The Long Drive Canberra to Moss Vale

Feb18

I had some more porridge for breakfast the worlds best. I said good by to John and made my way up to Canberra. After yesterday’s rain it was a beautifully day with the sun shining. I stopped at Braidwood rather a lovely little town I had been here before and bought rather a good shirt I thought I would just have a look I was in luck a large discount on the blouses  I decided to buy. I plodded on and stopped at Warri Camping Reserve a good site to stop at I made a cup of tea and decided to plod on to my friends home in Canberra that I met at Exmouth WA unfortunate `Slike had gone to see her brother in the USA, still the rest of the family were in, I parked up plugged in and did all my washing. There was thunder and lighting with heavy rain not that I minded. 

 Braidwood

Warri Camping Reserve

Warri Camping Reserve

Feb19

It was good to meet up with old campers again, I had a look around Canberra it is a really good city lots to do and see.I made my way towards Moss Vale and camped in a good spot just off the High way and now it has started to pore with rain.

Feb20

I arrived at Matthew and Robin's home, Robin was doing some strimming and immediately stopped to go in and see Matthew he is now in a wheel chair and not able to do anything for him self anymore. They have a beautiful large garden after lunch I took over the strimming while Robin did some weeding. Robin’s Mother of 95 Euphem was staying and brother Ian and spouse Bet have just arrived from the US for a visit so they have a house full. We all sat down for drinks and Dinner.

Matthew and Robin Drive, Like Driving through a rain forest

 My very secluded parking place

Matthew and Robin Home

The Garden

The Garden View

Feb21

Kiama

Ian and Bet invited me out for a trip to Kiama a sea side town with Mum Effie as well. A walk around the place had a look at the Blow hole and then we had beautiful  cooked fresh fish and chips looking at the sea. After lunch Ian took us the long way back through Kangaroo Valley up and over the hills a beautiful trip. Back home for drinks and Dinner. A game of cards to finish off the evening.

Kiama The Blow hole

 Kiama Looking down at the Blow Hole

Kiama

Waiting for our fish and chips Mum Effie age 95 Bet and son Ian

Feb22

Robin Bet and I did some gardening, hedge cutting, weeding, digging a full day was put in and very rewarding it was to. In for dinner then a game of Rumekin.

Feb23

De-cluttered Plod and took a few photos

Feb24-27

Helped in the garden started up and cleaned the Dingo. Matthew is deteriorating fast unable to talk now only by using a machine with one finger and even that is hard work for himself, he has Motor Neurone Disease, there is nothing wrong with his brain still in excellent condition. My stay with Matthew and Robin was most enjoyable I was well fed and watered with that red stuff that come’s out of a bottle. I did a few jobs to help out which was fun.

The Long Drive Genoa, Bodalla to Tuross Head

Feb15

1430 Charles and Phil

It was time I made a move I think I can be sure every one mucked in and had a good time.

Phil had just one more job to do and that was to cut up the dead tree for Charles and John that stayed on for a few more days.

Bega look out

Bega look out

 Ken, Phil and Dale left, I made my way to Bodalla Park Forest were I bumped in to Phil and Dale I arrived late and the camp site was rather full but fortunately Phil had saved a place for me just in case I turned up, a few other people were at the same site as at Goanna. I was invited to have dinner with Dale a beautifully cooked King fish on the open fire. We saw a Possum running around looking for scraps to eat.

Bodalla Park Forest  Rest area

Bodalla Park Forest fixing up the night lights.

Feb16

A trip in to Tuross Heads to see John, a Morgan owner, and what he does not know about series 1 Morgans is not worth knowing and a lot more besides. After a good rummage around his shed at Morgan spare parts + his Morgans I did offer to cook dinner instead he took me out to a very good restaurant well cooked good quality food. 

Tuross Head

Tuross Head

Feb17

A really brilliantly cooked porridge cooked by John for breakfast. Then John took me to sea Ingrid and David a Riley owner, it is being completely restored and is nearly at the end of the project. The petrol pump was not working.  All the wiring was good as John had completely rewired it. We found the tank pipe too high in the tank moreover the petrol pump did not deliver the petrol so a new pump was needed. Ingrid gave us some lunch and by the time we finished and got back home it was too late to move on. I had a great time especially as we were in Johns +8 a rainy day somehow we managed to miss the rain.

Riley

Riley John and David fixing the car

John cooked the evning meal which was rather delicious.

The Long Drive Mallacoota to Genoa

Feb11

The Old Coast Road

I took off along The Old Coast Road to Mallacoota. A camping site is right on the sea front rather a grand place to camp if it was not so busy. The site was very full with vans packed in like sardines where the power points are. The site is so large it has sign post’s naming the roads, Flounder St was empty properly because they were unpowered sites. A friendly place with many boat trailers and cars all parked up. 

Mallacoota camping site

Mallacoota camping site

Mallacoota crictet match

I spent the day looking around and doing a few chores many people coming and going. A fishing competition was being judged with a few stalls and refreshments. A cricket match was on the green right next to the camping area and at first it looked as if it was part of the camping site.

Mallacoota 

Mallacoota 

Mallacoota 

 Mallacoota cleaning the fish

I left Mallacoota and drove to Genoa for the night a fine site with lovely green grass and good clean toilets, rather less crowded than at Mallacoota but still too many for my liking. I met the lone woman Janet again and I was invited into her van to have a game, of making up words a bit like scrabble all I can say is well, it was fun and quite a laugh.

 Genoa the old road bridge to the pub

Genoa my night stop

Genoa Pub

Genoa camp site

Feb12

Before I leave I went over to have a look at a 1955 Peugeot 203 when I started to talk to the owner which was Ken Macinnis a past Morgan and Bentley owner he took me for a ride and I was invited to join them for dinner by theri camp fire several other people joined us and a good time we all had.

 1955 203 Peugeot 

 Ken Macinnis 

Our camp fire

Feb13 

I woke up to a lovely sunny day Ken showed me a Goanna that had just climbed a tree. After last nights fire the wood pile had almost gone so more wood was on to days a gender  the three musketeers decided to get some more with the help of a few friends that was the morning gone

 A Goanna

Fetching a large log

Charles and Phil 

Ken, Dale, Charles, John

After lunch I went in to Mallacoota with the three musketeers topped up with petrol and a few odds and ends on the way back we stopped off at Gipsy Point for a beer. Another meal was cooked on the fire sausages and mash very fine it was too, what a party we had Phil and Dale joined us until 2am so I was told the next morning.

Gipsy Point, Charles Ken and John 

Gipsy Point

Genoa Ken, Charles and John

Genoa

 Genoa an old gas container 

The Long Drive Marlo,Cape Conran, Bemm River

Feb10

I had a great day first I drove to Pittmans Beach just a few km on the next road. A very good spot to camp much smaller than my night stop with toilets and right on the beach. I cooked up my breakfast and chatted to a couple in the next van. 

Pittmans Beach

Pittmans Beach

Using my new map that a camper gave me I made my way to Marlo then along the real coast 4x4 road on to Cape Conran passing Point Ricardo.

Marlo

Marlo

I met Doug and Ann at Cape Conran exploring the area we just kept bumping in to each other, not surprising as we were going the same way. They had a 4X4 satnav Map and another good detailed map as well so I was able to check my route. One day you might not talk to any one and another day you meat so many people that want to chat it is unbelievable. I walked down to the River and what did I see to my surprise I met a woman in the middle of no where righting up her diary waiting for her husband to return from a canoe trip from down the river.

Cape Conran

Cape Conran Janet waiting for her husband

Yeerung River a canoe launching spot

I teemed up with Doug and Ann taking the 4x4 track through the woods passed Yeerang River. We went for a stroll to look for a Gorge no luck as the trees had grown up so high and the path just suddenly stopped. I went back and made us all a cup of tea.

Ann and Doug no Gorge in sight.

Just Trees

We drove on to the Old Coast Road were we parted company.

Doug and Ann

Old Coast Road

I reached Bemm River are I must take a look at the rapids so off I went it was like a jungle I walked through bushes under and over trees along the path to nothing.

The sign 

 Bemm River

The Path

The Path

 The Path

Rapids as far as I could get.

Bemm is a quite pleasant place with a Hotel and the usual caravan cabins with many picnic spots but no free camping which is understandable. 

Bemm River

Bemm River boat in the reeds

Bemm River Hotel

Old Coast Road ,Ghost Camp Rd intersection

I took the short 4x4 route driving through the woods the road was narrow but good with no corrugations. It was about time I made camp so looking for a flat place to stop for the night I found an intersection one road was closed so a perfect spot to stop and rest. I just about parked up when the rain started and we had another storm.