Gypsies again!: Port Macquarie and South West Rocks

We always want to avoid big towns so on approaching Port Macquarie we found a caravan park, Lighthouse Beach, just out the town, where we stayed. It was absolutely gorgeous....lovely trees, grassed areas, tall trees, beautifully kept and walking distance to the beach above.

We needed fuel badly so drove into Port Macquarie and were so pleasantly surprised we felt we could come and live here without any problem. It is so clean and well laid out and as we travelled along the coast road there was one beautiful beach after the other.

We spent the morning at the library using their free Wi-Fi while we were waiting for our windscreen to be repaired. One of those big road trucks had sent up a stone and, lo and behold, a big crack appeared across the windscreen! All is repaired....until the next one!! Even with our insurance it cost us $450!! A big dent in our budget.....oh well, a few more picnics and plain pasta!!

We visited the koala hospital in Port Macquarie where rescued koalas from everywhere are hospitalised and rehabilitated before being let free into the wild. Amazing volunteers that run the place. Nearby we also visited a restored heritage house from one of the area's oldest settlers. (Port Macquarie was originally a convict settlement and I am finding it very interesting reading up the history.)

After leaving "Port", as it is called, we travelled up to South West Rocks, a really sleepy seaside village but again, one we loved. We took our bikes off the van and rode on a coastal bike track to Trial Bay Gaol. We spent a long time walking around reading up the history of the gaol and admiring the beautiful granite blocks that had been used to build the gaol in the late 1800s. (Not a happy history but at least the area has been preserved to remind us of the futility of war.)

Even though NSW is very built up there is always a quiet hamlet lying somewhere to the east of the Pacific Highway that runs up the coast to Cairns. All these little places have stunning beaches, coves and rain forested headlands adjoining the beaches. We always make a trip up to lighthouse points as that is where we usually see the best views. All the lighthouses on the east coast are impeccably maintained. The southern right and humpback whales are starting their migration north and we have even spotted whales playing in the ocean as we stand at the edge of a cliff.

We are very impressed with NSW. The service of people in shops, information centres etc is excellent. Everywhere we go appears spotless. Lawn verges and parks are always mowed like bowling greens. It is most pleasurable travelling around. Coffee and light meals are always cheaper than in Perth. We think that Perth has got incredibly greedy since the mining boom. Things may need to change!

There are a lot of roadworks going on along the Pacific Highway.......many of the subsidiary roads are often not in good repair. Often we need to drive on gravel roads which we prefer not to do in the caravan.

We don't travel very far up the coast, only a 100 or so km each time we move. So much to see!