Family and COVID

 We spent the last 2 days catching up with family. It has been good.

Tomorrow we are due to leave Brisbane to visit my sister in law who is an inpatient at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.  

This afternoon, there was a COVID positive case in the - guess where - Sunshine Coast University Hospital  I have not been so close to a COVID case as I have been in Queensland.  How crazy.

We will contact my brother and/or the hospital tomorrow to see if they allow visitors.

As battle hardened NSW residents, it is familiar.   Let's hope the QLD contact tracing is better than Sammy J's Mildred and Beryl. And  just as well I brought my masks with me.  Prepared  for anything at this stage.

Byron Bay

Yesterday we had a chance to explore Byron Bay. I hadn't heard a good word about it, but I can see why the celebrities moved in.  The hills and beach are just beautiful.  It isn't your quiet, family holiday place.  We didn't see any celebs, nor find a flash eatery. 

It's second claim to fame - the lighthouse.  Seen from a distance.

It's first claim to fame - the most easterly point of the Australian mainland.

And this is us....

 

We tackled a 3.7m walk - some of it was strenuous.  On the way to the lighthouse.

There were beautiful beaches.

And a very welcome and delicious hamburger after our walk. 

 Then Kin Mun drove to Brisbane  You wouldn't even know you had crossed the border.  It was just a seamless, 4 lane highway all the way - well, most of the way.  There are some parts still being completed in Queensland, so we were down to 2 lanes in places.

Port Macquarie to Byron Bay

On the road again this morning.  

Past Coffs Harbour and its famous icon....

We drove on to Woolgoolga where we had lunch.  A curry pie, no less.

We always knew Woolgoolga had an established Sikh community.  In case you didn't know, there is a Sikh temple at the entrance to town to remind you.  We could have had lunch there I guess.

After lunch, we had a look at the Woolgoolga headland.  This is the road...

And at the top is a wonderful view of the beaches and ocean.  KM got a pic of whales in the distance, but I wasn't so lucky.

I liked Woolgoolga.  Lovely beaches, a headland walk and very quiet.

Then on to Byron Bay.  We had had heard no good words about Byron bay, but it reminded me of the Gold Coast many, many years ago in the sixties.  Anyhow, this is one shot of the night life..

And during the pandemic, this is one way to cope with the TP problem.  Seen in a toilet at Woolgoolga.

Tomorrow, we cross the border!  

Brisbane and ANZAB

 This trip will be the first time we have attempted to cross a border since February 2020 - 15 months ago.  We are holding our breath that COVID in either state holds off.  Already Victorians have had their ANZAB cancelled.

Leaving this morning - first long drive in our new car.

On to Port Macquarie.  The road was indeed dual highway all the way.  Traffic was light.  The signage wasn't as fore-warning as we are used to and we missed the turnoff to Raymond Terrace.  Consequently we had lunch at a servo in Karuah.

Port Macquarie is a big town, and has a lovely water-front walk.  We had an early dinner and went for a walk.

Sunset - and can you spot Venus?

(Just to the left of the double lights, between two palm trees).  

Apparently our first PM was the local member.  A Protectionist who went into an alliance with Labor.  Not sure where he would sit on today's spectrum.  Edmund Barton.

We ate at the bar behind.  Not really recommended - but at least I was no longer hungry!

Home, via Bundanoon

After Goulburn, we tried to avoid the freeway and took a detour via Bundanoon.  Lovely drive and autumn colours beginning.

You can't leave your horse here while you go to town.  Or maybe it refers to the pedestrian rail crossing.

To Goulburn - and sock discovery!

We drove home via Goulburn, stopping at Crookwell. When I looked up Crookwell on Google maps, there was a big marker for Lindner Socks.  What was that all about?  As we drove into town, there was the shop on our left.  So had to stop and see.

Inside was a, so we were told, very traditional sock making factory.  No spandex at all in their socks.  

They had a range of socks and couldn't resist buying their lightest version.  They supply locally, online, and they have a website.   Good to see!

PS. Have liked my bright red pair and will test them in the wash and perhaps get a couple more.

 

Temora

Some pics of Temora.  Like many NSW towns, the old buildings have survived.  In Queensland, the wooden buildings are vulnerable to getting to burned down.  A street scene:

There was a fire in the distance.

 
 

Aviation Museum

Temora's major tourist attraction is the Aviation Museum, focused on wartime planes.  All on display are air-worthy.  Some, such as the Supermarine Spitfire had been flown to Canberra to celebrate the 100 years of the RAAF. Oh well. Anyhow, some pics:

Can't say you weren't warned....

Inside.  Beautifully presented - and lit.  Every aircraft had an individual explanation and video.

And not just pilots.....

100th anniversary of RAAF.

The Road to Temora

We drove from Gundagai to Temora.

The road.

This is a harvested field/paddock.  What was it?

 

 

Gundagai

Our first road trip for 2021.   We are in Gundagai tonight.

We saw the dog - who made his owners bad day even worse, or sat pining for him, whichever version you like.  We saw the statue of Dad and Dave, Mum and Mabel, of the song There's a track winding back etc etc..  And we are staying in a hotel called Flash Jacks.  Flash Jack from Gundagai is a lesser known Aussie folk song.  You Tube version here

 The dog - How can you come to Gundagai and not see it.

The theme continues 

Pat and Graham alerted us to the Niagara Cafe.  No longer a working cafe - it has been sold.

It's claim to fame is that the owner fed our wartime PM while he and his group discussed our wartime issues.  These are plates from the setting.

And the story.

Statues of Steele Rudd's On Our Selection  characters, who feature in The Road to Gundagai song.

Our hotel has TWO charging stations for electric vehicles.  A fine looking Tesla occupied one...

And a close-up 

There is a lot of history written up in Gundagai.  A bit confronting to see that my lifetime is considered history!

And this Westpac bank in Yass did not have an ATM - it conflicted with the heritage order.  So we had to actually talk to a person to get some cash.