More travels with Roger and Denise – report 4

Canberra to Kiama – 31 October 2009.

More travel on the Hume Highway. It gets a bit nerve racking with all the semi-trailers and B-double rigs roaring up behind us but eventually they get past. The only benefit for us on this highway is good fuel consumption figures.

Scenery on this leg is quite different to anything else we have seen so far. Broad green valleys, backed by mountains and rolling foothills. The area either side of Goulburn is quite lush. Its no wonder this area produces such a huge variety of foodstuffs.

We were relieved to finally leave the Hume behind at Exeter and head into the NSW southern highlands on the Illawarra Highway. Lots of rolling hills covered with plenty of forests – a very pretty area of NSW.

We had to stop at Moss Vale to ask the correct route out of town to get to Kiama as there were almost no direction signs anywhere. The bloke we spoke to was very helpful and recommended stopping at the bakery in Robertson for one of their home made meat pies.

We did. I had a beef, tomato and onion pie – possibly the best flakey pastry I have ever had in a pie. A local café were very helpful and made up a specials gluten free salad for Denise, so we were both happy.

The drive out to the Pacific coast took us down through Macarthur Pass, lots of twists and hairpin bends but otherwise a peaceful journey peaceful until we emerged onto the coast at Shellharbour and headed south on the Princess Highway.

NSW drivers speed everywhere. Thankfully we got off the highway safely at Kiama and booked into South Coast Caravan Park, which is located high up on a headland, facing straight out to the Pacific Ocean.

View from caravan park to Kiama lighthouse and blowhole point. © R Neal 2009.

The blowhole point café was able to do a very nice gluten-free savoury prawn and rice dish for Denise so we shared lunch there on Sunday with two other couples – a very pleasant day!

Kiama to Batemans Bay – 2 November 2009.

This journey took us through a series of delightful bays, inlets and coastal lakes. Unfortunately for us, not many of them had spaces big enough to pull over for a rest and photography. However, Ulladulla was the exception and we stopped to grab some shots and have an ice cream.

Ulladulla foreshore. © D Neal 2009.

 

The marina at Ulladulla. © R Neal 2009.

We were able to get a site at the Riverside Caravan Park for five nights so settled in for a rest and recovery time. This park is as good as the one we stayed at in Mildura. Free morning tea, bbq on Tuesday morning. Being Melbourne Cup day, the proprietor served up bbq mushrooms stuffed with smoked salmon and cheese – fabulous! Temperature rose to 37 Celsius, which we did not enjoy but it dropped to 20 the next day. Unfortunately the weather became overcast and rainy for the rest of our stay here.

Bridge across Clyde River, Batemans Bay. © D Neal 2009.

 

Overcast day on Clyde River, Batemans Bay. © R Neal 2009.

Boats on Clyde River. © D Neal 2009.

Shoe island near Batehaven. © D Neal 2009.

 

Rocks at observation point, Batehaven. © D Neal 2009.

 

Observation point scenic view. © D Neal 2009.

The annual Batemans Bay Camping and Caravan Show started on the Friday and we spent three hours walking around that. Innovation in the latest model trailers, vans and motor homes of all sizes is simply amazing – all the comforts of home on the road.

Night view of Batemans Bay from caravan park. © R Neal 2009.

Tiffany Islands at entrance to Clyde River, Batemans Bay. © R Neal 2009.

Batemans Bay to Merimbula – 7 November 2009.

Merimbula is another of the very popular holiday resort centres and also a major oyster farming area on the NSW south coast. We stayed two nights at the Merimbula Beach Holiday Park on Short Point, which again, looks out over the Pacific Ocean and north across the surf beach. Lots of photo subjects here.

View of ocean beach from caravan park at Merimbula. © R Neal 2009.

Late afternoon on Big Lake, Merimbula. © R Neal 2009.

We did a half-day trip out to Pambula and Pambula Beach, which is like a suburb of Merimbula. This whole area is full of holiday homes. It would be a fabulous area to retire to if money was no object. No wonder the local population swells ten-fold during school holidays.

Rocks at Pambula beach. © D Neal 2009.

Surf rescue boat on Pambula beach. © R Neal 2009.

Pambula River beach. © R Neal 2009.

Old water tank on Pambula River beach. © D Neal 2009.

Tree over Pambula River. © D Neal 2009.

We are heading back into Victoria tomorrow and will spend a couple of days at Mallacoota, on the eastern edge of Croajingolong National Park.