Our Winter Sojourn 2018

09 Jul Our Winter Sojourn 2018

Stockton NSW, Australia – Thursday 21st June 2018

This was our second stay at Stockton Beach Caravan Park, coinciding with the first service of our new Jayco caravan, at Heatherbrae. It also provided an opportunity to catch up with friends from the area, plus an unexpected meeting with friends from the Jayco NSW Club.

Stockton Beach lost tons of sand in a storm approx. three weeks prior to this visit

Self loading, bulk coal carrier “Sincere Pisces” leaving the Port of Newcastle NSW

Fishing at the end of the Stockton Breakwall, while “Sincere Pisces” continues on her way to Japan

The entry / exit channel created by Nobbys Head breakwall and Stockton breakwall runs northeast – southwest. After exiting the channel all ships must turn to the southeast to avoid the protruding coastline and the associated reefs to the northeast.

Many of the structural rocks and concrete blocks in the breakwall are graffitied or painted as memorials. Newcastle CBD in background

From Stockton we drove south. But why go south in winter, when warmer weather is beckoning in the north of Australia? “It’s simple”. There was a family gathering to attend down south in Mallacoota VIC, during the following week.

Werri Beach NSW – Saturday 23rd June
Our first stop “en route” to Mallacoota was Werri Beach, a 4.5 hour drive south of Stockton. It’s a beautiful part of the NSW coast. We stayed the night at the Werri Beach caravan park and had dinner at the local “Bowlo”, just around the corner.

There are many places to stay as one travels down the NSW south coast. For our Sunday night “sleepover” we wanted a location less than four hours from Werri Beach.

“Let’s try Dalmeny”, suggested Maggie.

Beware of the “crocodiles” in the water

Looking over the Lake Mummaga inlet (Lawlers Creek) to the Dalmeny Caravan Park on Mummuga Head.

Dalmeny NSW – Sunday 24th June
The caravan park is slightly exposed to the sea breeze, but offers great views of the water and a lovely, peaceful ambience. The current park managers are very friendly, helpful people.

Lawlers Creek and the sea beyond

Rocks at Mummaga Head with glimpse of the Dalmeny Beach

Mallacoota VIC – Monday 25th – 29th June

In life there are beginnings and there are endings.
In Mallacoota an ending has occurred.
Our much-loved patriarch has passed on, peacefully, gracefully, painlessly,
to an even better place.
Now, for us, Mallacoota will never be the same.

Gundaroo NSW – 29th June 2018
Having decided to make only one stop on our way home, we chose the small village of Gundaroo. It offers camping (by donation) at the showground. However, this is not the most inviting camping spot, due to low tree branches, a narrow road around a centre playing field and few suitable spots to park a large caravan with car attached. Although, I’m pleased we stayed. The village of Gundaroo is intriguing.

This was only two-storey building we saw in Gundaroo, which at first we assumed was “the pub”

Then we saw this sign, but found the building was now used as an upmarket restaurant, opening around an hour later than would suit us

We arrived in Gundaroo late in the day and weren’t ready to begin our walk through the main street until 4pm. By then it was cold and threatening rain, so we were looking for a place to sit down out of the cold weather, have a coffee or beer and relax.

Ahh here’s the pub. I was so keen to get inside I forgot to take an outside photo. Though I can tell you it looks like several old shops joined together and nothing like a pub.

Note the artwork around the walls of “our room” in above photo. These are all for sale and presumably painted by a local artist.

You might have noticed that the yellow door to the left (in above photo) leans outwards at the top. This is not optical distortion from the camera lens or perspective distortion.

Gundaroo is 37 Kilometers drive NN-East of Canberra’s centre, 30 kilometers south of Gunning, 18 kilometers north of the Federal Hwy along Sutton Road and around 19 kilometers outside of the Australian Capital Territory.

Although you would never guess it from viewing these photos, real estate in Gundaroo is very expensive. And many of the buildings in the main street are “Heritage Listed”.

But what a gem of a place Gundaroo is! I want to find out what makes it “tick”, next time we visit.

Please feel free to add a comment below, especially if you have visited any of the places in “Our Winter Sojourn 2018” or if you wish to offer a correction.