Iluka - Yamba - Hastings Point

(02/23)

First long trip away in the Jayco Lark.  Up until now we have only done shorter five day trips and we are planning 5 to 6 weeks.  Fingers crossed all goes well. 🤞

I am feeling a little like Burke & Wills setting off on their exploration.  OK, we have a GPS, Google Maps, 4WD and a Jayco camper with fridge, stove, gas and beds (with a comfy mattress topper & memory foam pillow) but, as Dennis Denuto (The Castle) said, “It’s more about the vibe”.

Day 1 – heading to Hastings Point in northern New South Wales.   We booked into the HastingsPoint Caravan Park for two nights.  Everything went pretty smoothly!  We had a nice spot backing onto the creek and the site even had fake grass.  Did you know this stuff gets burning hot!   We took a bike ride to Kingscliff where we had coffee at my favourite coffee shop, Zinc which is right on the beach at Kingscliff with amazing views.  Very much like Burke & Wills (Ha Ha).  For some reason, we couldn’t make the TV work – very frustrating!  On the upside I did win at Scrabble – thanks to BEER on a triple word score.

Because we only planned to stay two nights, we decided not to bother with the bed flies as the weather looked OK. Well, it’s Murphy’s Law – the weather turned a bit nasty but I am pleased to say that nothing inside got wet (or blown away). On pack-up day I was so worried we would have to pack up wet canvas but because of the wind, everything dried out but we had a very short window to pack up before the next rain squall hit. We have never packed up so quickly. It was done with military precision. Inside was packed down and we even remembered the tap, fridge, cupboard catches and the hatch! OK, I did just pull out one of the inside ‘hockey sticks’ and had to crawl inside (and out) to do the second which cost us valuable time. There were a few pillows thrown on the floor and things weren’t quite as neat as usual but we just wanted to beat the storm. Beds pushed in, canvas in place and the whole thing wound down smoothly. No sooner than the roof catches were locked down and the rain pelted down.

As an aside, did you know that the Wanderer outdoor table isn’t waterproof?  The day after the downpour we noticed a sticker on the table saying:  “Warning – this table is not water-proof – keep away from moisture and rain”.  By the look of the table, this is something we probably should have read earlier.

We’ve had a Cobb Cooker for many years and it’s hardly had any use so we are taking it along this trip so we can have some variety.  After all, man cannot live on meat (or BBQ) alone.   We successfully made pizza in the Cobb and I now have big plans for the next several weeks. Move over Nigella.  I will have to make sure I am fully stocked on fire lighters though – I’m not sure you are meant to use as many as I did to get the coals alight.

Next stop – Iluka.  What an amazing place.  We stayed at the Anchorage caravan park right on the river – great for fishing.  It also has a pool which is perfect for the sweltering hot days we are having.  (Before you start comparing this to Burke & Wills journey, they had plenty of places to swim – maybe not a spa as well)  This was our first time in the Clarence Valley and we were really impressed.  My preference is Iluka over Yamba – it has a really sleepy, fishing village vibe whereas Yamba is a bit more trendy.  I would have to have ironed and worn make-up if I’d stayed there. 

There is a ferry that goes between the two towns regularly which we took – check out the photo. 

We have been fairly active since arriving in Iluka.  Plenty of swimming and we took a bike-ride around the town checking out the amazing beaches and swimming areas.  They also have a national park walk which we took.  We even came across some wild-life.  Check out the photos as proof - we were lucky to survive the killer goanna!

Cobb cooker update – marinated chicken pieces.  I would rate them 7/10.  I think they would be better with a stronger marinade (not pre-made at the IGA).  Again, Burke & Wills should have stocked up at the IGA and things may have ended very differently.

A couple of places which will definitely be going on the DO AGAIN list include Brooms Head and the Green and Blue pools at Angourie.  The green pool is an amazing fresh water pool which is spring fed and about 100 feet deep.  Getting in was easy – just jump on in.  Getting out was a little trickier, having to scramble out over the slimy rocks without face-planting.

Next stop – Kempsey area.  (Maybe have a beer with Duncan) 🍺🍻