GERROA, SHOALHAVEN HEADS and NOWRA Monday 31st October 2011

Weather quite warm today, especially out of the breeze.

First we drove down to Shoalhaven Heads for a look around, then on to Nowra and had a look at the shops – mainly two el cheapo shops.  One called Low and Behold – there’s one in Gerringong too, but we hadn’t looked at it yet – and a big Go Lo.  Bought a few little things from Low and Behold, including a cute little Nativity Scene for Susan – couldn’t make up my mind between the Nativity or a figurine of Mary and Joseph and the donkey, must be leaving Bethlehem because they had a baby Jesus with them.  Finally decided on the Nativity – hope she likes it.  Got a couple of things in the Go Lo too.  At Low and Behold we got two packets of extra long sparklers for New Year’s Eve.  They are really long.  At the Newsagent I bought 4 cute Aussie Christmas cards to send to people overseas.
At a loss what to do next Bill remembered seeing a sign to a wildlifepark as we drove into town so we decided to check our brochures to see where it was and go there.  Couldn’t find any mention of it in the brochures or maps, so we decided to follow the signs if we could.  Glad we did because we found a lovely little wildlife park.  Cost us $14 each (pensioners) to get in but it was small enough for me to walk around comfortably.  Lots of peacocks roaming around.  We saw koalas, wallabies, monkeys, crocodiles, two little piglets which Bill loved, dingoes, lots of different parrots, leopard turtles, snakes, lizards, goats.  At three o’clock we made our way back to the koala exhibit for a hands on show.  We got to go in the enclosure with the keeper and were able to pat two of the koalas – Clancy and another one whose name neither of us can remember!  Jim was also in the enclosure.  There were two females in the next enclosure but I can’t remember their names either - the web site tells me that the baby was named Jessica.  The keeper picked up the male we were patting and told us a bit about them.  When she asked if we’d ever patted a koala we explained that we used to have them in the yard and the bush when we lived on Raymond Island.  We had a photo taken of the two of us with the koala.  Then she opened a blue barrel she’d brought into the enclosure with her and took out a python!  I did actually stroke it, but no way was I going to have it on my neck!  Next came Drew the young wallaroo.  She wouldn’t come over to the keeper to start with so they got her bottle which she has just been weaned from and over she came.  They put her in a pillowslip to simulate a pouch I guess, and I got to hold her and feed her her bottle.  Another photo opportunity!  $10 per photo, but all proceeds go to helping with upkeep so I didn’t mind.  Finally they brought in the baby wombat whose name I have also forgotten.  I got to hold her as well – she was beautiful.  Could have had another photo but decided not to.  All in all a very special experience.  We had a drink, collected our photos and then headed back to Gerroa.

Went back to the Fisherman’s Club for dinner.  Bill had baked Barramundi fillet with prawns and hollandaise sauce, I had prawn cutlets.  Both very nice.  Wasted another $20 on the pokies.

GERROA and KIAMA Sunday 30th October 2011

A lovely day today.  We had a lazy start, as usual, but then got our act into gear and went for a drive Kiama.  First off a stop in Gerringong to have a look at the Oak Tree Homewares shop because I had seen some lovely white and silver reindeer in the window.  I decided I didn’t need one when I saw they were over $30 each.  Bill bought a Scanpan breadknife and Cook’s knife which were on special.  Some lovely things in the shop, but mostly too dear.  Down at the harbour in Kiama we saw a group of pelicans waiting for a feed from the fishermen cleaning their catch – just like they were 7 or so years ago when we were last here.  Had lunch of fish and chips from the same harbourside fish and chip shop.  They were doing a roaring trade.  Had a look at the blowhole, but it didn’t seem to be very active, probably because the sea was quite calm.  We didn’t actually go right down to it, so perhaps we missed out.

We had a bit of a look at the shops at Centro – again, like Mildura, it was a very small centre.  Did ask the chemist about the rash on my chest – he advised some simple moisturising cream. I think it is just a heat rash because I’ve been warm in bed at night, but it is slightly raised and quite itchy.  I had earlier bought some anti-itch cream from the supermarket, but he didn’t seem to recommend that I use that.  Bill saw a lovely glass owl to hang in a window so we bought that too.

Eventually found a parking spot and had a coffee and banana bread for Bill and a softdrink and citrus tart for me.  Then headed back to the van.

Decided we didn’t need to go out for tea, so had spaghetti on toast in the van.

GERROA Saturday 29th October 2011

A ‘do nothing’ day today. Weather was mostly fine during the day, but we just spent the day lazing around.  In the afternoon there was a monstrous thunderstorm with really loud thunder, lots of lightning around and it poured rain.  The van didn’t leak anywhere which means Bill must have found all the spots where it was leaking a bit.  We even decided we might just have toasted cheese sandwiches for tea because it was so yuck outside.  However, when the storm passed it was quite OK so we went to the Jack's Grill at the Gerringong Pub for dinner.  Bill had flathead tails, I had an entrée serve of pumpkin and leek crispy risotto balls.  Very nice.

GERROA and BERRY Friday 28th October 2011

Again I slept fairly well despite waking up every time I had to turn over because my legs were aching.  I didn’t get up until 9a.m. and had my breakfast.

We decided to go for a drive today.  Went to Berry first – a pretty little town, but seems to have grown since we were here last.  First stop was Haven and Space, an interior decorating shop where we bought Mum a wooden bird last time.  This time we bought a shallow glass bowl to put the water beads and succulent heads in, and a glass head to finally use as a wig stand – only $13 for the head.

Had a look around the other shops including a lovely toy shop – could have gone mad if I had young grandchildren.  Bought a birthday card for Avalon in another toy and gift shop.  Bill bought an old fishing rod in an antique shop.  I also saw a little blue ceramic loo ashtray / cigarette packet holder – exactly like one Joan sent to John from England many years ago.  The only difference was his was labelled Demi-John, may have been inscribed into the pottery whereas this one had a paper label proclaiming that it was a Cigarette Set.  I didn’t ask how much.  This one in the picture is black, the one in the shop, and the one John had were both pale blue.

We had a bite to eat at a little café – Bill had a bacon and egg roll, I had some vegetable frittata, quite nice, but not the best I’ve had.

After lunch we drove up to Kangaroo Valley – the Hampden Bridge was just the same, but there appeared to be a new eatery on the far side, and what used to be a lovely little gift shop was now a kyak hire place.  We didn’t stop to look at any of the other shops in the town proper, just found the loo.

Continued up the mountain to the Fitzroy Falls.  When we got there, up a very windy and quite narrow road, we had to pay $3 parking fee and we weren’t even sure if I could walk to the falls so Bill went in to ask.  The falls were only 200 metres from the Visitors’ Centre and we could get a pensioner exemption for park entry except that it entailed sending off for an exemption which the lady promptly did – we will get our exemption in the mail and can use it in the future.  The falls were quite spectacular – a drop of 81 metres.  The rock formations were also very grand.  There was also a little set of falls (perhaps better described as rapids) before we got to the main falls.  A couple of walking tracks led to a set of twin falls, but it was over 1 km round trip so we gave them a miss.

Had a scone with jam and cream, and a drink in the café.  Very nice scones.

Headed back down the mountain, and turned off to the Cambewarra Lookout.  This is a spectacular view across Nowra and basically the whole of the Shoalhaven area.  We came here when we stopped at Nowra about seven years ago.

Back to the van by about 4:45p.m.

Watched a very inept man try to back his van onto a site just down the road.  Bill just shook his head in disbelief.

Decided to go to the Gerroa Boat Fisherman’s Club for dinner.  I had a very nice prawn and mango salad, Bill had a veal schnitzel.  We bought some tickets in the prawn tray raffle, but didn’t win anything.  Played the pokies for a while, but again didn’t win anything.

GERROA Thursday 27th October

A lazy start to the day, after a reasonable night’s sleep.

Weather a mixture of sunny, overcast and rain.

We went for a walk over to the other side of the park to see if they had any information brochures, looked at the ducks and little piggy in the petting farm and had lunch at the kiosk.  Bill had a pie, I had a salad roll.  Not bad, except the roll was made with a Turkish roll and so was rather dry.  Walked back to where we had parked the car (it began raining when we started out, so we had driven down to the gate of our side of the park.) The park is quite big, and on both sides of the road.

Back to the van to get Bill’s jacket, then we went for a drive to Gerringong to have a look at the shops and the beach.

Bought Dennis the Donkey at Ollie and Me – he’s really cute.  He can add to our collection in the van – Kerry the alpaca, Mogo the Meerkat and Hoggy the pink pig.

I also had a lemon sorbet and Bill had a coffee at Scoops Ice Creamery.

Drove around a bit, looking at the scenery - quite spectacular.  Seven Mile Beach is apparently where CharlesKingsford Smith took off on a record breaking flight to New Zealand.  He used the beach as his runway.  At Black Head reserve we saw a whale quite a way out to sea, but it was definitely a whale splashing his tail in the water.  We watched it for a few minutes, then it disappeared.  Drove around to a few other lookouts, but didn’t see the whale again.

Looking around a bit further we saw the aftermath of what appeared to be a head-on accident.  If it was, someone was in big doo-doos because it happened on a great long stretch of double lines – in fact the whole place seems to be awash with double lines.  We saw both cars being taken away by a flatbed truck, and they were definitely both squished in the front.

Finally found the supermarket we were looking for and got some sauce, some tuna and some money – oh, and cigarettes for Bill.

Went back to the van where I had a lie down and Bill went yabby pumping and fishing.  Got some yabbies for bait, and caught a little bream and a toady, both of which had to go back.

Went to the Gerringong Bowling Club for dinner.  Both had a nice fisherman’s basket and some lovely herb bread.  Put a few dollars into the pokies, but didn’t win anything tonight.

Back home to the van and bed for me.  Bill watched some tele before coming to bed.

EDEN to GERROA 26th October 2011

I slept fairly well last night, except for waking every time I turned over, and my knees seemed to ache during the night.  Went back to sleep every time though.

Up early to pack up the van ready for the next leg of our journey.  Bill was up before me, and I got a rude awakening when he backed the car into the van while trying to hook up.

Had breakfast, checked my emails (they had net-path internet – so I could use the MB I had left from Portland).  We left the park at about 9:30am.

Stopped at Narooma for an early lunch – about 11:30.  Went to the Valencia café again.  I had potato rosti with smoked salmon and sour cream – very nice.  Bill had a ham and cheese focacia toastie.

Travelled through Batemans Bay, Termeil, Lake Tabourie, Burrill Lake, Ulladulla, Milton,  Yatte Yattah, Conjola, Wandandian, Tomerong, Falls Creek, Nowra, Bomaderry and Shoalhaven Heads before we arrived at Gerroa.

We had a mixture of brilliant sunshine, overcast skies and rain on the way.  Arrived at Seven Mile Beach Holiday Park at about 3:30.

We had previously booked an ensuite site, but for some reason the lady decided to put us on a different ensuite site which supposedly had more room.  She also offered us the site opposite the ensuite as well (no extra charge) in case the ensuite site was a bit squashy.  When we looked at the site it was apparent that it would be awkward to put the van and the annexe on the site – and the door would have to be facing away from the ensuite.  So we decided to set up on the site opposite which meant a walk across the road to get to the loo.  I wasn’t too impressed at over $40 per night for an ensuite site that really isn’t except that the loo is private.  But I got over it.

I went for a walk over to the beach while Bill got the van organised.

We had been given a TV coax cable so we could get Austar channels.  But we couldn’t get any digital channels and the analogue channels, including the Austar ones were pretty poor reception.  So Bill put up our old antenna and we got perfect reception on all digital channels except Channel 2, and pretty good analogue reception too, including Channel 2.

Got the van sorted out after the trip, and watched a bit of TV.  At 7 we went out for tea, not really knowing where we were going to go.  Decided to head for Gerringong.  Saw a restaurant there, but decided the meals were too expensive, and probably a bit avante garde for us.  So we settled on fish and chips back in the van.  Ordered crumbed flounder and chips.  Bill also had a fish cake and I had a potato cake (scallop in NSW).  Was quite nice although Bill said the fish had garlic in the crumbs.  I couldn’t taste it, but he took the crumbs off his fish.