Moving North

Already behind schedule, there was a rush to put the final touches on the apartment, and get out of the door.  Unexpected tasks have already ruined our previously pristine timeline, making the last moments in the apartment hectic.  In hind sight, we should have planned for that, as moving out of a place usually is a bit crazy.  Never the less, we eventually close the door behind us, return the keys, and are on our way.  As we drive away from Melbourne, we are treated to views in our mirrors of the sun setting over the city.  It is an appropriate gesture, our time in the city is ending, and we are moving north.

The coming week calls for a drive up the east coast of Australia, with several overnight stays and seeing of sights along the way.  The car is packed to the roof with everything we can’t live without for the week, and everything that can’t live without us.  It’s a tight, but cozy fit.  The first stop on the journey is Bear Gully Cottages, tucked into the coast near Wilson's Promontory National Park.  Following the late exit from Melbourne, the drive through southern Victoria is dark, and only grows darker as we move further from civilization.  The long stretches of country road are nicely accented by a clear view of the stars and numerous stops to let wallabies and wombats cross the road.  When we finally pull up to our cottage it is late into the night.  The owners are gracious enough to accommodate our late arrival, and we make our way into the cottage and unpack from our exhausting first day of travel. 

Waking up the next morning we are greeted by a wonderful sunrise over the ocean, perfectly viewed from the deck of the cottage.  With only 2 days to explore the area, we get out of the door early in the morning.  Wilson Promontory has a lot to offer:  coastal and mountain walks, untouched beaches, beautiful views and a variety of wildlife.  We take in as much as we can over the following days, before finally relenting to our tight schedule, packing the car, and heading to our next stop.

Lakes Entrance is next on the agenda, with an overnight stop at a hotel along the Princes Highway.  The following morning allows for a few hours of exploring, which are happily done around the waters that run through the area.  Cormorants, gulls, swans, and egrets are all going about their days, and I happily snap away.  I even stop to lend a hand to a pigeon that is stuck in a whirlpool, unable to make it back to the shore.  My good deed done for the day, we load into the car again, and are on our way.  The next leg moves us inland, as we feel the need to pass through Canberra on the way north.  A long day of driving and site-seeing eventually leads to our next stop in Wollongong.

With the rain setting in there is not much to do the next day, except for drive.  We make the soggy journey up the coast and through Sydney, making sure to pass over the Harbour Bridge to film a few scenes(watch the video below!).  Coming out the other side of the city we continue up the coast with our eyes set on the next hotel a few hours ahead. 

Waking up in Port Macquarie the next morning, the rains have cleared, leaving a few clouds still hanging in the air.  The drive that day is one of the shorter legs of the journey, so we had some time to see the area.  We discover that there are a lot of banana trees in the area, including the Big Banana at Coffs Harbour.  Tours of the country side prove rewarding, and we are treated to wonderful views of the harbours and shorelines as we continue north.

Lismore greets us that evening with a wonderful sunset, and plenty of bird life on the lake near our hotel.  The next morning is just as wonderful as I am able to spend a few hours chasing the birds around the lake.  I’m greeted by a pair of kookaburras, and also spot a royal spoonbill and a jacana.   I eventually realize the sun is starting to get high, and it’s time to move on.  So we load into the car one last time and start the drive to our last destination, our new home in Tweed Heads.

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