A long drive to Armidale

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!