Anxious to get some good walks under our belt we set off for Mount Warning – a hike we missed out on the way north because of the rain. Mt. Warning is the remains of the central plug of a 20 million year old volcano, surrounded by an enormous caldera, reputedly one of the finest examples in the world. The drive through this area was one of the best of our trip.
The climb is described as 'strenuous'. We have found that tourist guides generally exaggerate the level of difficulty – but not this time. It is a relentless 2-3 hour climb followed by about 70m of almost vertical rock which (for the likes of us) can only be managed with the aid of a chain attached to the rocks. Arriving at the top, totally exhausted, it was a bit disconcerting to be greeted by a bush turkey.
Bush Turkey
These are all over the mountain and are no doubt a good source of protein for the largish pythons that live in the forested mountain slopes. We didn't see any pythons but just this grey-black one (about 60cm) on the track.
This was about 2 ft long
The view was initially obscured by cloud, but these rose and eventually we had a fantastic 360 degree view. Mt Warning is reputedly the first place that the sun strikes each day in Australia.
View from Mount Warning
A second great hike was to the Minyon Falls.
View from the top of the Minyon Falls
Much improved weather meant that we could camp our way south – 8 nights without rain and good night-time temperatures. The only downside was the mosquitoes that flourished in the wet weather of a week (or so) ago.
Kookaburras can be over-friendly and snatch food from your hand
Camp sites are invariably good – sometimes remarkably so. Some campsites have a huge mossie-free camp kitchen equipped with fridge, freezer, toasters, microwaves, cooker, boiling water on tap and several gas BBQs.
The day we lost the camera - and found it again
It is hardly what Meg remembers from her days as a Girl Guide. Our air mattresses are 'state of the art' and as comfortable as a bed and we have invested in pillows (10A$) which make all the difference. And it is warm enough to sleep most of the night on top of sleeping bags.
From Mount Warning we worked our way down the coast via Brunswick Heads, Evan's Head, Urunga, North Haven, Hawk's Nest and Nelson's Bay – all delightful small towns off the main highway with warm bays to swim in and usually with good hikes (although these are getting shorter!)
The night skies are so clear and sharp – and of course the stars are very different from what we are used to. We have taken to going to bed early – it is dark by 8:30 p.m. and if there is nowhere to sit we just turn in. But we have also taken to getting up at 5:30 a.m. and finding somewhere to watch the sun rise over the sea.
View of Port Stephens from Mt. Tomaree
Before we set off on this phase of our travels (around South-East Australia) we wondered how our stamina would hold out. There is something about travelling as a 'tourist' rather than as a 'traveller' – a change of role and much less well-defined objectives. In the rain we found it more difficult to maintain a sense of purpose but now, with such lovely weather, everything has changed. A day can be as simple as “find somewhere for a coffee, go on a walk for a few miles, find a camp site and organise the evening meal”. This usually involves driving somewhere but on Australian roads driving is not stressful. We usually find people to talk to and this can make for a pleasant evening, exchanging views, ideas and sometimes addresses.
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