walkway on the ridge overlooking the coast. Despite low clouds and rain I continued in that direction and, luckily, the clouds parted in time for my visit. The view was lovely and the cantilever platform swayed with the trees in an almost organic fashion. Not the attraction for the faint-hearted because it’s very high and you can see through the walkway. The signage was well designed and colourful for kids, but a little high for them and the walkway, while paved and stroller-friendly, would have been a hard slog heading back. A courtesy golf-buggy shuttle would be much appreciated then!

About 1.5 hours further down the road I reached Jervis Bay. My caravan park (White Sands) could not have been more perfect. I have a front row seat to the beach, the surf tinkling as I type. It feels like coming home and I didn’t realise how much I had missed proximity to the ocean. Right outside the park is a VERY kid-friendly walk and bike track, away from any danger, and it runs all the way to town. The beach right outside offers rock pools, the type of sea weed we don’t get in Queensland, and views of a white-cliffed island and lighthouse. Now that’s what a call a great place for a holiday!

Activity and activists

2010-12-04T19:36:00.000+10:00

I am sitting in my tent beside Lake Liddell, Musselbrooke after spending the last hour or so sharing conversation and vegetarian dinner with a buoyant group of activists as they prepare for a major action against the proposed construction of a new coal power plant across the water. We are surrounded by coal land: directly across, Liddell Plant puffs white smoke and a coal mine scars the land to the left. The proposed plant behind them will, apparently, take seven years to build and increase NSW emissions by 13%.

Tomorrow, these courageous folk will travel by bus to the plant and carry out a peaceful demonstration. I am amazed how well organised they are. They have thought of every contingency and have two lawyers on hand in case some are arrested. They have been here since Tuesday conducting and listening to workshops and reports on alternative options and they are all on the same page. Many of them are willing to spend the night in jail and submit to bail agreements in order to put forward alterative plans... and the evidence is strong. Apparently, renewable energy options would increase jobs in the area by eight times...

The manager of the campsite, and his chief helper both work in the plant... yet they see both sides of the issue. John took the Climate Camp program to work to show his collegues and show them the importance of the discussion. It is men like these who act as a go-between and increase the chance of society paying attention.

This has been a long day and this ending is one of two highlights. The other came early when I unhooked the trailer and drove 40km to Wollomombi Falls at about 6am. I was in awe of this amazing national park waterfall which was far more impressive than anything I saw in the Blue Mountains. NSW’s highest waterfall, it was shrouded in mist and the lookout was only 750m from the beautiful picnic area. I was the only person here and didn’t want to drag myself away. Amber would have LOVED this.

After breaking camp around 10am I headed south to Tamworth and here the day changed. When asked about things to do with kids in this famous town, the volunteer at the info centre said “we have ten pin bowling and a cinema...”. To his credit, he was over 60 and probably a long way from parenthood but his supervisor didn’t instill much more enthusiasm for the area. One thing grabbed my attention: a park where famous country singers had left handprints in the cement... so I rushed over, only to find the park overgrown and mildewed.

In frustration, I continued south and my faith was restored in a beautiful little town called (the name escapes me right now) where a beautiful monument garden to the First Fleet had been created. This unique garden included a weaving path between ‘gravestones’ for each of the ships and lists of every person on board. A final display included quotes from logs of those on board and bought this part of Australian history to life.

So, here I am... the tunes outside my tent were more mellow than those last night, but I am probably just as unlikely to get an early night because the heavens just opened and the lighteningshow is awesome! Like soldiers before a battle,my newfound friends are preparing for their adventures tomorrow, as must I. Tomorrow it’s on to Jervis Bay...

A long drive to Armidale

2010-12-03T20:37:00.000+10:00

Yeah! I am on the road again, and it feels great. It was a big day today, starting at 6am for my long drive (8 hours) from the Sunshine Coast to Armidale. It rained on and off all day, but not so hard it hindered the journey and I have discovered a new way to travel: talking books! I got a couple out of the library before I departed and spent the day listening to Anita Shreve’s novel The Last Time They Met. I had used Roald Dahl recordings when Amber was with me, but today took that one step further. What a great way to pass the driving time!

I stopped at Glen Innes information Centre today. It was a nostalgic visit because this time last year I had been helped by a wonderful man Fred Blair. Fred is perhaps the best tourism ambassador to this area and last year he had made me want to stay in the small country town of Glen Innes for days! Low and behold, Fred was there, and just a helpful filling me in on changes. I learnt that Washpool National Park is a great place to spotlight for the spotted Quoll. I learnt of a few new fishing spots and all the best places to fossick for gems.

While in Glen Innes I stopped at the Celtic Standing Stones. This area was settled by tartan-clad immigrants and the town has marked this history with these Stone-Henge-like structures. There are 40 in all and they mark a 24 hour clock as well as indicate the summer and winter solstice. Every year, the Celtic festival is held at the stones and must be quite a site. What a great place for a picnic while travelling the New England Highway too.

About 25 km north of Armidale (and nearly to my destination) I detoured to Thunderbolt’s Cave. A notorious outlaw in these parts, Thunderbolt alluded authorities by hiding in this cave. It’s a strange attraction –not well marked and at the end of a 200m downward slope. Funnily enough, this actually adds to the appeal because it can’t have changed much since Thunderbolt himself hid here. The path is uneven and not very suitable for little legs (and totally unsuitable for strollers).

When I arrived at Pembroke Caravan Park I was just behind a huge old-car club who were already into the beer. I chose a site furthest away from the place they were said to be partying tonight, but the noise has been pretty consistent. Now, at 8pm they are reving their engines and I wonder if I will get any sleep tonight.

I chatted to one of the hot-rod’s wives tonight. About 60 years old, she had spent a lot of time on the Sunshine Coast 30 years ago, and had some wonderful tales to tell... when flying a kite with the kids at Mudjimba one day, the airport personnel asked her to take it in because it was interfering with the airport radar!

Nearly there again...

2010-12-02T09:29:00.002+10:00

The time has arrived and I am packing the trailer (in the rain) and getting ready for my last research trip for Kids Welcome to New South Wales & ACT. There are sooo many things to do in these two states with kids and I really look forward to sharing my findings with you... so, keep checking in to see what Amber and I have been up to!

Happy travels! - Sarah

2010-09-29T11:52:00.006+10:00

The last day... funny how it feels like we have been away forever AND that it has flown by!

I was woken from my Hogwart's dorm bed by two girls saying "come quick, a bird just slammed into the window". Before I was even awake, I was traipsing on the grass looking for a dead bird who, as it turned out, had only been stunned and flown away.

Badger and gone up to the kitchen to get ready and after packing bags, I joined him for a much appreiated half hour of sanity before the kids arrived for breakfast. The automated toaster and expansive counters made braekfast a breeze and we even managed to eat first!

Our drive this morning was through farms and fields on the way to Kaa's parent's farm. "I don't know the address," Kaa told us, looking at the map. "It's somewhere near the W in Toowoomba." What he failed to mention was it was also next door to a country pub, and right past a couple of huge silos, so he got the dunny brush for that one...

The welcome at the farm was nothing short of miraculous and Veera put mine and Badger's food efforts to shame. The table was set with every imaginable treat... one table for kids and one for adults. Around us ran black and white sheep and the kids got to tiptoe through the chook pen too. Their favourite passtime was picking wool off the fences and spinning it between their fingers. (Of course, this meant it was pretty essential to wash their hands before digging in the sweets!)

We shared stories of our adventures and took pictures at the farm before waddling back onto the bus and wondering if we should skip lunch as Kaa gave us a tour of his hometown. Amazingly, by the time we reached Kilcoy, there was enough space in our stomachs to stop at the Yowie statue and gobble up most of our remaining fresh food (squashed between slices of bread).

As we neared the Sunshine Coast, Kaa put Mama Mia on and the racket in the bus was extraordinary. Then, as we rounded the roundabout in Buderim, the backing track for the Buderim Cub Scouts song blared. We opened the windows and sang at the tops of our voices as startled parents looked on.

Hugs, kisses, stories, water buckets, dustpans, sponges, dishwashing and screwdrivers later, and the trailer as opened for bags to spill. A few more hugs, and we were all on our way back to our respsective homes, the web of connection temporarliy broken but the memories remaining.

Thanks so much to everyone who made this adventure possible... and of course, most importantly Kaa and Rikki who spent six months planning!

2010-09-27T20:59:00.005+10:00

Day 8

5am came really early this morning... and by the time I stumbled into the kitchen, Badger had hash browns in the oven and the kettle boiled. We have worked so well together... one day I do more, and one day he does. The kids were wonderfully organised this morning and packed ready to go to the zoo. Once they were packed, we gave them two hash browns in a paper bag and they sat on the stoop, sun rising behind them, eating their breakfast. Western Plains Zoo was only about 10 minutes down the road and we were greeted at the gate by a uniformed staff member who motioned us to a second gate, past the waiting queue. In the parking lot we met our two guides and broke into groups. They led us on an hour and a half walk behind the scenes. We saw the hay barn, breeding enclosures, winter and summer grounds... and heard stories about all the creatures and programs as we went. Unfortunately, many of the animals were lethargic since it was a cool morning. (Must be rotten to be an African animal stuck in a cold climate!). The walk was fun, but probably not as suitable for young kids since the distances are long and the guides keep up a fast past... only one chance for a toilet stop on the walk too, and it’s not stroller or wheelchair friendly. Half our time was spent herding kids, and the other half trying to keep the pace fast so one of them would make it to the amenities. The good side was learning from a volunteer with a wealth of experience , and seeing parts of the zoo off limits to others. We saw some animals we never even knew existed too!

We ended up at the picnic area for a play on the playground... from flying foxes to safari vehicles, I think the kids enjoyed this bit just as much as the walk. Then, back on the bus, we drove round to see a few of the ‘top seven’ that we hadn’t seen: zebras, lions and elephants among them.

While the kids spent their cherished funds in the shop, Badger, Cyclone and I put out lunch, then it was off to Moree for the night. This was the first time we have driven in the dark and Chil found it quite a challenge in the bus. Tiredness set in with everyone today and a few spats between leaders or kids were to be expected (and we weren’t disappointed). The dummy seems to jump from one leader to another for a while, faster than you could say ‘dummy spit!’

First stop at Moree was Subway. We had called ahead and the manager Julie was so helpful... she gave us a special rate AND stopped planting trees to drive into the store to hand make our sandwiches. Topped up with food, we drove to Gywndir Caravan Park and were allocated our cabins. I was very pleased to be sharing a double with Amber tonight... things have been so busy I have missed her!

Bags unpacked, we met at the hot springs (in the caravan park) and steamed away our cares jumping from one pool to another. The water comes out of the ground at 39 degrees, then filters from one pool to another, loosing temperature as it goes. From 39 to 38,36, 35 and a large, cooler pool.

Ah, the luxury of a bed! And we were awarded a sleep in! We didn’t have to be packed and on the bus until 7.45 tomorrow morning...

Day 9

I don’t think I have slept so well on this holiday and woke refreshed. Rather than lie in, I sneaked off for a soak in the pools before departure. Kaa had hinted at a treat this morning and the kids were ecstatic when it ended up being Macca’s breakfast. We commandeered the outside area and, were so well behaved that, believe it or not, a truckie made a special trip over to Baggy to say “in thirty years of driving, those are the most well behaved kids I have come across”.

Today I was in the car with Rikki, Baggy and Badger and we raced ahead so we could get lunch ready. That’s when the fun began... we pulled over at a park in Glen Innes and Rikki drove off the road on the grass. Of course, it has been raining since we left Queensland and it was pretty boggy, so Baggy (not boggy) hoped out and suggested she pull forward out of the grass. Rikki floored it and covered Baggy with mud, which, of course, set us into fits of laughter which lasted through lunch. After lunch I drove and we settled into a recording of Harry Potter.

At Stanthorpe we stopped at the Maze with every intention of going in, but it started raining so we kept going to our evening stop at Warwick. Kaa had found a fantastic group facility which used to be a school. We had booked the dorm. The caretaker met us and showed us to rooms right out of Hogwart’s. The kitchen was a full commercial one which had me drooling, and the grounds made me think of St Trinian’s. The kids were in heaven. While Badger and I took off for some last minute shopping, they played.

Cooking in such a kitchen was a breeze and it wasn’t long before chicken wings, rice and corn were steaming, waiting for the kids to sit down. There were seconds... then thirds... then Rhys spoke up and thanked the leaders for all their effort and we bought out mud cake to celebrate our last night. It seemed like a fitting ending, in such a wonderful spot, even though we still have one day ahead.

After dinner Kaa laid on horse races followed by a movie (with accompanying popcorn). What a great evening!

Day seven

2010-09-25T21:37:00.005+10:00

This was perhaps the most full-on day so far... with activities packed from the moment we woke to right now (it’s 9.30 and the kids are all asleep!). The fire had disintegrated to ash and the air was nippy this morning. First task is proving to be putting the kettle on for the adults so we can face organising 20 kids... Then toast goes on, cereal goes in bowls, tables set and bags are ferried to the trailer.
Butterfly left early this morning to do the dreaded wash. She has been looking for a laundry for two days that fit our schedule, but to no avail. Turns out the one in Katoomba opens at 7am so off she and Rikki went. They returned in time to load the car and Badger(used to be Paul) and I joined them for the ride into Katoomba. Midway through folding laundry, the two women tried to find the cash they had bought with them. Each thought the other had it, and a brisk discussion ensued. Neither spat the dummy, but eventually the owner of the place referred to the security camera to prove where the money had gone!!(In Butterfly’s pocket!).
The morning was spent at Scenic World which is a wonderful and busy tourist attraction. We experienced all three of their modes of transport: the steepest railway in the world; the cableway and the cable car. All were magnificent in different ways and I think the kids rather preferred the railway. The view in the valley was spectacular with the Three Sisters and Katoomba Falls clearly visible.
Badger and I went ahead on the last ride and set up lunch in a park near the bus... hot dogs cooked on our camp stove. It was a hit and the kids ran around climbing old machinery while ducks hung around waiting for scraps.
Next stop was Orange where we wolfed down a whole watermelon near the information centre before continuing on to Dubbo. Nearing town we panicked... this was shopping night and it was a weekend... would the Woolies close early? Badger and I were dropped at the shops and made it just before the chicken shop closed. By the time we got to the den, beds were out and they were setting up for a movie. With all hands on deck, we whipped up sausages, mash and peas and gravy which went down a treat. It was followed by ice cream to celebrate the birthday of one of the kids.
Showered and tucked up in their sleeping bags, the kids settled for a movie of Mr Bean while the adults cleared up. Now, as I tap away, there’s not a sound... I bet they will all sleep well tonight – we are up at 5.30 to get to the Zoo for the early morning walk. Hash browns are laid out ready to heat and morning tea brown bags are ready to go too...

Day six

2010-09-25T06:15:00.004+10:00

What a fantastic day! We packed up at our den in Canberra and left on time.... we are getting very efficient! First stop was for morning tea at Goulburn, at the Big Marino, where Baggy decided no-one was allowed to buy souvenirs and then proceeded to buy something for his daughter... and Butterfly held the bus up while she shopped! Then it was off to Oberon for lunch and while we ate, some of the boys taught the rest of gang their rendition of ‘the toilet brush’ . It was such a wonderfully sunny day it was hard to drag ourselves off the grass and back to the bus. Especially since we hear it’s been raining at home since we left! What happened to cold southern weather?
We had booked a cave tour at Jenolan Caves for 2pm and after a winding road, and little misshap with the trailer, we arrived in plenty of time.
The cave tour to Lucas Cave was fantastic and all but one of our crew was excited. One, however, is scared of the dark and heights and was really not looking forward to this. What a trooper she was- holding hands and getting strength from her mates, and overcoming her fear. Isn’t this what cubs isa all about? After walking across a very thin bridge, about 50m in the air, she was estatic and well deserved too.
By about 5pm we reached the ‘den of the day’ and I popped dinner in the oven while Butterfly headed off to find a launder mat. No luck for her, unfortunately. But dinner was a success. With a pot belly stove sizzling away, we sang campfire songs at the top of our lungs before putting the beds out and snuggling in for the night.

First five days of Canberra trip

2010-09-23T22:24:00.006+10:00

Day one
What a wonderful day...
We left Buderim on time (believe it or not) with 25 in the bus and three in the support vehicle. The first miracle of the day was when all the bags fit in the trailer and we departed WITHOUT kids strapped to the roof. It started raining and the windowscreen wipers worked overtime as we made our way to Ipswich... me riding shot gun next to Kaa in the bus. The kids sang along to “Don’t worry be happy” and shared their excitement.
First stop was the botanical gardens at Ipswich and once the car caught up, we created a “make your own wraps” line with ham, cheese and salad. It went down well. The kids let off steam by running and screaming at the top of their lungs, then braved the log-drop toilets before loading up again.
Roald Dahl came to the rescue for the afternoon when we played The BFG audio book and kept them quiet. Some slept (including all adults) and the rain kept coming.
We called ahead to Stanthorpe den and the organiser dropped a bomb shell... “You don’t need the over, do you,” she said. “Because we just checked them out and they don’t work.”
Cold lasagne nightmares flashed before my eyes. Julie (from the visiting den) said she would think of something so we kept our fingers crossed.
We were planning to stop at the site of Thunderbolt’s hideout but both the Navman and Tom Tom led us astray and we passed on by. We arrived at about 4.30pm and handed over the lasagne trays for billeting at various parent’s ovens.
The den at Stanthorpe is at the end of a dirt road set in natural bush with huge welcoming grassy areas out front. It is a huge shed with exposed metal rafters and wide open spaces for running. Of course the kids did this, while Paul and I prepared salad...
By 7pm the lasagne had still not showed so the kids settled for a movie. Chil was convinced our lasagne was now on the menu at the local RSL, but it did eventually show up...

Day two
It rained hard all night on the tin roof which was surprisingly comforting and drowned out any sleeping noises as we lie top to tail around the den. Come dawn and it started to ease. I woke at about 5.30 and listened for the kids, then Amber came over and snuggled for a while. At 6am we were up and washed, and in the kitchen getting breakfast happening.
One by one, the kids shook themselves out of their sleeping bags and headed for the toilets. When the room was packed we settled down to cereal and toast, hot milo and juice. Unbelievably, by 8.15 we were loaded up and on the road, locking the gate behind us.
First planned stop was Bald Rock NP, but with slippery conditions and a dirt road ahead, the plan changed and we headed straight for Glen Ines for morning tea. Thanks to the talented parents we left behind, we enjoyed a wide range of slices.
The support vehicle (which I was driving today) went ahead to top up supplies for lunch and grab a few other necessities like ‘bone’ substitutes and chocolate bribes (prizes!). We also found a PA mic for Kaa so he could terrorize the kids on the bus as the tucked into their special workbooks.
By lunch were at the Golden Guitar which, I hate to say, was a little disappointing for me. It’s not very big and the gift shop next door didn’t include an info centre.... the kids loved the first chance to spend some of their pocket money, so that was good, and we made sure we took red shirt pictures en mass by the landmark.
Our evening stop was Armidale. Even with two GPS devices, we managed to get lost and follow a wonderful, unplanned tour of town! Eventually, on about the third time round, we realised the scout den was right opposite the girl guides hut we had starred at a few times...
The wonderful scouts of Armidale set to making us dinner while some of us went grocery shopping and our own team had showers and dressed in uniforms. We felt so welcome by this wonderful pack who cooked the most delicious spaghetti and sausages... and even topped it off with ice cream! By 8.30, when the held parade, our youngsters were tired and ready to unroll their swags. As I type now, they have five minutes before lights out and the last one in bed will have to carry the boobie prize all day tomorrow: the dreaded toilet brush!
Tomorrow on to Parkes and The Dish! Yippeee!

Day three
Roald Dahl has been a lifesaver on the bus... until today when the kids begged for the last chapter of Matilda and we realised we hadn’t bought it... Cest la vie, Butterfly had bought another book about a worm and it was just as successful. Along our route we passed the planetary models which are to scale, with the sun being the Observatory at Siding Springs.
The biggest challenge today was keeping the bus a car within 10k of each other and my GPS has been renamed Doris as she gets blamed for everything. Baggy was the first recipient of the toilet brush and clipped it onto his belt until the next person left something behind.
The planets had led us to Siding Springs where we climbed the hill and peered at the huge telescope then spent a while inside the visitor museum learning about the stars which was fascinating! From there we hot-footed it down to Parkes running an hour behind schedule. Unfortunately this meant the centre was closed by the time we got there, but I don’t think it really mattered to the kids. We played in the whisper dishes and took pictures of ourselves with the dish and even discussed what roll it had played in the moon landing.
Our night stop was only a short distance away at Parkes (named after the father of Federation himself). It was the same caravan park I had visited a year ago, on Boxing Day, and bought back memories. Here we had booked a few cabins and these were allocated to groups. The moon was nearly full, and it was this we credited with the following crazy behaviour by all... one cabin (full of boys) stank to high heaven... some of the boys planned midnight meetings with girls, a few tears were shed and countless other adventures ensued... all of which were stomped out quickly and it wasn’t long before lights out. What a day!

Day 4
After our regular breakfast we were on the road and heading towards morning tea at Cowra where we went to the visitors centre and watched the fascinating hologram story about Japanese prisoner escape at the end of the second world war. From there we stopped at the Peace Bell which was awarded to the town for the peaceful way they have embraced and educated about this tragedy.
Things must be getting desperate on the bus... we even broke out a karaoke ABBA tape and sang at the tops of our voices!
Just after lunch, we drove into the ACT and headed straight for Questacon – the capital’s science museum. The rest of the afternoon just flew by as we learned ways to make music, giggled at optical allusions and even some of us hurled ourselves down the giant drop. Heads spinning, we navigated the gift shop and headed for the German Scout den where we were sleeping. Spag bol later, our beds were lined up like a dorm room in Oliver with Kaa walking down the aisle checking for giggles. This den doubles as a child care centre and the furniture is all VERY small! It didn’t take long to fall asleep..

Day 5
This was the day we had been waiting for... Parliment! We arrived on the front steps at 9am and made contact with our guide for the day Nathan who was our member’s assistant until recently. What an amazing tour we were given, and most of if behind the scenes in areas the public are generally not permitted. We saw Julia’s offices, The House of Reps, Senate, the space in between where the bubbling water drowns secret conversations, and even held the whip (which is a symbol of Nathan’s office. It is his job to make sure all the members get to voting on time. Clocks throughout the building are synchronised and they are given four minutes to get to the chamber when needed for a vote. How exciting Parliment was. I certainly didn’t feel let down at all, and neither did three of our team who were awarded their Grey Wolf on the steps of this amazing building. What a memorable experience for them all.
Next stop was the Australia War memorial with rooms dedicated to each of the wars in which Australia has participated. We lunched on the lawns out front, then some of us went in while others had another sort of adventure: grocery shopping in Belconnen. If I never see Belconnen again, I will be happy. Road works ruled, and the shopping centre parking was the worst I have ever seen...
Miraculously, we finished and returned just in time to meet the bus at The Mint. I could have spent far longer here. What a fascinating history of coinage in Australia. Unfortunately, we didn’t realise this fantastic attraction closed at 4pm... so time was short, but I think we all enjoyed it anyway.

On the drive back to the scout den we drove by the Embassies. I hadn’t realised they were all next to each other, and it was marvellous to see the different architecture, levels of opulence and flags flying high. Definitely worth a detour for anyone visiting this area with kids. Back at base, we had one hour to clean up and change before our celebration dinner. Not only were we celebrating the Grey Wolves, but it was Butterfly’s birthday too. We had booked dinner at Zeffarelli’s restaurant and needed to pick up a cake for the event too...
Yet another adventure ensued with the cake... when we arrived to pick it up they couldn’t find the cake. Then, once the cake was located, we hunted for boxes... then the price... eventually Nicola turned into a cyclone (her new cub name) and eventually got it for free!
We are now back in the den. The kids are asleep and it’s time to catch up with the internet... we haven’t had connection for a few days and there has been lots to say! Good night...

Off to Canberra

2010-09-19T06:18:00.002+10:00

Well, the day is finally here...
Today Amber and I head off to Canberra with a bus full of other cub scouts and leaders. As always, the preparation has been half the battle and now the day has arrived, we are both itching with excitement.

Yesterday the other volunteer cook and I trolleyed our way through Woolies grabbing all the necessary provisions then stocked them in the den fridge to grab this morning. Let's hope we remember the bread sitting on its lonesome on the counter! Cordial has been mixed and frozen (yes even the red one which might be kept for special ocassions when we need them to bounce off the walls), and wonderful parents have been busily baking lasagne for our first night.

Three hours, with any luck, our band of merry kids will wave goodbye and drive off. For many, this is the first time they have been away from their parents, so it represents a huge milestone. Since she alternates between her parents, Amber is probably the expert among them in handling separation, so I hope she can offer support to her fellow explorers.

Tonight Stanthorpe. Weather looks good... getting colder as we go, and I have just chickened and thrown in a blanket... Wish us luck and read along as we go! Highlights will include The Dish, Parliment House, Dubbo Zoo, The Mint (just to name a few).

Finally the pictures

2010-08-17T20:39:00.002+10:00

Here you go... for those of you who would like to see what we looked like on Saturday night... eat your hearts out.

The last couple of days have passed in a blur with media calls and photo shoots. Now I know how princess Mary feels!

And the winner is...

2010-08-15T08:26:00.002+10:00

Wow! Last night will stick in my memory for quite some time...
In front of a crowd of 320 amazingly inspirational people, I was awarded Sunshine Coast Small Businesswoman of the Year. How that happened, I am still not quite sure, and I will be on a high for days!

Pictures are on their way, but I wanted to share my speech with you...

When I was 13, my parents had what can only be called a ‘serious mid-life crisis’.
They took my brother and me out of school and we spent the next five years sailing around the world on a 32ft ketch.

My ‘boat –schooling’ experience taught me many things:
I learnt that risks are worth taking.
I learnt that with the support of family I can do just about anything.
I discovered there is a vast difference between schooling and education.
And I learnt to rely on my own abilities.

About 4 years ago I decided I would like to encourage other parents to explore the world around them with THEIR kids. (It doesn’t have to be quite so extreme). I wanted to write guidebooks for travelling families. The only drawback was that I really didn’t know how to write.

So I enrolled in my Master’s degree at the University of the Sunshine Coast, and started on the bottom rung at The Sunshine Coast Daily. On weekends and holidays I would hook up my camper trailer and my daughter (and chief expert) Amber and I would travel around Queensland writing reviews as we went.

In October last year, my first book Kids Welcome to Queensland, was published. It includes over 1000 reviews of activities, attractions, tours, places to eat and places to stay throughout our state. Amber and I are now busy writing our next book: Kids Welcome to NSW.

I could not have reached this milestone without the tremendous support of many people: my graphic artist, proof-reader, distribution team, colleagues and friends. Especially my best friend Terri who nominated me for this award. On behalf of all of us, I thank the SCBWN and sponsors for this amazing honour.

But there are two people who deserve my thanks more than any others: my parents.
My Dad died in January and my Mum now lives in a nursing home so they couldn’t be here tonight, but I hope I can be as inspirational a parent to Amber, as they have been to me.

A room of inspirational women

2010-08-04T12:17:00.002+10:00

Last night the who's who of Sunshine Coast business women gathered for a cocktail party at the Hyatt Coolum. Coined 'The Purple Room' this event is specifically for finalists in the annual business awards and I felt amazed a proud to be among them.

Awards are a funny thing... on one hand I know they are a fantastic way to get the word out about your business... and on the other, I am never quite sure if I deserve to be in such company.

The entire process of being nominated (by my wonderful friend Terri), compliling a submission and going through the interview process has been a really good way to look back on the past year and take stock of what's to come. It is a process I would recommend to ANY business person. It has clarified my thoughts for the coming year, and giving me the opportunity to meet a range of inspirational women.

Not only that, but it has given me a renewed vigor to face challenges. After all, Tony and Maureen Wheeler (from Lonely Planet) started self publishing their first book from their Melbourne garage... from little things, big things grow!

Unlike other awards I have entered in the past, the process for this one includes such evenings as last night where you actually get to meet your 'competitors' and learn from them. Not only that, but business leaders spoke of their experiences in the past and shared tips on how to dress, what to say and how to deal with media if you win. Thanks to all the wonderful mentors I felt I had in that room!

Now the wait begins... the winner will be announced on August 14, also at the Hyatt.

Rainy day activities in SE Queensland with teens

2010-07-11T13:12:00.005+10:00

Well, we've been back now a week... and the other day my friend asked me whatever she should do with her teenager during the school holiday. They had exhausted trips to the mall and were slowly going broke.

It's a problem many of you probably face: how to entertain your older kids without breaking the bank, and while keeping their online time down. (Yes, that's often the hard one!).

So, here are a few of my favourites in Southeast Queensand. Over the next few days I will expand on these and broaden the list to other geographic areas. Hopefully they will give you a few ideas outside of the normal range!

Sunshine Coast:
Peregian Originals is held every second Sunday at Peregian Beach just after the local market packs up shop. Kicking off around 1pm, bands travel from around the region for the priviledge of playing to this crowd. Music if varied, but always original and this is a place where families can take a picnic and spread out on the grass and teens will even be happy to be seen. Best of all it's free! Check out the website.

Gold Coast

Push teens physical boundaries at Thunderbird Park in the Gold Coast hinterland. The high ropes course here is challenging and a great way to bond with older kids. Spend around three hours swinging and pulling yourselves along cables, sliding down flying foxes and balancing on high beams without touching foot on the ground.

Kayak tour
Departing from Southport, Kyle and Mark from Balunjali Interpretive Cultural Tours lead kayak tours which include a wildlife and cultural (indigenous) element. It is not necessary to have kayak experience and this tour is suitable for kids over eight.

Brisbane

Ron Mueck Exhibition
Before it departs on August 1, I highly recommend taking teens to see the Ron Mueck exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art. These life-like sculptures seem to capture a moment which,if seen in real life, we would be embarrased by. They are confronting, very moving and are guarenteed to start a healthy discussion in the car! Cost is around $10 per person.

More to follow!!

Back to Sydney

2010-07-07T06:37:00.004+10:00

July 1

We hit a tennis ball around on the court this morning, delaying our exit, but by 9.30am we were on the road heading back to Sydney. First stop was the Snowy Mountain Hydro Scheme information centre in Cooma which was absolutely fascinating. I had no idea how many tunnels were running below the national park carrying water. Generators deep within the hills created sustainable and environmentally friendly electricity and the scheme lets the water go as determined by the government: into the Snowy River or the Murray.

The information centre was free to visit and included so much for kids that we spent over an hour: generating electricity on an exercise bike, pushing buttons to highlight tunnels on the 3D map, learning about seeding snow (which is done by shooting iodine into the atmosphere). We even came away with a pack of information suitable for an entire unit of education, including a DVD on the project. This is a “don’t miss” if you are passing this way.

Another place worth a stop is the Big Marino in Goulburn. Australia is good at creating BIG things and this is one to tick off the list. It is bigger than most and it is possible to walk up inside and learn a bit about the wool industry. Displays are static, however, and not particularly kid-friendly. The surrounding choice of restaurants make this a great lunch stop on the way to and from the snow: choose from major fast food restaurants, kebabs, a lovely award winning bakery and snacks at the fuel station. The shop which accompanies the Big Marino is a lovely one for souvenirs of the region too.

By midafternoon we were back in Sydney, navigating the one-way streets and looking forward to a Thai dinner…

Last day breakthrough

2010-07-07T06:21:00.002+10:00

June 30

Boy did I sleep well. The annoying aches I had expected didn’t eventuate and I had the handle on the electric blanket. Amber didn’t even stir until after 7am! I boiled the kettle to throw on the frosted windscreen (I am finally getting the hang of this!). We would have been at the snow by 10am but I forgot to get fuel in Adaminaby and we needed to go on a bit further to Cabramurra, the highest village in Australia, to fuel up. We made it for our 11.30am lesson, but the booking had been lost. Turned out in our favour I think because we ended up with Pete as our teacher. Three runs with him and I was snaking around with ease and enjoying it enough that I didn’t want to leave the snow. We even graduated to the big slope and an even bigger chair lift with a scary exit!

By now it was snowing hard and our woolly hats were frosted just like the trees. The viz was down to a few metres and we felt like intrepid explorers. What a wonderful feeling to learn a new skill… I am so glad Amber wanted to snow board! Four times we traversed the big slope and would have done more if our legs weren’t dropping off. So, around 3.30pm we called it a day and took the small lift back to the lodge. We couldn’t resist one more slide down the bunny slope and did so with such ease our heads swelled.

A few obligatory souveniers in the shop and thankful goodbyes and we handed in our media passes and rental gear. The parking lot was white where once it was black and we carefully made our way back to San Michelle, dropping off the rented snow chains on the way. I was sorry we didn’t have another week because I feel we would be really proficient (if not dead!).

For the fourth night in a row we chatted to other guests over dinner and warmed our bones in front of the fire before stumbling back to our room in exhaustion. What a fantastic day… one I wouldn’t want to have missed for the world. Tomorrow we depart and head back to Sydney…

Sore on the snow

2010-07-07T06:18:00.001+10:00

June 29

Day two on the snow and I was wondering how my body would fare this morning when I awoke. By 9am we were on the road heading towards the snow fields for a 10am lesson. It took longer to get there than the day before and our instructor, Tanya, was waiting for us as we rushed across the parking lot and to the school waiting area. Today our lesson was together since I had caught up enough to Amber to warrant this. Rather than the “falling leaf” we had learnt the day before, we now progressed on to “S” turns which were far more frightening because you had to go quickly downhill at one stage in the turn. Pivoting your hips in the direction you were going and pointing the way helped and after a few ups and downs (vertical on the lift AND on our bottoms) we got the hang of it. We high-fived Tanya and continued on our own after an hour learning.

Up and down we went, sliding off the ski lift, falling and getting up again. Before too long my legs were as sore as they are after an hour of rowing. The staff was kind enough to let us use their staff room to boil a kettle and cook our noodles and before too long our insides were warm and our legs rested enough to go out and do it again.

Selwyn here we come!

2010-07-02T16:10:00.004+10:00

June 28

How exciting… we were heading to the snow today! We struggled through numerous layers (how does anyone live with this on a regular basis?) and headed out to see the fields white with frost. What a beautiful sight as the sun rose above the hill and the woolly cows stared at us crunching across the grass. (The chooks were intelligently holed up in their hutch).

I have discovered a new use for credit cards: they are wonderful for scrapping frost off car windows. Now, had I been a local, I might have warmed up a kettle and done the job in a fraction of the time, but I only found that out the next day.

It took about 40 minutes to drive to Selwyn Snowfields from San Michelle, passing through the town of Adaminaby whose claim to fame is the Big Trout, flapping in the welcoming park. We stopped at town for breakfast and the bakery had been highly recommended by Graham as a great place for pastries and sandwiches to take to the snowfields.

We hired snow chains at the Ampol service station. Most fuel stations near the snow have snow chains for hire for about $10 per day and the closer to the snow you rent them, the less time you need them for. We then drove the additional half hour to Selwyn where we were allocated clothes, boats, snow boards and lessons. Adam helped us suit up and it wasn’t long before I was learning about rails and turns with Englishman Matt and Amber was bonding with her own personal instruction Tanya from Banff. I didn’t see much of Amber for the next hour because she was way ahead of me on the learning curve. I spent quite a lot of time on my bum, digging my knees in the snow or leaning on Matt’s leg to get up. I did improve though, and before the hour was up I was flying solo for seconds at a time!

Snowboarding makes you VERY hungry so we tucked into sandwiches and a hot milo and chocolate before going out again on our own. One great thing about Selwyn is their picnic room where families are welcome to spread out and save money by bringing their own.

We spent another hour or so on the slopes but by about 2pm we were tired and sore so we clipped out, made an appointment for a lesson tomorrow and loaded up the car with all our new found ski gear. Getting all the compact icy snow off the boards was challenging, but we managed not to get too much wet inside the car.

On the way home we passed Kiandra goldfields with remnants of chimneys, a gold stamp, sorting sieve and miscellaneous other equipment. A little further a grave yard grabbed our attention enough to exit our warm vehicle for a short walk amongst the stones. Out of 47people buried here, 19 were between the ages of 0 and 3. Only five made it over 70 and this brought home the harshness of pioneering life to both of us.

Back at San Michelle, after a hot shower, we settled in front of the TV and watched Indiana Jones. Dinner was served at 6.30 again and Amber repeated the spag bol performance she had enjoyed so much. I tucked into a moist and delicious roast beef with seafood chowder for starters. It wasn’t long before we were in bed finishing off the movie with heavy eyelids.

Drive to the Snowy Mountains

2010-07-02T15:55:00.006+10:00

June 27

The drive to Adaminaby was not the winding mountain roads I had imagined. The majority was traversed on major highways, and perhaps this was for the best because we had a long way to go. We passed through the western wine regions around Geraldon and, since we were researching kids’ holidays, we didn’t stop. Fedra Olive Grover was, however, a different matter. Located a fair distance from the city for a stop, it offered the intrigue of rows of olive trees, promised olive tasting and an attractive restaurant with indoor/outdoor dining and a tasty/organic looking menu. Kids seemed very welcome with numerous ankle-biters running amuck and change tables and high chairs readily available. We tasted four different olives (black and green) and dipped Turkish bread in pure virgin olive oil also crushed on the premises. It was too cold to play on the playground, but we noted they DID have one before jumping in the car, cranking up the heat and continuing along the highway inland.

Next stop was a rest stop about 20km up the road and it was a strange one to say the least. We were skirting a flat bottom valley with hills rising on both sides and Amber exclaimed her excitement as she spotted her first ever wind farm on the far side. She wanted to pull over and take pictures so we planned to do so at the next rest stop. As we neared we were taken back by four zebras poised as if eating in the vast plain of the Serengeti (except for the lack of heat you could have easily have imagined yourself there). This rest stop was popular and I imagine the zebras (which were sculptures) and the accompanying reviver survivor free tea and coffee were equal drawcards. At least, they were to us.

We took pictures of the incongruent animal figures, steamed up my glasses in the hot drink donga and dropped a few coins into the donations box as we exited with tea and milo. What a great service!

It was about 3pm when our GPS lead us astray. Worse still, we let it. We took a right turn off the highway onto a dirt road called Caddiget Road. This was the road our accommodation was on and we knew it was a little out of Adaminaby Town so we followed along. An adventure ensued. Over hill and dale we drove on a dirt road, through breathtaking dormant farming land. Our fillings rattled over cattle grates and we espied a fox and a couple of wallabies on the way. At one stage we headed down a steep incline and held our breath, pride refusing to turn us around. It was a longer journey, yet one we will remember, and we approached our resort through the back way just as we were getting worried.

On first glance, San Michelle looks like an old stable and perhaps it is. Single storey white-washed buildings are organised with a courtyard area between. Now housing a grassy area and swimming pool, it wasn’t a place we intended to make use of in the winter… I am sure it’s a lovely spot in the summer though. The tennis court did pique our interest, however, and we make a mental note for later.

We checked in with Graham the manager in the main lounge area and were shown to our room… number 2. Overall first impressions were of the 70s. Brick walls, brown flowered bedspreads, red and black patterned carpet, wood free-standing wardrobes and patterned tiles in the bathroom. You get the idea. The lounge was similar: the bar boasted saddle bar stools, a few couches crowded the wood stove (which was beckoning) and wooden country-style tables and chairs were neatly arranged in the dinning room. It wasn’t what I was expecting from a snow area, but I soon warmed to the idea because Graham and Murray who ran the place were extremely welcoming. We placed an order for dinner which is served with a set menu (with two choices). One course cost $20 and two $28. Kids’ menus are even more reasonable with a set price for all three, but most guests appeared to be on an accommodation and meal plan.

We placed our orders, unpacked and made ourselves feel at home, then hit the tennis courts to warm up before dinner. My grilled Barra was lovely and Amber gave her spag bol a 10/10 which is high praise indeed. By 9pm we were tucked up beneath electric blankets and sleeping soundly.

Off to the snow

2010-07-02T15:34:00.001+10:00

June 26

On the road again… and boy it feels good!

Amber hadn’t been on a plane for six months and she was very excited! We boarded on time and left a little early (unheard of!). The short journey down to Sydney was spent talking about our upcoming adventure. We would spend tonight in Sydney then drive to Adaminaby in the morning. It would take about six hours to get to our resting place at San Michelle Resort. I was nervous about trying a new sport at the advanced age of 45, but what the heck.

Off the plane and we headed across the road to check in with Europecar and get our speedy little Hyundai Getz. Mohammed helped us through reams of paperwork and sent us on our way with a smile. He warned us we needed snow chains if we went above the snow line, and told us how to navigate the toll roads out of the city. Turns out we should have bought our Go Via tag, so if you are heading this way, don’t forget to throw it in. Luckily NSW has maintained the cash lane (unlike Queensland) so we just needed to remember to keep to the left lane.

We had chosen Europecar because they were recommended by the manager of Selwyn Snowfields (Paul) as one of very few rental companies that allow their cars to visit the snow. Turns out they also partner with Virgin, so we racked up a few Verlocity points along the way too.In our zippy Getz, we hooked up the GPS (we DID remember to bring this) and headed to our friends place for the night.

April 5

2010-04-05T21:48:00.002+10:00

Could we top the excitment of yesterday? Perhaps it wasn't necessary because we had all slid into the vacation mode and felt very relaxed today!

We packed the tents, said goodbye to this beautiful spot then drove into Coffs to have a quick look around. We parked at the marina and wandered through trinket shops then stocked up on seafood and sushi before hitting the road north.

Lunch was at a roadside stop close to Grafton and Iluka was about an hour further up the road. We were booked in at Anchorage Caravan Park and the welcome was wonderful. Tents up, it was hotter than it has been so I took the kids to the pool while Terri and Gavin chilled...

When I got back, Gavin had gone paddling so I caught up and joined him. We challenged ourselves to make the seaward point which was quite a challenge because Gavin's kayak was taking on water. He struggled on and we were rewarded by a visit by five dolphins!!

Back at camp the kids had been relaxing with DS's and were now playing madly with a gang of kids on the playground. Terri was concocting an amazing feast with the seafood and we gratefully sat down to dinner.

April 4th

2010-04-05T21:31:00.006+10:00

This was the day Amber had waited for. We were going to the Porpoise Pool where she was booked in to swim with dolphins. We were woken by Kate who had bee anxious to see what the Eater Bunny brought. They were both plensantly suprised. First up we managed to talk the kids into a early morning walk to the point where we had espyed a cairn of some point.

Across a wooden bridge and up along a windy ridge, and we came out on a grassy cliff. The sign appeared to be a survey marker adorned with ancient chains. In the wind, it was hard to keep upright and we kept our distance from the cliff edges. Back along a goat track which led to the beach, we stopped to skim rocks then arrived back at camp in time for delicious Easter pancakes cooked expertly by Terri.

We all jumped in one car and headed for the dolphin attraction for about 10.30. Amber had to check in at 10.45, so we wandered around seeing the various pools. There was less here to see than I had imagined, and the pools seemed awfully small for dolphins so I felt a little uneasy. The up side was, there was an almost endless opportunity for interaction during the day which we all enjoyed. From dolphin kisses and seal kisses to hand feeding opportunities, it was a wonderful place to connect with these amazing creatures.

Amber entered the pool with three other children at 11am. They met Bella the dolphin and stroked her tummy, fed her treats, brushed her teeth and even played ball. Amber was on the verge of squealing at every moment, and we were able to be only a few feet from her, watching the whole thing. Although the interaction was tame on an adult scale, Amber was absolutely estatic and it was a joy to watch.

Amber was on a high the rest of the day as watched the dolphin show, followed the baby dolphin around the pool and recieved numerous kisses. Although this attraction is old and a bit tired, the kids don't see this part, and it is well worth a visit.

We were all rather tired when we stopped at the Big Banana on the way back to camp. Perhaps it was this that gave us an impression which wasn't all together favourable. The attractions here certainly are varied... taboggan rides, ice-skating, walking trails, candy making demonstrations and the world's largest puzzle, to name a few...

Back home some of us hit the sack for a nana nap and Amber and I took to the beach. She played and I read my book... a beautiful stir-fry ended the day and it certainly was one we will remember for a long time!

April 3

2010-04-05T21:15:00.002+10:00

What a fabulous day! I lie in my bed, with Amber snuggled up at my side and it was just one of those days I had to feel thankful. My best friends and I have been swapping stories around the campfire and we almost mae it to 10pm! That's extremely late for camping.. even though it's NSW time and at home it's only 9!

We woke leisurely this morning to the intermittent sound of the pump, punctuated by bird calls. After weetbix and tea we slowly packed adn picked the owner's brains before we drove away. Nimbin is only 15km down the road and none of us have ever been there so we bet each other how many time we would be offered illegal substances, and headed off.

We drove through colourful streets where the locals matched the shop facades. Parking just through town we wandered back to the info centre and received expert advice about what to do in the area with kids. When we asked "where's good place to eat with kids?" the answer was, "you can't escape the smoking... this is Nimbin!". The original Rainbow cafe was recommended for lunch and it didn't disapoint. Staff and patrons were very friendly and the food was organic and excelent. This establishment is a co-op and established in 1973. In the gardens, a sandpit awaits little ones and nachos and smoothies hit the spot.

Also recommended came the candle factory, in the old butter factory building. This was an unexpected treat. When we arrived, the owner was busily ironing his candles (yes really!) which gives them a shine and smoothes the edges... he volunteered to show us the other candle-making processes and we really enjoyed learning about parafin by-products and watching how the wicks are lowered in to vats of hot wax (with heavy drips adorning the outsides).

It was quite a drive from here to Coffs Harbour so we got a wiggle on through Lismore,Woodburn and Grafton. We were staying at Moonee Beach, just 12km north of Coffs and this turned out to be a hidden secret well worth finding. The beautiful inlet welcomed us just as Lawree the owner did (with kids' colouring packs). We picked a spot well away from others (suprising at Easter) under shady trees then took our foling chairs and a beer to the beach and watch the kids play. Gavin and I took a short walk out to the ocean which was lovely in the early evening light.

Meatballs, an open fire and roasting marshmallows wrapped up a beautiful day. Amber wrote a note from the Easter Bunny for Kate (who is a veliever, and we settled in for the night.

TV stars!

2010-02-14T16:37:00.002+10:00

The countdown begins... Amber, I, and Kids Welcome will be featured on the Great Southeast on Channel 7 in less than one hour!! I am getting nervous! Presenter Sophie and her film crew came up to see us in November and asked Amber and me to show them our favourite three kids spots on the Sunshine Coast. We took them to the Scratch Patch at Opals Down Under, tide pools at Point Cartwright and then took the leap of faith on the trapeze at Twin Waters. Here's a picture to prove it...

If you read this before then, don't forget to tune in!

Back to the grind!

2010-02-06T21:39:00.003+10:00

After weeks of absolute freedom, it's quite an adjustment to get back to work. Amber went to her Dad's house and started her week about again. While some parents were aplauding the start of the school term, I look at it with sadness... and if I had a genie, Amber and I would be together all the time, homeschooling...

This week I signed off the Gold Coast edition of Kids on the Coast magazine. (For those of you who don't know, I am editor of that parenting magazine - link above). I also met with my co-workers at University and prepared lesson plans for the upcoming journalism and PR courses.

Last weekend I did a book signing at Chermside at Angus and Robertson. It was my most fun book signing yet with some wonderfully funny 'sprooking' and varied questions and interest from passers by. Perhaps the most memorable contact was with nine year old Ethan and his mum. Ethan is home schooled and exudes curiosity. We chatted for at least half an hour and shared some of our experiences. I too was home schooled (way back in the dark ages) and we felt an affinity with each other.

Then today it was my best friend's birthday. We signed up to learn to row together. Now, that doesnt mean dinghies... it means those hopelessly tippy matchsticks with oars. I was itching to see if I could stay upright, but the first in the series of eight lessons revolved around a video and a rowing machine... keep posted to see if I get wet next week!

It was hard to

Resort on the river

2010-01-28T14:10:00.009+10:00

Sometimes getting away is easier without hours in the car and this was one of those times! I needed to stay close to home to help with arrangements for my Dad's 'celebration of life' gathering, but both of us needed a break from the emotional week past. That's where Maroochy Palms came in.

Situated right on Bradman Avenue in Maroochydore, directly opposite the boat ramp, this is convienence in extreme. Not only could we wheel kayaks across the road, but the caravan park itself is one of those places you really don't need to leave. More like a resort than a campsite it includes crazy golf (with only a deposit for the clubs), kids movies at no charge, a jumping pillow, gym, fully enclosed playground, pool with a waterfall and a duck pond complete with baby ducks. All that for around $50 per night for a powered site for a small family.

Arrangements made and plenty of relaxing time later, Amber and I travelled slightly farther afield to one of our favourites: Thunderbird Park on the Gold Coast hinterland. www.thunderbird.com

This is a full on holiday destination of another sort. Rather than the usual resort type activities, it's an adventurers paradise with horse riding on well mannered horses, high ropes adventures and a thunder egg mine. (Grab your copy of Kids Welcome to Queensland to read more about that!).

We set up tent in a lovely quiet spot high on the hill and gathered fire wood so we could have the obligatory marshmallows, then walked to the swimming hole for a dip in the hot summer heat. Not generally a worry wart, I found myself tense watching kids leap from the rocks. Probably because I remember a kid dying that way in Airlie Beach after the rains had shifted rocks on the bottom...

My brother Nick and wife Lorna joined us there for a night which was lovely and gave Amber the chance to boast her courage on the high ropes course that morning! She did exceptionally well! Unfortunately the Adventure Parc has discontinued the Sensations Course which was great for little ones, but now she is tall enough for the high ropes, it wasn't missed.

Lorna and her girls took a lovely hour-long trek on horse back which stretched their abilities with constant ups and downs. They loved it!

Recap

2010-01-25T07:12:00.005+10:00

Well, the hectic last couple of weeks are over and my Dad has been farewelled at a delightful "Celebration of Life". Now it's time to get back to sharing a few of my holiday stories...

As Amber and I zipped back home at lightning speed we passed so many of those attractions I had noted on my southbound journey and noticed a few extras too. At The Dish, Parkes, the atronomers had talked about a 'Virtual Solar System' which apparently has been set up along the Parkes to Moree road to scale. I had been disapointed to have missed it, but delighted to notice the huge signs on my way north with Amber. It made a lovely rest stop on our long drive and what a wonderful idea! Driving for hours between these small half-planets gives the kids a very good impression of the size of our solar system.

Now, lets backtrack some more...
Before our midnight dash north, Amber and I had spent one of the most sucessful days ever at Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains. This is a destination in its own right and you could easily make it a three or four day escape from Sydney. I was unaware how extensive the caves are, and how long they have been a tourist attraction... over 150 years!

Management of the caves is exeptional and the tours on offer are varied and extremely kid friendly. Amber and I joined a three-hour Young Explorers tour, designed for kids from 6-10 who don't have to be accompanied by an adult. Our guide was a Phd holding playtypus expert from the University of Sydney. She was animated and made the adventure exciting. First we donned miner's helmets and kids were given a clipboard with a basic line drawing of the cave route we were to take.

As we traversed between caves and learned about those who had discovered each one, the kids were encouraged to create a legend of features (like stalagtites, water, bones etc) and name the caves. What a wonderful idea this was! Our tour ended sitting on the cave floor playing the memory game by helmet-light. Each of the cards were pictures of the explorers and each time we got a pair right, Anne told us the history behind the picture.

Jenolan Caves also offers self-guided audio tours especially for kids, wonderful cave tours of bejewelled caverns and adventure caving tours especially for teens. It's a natural theme park and I would highly recommend it!!

Amber and I couldn't let the holidays slip by without one last hurrah... so we have just returned from a few days camping at two of our favourites: Maroochy River (yes, it's just down the road from our house) and Tamborine Mountain (a little further away!). More about these places in my next post.

AWOL

2010-01-12T22:13:00.006+10:00

It's obviously been a while since I last wrote, and those of you who are not family won't know why.

Last Tuesday night, after a wonderful day exploring Jenolan Caves, Amber jumped into bed and a turned on my computer to check emails and jot you a few lines. My first email said "Call your brothers urgently" which sent shivers down my spine.

My Dad had suffered a huge stroke the night before and wasn't expected to live long. Could I get there in time? It was quite a question. I had never driven more than about four hours on the trotand there were 13 ahead. I weighed up driving to Sydney airport and trying to get a flight (but then being without a car), or breaking camp right then in the dark and rain, and knocking off a few hours before she awoke.

The second option won out and I explained what I was doing to Amber before she flopped into the back seat. By 3am I had managed to get 350km under my belt and stopped to sleep until Amber woke at 5.30am. Then we drove, stopped, ate, drove, ran around a park, drove, ate, and drove some more until 4pm on Wednesday afternoon when we arrived at Nambour hospital. Amber was an absolute trooper. Without a complaining word all day she kept me in conversation or singing to Wicked (I now know the entire sound track). Fatigue was far from my mind and I think I was running on adrenalin with one goal - to get there in time to say goodbye. And we made it.

In fact, although we didn't know it, we had an entire week up our sleeves and that's why you haven't heard from me. It has been a week of high emotion as my brothers and I took turns sleeping on the hospital room floor to support my mother who had a pull-out bed.

My Dad, Arthur Pye, died at 1.30am yesterday (Monday January 11). His youngest son and his wife were at his side and we had achieved our goal of making sure he wasn't alone. He will be missed by many, especially me. Those of you who have my book "Kids Welcome to Queensland" will recognise him from within its pages and this is Amber and Dad a few years ago. He was an extraordinary man. Not perfect, but who wants perfect? He wasn't just my Dad. He was an adventurer, teacher, comedian, sportsman, and friend to many.

Head for the hills

2010-01-05T06:46:00.004+10:00

Time to release the shackles of city life and swap for the smell of canvas. Yippee! We packed the car early this morning and tidied Peg's house then hooked up the navman (who we have called Jess so it suits the male or female voice!).

First stop Katoomba in the Blue Mountains and as we drove the rain came in again... I must say I am getting a little sick of the wet :( Amber's ear has been hurting since she got home, and apparently it was hurting for most of the time in the US too, so I was a bit worried. Since it's been public holidays or weekends since she arrived, today was the first day to do something about it and, as we drove into Katoomba I saw a medical centre. Finding parking was a little more tricky but we did eventually find space for both car and trailer and the doc managed to squeeze us between two patients.

Good news... no ear infection, but we got a script for anti biotics. The doc suggested continuing on with the ear drops we picked up at the pharmacy, and if it doesn't improve in a couple of days, go for the script because it might be in deep...

By the time we arrived at Scenic World it was about 11. We checked in a the office with marketing manager Rob Weaver who arranged an explorer ticket for us.Scenic World boasts three different modes of travel spanning the chasms and steep hills. The whispy clouds were starting to clear so we started with the Skyway - a horizontal cable car with a glass bottom which loops between two cliff faces and passes Katoomba Falls. It was magnificent... especially in the remaining clouds.

We took a walk at the other side to the Cascade pools where Amber decided to take up photography and hogged my camera. She looked very professional down on her haunches!

Back on the other side, we headed for the Rail Way which is the steepest rail in NSW (?) Have to check that one in the media pack! A couple of minutes long only, it was quite a ride down to the bottom of the hill and the site of the original Katoomba Coal Mine. A facinating walk through the rainforest took us along a trail of discarded equipment and mine entrances. Then it was back up on the Cable Way with Amber given preferencial treatment with the driver in the front!

Amber's remaining jet lag took over after all this excitment and she rested while I drove the hour and a half to Oberon where we were camping at the closest caravan park to Janolan Caves. It was 5pm when we arrived and our key was in an envelope on the front door waiting us. We pitched tent and broke out the Mastermind! Then got talking to the kids next door... Emma and Reily. When I asked Emma what school she went to she said "Buderim Mountain State School!" which was a shock!

After dinner of spag bog we joined these kids and more at the nearby skate park where Amber ran, rip-sticked and laughed for a hour or so as the sun went down. It's strange having dark come after 8.30 and our bed times are out of wack, but we both snuggled under blankets in the mountain air and were asleep soon after 9.30. Oh, it's good to be camping again!!

Amber's trip

2010-01-03T19:40:00.006+10:00

Hi everyone. It is good to be back in Australia in the hot blazing sun, or the wet rainy weather! When I was in America we went to Lake Tahoe where it snowed and I went to snowboarding lessons. It was very fun and we stayed at a hotel. There was a hot pool but not that hot and a hot tub (and I really mean hot). Apart for being at Lake Tahoe we stayed at my cousin's place but not in their house. We stayed in the guest house at the bottom of the drive. Emily slept at the little house four times but Liam didn't want to. I slept at their house twice. We had lots of fun on Christmas Day. Emily had the most presents of everyone. She had about 35! Liam was next on the list with about 32 and third was me. Emily cried when I went to go to the airport. She really wanted to come and I felt very sorry for her.

My friend Kyara was in Sydney yesterday so we played with her at Olympic Park aquatic centre. My favourite was the whirl pool where there is a current which pushes you into a big current and you put your feet up and swirl around. Second favourite was the jumping castle in the water. You had to do through a test to get a wrist band so you could go on the castle. You had to go through four arches, climb up a ladder thing and slide down a really steep slide. There was a really big queue for the huge side. You don't go very fast but it is pretty long and you end up in another pool.

OMG about today what should i say first? WICKED was WICKED! So wicked! Good night everybody! See you when I get home to Queensland! Yeah! From Amber. (By the way this picture is Abby at San Francisco zoo after she was taken away by the monkeys).

Wicked day!

2010-01-03T19:23:00.003+10:00

Guess what? It's raining again!!
Amber and I were planning to go on the Manly ferry this morning before going to the Theatre, but it was such a grey day we chilled at Peg's instead.

At noon we were on the train making our way to Central for the short walk to the Capitol Theatre for Wicked. Amber has never been to a major production and I was so excited to see her reaction. I wasn't disapointed. From the moment we stepped into the ornate lobby to the end of the play she was awe struck. The stage was elaborate, performances good and the story had enough of a familiarity that we could both follow along easily. Every now and again she grabbed me to make sure I didn't miss the light changes or the flashing dragon's eyes. I am so glad we went.

We were both pretty tired after the performance so after a short walk through China Town we headed home and chilled some more. Amber is still suffering a bit of jet lag and we are heading camping tomorrow so good to rest.

I hope the rain subsides... keep your fingers crossed!

Catching up with friends

2010-01-02T20:29:00.007+10:00

Amber and I caught the train into Circular Quay this morning and walked round to the opera house. Amber was finding the heat a bit much and her ear was hurting but we booked ourselves onto the city cat to Olympic Park where we had planned to meet Marc, Simone and Kyara. It was a lovely half hour ride upstream!

When we arrived, however, we discovered the Olympic Park ferry dock is quite a way from the statium and other features and no shuttle bus seemed to be running. We started walking and half way through a 1.5 hour walk, the skies opened and we were pretty drenched by the time we arrived. Luckily we had made a game of learning Spanish on the way and we were both in reasonable spirits.

The Aquatic Centre was well worth the walk. Not just an Olympic pool, the huge building housed an aquatic playground complete with slides, inflatables, a rapid water circle and a huge bucket that dumped water on your heads in intervals. It was just what the kids needed (big and small) and we played in the water for a couple of hours.

Marc drove us home after that and we showed them Peg's then headed to the Sushi Train before dinner and then kissed them on the way to the airport to return to the Sunshine Coast.

What a lovely day it was catching up with our best friends. We are both thoroughly exhausted, but happy!

The best New Year present

2010-01-01T21:21:00.008+10:00

This might be the only time I am in Sydney for New Year so I made my way with the rest of the state's population to Circular Quay then, on advice from the train ticket seller, walked round under the 'coat hanger' to the other side. She was spot on because there were far less people here and I found a possy on a jutting dock with unencumbered view and nice neighbours. Pat and Megan were from Penrith. She much older than he, and he originally from Hong Kong. An unlikely pair, they seemed to gel together really well and we shared lovely conversations for the couple of hours we waited for the early fireworks. And what a wonderful spectacle it was!

Aparently "this was nothing" and I should wait for the midnight version... which I did. I had loosely planned to meet best friends Marc, Simone and Kyara who are visiting family down here. It worked perfectly and I moved to the other side of the bridge (foregoing position for close friends) in time for the countdown and big bang.

Golden fire rained down on us as the bridge seemed to explode into never ending colour. Watching this on TV is nothing compared to being squeezed between sweaty bodies all looking skyward. I am so glad I made the effort, and even the couple of hours shuffling back to the train station caught up in a wave of humanity didnt diminish it's effect.

Four hours sleep later I was in my car, hooking up the Navman and making my way to the airport to pick up Amber. In my excitement I was an hour or so early, but it didnt matter... airports are for people watching. The highlight at international arrivals was when a middle aged muslim lady arrived pushing her trolley. A grown man, who presumably was her son, didnt let the barriers hold him back and he lept the bar to whisk the woman up in an enormous embrace. Sitting next to me an Asian woman turned and said "isn't it lovely to see the joy". How wonderful, I thought, that the moment had been so moving that an Asian woman saw fit to comment on the joy of a muslim to a white woman!

I was almost as excited when I saw Amber appear looking grown up again. After goodbyes with Jay and Monica we made our way outside and sat at a cafe for a while sharing and swapping stories. Amber showed me her trinkets and I told her of our changes in plans then we drove to Peg's house for a quiet day filled with regular hugs and unexpected kisses.

Plans began to develop: Tomorrow we will meet Marc, Simone and Kyara at the Sydney Olympic Park. The next day we have splurged and bought tickets to see the world renowned performance of Wicked! (We are both extremely excited about this one!). Then on Monday we drive to the Blue Mountains where we are camping for two nights and visiting Jenolan Caves. Its an enviable schedule and we are both pretty excited.

The best New Year's present of all? Amber is home! For the first time I have a partner in crime as I research NSW!

Roof over my head

2009-12-31T08:49:00.008+10:00

I haven't written for a couple of days and I am now sitting in friend Peg's lovely cottage in Erskenville, Sydney. The skies continue to threaten and fireworks tonight might be affected, but it's the only time I am likely to be in Sydney for New Year, so I will join the crowds tonight...

When I left you last I was camped in Bathurst. The next morning I wandered around town to find the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum. It held a beautiful collection of shinny and ancient things, but not particularly interactive for kids. The building itself was impressive - a huge Victorian school building like one of the wings from Harry Potter. Aparently the high ceilings had kept the building so cold that parents started pulling their kids out of the school and it eventually had to close!

I stumbled on the best playground I have ever seen in Bathurst. Unique in every way, it boasted a flying fox, xylaphone sounding bridge, climbing wall, stockman's yard style maze and obligatory slides and swings. It was an attraction in it's own right!

I was finding myself a bit in need of a rest so I headed for the Blue Mountains to a campsite recommended by Marilyn on the phone at National Parks. Ingar is 15km from Wentworth Falls along a dirt road and no bookings were necessary or possible. Pot luck (and a few pot holes as well). When I got there, I found all sites were cabled off and suitable for tents only. One, however, had a gap in the poles just large enough to squeeze my trailer so, rather like a jigsaw puzzle, I manovered the trailer in inch by inch then set up in paradise next to a fire pit.

Hot and sweaty I went for a dip in the nearby swimming hole and then relaxed with my book. (Lorna, I finished Edgar Sawtelle!). The afternoon started in peace but before too long I was flanked by two families with numerous kids. Now, that wouldn't be a problem, except one of the mothers was a gold medal winning nagger. "Lachlan - NO", "Lachlan - what are you doing?"... you get the idea. The campfire was lovely... strumming my guitar great but the kids didn't go to bed until after 10... I beat them to it and heard nagging in my dreams.

A delemma raged in the morning. I had planned to stay another night but by 9am I had a headache from the nagging and realised there were no walking trails nearby to effect an escape so I and changed plans. I rearranged by stuff for a few days in the city and retraced my tracks along the dirt road, then set my Navman to Penrith to visit the whitewater kayak stadium (the one used in the 2000 Olympics).

Wow - this is an attraction well worth visiting. Free entry and this man made white water is the only one of its kind in the country. Kayakers weave their way through gates and rapids and a path around the entire facility keeps spectators right near the action. At the bottom of the "hill" an elevator takes the kayaks and rafts back up to the top!!

Penrith is only about 45 minutes from Sydney so it was an easy drive from there to Erskenville. I don't know what I would have done for directions without my GPS, which is a real godsend. It took me right to the door and I pulled into the church parking lot across the street where Peg had arranged I could keep my car and trailer.

A shower, cup of tea and laundry load later I turned on the TV for the first time in 10 days... and chilled for the evening...

Much rested after a good night's sleep, I am now ready to explore again. I am off on a walk to Kings Road shortly. Might see a movie at the Dendy or take myself out for lunch. I just spoke to Simone and will try to meet up with them for NY celebrations.

If I don't talk to you, have a wonderful New Year!

Looking back, and out

2009-12-28T20:42:00.006+10:00

What a facinating day! First stop was THE DISH at Parkes which is famous for its role in relaying pictures of the moon landing. (I hope you have all seen the movie?). What I didn't know was, it is just as cutting edge NOW and astronomers from around the globe come here to study radio waves from the universe and attempt to find out how it was made. I listened to a wonderful talk by astronomer Mickela who was so enthusiastic I wanted to run away to space... then saw a 3D movie series including one about the size of space which blew me away. A must for any kid studying planets. What I didn't expect was an overwhelming patriotism about the role this huge structure in a sheep paddock played in world history.

Still on a high from that visit I drove to Cowra for a historical journey of a different kind. In WWII England asked Australia to take its share of POW's because they were running out of places to put them. Financed by the commonwealth, Australia created a camp in Cowra near a military base. Here Indonesian, Italian and Japanese POW's were housed.

In 1944, conditions became overcrowded and they planned to move low ranking Japanese soldiers to another facility. The prisoners took a vote secretly and decided to escape instead. At about 2am they made a dash and two soldiers in their pjamas held them back with a machine gun. Two thousand POWs died and three Australian soldiers. About 300 escaped. The government had egg on its face and covered up the incident until much later.

Rather than glorify this event, the citizens of Cowra have reconsiled with their past. The town now has a sister city in Japan, a Japanese garden, cherry blossom event and a self drive tour of the historical aspects. Most impressive, I found, is the World Peace Bell quietly errected by library. Awarded by a world organisation and made from melted down coins and weapons, the bell is usually given to national capitals. After a recorded introduction to the process, visitors are invited to pull back the huge Japanese like battering ram to ring the bell in the name of peace. I can't describe how moving this is, and the sound reverberates through the whole town.

I am now esconsed in my camper trailer in Bathurst. I think I might avoid the national motor racing museum tomorrow, but might take a look at the Australian Fossil Museum before driving to the Blue Mountains.

With any luck I will find a National Park site and hole up for a couple of nights with a campfire and my guitar. If this plan works, I won't write anthing tomorrow because I won't have power! I know you will miss me, but I am sure you can handle it!!

Go to gaol... do not pass go!

2009-12-27T21:33:00.005+10:00

Although the rain depression was supposed to have cleared by today, it didn't, and I found myself packing a wet tent in the pouring rain. By the time it was down, I was soaked, most of my clothes were packed away inside it, and I was left scrambling for cover inside the car. Not a fantastic start, but first stop was Old Dubbo Gaol and it certainly didn't disapoint. Manager Steven and cohort Ben laid on an enactment of life in the prison. This was backed up by a wonderful hologram life story of the resident hangman and his 'clients'. Even the cells themselves came to life with recorded chatter on inmates as you passed through, making it a really good way to bring history to life. Much impressed.

On the road I drove to Wellington to the Caves and Phosphate mine. I toured the mine which promised a good insight and didnt really deliver... I think it had more to do with the tour guide than the subject, however.

Then late afternoon it was on to Parkes through a torrential downpour and country lanes. Luckily it petered out before I arrived and I luxuriously pitched the trailer without getting wet and chatting to my neighbours who had journeyed from Melbourne.

One of the delights of travelling alone is the people you meet who seem more willing to talk! I LOVE it!! Equally as excited about visiting the DISH tomorrow morning, and on to Cowra POW camp... talk soon!

A day with the animals

2009-12-26T20:30:00.010+10:00

I was amazed at 8.30am to find I had slept in. It was still pelting down outside and pretty dark, but it wasn't going to disuade me from the Western Plains Zoo. By 10am I was there collecting my pushbike inside the entrance. Unlike most zoos, this one is very spread out and a road runs between enclosures, with plenty of little pathways as short cuts. The choice is either drive or cycle and I had opted for the latter.

On such a dull day, most visitors had stayed away leaving me blissfully alone at many of the enclosures or siting on a lake bank watching primates play, surrounded by bush and no evidence of humankind. Heaven. Apart from the ocassional car and crowd at animal feedings, this is the way it was all day and I revelled in the solitude.

Enclosures have been cleverly designed as moats, or sunken fences so at times I was possible to round a corner and feel you were riding into a herd of Zebra or wildebeast! I watched African dog feeding, hippo feeding and heard a talk about Siamangs (lanky primates with a booming voice!) who put on a ten minute show to ward us off.

The day flew by and I would recommend this attraction with kids of ALL ages, and strongly suggest a bike. I saw visitors jumping in and out of their cars and felt they missed some of the experience...

Back at camp I was welcomed by my Noumean friends and a bottle of wine and pack of cards... now time to catch up and hit the sack!

Christmas adventures

2009-12-25T20:24:00.006+10:00

On Christmas Eve a flood warning was issued for this inland region as fall out from the cyclone which recently hit the top end... I sat with my new found friends in Lightning Ridge Hotel bar and the locals fell into two camps: those who thought the floods would be worse than any previously imagined, and those that thought it would blow over without incident.

So, you can imagine, at 4.30am, when it started tickling on my canvas roof, I was a little worried. The rain got steadily stronger but then mysteriously quit half an hour later. I decided it was a window worth taking advantage of. So, around 5.30am I started packing up my gear with memories of a similar event in the British Virgin Islands on Christmas morning when my brother Chris and I were blown off the beach in his bright orange two-man tent and rowed home in the dark (but that's another story!).

By 6am I had the tent folded away and trailer hitched. I took myself off for a shower while I waited for my neighbours to show their faces so I could say goodbye and Rick the miner was lovely and gave me a necklace for Christmas!

I was reluctant to leave "the Ridge" so I wandered over the fossicking heap one last time (you are supposed to see opals better after rain, but no luck), and stopped at the artesian hot spring for a dip on Christmas morning. The sky was darkening and it was time to try and outrun the weather so I headed south towards Dubbo with the music blaring and a smile on my face.

The contrast between yellow hay fields, solitary trees and a deep black sky was stunning, and ocassionally I could see emus grazing in the fields. The rain set in, and the four hour drive slowed near the end. A dilemma ensued... to whip out and get a motel room? Or stick it out under canvas? I osolated between the two options and by default ended up at the Big 4 in Dubbo where I had a reservation for a powered site.

As I took the cover off the trailer a lovely French man from Noumea asked if I had any panadol for his girlfriend, then proceeded to help me errect my awning. Rain sides up, and shade cloth down on soggy ground, I tucked in and caught up on last night's sleep. How lovely to spend Christmas doing what I want to do without any obligations! I had wondered if I would feel lonely today, but I don't in the least. I managed to talk to Amber briefly, my parents and brothers, so life is good...

This evening I spend sharing a bottle of wine with my Noumean friends and I am just about to curl up in bed with a book... Ahhh... heaven!

Lightning Ridge

2009-12-24T21:25:00.007+10:00

One of my big goals on this trip was to get to Lightning Ridge and yesterday I made it! The road in is long and flat and it felt much like setting a course at sea and watching the horizon for hours on end. Ocassionally something would pop up along the way to jolt my brain back in to gear... like this mail box ready for Christmas, or a painting on the side of the CWA building...

Lightning Ridge is much like other mining towns. It hides it secrets well beneath the ground. The people too are gems in the rough and I find them facinating. Today I went on a tour of the area with a bearded driver called Peter who, in addition to driving tourists round the bend, is a saddler, songwriter and sometimes a movie extra.

He told tall tales about the town as we past each corner - about wealth and hitting it rich. About characters and murders, multiculturalism and non-political correctness. We stopped at an open cut mine and met the miner, Brian, who was himself a bit player in several movies. Then we explored a mine and toured a castle folly. There are so many stories to retell!

I tried my hand at fossicking today with extreme limited luck, but yesterday met my neighbour at the caravan park who is a miner and showed me some of his stones... he even gave me a few trinkets so I guess I could pretend they were mine! :)

There is SO much to do in LR with kids, I can't begin to sing it's merits. This afternoon I toured an underground mine where the owner has carved the limestone caves for the past ten years... take a look at this one, for starters!

After a drink at the pub with my other neighbours (a couple of nomads from Brissy) I fried up dinner and settled into the evening. It hasn't been as hot as I had imagined... only high 30s, but they are forcasting heavy rain and possible floods tomorrow. I will hit the road to Dubbo early to try and avoid the onslaught.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Tenterfield to Moree

2009-12-22T20:53:00.005+10:00

Today I learnt to harness the information centres. First at Tenterfield I talked the wonderful manager who pointed me in the direction of the town's top attractions. These included the Railway museum where I met a delightful German born volunteer who showed me around and told me how she sometimes gives kids a whistle to blow to orchestrate the model railway inside the station... I also visited a maze and cafe in Tenterfield and was heartily welcomed.

On the road to Glen Innes where I met a wonderful aboriginal man called Fred at the information centre. His knowledge of the area was second to none and we chatted for ages!

next stop Inverell where Sandy plied me with brochures and promised to send information on all the town's events.

I arrived at Moree around 6.30pm NSW time and set up my tent. It didnt go a smoothly as yesterday and I was a little tired, but after frying up some sausages and relaxing with a glass of wine, things turned rosy. The caravan park has it's own mineral spring and five pools of different temperatures. I just got back from soaking my bones in each one... and chatting to fellow travellers...

Tomorrow off to Lightning Ridge with a hope to strike it rich in opals!

Into NSW

2009-12-21T18:47:00.004+10:00

It was exciting to cross the border to day at 9am and set my clock forward. I crossed the Tweed then first stop was Tropical Fruit World. Much like the Big Pineapple, it's a working fruit farm, but the range of options leaves the former for dead. A tractor ride takes you on a tour of the fields and a petting zoo, small train rides and ends with a fruit tasting demo. Lovely location, wonderfully friendly staff...

I drove up the Tweed Valley through lush fields and mountains, diverting to a few good looking picnic grounds. Lunch at Meltdown - a lovely trendy cafe in Casino where they make delicious home made pies... then on towards Tenterfield. I was hoping to make it to Texas today, but ran out of steam and I am now set up in an ordinary campsite not far from town. The saving grace is the 100 year old reception building and stable, but I am sitting along a fence line and pimped up cars are driving in and out regularly... tomorrow I will check out thee rail museum and a few other goodies before driving on. Maybe I'll stop in Texas... maybe I'll just continue to Moree...

Having a ball, and finding all kind of interesting things for kids! Now I'm going to fry up some veggies for dinner! Good night!!

On my way!

2009-12-20T11:08:00.002+10:00

(To the tune of Leaving on a Jet Plane:)

"The trailer's hitched, and ready to tow
I'm standing here besides about to go
I thought I'd write a note to say goodbye
Now the road is calling, its getting late
I've cleaned the house and I closed the gate
If I was more excited... I would die....

So wave goodbye and honk for me
Tell me that you'll follow me
Post me comments and always check my blog...

I'm leaving on a long drive
Gotta say it great to be alive
oh yeah, I just can't wait to go..."

Wish me luck on this adventure! First stop the Gold Coast to pick up my kayak, then on to Texas (no, not in the US!). My co-pilot, Navman will keep me on the straight and narrow and tunes from Missy, Credence, Yusaf and others are likely to send me into singing marathons.

Last week of jobs

2009-12-14T10:20:00.003+10:00

How is it, when I was younger, travel seemed as easy as crossing the street. I used to work for six months to get enough money to travel, then travel. Then work to get enough money to travel... you get the idea.

As I prepare for life on the road as a travel writer, I am SOOO excited. This is a dream come true. This week I will be fixing gas bottles on my camper trailer, getting a lead so I can charge the camp fridge while driving, learn how to use my remote internet connection (just purchased) and working out who does what around the house while I am gone!

One week to go and I am off!! The loose plan is to head to Byron Bay for a few days, break my journey back in Queensland on the Gold Coast for Christmas then head inland to Lightening Ridge to see if I can find any opals! Down the inland route and back out at the Coast at Sydney...where I pick up Amber off a plane.

Getting the car ready...

2009-12-09T12:36:00.004+10:00

I'm not travelling incognito this time round! Take a look at my new, flash signage!
No more speeding or one-finger salutes for me... make sure you honk if you see me passing! Expected date of departure for the next travel trip is Dec 20... route to follow shortly!

Welcome to my blog!

2009-11-30T16:29:00.000+10:00

As I prepare to pack up the camper trailer and head south for the holidays, it's time to start share the experience, hints for travel with kids and hidden treasures I find on the way. Welcome onboard for the ride!