Lake Barrine - Temporary Home

 13 - November  2025 - 19 January 2026

We moved into the guest house at Lake Barrine and were very glad to be settled while we waited for our house to be finished. There had been some delays and it looked like we would not be moving in for a while yet, so we set about enjoying our temporary home. Even though we hadn't budgeted to pay rent at this stage, we knew we couldn't continue to live in the camper trailer through the wet season.

The guest house has a magnificant view over grazing lands towards Yungaburra, and backs onto the National Park rainforest surrounding Lake Barrine. All in all a fabulous location. We made the most of our time there and did lots of organising for our own home, as well as going out and about in the area.

A foggy morning at Lake Barrine

We were staying very close to two of our favourite places - Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham - so we visited often, sometimes to walk all the way around and sometimes just to hang out and do some birding. We also had a lovely lunch at the Lake Barrine Tea House one day. 

One day while on our way to Lake Eacham we stopped to walk down the Wright's Creek Road. Mick was hoping to do some birding along the road that has been closed since flooding damaged the bridge some years ago. On the way to the bridge we noticed a sign to Vision Falls - no indication of how far - so we ventured along the bush track anyway. This turned out to be a lovely spot with a beautiful small waterfall and some terrific birding. 

Vision Falls

A visit to the famous Yungaburra Markets to do some Christmas shopping was also in order. There are markets held  on the Tablelands every weekend and Yungaburra is the biggest and the best, but you have to be early to get a parking spot that doesn't require a long walk. We bought lots of locally produced goodies to give as gifts to family - and to eat ourselves too!

We also had lots of "regular" outings including trips to Cairns to pick up things for the house (and a spot of birding) and coffee with our Ravenshoe friends Rob and Cheryl. We were starting to feel quite at home up here.

We had invited our Warnambool birding friends Tony and Julia to stay with us for a few nights, thinking that we would be in our house by the time of their visit but that wasn't to be. We hosted them in the guest house instead and had a great time touring some local birding spots including some that Tony had heard about that we didn't know. We also did some of the "tourist" spots like Malanda Falls and Peterson Creek.

As Christmas approached I travelled to Cairns to pick up daughter Jo from the airport on her way home for her grand adventure sailing to Darwin and back to the Torres Strait. Her flight was coming in mid-afternoon and then she would leave on an early flight to return home to Hobart. I decided to spend the night in Cairns so I could do the last of my Christmas shopping, pick up some of the furniture we had ordered, as well as do the airport pick-up and drop-off. I was nice to have a night out with my daughter, even if it did mean getting up very early to get her to airport for a 6:00am flight.

When we thought we would be in our house we invited both the girls and my sister to spend Christmas with us. As we became more and more concerned that the house wouldn't be ready we sought an alternative and found an apartment at Trinity Beach that we thought would suit our needs. We didn't want to cancel so booked and set about re-arranging our plans. Julia and Jo had booked to fly in on the same flight, arriving on the Monday before Christmas. Mick and I decided to head to Cairns early to do some birding before picking them up at the airport and it was just as well we did, as we had serious car trouble and couldn't get it going. After many calls to RACQ and mechanics we eventually arranged for the car to be towed to a repairer in Cairns and for Julia to pick up a hire car. I travelled in the tow truck and the girls picked me up at the mechanics. What a day! We were all worn out by the time we arrived home, but the good news was that the problem was going to be easily and cheaply fixed.

The following day we packed up the hire car with all the things we would need for a family Christmas and drove back to Cairns. We were able to check in to the apartment before picking up my car, returning the hire car and then collecting Bronwyn from the airport. After depositing her at the apartment, Julia and I headed back to the big shopping centre at Smithfield armed with a huge grocery shopping list. 

Family drinks at a brewery.

We arranged to have a simple grazing platter for dinner, and accompanied by a few drinks we were finally able to relax after a couple of busy and stressful days.

We even managed a Christmas tree!

We spent the next 5 nights eating, drinking, lazing in the pool, walking on the beach and generally having some fabulous family time. We visited a local brewery, a bar and a pub. We also ventured into Cairns for some birding and an ice cream on the Esplanade.

A bit of excitement for Julia was the impending blooming of four Titan arums - Amorphophallus titanum at the Cairns Botanic Gardens. As luck would have it there were actually three about to bloom, but unfortunately none were ready on our first visit the day before we were to depart. We would have to return.

On our final day we dropped Bronwyn off at the airport and Jo off to pick up her hire car. We then went back to the gardens where the arums were closer to blooming - but not quite there. From Cairns we drove with Julia on a bit of a long way home - via Mossman and Julatten so we could do some birding. Julia had bought herself some binoculars and had started a bird list so was very keen to add some more new species to it. Our main target was the Buff-breasted paradise kingfisher. This gorgeous bird migrates from New Guinea to breed in the rainforests of north Queensland around November each year. It was raining and miserable when we turned down an unsealed road but we were well rewarded with a number of close sightings. The first bird flew right across the road in front of the car, and after that we saw several more. It was well worth the detour even with the awful conditions.

We returned to our temporary home with Julia and spent the next couple of days doing some Tablelands touristy things, including birding at Hasties Swamp and Lake Barrine. The day Julia was to fly home to Hobart we left early enough to include a return visit to the Botanic Gardens and were delighted to see that not one, but two, Titan arums had bloomed. Such a treat!

Jo was enjoying her time in the Daintree and even managed to get photos of cassowaries. She called in to the gardens on her way back to the airport and was rewarded with the last of the titan blooms that had started to open the evening before. How lucky was that!

We spent the next couple of weeks quietly, mostly at home waiting to move into our new house. After a number of delays and some very stressful times we collected the keys and moved in. There is much work to do, particularly in the yard and garden, but we now have a home again. We'll still travel, but will probably not embark on any more trips that take us away for months at a time, or maybe we will.

Cheers to a new home!

Yungaburra

 12 -13 November 2025

We set off from Port Douglas to return to the Atherton Tablelands. As usual we made a stop at Abattoir Swamp for morning tea and some birding, before heading on to Yungaburra to set up for the night. We chose to stay at the caravan park at the lake so we would be close to our possible new temporary home. 

Families of curlews make the caravan park their home

We had arranged to meet to discuss renting a guest house on a semi-rural property at Lake Barrine while we waited for our new house to be finished. When we arrived we were gob-smacked by the view - and the very well set up guest house. Arrangements were made to move in the following day.

We went back to the caravan park and re-organised things in the camper trailer so that we would have everything we needed at hand. We would be able to unpack the trailer properly over the next few days and then it would be stored in one of the farm sheds.

We were a little bit excited and more than a bit relieved at the prospect of having a roof over our heads and headed over in the morning ready to move in.

Port Douglas

 10 - 12 November 2025

Mick was keen to go to Port Douglas to find a bird that he didn't have on his "life list" yet so we contemplated spending 5 nights there, but in the end settled on two. This was a good decision for a number of reasons - it was getting hotter and more uncomfortable in the camper trailer, we had a chance to move into temporary roofed accommodation in a few days, and the bird he was after was found dead the day before we arrived!

We made it to Port Douglas by mid-morning after a relatively short drive of just over an hour. We settled into a caravan park out of town, in a really nice setting. Unfortunately our spot didn't have the sort of shade we had hoped for, but the pool was close. There was also a water park which meant that the pool was generally kid free which was a nice bonus.

We went out to the spot where the bird had been located as there was a report that a second one may have been seen, but we weren't hopeful, and we didn't find it, if it was there at all. Later in the afternoon my friend, Liz, called in on her way home from work in Port Douglas. We really enjoy catching up with friends when we travel.

We enjoyed a nice walk by the water

The following day we went into "town" for a look around and to do some shopping. Tourist season was winding down and it was too early for the school holiday crowd so it was fairly quiet. We walked out on to the jetty and around the shops, stopping for a coffee before heading home. We returned later in the day to spend some time working in the library, but realised when we arrived that Mick had left his laptop back at the caravan park! Instead we stopped at Warri Park Wetland on the way home for a bit of a look around. This small wetland is nestled behind a residential area.

We had arranged to meet with our prospective new landlady on Wednesday afternoon so packed up and set off for Yungaburra, where we would, hopefully, spend our last night in the camper trailer for this trip.

Cairns

 2 - 10 November 2025

We packed up at Kurrimine Beach and headed back to Cairns for what we hoped would be our last week in the camper trailer. We didn't book this time as we knew the caravan park wouldn't be full as all the southern tourists had retreated from the hot and wet conditions. Once again we scored a spot near the creek  - and once again we spent plenty of time in the pool.

While we were in Cairns, our daughter Jo let us know that she would be stopping in Yorkeys Knob for the day so we arranged to go and meet the catamaran "Eviota" when she arrived. This was a research trip for Reef Life Survey that would take them from Airlie Beach to Darwin and back to Thursday Island. Quite an adventure for someone who had only ever been out on day trips.

As they made their way up the coast Jo kept in touch and we arrived at the marina at the same time as the boat and her small crew. Jo had been tasked with doing some shopping while the others refuelled the boat and carried out other essential tasks. We drove her back to the big shopping centre at Smithfield so she could get groceries. Dropping her back, Jo gave us a tour of her temporary home. She certainly seemed to be loving the experience and was learning a lot about sailing.

Jo has really taken to live on the high seas

For the rest of our time in Cairns we continued our regular visits to the library to work and also did some more birding - of course.  While we were on the Esplanade one day we also went to the Art Gallery. 

We were starting to get a bit anxious about returning to the Tablelands and continuing to camp in the camper trailer as the wet season approached. There had been further delays to our new home and it was doubtful that we would be in before early December. We felt it was time to consider our options and look for alternative accommodation. As luck would have it we saw an ad for short term accommodation at Lake Barrine that might suit us so we made contact and arranged to meet once we had met all our commitments on the coast. We had already booked to go to Port Douglas for a couple of nights so wouldn't be back on the Tablelands until mid-week.

Kurrimine Beach

 30 October - 2 November 2025

With a reasonably short drive ahead of us to Googarra Beach we left the caravan park in Cairns right on check-out time, and headed south. We turned off towards Tully Heads and Googarra Beach. We had chosen this spot because the caravan park is right next to the pub and we thought it might be handy to have a meal there. We were also wanting to check it out as a possible venue for the next "boys weekend". 

We drove past the caravan park and were unsure if it would be as nice as we thought, so we continued down to the beach and found a picnic area to have some lunch while we made up our minds. In the end we opted not to stay - the park was too far from the beach and there wasn't a whole lot of shade. Instead we decided to go back north to Kurrimine Beach.

Kurrimine Beach has always been a bit of a favourite, the caravan park is attached to the pub, right on the beach and with a nice pool and some shade. We checked in initially for one night but ended up extending that to 3. We had dinner at the pub on the first night and had a lovely relaxing holiday - swimming in the pool and walking on the beach.

Dinner and drinks with a view

While we were there, youngest daughter Jo was travelling up the coast onboard a catamaran, on a work/volunteer trip surveying reef life and she let us know they would be stopping briefly in Mission Beach to swap crew members. We thought we might be able to time a visit to coincide with this but it just wasn't going to work out. We hoped we might be able to catch up in Cairns instead. 

We made the decision to return to Cairns for a week, hoping that our new home would be ready soon. Of course, we went back to our favourite caravan park again.

Cairns

 22 - 30 October 2025

We decided to return to Cairns in the hope of getting out on a reef trip to Michaelmas Cay - to photograph birds - but first we had to detour via the Atherton Tablelands. Mick had been without a laptop since the end of July when his had been returned for a full refund. This presented us with a dilemma as the specs he requires mean that we could only purchase online, and we needed a physical address for delivery. Not knowing exactly where we would be created a challenge but we ended up placing an order to be delivered to friend Bill's place in Mareeba. We hoped it would be delivered in time for Bill to bring it with him to Mission Beach but it arrived the day after he left.

Leaving Mission Beach we drove up the Palmerston Highway and stopped for a cuppa at Millaa Millaa before going over to friends, Rob and Cheryl's, at Ravenshoe to drop off a couple of things and pick up some more. They were travelling too but their current housesitters were home. We had a quick stop for lunch and some shopping then drove on to Mareeba and collected the new laptop, then continued back "down the hill" to Cairns. 

Once again we checked in to our favourite Cairns caravan park and scored a lovely spot by the creek, with lots of shade. The caravan park was starting to get a lot quieter as the weather warmed up and tourist season started to wind down. 

We checked the weather forecast and saw that the seas would be very calm over the next few days so booked a trip to Michaelmas Cay and Hastings Reef. Mick would get to do some birding and I could do some snorkelling so we were both happy with the plan. The next day we had lunch with Bill and Kerry who had come down from Mareeba on one of their regular shopping and business days in Cairns. 

On Friday morning we were up early to be at the marina ready for boarding at 7:30am. We chose Seastar Cruises as Mick had heard good things about the birding aspect of their trips. They advertise that they are the first boat to arrive at Michealmas Cay each day so there would be fewer other people around. The downside is that it looked like it would be a bright sunny day so not great for photography.

On the way out we were kitted out with snorkelling gear and Mick talked to one of the guides about his desire to get onto the cay to photograph the birds. When we arrived we were taken straight to the beach and dropped off. We were the only ones there for an hour or so, while everyone else snorkelled or toured in the glass bottomed boat. It was very hot and we were glad we had bought new sunshirts and were carrying plenty of water with us. 

Because the cay is a marine sanctuary there are strict rules to be observed when visiting including staying outside the exclusion zone. This made it a bit difficult for photography but Mick had a fabulous time anyway and did get some great shots. Once the first group were dropped off from the glass bottomed boat, I left and joined them for a snorkel back to the Seastar. 

Snorkelling back was great - the sea was calm and the gear provided was good quality so I didn't have any trouble with water getting into the mask. The corals weren't as bright as I had hoped but there was still lots of variety and some interesting fish to see along the way.

Meanwhile, Mick was still on the cay with a couple of staff. Once everyone else was either back on the boat, or on their way, Mick was picked up by the glass bottomed boat and taken for a circumnavigation of the cay with only a couple of other passengers who hadn't wanted to snorkel. What a treat to get such an exclusive tour.

Snorkelling was lots of fun

From Michaelmas Cay the Seastar continued on to Hastings Reef where we both snorkelled but the strong current at this location made it hard going so I didn't stay in for too long. Mick enjoyed a bit more time in the water before returning ready for the delicious lunch which was provided. After a very energetic day there were lots of sleepy passengers on the trip back to Cairns! We were so tired we shouted ourselves dinner of pizza that night from a food truck which visited the caravan park every Friday.

We spent some more time looking for furniture for our new house but also found time to visit the turf farm at Edmonton for some more birding. Now that Mick had a new laptop he was keen to get back into some serious photo editing. With the weather heating up, spending time inside the camper trailer wasn't pleasant - even with the new fan we had just bought - so we added a visit to the library at Manunda to our daily routine. The library is conveniently located in the shopping centre so we were able to pick up supplies while we were there. 

We thought about staying on in Cairns but decided to go somewhere different for a few days, We decided to head south to Googarra Beach because we had never been there before. We didn't book, just headed off to see what it was like.

South Mission Beach

 19 - 22 October 2025

We left Cairns feeling very proud of our efforts to find some furniture for our new home, and hoping that we would be able to move in soon. We headed for Mission Beach where Mick would spend a couple of nights with friends Mick and Bill, while I would stay at a caravan park at South Mission Beach, but first we had to visit the turf farm at Edmonton once again. It's a good birding spot and Mick is always hopeful of getting something special.

We arrived at South Mission Beach and were set up in time for lunch. I am happy to camp on my own, but am not confident that I could set up the camper trailer, with the awning, on my own. We set up and had lunch together then headed in to Mission Beach so Mick could meet up with his mates and check in to their accommodation.

I enjoyed a couple of nights on my own - walking on the beach, swimming in the pool, and being visited by the local cassowary family. Dad and three chicks roamed the caravan park several times each day and showed a great interest in anything vaguely resembling food. This created quite a challenge for me - preparing, cooking and eating outside on my own - all the while keeping an eye out for the free-loaders.

It's not easy photographing
a cassowary that's on its way
 into your kitchen and dining area

Mick returned to have a night with me at South Mission Beach where he also enjoyed the close encounters with the cassowary family, and of course took lots of photos. While we were there we took part in the "Aussie Bird Count", starting our 20 minute survey once the cassowaries arrived. Although our list wasn't very long, we were pretty chuffed to be able to include 4 cassowaries.

We decided to return to Cairns and possibly do a birding reef trip so, when we left Mission Beach, we headed back to our favourite Cairns caravan park,, but first we had a bit of a detour to enable us to pick up Mick's new laptop.

Cairns

 14 - 19 October 2025

We returned to Cairns so that we could do some furniture shopping, with a spot of birding also in the mix. We stayed at what has become our favourite Cairns caravan park which was very busy even this late in the tourist season.

Most of our days were spent touring the furniture shops, making a few purchases for our new home. We had some household items in storage but needed some new things as well. In between shopping we took the time to visit the Esplanade a number of times and had lunch one day at a favourite spot. 

The best time for birding is on the incoming tide

The weather was certainly starting to warm up and there was more rain so we spent a bit of time in the pool and seeking shade in the middle of the day. We hoped that we wouldn't have much longer in the camper trailer - we didn't want to be camping during a wet season.

Our next journey would be to Mission Beach where Mick had organised a couple of nights with his mates Mick and Bill, so we left Cairns, and headed south.

Atherton

 7 - 14  October 2025

We left Oasis Roadhouse early and stopped in Mount Garnett for a cuppa, had lunch at Mt Hypippamee, then continued along the Kennedy Highway towards Atherton. Returning to the Atherton Tablelands really is starting to feel like coming home. We had booked to stay at our favourite caravan park but were a day early so we went in to check if they could accommodate us. It was very busy and we were given the choice of a night on one site, then a move to the one we had been allocated, or the whole week on the new one. We opted not to move and set up in the lower section near the dry creek bed.

Friday night by the creek

Although it was a little further to the amenities and camp kitchen it was a great spot, and not as crowded as the rest of the park. We had returned to Atherton so we could keep some appointments and also to check on our soon to be finished new home, so most of our time was spent on "housekeeping" tasks. We even managed to get to a couple of garage sales, even though we really didn't have room for any more "stuff".

We made some time for a walk along Peterson Creek in Yungaburra to look for birds and platypus, but we were not successful on either count. It's a really nice walk, even without the wildlife.

We decided to head down to make our next stop Cairns so we could do some furniture shopping. It's not a big drive so we left just before check-out time, which is 10:00am, and headed down the hill via Kuranda Range.

Oasis Roadhouse

6 - 7 October 2025 

We had a quiet night and Lloyd Jones Weir and headed off towards Barcaldine. Foolishly relying on the GPS, we realised we were going the long way (via Winton) so turned back and took the road we wanted to be on - via Aramac and Muttaburra. Going via Winton would have added almost an hour and over 100km to our  travel. It really is a good idea to use multiple sources to determine the best route. We use GoogleMaps, paper maps and the GPS. 

We made it into Aramac where we stopped for a cuppa in the small rest area adjacent to the community camping ground. It was very windy so we were grateful for the sheltered picnic area which doubled as a camp kitchen. We continued on with a brief stop at Muttaburra and then on into Hughenden.

We planned to stay in Hughenden but, because the caravan park doesn't take check-ins before midday, we decided to have lunch down at the lake first. While we were there we decided that we might as well keep going and aim for Oasis Roadhouse.

Our second visit was much better than the first

Last time we stayed at the Oasis we swore we would never do it again but it was the most convenient spot for us to stop given that we would arrive late in the day. This time we took a powered site which put us much closer to the amenities. We'd had a very big day's drive so we had dinner and drinks at the roadhouse. The meal was better than last time too.

We made a fairly early start in the morning heading back towards Atherton.

Lloyd Jones Weir (near Barcaldine)

 5 - 6 October 2025

After a nice weekend in Charleville we headed off once again with an idea of where we might stay, depending on how we were feeling and what we found along the way. Our first stop on the route north was Augathella where we had morning tea in the park. There is a nice free camp (with showers and toilets) but it was way too early in the day to think about stopping.

We continued on along the Landsborough Highway and made our next stop at Tambo, in the park by the rather dry wetlands. It was the Sunday of a long weekend so we were expecting that some campgrounds might be quite busy. We checked out one north of Tambo but it didn't look very appealing so we continued on.

Our next stop was Lloyd Jones Weir south-west of Barcaldine. We were surprised that there weren't many people there when we arrived just after 3:00pm, so we picked a shady spot and set up camp. A few more campers arrived later in the afternoon, but it was by no means busy. It was a very pleasant place to camp for the night and if we'd had more time, and the weather hadn't been so hot, we might have stayed an extra day.

Late afternoon by the weir

We had come up with a bit of a plan which involved an early start which wasn't too diffcult. As is our habit for quick overnighters when the weather is good, we hadn't bothered with the awning, nor had we unhitched the car. We were able to get away before 7:00am,  and hoped to be able to get to Hughenden or even further,

Charleville

 3 - 5 October 2025

After three fabulous days relaxing and birding at Paddabilla it was time to move on. We didn't need to hurry so Mick spent one more morning taking photos before we packed up and headed back into Cunnamulla.

We only had a 2 hour drive from Cunnamulla in to Charleville so had a leisurely lunch in the park before heading north again. We chose a caravan park out of town where we have stayed before and opted for two nights so we could get washing and shopping done. We went for a wander along the Warrego River Walk and also a stroll around town. 

Mick never misses a chance to do some birding

Because of the bush setting, Mick was able to do a bit of birding around the cravan park so we managed to fill in our time very easily. We did need to keep moving though, so after two nights we packed up again and continued our journey north.

Paddabilla Bore (aka Eulo Bore)

 30 September - 3 October 2025

We continued west through Bollon and on to Cunnamulla where we stopped for a picnic in the park. Cunnamulla is always a good place to pull up for a rest and to pick up supplies from the small supermarket. From there we continued west the short distance to Paddabilla Bore (aka Eulo Bore).

We rarely stay in "free camps" without toilets but were prepared to make an exception for this one as it's a great spot for birding. It's also close enough to Eulo to be able to go in to empty our portable chemical toilet.

The weather was very hot so we chose a spot close to the bore with some shade. There weren't many others around and most were birders which always makes for a very pleasant stay. As usual, Mick spent most of the time out birding and chatting to others doing the same. Some were camping while others came in from Cunnamulla or Eulo for a morning or afternoon session.

Relaxing after a busy day relaxing

Despite the heat we enjoyed ourselves so much we decided to stay an extra day. We did take a drive in to Eulo to the dump point and for a very quick walk around the tiny town. We had thought we might spend a night there atthe camprgound behind the pub but decided against it once we saw it. 

While we were at Paddabilla Bore we considered our next move but found the campground we had picked out - one which had bore baths - had already closed for the season. In the end we decided not to detour further west, but to make our way north towards Charleville.

St George

 29 - 30 September 2025

We left Tenterfield and headed along the southern side of the NSW/Qld border, on the Bruxner Highway. We had a friend who, alongside her son, was taking part in the 2025 Postie Bike Challenge from Brisbane to Canberra via the Outback. We knew our route would take in part of theirs so we weren't surprised when we started to see small groups of these small motor bikes. They were generally very courteous and easy to get around. 

We passed quite a few bikes along the way into Goondiwindi where we stopped for lunch. We're not sure if we saw Kathy on the road - it's a bit hard to recognise someone who is kitted out in full safety gear including helmet. It was a really hot day and we felt for the participants, who seemed to be having a great time anyway.

After a lunch stop in the park at Goondiwindi, and a chat to one of the "Postie Bikers" we decided to press on towards St George. We made our way to the caravan park on the Balonne River where we set up with a bit of shade. We enjoyed a stroll along the river and a restful night. It was still school holidays but not at all crowded in western Queensland.

There's a lovely walking track along the river

Before leaving town we fuelled up and called in at the hardware store. We continued west along the Balonne Highway towards Cunnamulla.

Tenterfield

 26 - 29 September 2025

Our stay in Port Macquarie had been fabulous - spending time with friends, and a pelagic boat trip for Mick. The weather had been great too! It was now time to turn north and start heading back towards North Queensland. We wanted to stop in Tenterfield but weren't sure whether we'd get there in one go, or whether we might stop somewhere along way, so we set the GPS for Tenterfield and headed off.

There are a number of ways we could go, but we decided on the Gwydir Highway via Grafton. We drove north on the motorway, back through Coffs Harbour, then turned off towards Grafton. We found a rest area to make a cup of coffee, then continued to Grafton and on through the mountains.

We stopped at Hills Lookout, then continued on to Gibraltar Range Picnic Area where we had lunch. Our next stop was Raspberry Lookout which had fabulous views over the Gibraltar Range and beyond. We drove in to Washpool National Park to have a look at the campground but were put off when we saw people with unrestrained dogs in the picnic area. Dogs are not permitted and  this is one of the reasons we like camping in National Parks so much. Once we reached the top of the range we decided that we could easily get to Tenterfield so stopped in Deepwater and called ahead as we knew we would be arriving quite late.

Quite a view from Raspberry Lookout

We made it into Tenterfield late in the day and settled in to the caravan park, only to discover that our power lead was not working. It was bad timing as we had just spent two nights with a licenced electrician who might have been able to fix it for us, but without his expertise we had to buy a new one. I made it to the local hardware store with only minutes to go before closing. Uusually we would be fine without power but a very cold night was forecast and we knew we would need the heater. With an overnight temperature of 0.2°C we were glad I'd made the mad dash into town.

Mick has access to a private property that is well set up for birding just out of town, so he headed out early in the morning for a session. On his return we headed into town to do some shopping and have a look around. We had planned to stay only two nights but decided to stay and extra one, giving Mick a few more opportunities to visit one of his favourite spots. 

We had wanted to stay in Girraween National Park again but it was fully booked so we researched a few more places that might suit us, without success. It was school holidays in both Queensland and New South Wales so all the popular spots were taken. We left Tenterfield and headed towards Cunnamulla - again not really sure where we would end up for the night.

Port Macquarie

 23 - 26 September 2025

After a false start due to a lost phone, we drove south from Sapphire Beach, on the motorway towards Port Macquarie. Once again we found a rest area to have a picnic lunch and arrived at our caravan park around 1:30pm. The one we had chosen is right in town, by the breakwall. Our friends, Anne and Stephen, had already arrived from their home at Fingal Bay so we joined them once we had set up. We all went for a walk along the Hastings River towards Town Beach and discussed our plans for the next couple of days.

There's lot to see and do in Port Macquarie

The next day we all went for another walk towards Town Beach, then drove to Sea Acres Rainforest Centre. We had morning tea at the cafe before walking along the elevated boardwalk. Mick was hoping to spot the Powerful owl that makes Sea Acres it's home -  once again without success. 

Mick had to get organised for the pelagic boat trip the following day so Anne and I walked in to town to do some shopping and pick up some supplies. In the evening, after some drinks and snacks we wandered down to a nearby cafe for a light meal. The weather was perfect, but there had been some discussion that the boat trip might be cancelled. Confirmation that it would go ahead came quite late in the day, but Mick had everything ready anyway.

We had to be up early to so Mick could be at the boat for a 7:00am departure, and Anne came for the walk with us. It's a very pleasant walk along the breakwall, especially early in the morning. Anne and Stephen had to leave that morning so I had the rest of the day to myself to potter around and wander into town. 

Mick arrived home after a successful day's birding and I met a friend for a drink at the same cafe we had eaten at the day before. Sally and I worked together in Townsville more than 10 years ago so it was nice to catch up again. 

We enjoyed our three nights in Port Macquarie but it was time to move on, so we set the GPS for Tenterfield, not sure whether we would get there in one go or have an overnight stop. We headed back up the motorway and turned off towards Grafton.

Sapphire Beach

 21 - 23 September 2025

Leaving Lennox Head we stopped at one of the lookouts and saw humpback whales on their southern migration, off in the distance. We continued on through Ballina and on to the motorway southbound. We still weren't sure where we would stay but thought somewhere near Coffs Harbour would be nice. We decided to go in to Red Rock for lunch and to make up our minds.

There is a lovely and very well used parkland on the banks of the Corindi River so we stopped there for a picnic. There were so many people enjoying the sunshine, having picnics and paddling in the shallow water we wondered what it would be like closer to Coffs. We decided not to stay at Red Rock but to continue on south. We rang a couple of caravan parks and found that they were full. We hadn't realised the impact that Queensland school holidays would have on this part of the New South Wales north coast. 

Fortunately the caravan park at Sapphire Beach had room for us - and plenty more - so we headed in there and scored a good spot right near the beach. There was some bush behind us and a walking track to the sand. It's always nice to be able to hear the waves nearby. 

No crowds at Sapphire Beach

We went for a long walk on the beach and  then drove into Coffs Harbour to do some errands. Mick also carried out a small repair on the camper trailer while I did some washing. Sapphire Beach turned out to be a terrific spot to spend a few nights - close enough to town, but far enough away to be peaceful.

Our next stop would be Port Macquarie, which we were looking forward to very much as an opportunity to catch up with friends and for Mick to get out on a pelagic birding trip. We had a bit of a false start when Mick left his phone at the caravan park and we had to backtrack. Luckily we had only travelled about 1/2 hour down the road before we received a call to say it had been found - he hadn't even realised he didn't have it. So, back we went and started all over again. It was a good thing that we didn't have a long way to go that day.

Lennox Head

 19 - 21 September 2025

We set off from O'Reillys and drove back down the windy mountain road to pick up the camper trailer in Canungra. We had enjoyed the usual enormous breakfast before leaving so knew we could hold out for a slightly later than usual lunch. We continued through the back of the Gold Coast and south onto the motorway, and some significant traffic jams. We really don't like this much traffic. We found a rest area to have a quick picnic lunch and then continued on to Lennox Head.

We had wanted to return to Ballina to visit Flat Rock, a favourite birding spot, but when we checked caravan parks a few weeks before, we found they were way overpriced, many had 4 night minimum stays, and some seriously concerning reviews. Some had all of these which really put us off. Happily, we found the caravan park at Lennox Head, just north of Ballina, to be more reasonably priced and to have space for us. On the website a four night minimum stay was advertised but a phone call established that they were happy to waive this for us.

We arrived early in the afternoon and set up on a lovely big spot in an area that was not full, but with some friendly neighbours. Once we had settled in, Mick made contact with a birding friend and headed off to meet him. By chance the spot they were going is actually closer to Lennox than to Ballina anyway, and Flat Rock is half-way between the two. While Mick was gone I socialised with our neighbour, a solo female with a dog, on their first "shake down" trip. Mick joined us, and another solo neighbour, and we shared lots of travel tales.

On Saturday Mick went out early to the spot in heathland near Seven Mile Beach that he had been told about and later we headed down to Flat Rock together.  Although the birding wasn't great, we did see whales offshore. Late in the afternoon we went back to the Heathland spot and wandered the tracks looking for birds.

We could see whales from the lookout

Once again we left our camp spot not really knowing where we would stay next. We still had 2 nights to fill in before we were booked in at Port Macquarie. Leaving Lennox Head, we stopped at one of the many lookouts and again saw humpback whales - there seemed to be lots about on their southern migration. We returned to the motorway and headed south, with Red Rock in mind as a place to stop.

O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat - Lamington National Park

 16 - 19 September 2025

We have been to O'Reilly's a few times before and are always keen to return so it seemed like a good idea to book a stay while we were on our way south. The drive from Canungra is only 35km but the road is narrow and windy, so takes around an hour. Even though there is a campground, I would never want to tow the camper trailer up that road. Besides, it's so nice staying at the retreat.

We arrived in time for morning tea in the cafe, before getting ready for a walk. We knew we would not be able to check in until later so had plenty of time to fill in. We were stopped by a fellow birder who was on her own and keen for a chat, and also some company so she tagged along with us on the Border Track. We eventually parted ways and found a nice spot for our picnic lunch.

By the time we had packed everything up it was almost check-in time so, while Mick walked some more in one of his favourite birding spots, I went to check in. All the rooms have great views and this one was no exception. The bonus with this one was that parking was right outside our door. On our last couple of visits we have had to park quite a way from our room and cart all our gear up a flight of stairs.

Every room has a view

Our package this time included the usual generous buffet breakfast, early morning bird walks, afternoon tea and manager's welcome (complete with a glass of sparkling wine) as well as a  morning 4WD Tour. Last time the nocturnal tour had been included but it was not available this time.

We did some more walking and lots of photographing of birds and decided to have our evening meal in the bar. They do a fairly good pizza which we shared by the fire, with a couple of drinks. Dinner is also available in the restaurant, but the new buffet prices were beyond our budget. The bar is cosy and relaxed, so suits us.

Breakfast is the best buffet you will find anywhere (in our opinion anyway) and the service is friendly and efficient. We always take our time over a big breakfast, usually after Mick has been out on the early morning bird walk. 

On our first morning we had to be ready for the 4WD tour at 9:00am. This tour takes you to many spots that are not otherwise accessible and includes lots of information about the history of the O'Reilly family and how the Retreat came to be. It was an interesting tour despite the lack of birding opportunities.

We spent the rest of our time walking along the many easy tracks, Mick photographing birds, me just enjoying being in the bush in this beautiful section of the ancient Gondwana rainforest. It truly is a special place. We sometimes wish we lived closer so we could visit more often.

There's always something interesting 
to see in the rainforest

After our usual big breakfast, we packed up and went for one last walk along the Border Track, past the Mountain Gardens and Tree Top Walk, before setting off back down the mountain. Once we had collected the trailer, we started making our way back towards the coast and on into New South Wales.

Canungra

 15 - 16 September 2025

We packed up and left Hardings Paddock after an early morning tea and set off for Canungra. We were booked in for three nights at O'Reillys Rainforest Retreat and we needed to leave the camper trailer somewhere convenient. The Canungra Showgrounds offer camping and also storage which suited us very nicely.

We arrived mid-morning and set up in a spot on "the oval" - no shade and with the power access a very long way away so we needed to borrow an extension cord. There were sites closer to the power but we didn't realise until we had set up. Lesson learned - always check first. On a walk around the campground we found some much nicer spots down by the creek which would definitely be our choice if ever we returned to stay for more than one night.

Canungra Creek

We had lunch and set about packing our things for three nights up on the mountain without the camper. This included doing some shopping so that we could have some "picnic" dinners. Meals are available at O'Reillys, but are very expensive and a bit limited in variety. Once we were organised we relaxed and enjoyed the afternoon wandering through the village. We thought it was surprisingly busy for a Monday out of school holidays.

In the morning we packed up and moved the trailer onto the unpowered storage spot. We needed to keep the fridge going, and while it probably would have been ok for three nights, we set up the solar panel to keep the batteries topped up anyway. Once everything was secure, we set off for the short, but challenging drive up to Lamington National Park.