NSW - Harrington

Harrington is on the mouth of the Manning River, about 11k’s off the Pacific Highway. We stayed at the Big 4 caravan park which is at the beach end of town. The park is huge with a swimming pool, 2 amenities blocks which are old, but again lovely and clean. We stayed two nights and decided to moove on because the sandflies were toooooo friendly and didn’t give us much peace.
We rode our bikes to Crowdy Head on the first morning, which is about 7 k’s along the beach road. Crowdy has a small fishing fleet which make their home in a man made harbour. It always amazes me how many break walls people have built along the coast over many years.. Crowdy’s prawns are sold in many restaurants and fish shops in the area.
A few years ago an artist was commissioned to sculpt and paint totem poles resembling some of the locals. Some are depicting the tug boats’ pilots used in the area years ago and some are former area locals. They are now placed in various positions around the waters edge. The detail is incredible. The same artist, after finishing the totems then painted the bottom two metres of many of the power poles in town with ocean themes. There are dolphins, pelicans, sea gulls, waves etc. They give a unique feeling to the town.

The break wall at Harrington is 1.8k’s long. It provides for a great walk or bike ride. I never tire of stopping along the way looking for fish and watching the fishermen. The water was so clear on the ocean side of the breakwall that you could see the fish really clearly.


Harrington Waters is the new area about 4 k’s out of town, back towards the highway. It has a golf course, shopping village, Harrigans Irish Pub, beautiful huge houses along the river and creates a very peaceful lifestyle. It is beautifully laid out and in true Roche fashion, all class.
Tomorrow is a big day. We are driving to Nambucca Heads. Two hours up the road. Boy, this nomad life is demanding!

NSW - Seal Rocks

One of our favourite relaxation spots is Seal Rocks, a peaceful fishing village about 1 1/2 hours drive north of Newcastle. Heading north from Newcastle, take The Lakes Way road to Forster. 24 k's down the road, is the Seal Rocks turnoff and then this peace of paradise is 11 k's down the road with 2k's of dirt road. We are towing a 22foot van and the drive was easy. Just before the Seal Rocks turnoff you pass through Bungwahl, a small, small town, which I noticed by a sign beside the road is the "Choko capital of Australia". Maybe the choko's are out of season but I didn't see any sign of a choko anywhere. No vines, no road side stands. Nothing. An interesting way to make your one's claim to fame! Not that I'm really keen on chokos myself. I remember when I was a kid Mum used to make chokos in white sauce. I ate it, but couldn't stand it really. My feelings about chokos haven't changed but I know many people who love them.
When you drive down the final hill and round the bend into Seal Rocks you are greeted with the beautiful waters of First Beach which is where the Seal Rocks Camping Reserve is. We stayed at this camp site for four nights and loved every minute of it. One day we actually had two naps. We got up in the morning, walked along the beach, swam, breakfast, back to the beach, fall asleep on the beach, lunch at the van and while reading my book in the afternoon, couldn't keep my eyes open so had to have another nap! I don't ever remember having two naps in one day. My how times are changing!
We decided to walk up to the corner store one day to have lunch. The menu consists of meat pies or sausage rolls. I was hoping for a toasted sandwich or something interesting. We are gourmet grey nomads after all. Anyway, we both chose a pie and sat outside looking at the beautiful view. It was a good pie and the view is to die for.
Another day we rode our bikes from our camp site up to the Sugar Loaf Point Lighthouse which is one of our favourite spots in the area. We had to bike up three hills to get there, and one big hill on the way back, and I didn't even have to get off my bike and push it. I was so proud of myself. Boy, these two naps a day are really helping my fitness levels.
Next spot is Diamond Beach. About an hour down the road. We don't want to drive too far in these early stages.

Nelson Bay

While at Nelson bay we stayed at Halifax Holiday Park situated on a peninsula between Little Beach and Shoal Bay at the base of the Nelson Head Inner Lighthouse. The lighthouse is now the headquarters for the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol and also has a "tea house" and gift shop and great views of the area. For us, the park had everything. In the mornings we rode our bikes down to Fingal Bay and back which is about 14 k's, had a swim at Little Beach and we often had breakfast at the little kiosk which has fabulous food.
When at home in the summer we swim laps most mornings of the week at Merewether Baths and know that we will miss that on our trip. Little Beach is perfect because it is sheltered and very calm and you can swim laps along the beach inside the shark nets. I later learned that it wasn't a shark net at all but just a line of buoys showing the boats that they cannot come into that area. Because I get nervous swimming in the ocean worrying about those fish with the fins and sharp teeth I chose to believe that it really was a shark net and enjoyed my laps. At the other end of the park you can walk down to Shoal Bay beach which has beautiful soft sand and a few waves, depending on the swell of course.
In the late afternoons we'd make ourselves a couple of margaritas, walk out on the point and watch the sun setting. (We are getting used to this life very quickly.)
Nelson Bay has something for everybody. There is fishing, para sailing, kayaking, surfing, go carting, golfing, bush walking, quad biking, ferry rides across to Hawkes Nest and Tea Gardens and heaps more. Just "google" Nelson Bay and have fun choosing what to do and what to see. We are now heading to Stockton Caravan Park for three nights. Boy, what a big trip, about half an hours drive away. It takes us longer to pack and unpack than it does to drive there.
Mike's happy, we have had a few more additions to the list in the last couple of days, so when we are set up he'll be off. What would he do without these lists.

Nelson Bay

Two of our grandchildren, Lily and Cody after a big day swimming and riding their bikes around the caravan park at Nelson Bay. They had a great time and crashed on our couch in the caravan while watching television.

Lily and her cousin Chloe rolling around in the surf at Shoal Bay.

 The surf was so strong that they could hardly stand up and spent

 their time being pushed around by the waves. They had so much fun. I have fond memories doing the same thing at Mount Manganui in New Zealand when I was a kid.

Just a couple of photos to show you our caravan and tow vehicle. We are presently at The Halifax caravan park in Nelson Bay and slowly coming to the realisation that this will be our life for a while.

The weather is glorious and we are making the most of these beautiful beaches.