NSW Coast Northbound

The first night on our own again was controlled by possums.

We had said goodbye to Becky and Craig in the morning after porridge and coffee. It was a bittersweet moment. We had only been on the road for a couple of weeks, but saying goodbye to friends we would not see for a long time made the trip feel more real. Until then, there had still been a shakedown feeling to it. Now it was just Steph and me again, heading north.

It kind of felt like the real start of the journey.

Inland Heat and Possum Pressure

We stopped for lunch at Porcupine Lookout in Gunnedah. Gunnedah is often promoted as the koala capital of the world, but we did not see any koalas. It was hot, and I only did a quick wander to the lookout before we continued.

Armidale felt very quiet, in the way some country towns can feel quiet even when people clearly live there. We stocked up for the night, then drove to Wollomombi campground in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park.

At first, it felt like a very good choice. Wollomombi is known for its gorges and waterfalls, and the campground is close to lookouts over Wollomombi and Chandler Falls. Oxley Wild Rivers National Park protects part of the Macleay Gorges system, one of the largest gorge systems in Australia. It feels wide and deep very quickly once you walk to the edge.

We were greeted almost immediately by a lyrebird. It was too quick and shy for a photo, but it was still a good welcome. The short walk to the lookout was excellent. The gorge was spectacular, and for a moment we thought we had selected a pretty great campsite for the night.

Then we started cooking and dawn settled in.

Within a short time, five possums had surrounded us. They were not shy. They wanted our dinner, and they were not interested in our personal boundaries. Brushtail possums are common around campgrounds and very good at learning where food comes from. That is useful for them and less useful for anyone trying to cook calmly.

It turned into one of the more stressful dinners of the trip so far. We defended the food as best we could, cooked quickly, cleaned everything up and left nothing outside. Tent time came early.

Later, Steph woke up because it sounded like the possums were climbing the ladder and scratching near the tent. It was not the best night we had. In the morning everything was calm again, which almost made the previous evening feel slightly unreal.

Reminder to ourselves: check campsite reviews for possums.

Red Cliff and the Lagoon

The next day the target was one of our favourite campgrounds in NSW: Red Cliff and Lake Arragan in Yuraygir National Park.

On the way we stopped in Grafton. The town already had more of a beach-country mix to it, somewhere between inland NSW and the coast. We found the 50 metre pool and had it almost to ourselves. Ten out of ten. After so much driving, it felt very good to move properly again.

It was not only us who got a shower. Roger deserved a clean as well after the inland dust.

Yuraygir National Park protects a long stretch of coastline between Angourie and Red Rock. Lake Arragan and Red Cliff sit side by side on the northern coast of the park, with pandanus, paperbarks, coastal heath, kangaroos and the red formations that give Red Cliff its name. NSW National Parks also notes that the cliffs are unstable, which is worth remembering. They look solid until you remember the ocean is always working on them.

We have been there a few times and loved every visit. Because it was still Easter, we could only secure one night. Still absolutely worth it.

This time we changed things up and stayed at campsite 7, closer to the lagoon. The views were amazing. It was a pleasant evening, we walked on the beach for sunset and settled quickly back into the coastal mood. Beach camps have a different feeling. There is more wind, more sand, and things get messy faster, but the ocean changes the whole atmosphere.

Friday started with a sunrise beach walk, a swim and coffee. There are not too many better starts to a day.

Then kangaroos went for a swim through the lagoon as well.

We had never seen that before. It was one of those small moments that make a place you already know feel new again.

Yamba, Angourie and Strong Current

We were in two minds about visiting Yamba. It is a small coastal town that we had mixed feelings about in the past, but it is starting to grow on us.

We went for a run in the park and used the gym stations. After that we drove to South Head Park near Angourie. The beaches there are genuinely stunning. Last year, from the headland, we saw dolphins jumping. This time we just had a quick jump in the water to cool down.

The current was very strong. It was a good reminder that currents are one of the more serious dangers in the ocean. The water can look manageable from shore and still move with a lot more force than expected.

Angourie Blue and Green Pools are also worth mentioning, although we skipped them this time because we had visited before. They began as quarry sites used for stone for the Yamba breakwall. When the quarrying opened up a freshwater spring, the abandoned pits became swimming holes. The area is also significant to the Yaegl people, so it is more than just a pretty place to swim.

From there we drove to our next destination: Mibanbah Black Rocks campground in Bundjalung National Park.

Black Rocks and a Long SUP Morning

The campsites at Mibanbah Black Rocks are huge. The view from camp itself is not quite as open as Red Cliff, but the beach is beautiful. The campground sits behind the dunes near Ten Mile Beach and Jerusalem Creek, and it is a good base for paddling, fishing, walking and getting sand through everything again.

We had already received a lot of sun, so we set up the tarp and stayed in the shade. It was windy, but peaceful. We checked out the creek nearby and knew the next day would be a SUP day.

The sunset was spectacular, with excellent colours. Dinner was spaghetti bolognese and a nice Binet red wine. The night temperature could not have been much better, and it was relaxing to hear the ocean in the distance.

Did I mention the stars? Nature was doing well.

Saturday started with coffee and then the stand-up paddle boards. The plan was to paddle along Jerusalem Creek to a remote camp area with access to the beach. It was about 4.5 kilometres one way, and it took much longer than I expected. After around 90 minutes we arrived and were very ready for our overnight oats.

We found a shady spot near the beach. That was a good start to the day.

The paddle along the creek was very peaceful. Almost nobody around, fish below us, birds around us, and this quiet movement you only get on still water. We definitely should have started one or two hours earlier, because the sun was burning down. The way back was easier thanks to the wind and took about an hour. We finished with a swim in the creek, which was exactly what was needed.

Because we had to move campsites that day, the car was already packed. We shifted two spots further down the track and set up again. By then the sun was properly burning. Just setting up the tarp felt like exercise.

I should have worn my heart rate belt. Our home gym in Manly, 38X, uses MEPs, which are points based on heart rate zones. It is a bit of gamification, and it does sometimes force me to go the extra mile. I am currently falling behind a little, but the month is still long. In any case, tarp setup in that heat should count for something.

After that we did not move for a while.

Sunday started with an excellent sunrise and an easy 9 kilometre run along the Jerusalem Creek walk. We had a relaxed morning and went out with the SUPs again in the afternoon. After a hot day, camp showers in the evening are still one of the best things we carry.

The black rocks themselves come from ancient volcanic activity. Dark basalt sits along this section of coast, contrasting with the sand and tea-coloured creek water. It gives the place a different look from the softer beaches further south.

Lennox, Byron and the Practical Gold Coast Stop

Monday was moving day again. We packed up and aimed for the Byron area.

First stop was Lennox Head, where we had oats for breakfast. We have been there a few times, and Lennox remains a very liveable place. Relaxed beach feeling, good surf culture, and not as touristy as Byron Bay. Lennox Head was declared a National Surfing Reserve in 2007, and its right-hand point break is well known for a reason.

This morning it was absolutely packed. The car park was overflowing, and there were so many people in the water. The waves looked perfect if you knew what you were doing. We did not, at least not well enough for those conditions, so we watched instead. We were also wondering what everyone was doing there on a weekday around 9 or 10am. Apparently surfing was the answer.

Next stop was Byron Bay. Cape Byron is the most easterly point of the Australian mainland, and the lighthouse has been operating since 1901. Byron is still a favourite spot for us, but it has changed a lot over the years. A one bedroom apartment can now sit in a similar price range to Sydney, around AUD 1.2 million, which is crazy.

We went to Bayleaf Cafe, which we can highly recommend. Breakfast was a bit different, with a Japanese touch, and very delicious. We strolled around town for a bit and then continued north.

For most of the way to the Gold Coast, we took the tourist drive along the coast and stopped at a few beaches and headlands. There are some stunning beaches along that stretch.

Late in the afternoon we arrived at Broadwater Tourist Park. It was okay, but we are not big fans of standing back to back with other campers. We prefer national park sites. Still, we needed laundry, and sometimes the practical stop wins.

The park had a bingo session, which was fun to watch in a very Australian way. I remember the call “17, dancing queen”, which seems as logical as any bingo system.

We hoped to swim at the nearby aquatic centre, but it was closed to the public because of a swimming competition. Instead we walked towards Southport, got Thai food and went to a pub to do some planning for the next weeks.

Surfers Paradise for One Evening

Tuesday was washing day. I went for a run south towards Main Beach while the washing was going, then we organised a few things.

Later in the afternoon we went to Surfers Paradise by public transport. Queensland’s Translink network has 50 cent flat fares across all zones and modes, except Airtrain. Compared with Sydney, that feels almost suspiciously cheap.

Surfers Paradise is one of the most touristy areas along the Gold Coast. It is not somewhere I would like to spend many days, but for one evening it was good to soak up the atmosphere.

We used EatClub, which has become a useful app for finding restaurant deals. It showed a Mexican place called Alma, which also had Taco Tuesday. Half-price tacos plus 35 percent EatClub discount. That is an excellent combination.

We also noticed quite a few homeless people, or people living in cars, around the Gold Coast. It was not the main story of the evening, but it was visible enough to stay in mind. The tourist surface and the housing reality sit very close together there.

Miami Beach and a Smoky Night near Beerwah

Wednesday was moving day again. Before leaving the Gold Coast, we met Hayley, a former colleague of Steph, and her daughter close to Miami Beach.

This area had much more of the feeling we like: fewer skyscrapers, more relaxed beach atmosphere, and less of the Surfers Paradise intensity.

After that, we left the coast and headed towards Beerwah. We stopped there for shopping because our camp for the night was a Hipcamp called Quails Ridge Farm Stay near the Glass House Mountains.

It was a great find. Very good value for money, and we were the only guests, so we had the place to ourselves. The bush shower even had hot water. We lit a campfire and cooked dinner.

The Glass House Mountains are the hard volcanic plugs left behind after softer surrounding rock eroded away. They rise sharply from the Sunshine Coast hinterland and make the whole area feel different from the flat coastal strip. The day was very smoky because of a bushfire somewhere nearby, but the view from camp was still pretty good.

The loss of the day was the soap. I had left it on the car before we started driving in the morning. It was not seen again.

This chapter felt like the trip had found its coastal line again. We were no longer in shakedown mode, and no longer travelling with friends. We were moving north by ourselves, learning what kind of campsites suit us, which towns feel good, and how much better a day becomes when it starts with a sunrise, swim and strong coffee.