Day - 50. Port Macquarie (1)

Left Coffs Harbour accommodation as quickly as possible, after we were fortunately able to arrange for an extra two days in our Port Macquarie apartment.  The Coffs Harbour room and surrounds was awful.

It was a three hour drive to Port Macquarie, but we made leisurely progress and diverted into Nambucca Heads to look around and have a delicious lunch looking over the sand and the river.

We have stayed in Port Macquarie before, and much about the city and surrounds is familiar.  There is much for us to do here.

View over the Nambucca River as it enters the ocean.

Nambucca Heads Tourist Park, which is clean and well planned.

Cabins overlooking the lake at the Nambucca Heads Tourist Park. 

Lunch overlooking the river at Nambucca Heads.

Day - 49. Coffs Harbour

Departed Ballina at 9.45 for the drive to Coffs Harbour, which is only about 250 km away.  Plenty of roadworks along the way, and we saw a decimated burnt out caravan loaded on the rear of a tow truck with police supervising.  Stopped at Grafton for a light lunch on the way.

We are now at Pacific Bay Terraces in Coffs Harbour, where we have a very average room with no cooking facilities.  Instead of the planned 3 nights here, we are only staying for one!  The photos below appear to show very glowing scenery, but in reality this place is very disappointing.

Daybreak at Ballina as we are up and getting ready to move on.

Reagan, Sandra and the two girls leaving to start their long journey home.  Photo taken from the top of our apartment about a kilometre away.

Restaurant at Pacific Bay Terraces, Coffs Harbour.  

Lakes and lawn dominate the resort which is built around a golf course and borders the ocean.

The apartment block with a view over a "lake". (actually a murky large pond with some lily pads and ducks)

Day - 48. Ballina (7)

This is our last day at Ballina.  In preparation for the travelling tomorrow there was washing of clothes, shopping for dinner, refuelling of the vehicles, rearranging our clothing ready for packing, and some more walking along sandy beaches.

Fresh snapper fillets from the seafood outlet and ready for the BBQ.  Very large pieces.

The scenery along the Ballina coastline never loses its beauty.

We will miss our view across Shelly Beach.

Day - 47. Ballina (6)

Spent the morning at Bangalow market before heading to Byron Bay for lunch and a look at the lighthouse.   Then back to Ballina and a walk on the beach with all for several hours and then a look at the Ballina lighthouse.

Weather great. Warm enough to swim and get a suntan !!

Bangalow market this morning and it was crowded, worse than Eumandi at Noosa !!

Byron Bay back beach seen from the lighthouse road.

Lunch at the Byron Bay Pub, great spot, good service and cold beer.

Byron Bay front beach, worth a look.

Reagan seemed overwhelmed with this car, thunderbirds were always his thing.

Reagan and Sandra on Bryon Bay front beach.

The lighthouse back at Ballina.

Day - 46. Ballina (5)

Another quiet day in Ballina getting organised for Reagan and Sandra.  Whale watching again and then back to the seafood shop to get more oysters and prawns.

Reagan, Sandra, Jasmine and Ruby just arrived from Maroochydore, great to see them all.

We needed a selfie stick to get this one in.

Day - 45. Ballina (4)

Today is sunny with a clear blue sky, although with a top of only 18 degrees.  It is becoming cooler as we move further south.

We drove to Shelly Beach for a close-up view of the waves at sand level, and then to see the big prawn near Brian's favourite store (Bunnings).  Next was the shopping centre to top up our provisions for the next few days.

Shelly Beach in front of the apartment.  Our apartment building is being painted a terra cotta colour, which you can see just to the left of the pine trees.

The "Big Prawn" which has been repaired and relocated  to the car park of Bunnings at their expense.  It is 12 metres high, and $400,000 later it is rather awe-inspiring.

Day - 44. Ballina (3)

Ballina is on an island at the mouth of the Richmond River.  It has a rich naval and maritime history and was an important settlement for cedar getters.  

Today was a bright sunny day, although the wind is still strong and the temperature only reached 18 degrees. We explored north along the coast and spent some time at Lennox Head.  Magnificent beaches were around every bend.  Even the rivers inland were rough and the water dirty in the turbulent conditions.

7 Mile beach at Lennox Head had several keen surfers.  The water looked cold and there were plenty of onlookers holding their boards.

Lake Ainsworth with its therapeutic tea tree infused water still did not convince us that a dip was worthwhile.  Great spot for kayaking and sailing.

This is where Lennox Head gets its name.  It is a Mecca among surfers for its famous right hand break called Lennox Point, one of the top 10 surf breaks in Australia.

Ballina is centred on an island at the mouth of the Richmond River.

Day - 43. Ballina (2)

Today the weather changed dramatically before sunrise and the heavens opened up.  The wind was very strong and the waves along the shore were pounding the beaches and the rock walls.  It was interesting to view the storm but the rain has not let up all day.  

Found the co-op to buy some fish, oysters and prawns, and then quickly home to escape from the rain.

View to the north through the rain this morning.

More rough weather.

The seas have been wild today, much worse than when this shot was taken.

View over the river and lake.

One of the decks with the BBQ etc.

Day - 42. Ballina (1)

Left Runaway Bay this morning and dropped in to Coolangatta to have lunch with Alan and Val Wyatt who are holidaying there.  Brian worked with Alan in the 1980's but hadn't seen him for 25 years.  Good to catch up and relive a few old memories.  

Arrived at Ballina late afternoon, weather magnificent and have been upgraded to the 7th floor penthouse apartment.  Three bedrooms, huge lounge, two bathrooms, three decks, and views 360 degrees over the coast line and Ballina city.  There is even a piano in the lounge which Judy has not yet tried.

One of the three decks overlooking Ballina and the coastline.

Day - 41. Runaway Bay (4)

Last day at Runaway Bay.  Up to Peter and Jenny's building project again, painting and decorating before the promotion photos tomorrow.

We are packed up and ready for the next move.  We will catch up with Reagan and Sandra and Jasmine and Ruby in a couple of days, when they come south from Fraser Island.

Will be sad to leave here tomorrow.  We always seem to have a great time with Jenny and Peter. 

They are such fantastic hosts and always put themselves out to make sure we are entertained and well looked after.

Glitzy house at Sovereign Island.

Another.

Another.

Millionaires' row, near Clive Palmer's property.

Our own Land Cruiser now washed and ready for the next part of the journey.

Day - 40. Runaway Bay (3)

We have been staying with Jenny and Peter since Friday, having lots of laughs and enjoyable times.  One of their three houses being built in Helensvale is now almost complete, and we have enjoyed helping to find decorative items to prepare the house for photos and inspection openings.

Peter drove us up into the hills for an outing where we had lunch in an Irish pub.  

The front of Peter & Jenny's house in Runaway Bay 

One of the houses being built by Peter and his friend Tony.  Almost finished.

Passing through Surfers Paradise.

More of the Gold Coast.

Quaint Irish pub where we had lunch up at Mount Tamborine.

Judy, Tony and Jenny at Tony and Jane's house, which is only two doors away.

Day - 39. Runaway Bay (2)

Up early after a BBQ at Jenny and Peters' place last night.  Off to help with the furnishing of one of Peter and Jenny's new properties and then to Sanctaury Lakes tonight for Italian dinner with neighbours Tony and Jane with Jenny and Peter.  Magnificent meal and great company to finish off a perfect day.

Too busy for photos, more tomorrow.

Day - 38. Runaway Bay (1)

Today we packed up and flew from Hamilton Island to Brisbane and then by train to Runaway Bay.  Plane was cancelled. Rain was sideways and the wind was lashing the Island.  More soon

Day 37. Hamilton Island (7)

Last day on the island with more unpleasant rainy weather to remind us that Qld weather is not always sunny and warm.  

The excitement for the day was an earthquake here at 3.00 pm, measuring 5.8 on the scale.  Gave us quite a fright because we thought the rumble was coming either from the floor above or from the tradesmen working next door.

This evening we took the dinner sunset cruise on a boat with about 20 other people, and enjoyed fine wine and food on the water.  The sunset was a bit disappointing because it was raining heavily at the time when photos would have been at their best.

View of the captain and helm at the front of the"ship" on the first floor.

The rain is coming quickly whilst we are waiting for our dinner.

The best view we had of the sunset.

Dessert was decorated by the chef to recognise our special occasion.

Day - 36. Hamilton Island (6)

Today is our wedding anniversary (48 years) so thought we would drop in to the church to renew our vows 💕, then out for a seafood dinner tonight to celebrate. 🍾 🍷 🎼🎹🎷.  The view from the church captures most of what Hamilton Island has to offer.  It is a great place to spend a week, especially with family.

The Yacht Club at Hamilton Island

"Wild Oats" yacht waiting for its next race.

We found the church on the hill at Hamilton Island.  It is quite small and in a very pretty location.  It was built to commemorate a 21 year old pilot who was shot down over Germany in 1944.  His father owned Hamilton Island from 1925 to 1950.

The view over the main beach from the church.

The marina with the airport behind to the right.