Greetings from Goulburn

Hello everyone, we have been lots of places and have seen some of since our last blog entry, but to bring the rest of you up to date…………

We left Yamba and continued our leisurely drive down the NSW coast only traveling 1 to 2 hours at a time. Next stop was at Coffs Harbour where we stayed 3 nights. Visited Nana Glen and Sawtell, had a banana split in the Big Banana and caught up with Michael Blewitt, only by phone unfortunately due to family illness. Caravan park in Coffs was right on a dog friendly beach so was a nice stop over. It rained in the morning we planned to leave and so we got wet packing up, but it was the first time that has happened in 6 months on the road. Travelled to the Goolwah Reserve 10 klm south of Crescent Head and spent a damp weekend there, but very peaceful. No power or hot water there but managed to light nice fires each afternoon between showers for cooking and hot water showers via the watering can.

Monday 6th we headed to Forster where it poured while setting up so got wet again. Enjoyed Forster after not being there for 25 years, caught up with some old OPSM friends including my old boss from the 90’s, Bob Mc Manus. We had a great night with them in their beautiful home on the Tallwoods Golf Course estate. From Forster down to Tea Gardens to stay the night with another OPSM boss, Les Miller and Marg. Another enjoyable night, in another beautiful home reminiscing about the old days. Les took us for a tour through Hawkes Nest to Mungo Brush where we used to camp in the 80’s and has it all changed, sealed roads and formal designated camp sites, but the lake is still beautiful.

From Les’s we drove to Toowoon Bay on the central coast to catch up with my family on Saturday at Luke & Jamie’s Family day. It was good to see everyone again. While we were on the coast we had a visit from Steve & Jeanette who were staying a week at Umina, had dinner with John O’keefe at Lakehaven and caught up with an old friend of mine, John Forrester. After 16 years it was great to catch up with him and also his parents who still remembered me as “the bikie boy from OPSM”. They are in their 80s and whilst John’s father is not so well his mum still looks the same. John is now working as a painter and is heavily involved as a board member of the Hardy’s Bay RSL club trying to get it out of the hands of the receiver.
The Toowoon Bay Caravan Park is very relaxed and dog friendly located on 1.5 klm of leash free dog beach. Naturally Olly had a great time there as did we. Sue and I celebrated out 31st wedding anniversary with lunch at the Entrance Hotel and after staying 10 days in Toowoon Bay we headed off to Goulburn on Wednesday 22nd November.

We are now staying with the Yeadons in Goulburn and had a weekend in Sydney for the wedding of and OPSM couple and a night in the Menzies (not as good as a night in the caravan though). Enjoying out time in Goulburn with the Yeadons (spent all day yesterday, working with Dimity assembling a home gym consisting of about 50 major pieces and 200 bolts) I think I got fitter just building it. We also had lunch with Kerry Teague who I used to work with in Goulburn and her husband and it was good to see them again.
Well that has brought you up to date. We are planning to spend a week or so down the coast at Seven Mile Beach, visit Shirley (Sues Mum) and then head up to Sydney (Dot’s place) before Christmas. I have posted a few recent photos of the journey. Alice & Jack, Robert excited to see me after 6 months, the farm (Aintree) and the beach at Toowoon Bay.
Love Sue & Chris