Today we made our way back to the coast to pick up the Pacific Highway to continue our trip North. Today was by far our biggest drive of the trip. With a lot of ground to cover, we were keen to make a few stops on our way up.
Our first stop was the unfortunately named Blackbutt Reserve on the outskirts of the city of Newcastle, a large industrial city on the coast north of Sydney. Driving through Newcastle, I can't say I was disappointed we hadn't made a plan to spend much time there... But the reserve itself was worth a look.
It is starting to become a joke how few signs there are once you're off the coast and the reserve is no exception. Convinced it's 'somewhere up here on the left', we kept our eyes peeled for an entrance. Eventually we pass an inlet into some trees off the main road and work out that must be it.
Once we said hello to the huge spider sharing the public loos with us, we did finally see some animals. So many birds and wallabies and reptiles so we weren't diappointed. The highlight though were the koalas curled up sleeping in the trees. So so fluffy! Disappointed we didn't get some face viewage but no doubt we will get other opportunities.
After that we drove north to Port Stephens, a beautiful green peninsula jutting out into the water with a number of seaside stops along both sides. I was slightly jealous of everyone turning off for the sandboarding park, the man made dunes just poking up above the walls. I wasn't diappointed for long though after we arrived in Nelson's bay. It could have been the south of France only with fewer people and way better sand. We sat munching our sandwiches in the shade of the trees, looking out into the port, jealous of all the boat owners with their yachts docked, and eyeing up the ice cream stalls. We didn't quite have the time to get bikinis out but you can't stop me getting in that clear, warm water. So refreshing after already 3 and a half hours in the car.
Then we had the big stretch up north. 4 hours drive to Nambucca Heads. I was starting to worry that after driving past so much, Nambucca Heads had a lot of pressure on it. What if we'd come all this way and it wasn't even nice? Anxiety was made worse by getting lost in the maze of streets with tons of the steepest bloody hills I have ever seen. Eventually we pulled into a hippy camper park as a last resort so we could get a map and finally see the beaches.
Wow. Caught just before sunset, there was beautiful beach on the left, lined with hand painted rocks personalised by visitors over the years, and on the right a fresh water lake with the sun setting behind it, children swimming and trees hanging over the water. Perhaps the most idyllic spot we have been so far. Thank. God.
Then we drove a short way to our hostel in the country town of Bellingen. The town is another adorable little toy town but with a very individual culture and viiibe going on. The setting is lush green with winding creeks and natural ponds and lakes cropping up everywhere. The hostel is an old wooden building looking out onto the surrounding hills with hammocks and cushions and huge rooms that open out onto the terrace. This place is the first sign that we are in what I can only describe as a hippy town.
No one appears to wear shoes, everyone has beards and billowing patterned trousers and everywhere you look there are adverts for Pilates or some kind of health and love festival. As soon as we walked into the pub on the corner, we felt out of place in flip flops so slipped them off and ordered our local Bellingen-brewed ginger beer and cider. Despite the distinct hippy feel, we felt completely comfortable welcomed by everyone. A really lovely place to stop - wish we had longer.
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