Since we had a trip back to England back in May we knew we’d have to stop travelling and work for a bit to make up the funds. There had been a few different moments when we could have stopped, but obviously we didn’t.
By the time we hit Brisbane the bank account was looking pretty slim. Coupled with the fact that the tent canvas had started leaking during the rain and just our general travel weariness we made the decision to bypass New South Wales and head home early.
But first there was one very important stop to make. Having made it to the continents most westerly and northerly locations, we had to make sure we stopped at Byron Bay to make it to the most easterly point of the mainland.
We hit the highway out of Brisbane and were soon passing the exits for the Gold Coast and the theme parks. Next thing we know we’d whizzed by the sign stating that we’d crossed into New South Wales at 110 kilometers an hour. No stopping for that photo! We’d also crossed a time zone as NSW had changed to daylight savings (and Queensland hadn’t).
Two and bit hours after leaving Brissy we were driving into Byron Bay. Although the school holidays had finished you wouldn’t know it, the town was chockers with people. We headed straight towards the lighthouse, but spotted a sign advising no caravans past this point. As we were towing the trailer we thought it safest to turn around and find a parking spot. We eventually found a pay and display car park. We bought a ticket and stuck it in the windscreen of the car and crossed our fingers that a parking inspector wouldn’t give us a ticket for taking up multiple parking bays with the trailer.
We weren’t sure how much further it would be to the point but set out on foot enjoying the wonderful sunshine. We followed the path along the coast enjoying the scenery. It was a pretty busy path, but we weren’t too far along when Emma thought she heard a slight rustling in the bushes and peered into the undergrowth and spotted a snake. There had been loads of people wander past oblivious to its presence. Further along a lizard darted out in front of us and scarpered through a fence scaring the bejesus out of Emma!
The path climbed over the cliffs and we were both huffing and puffing a bit by the time we reached the end point. We rested on the park bench to both contemplate the accomplishment and catch our breath when a magnificent humpback whale breached in the near distance. It was an amazing sight.
We decided to head back the way we’d come as we had only put enough money in the meter for 2hours of parking. So we didn’t loop around to visit the lighthouse.
It turned out to be a day for wildlife as brush turkeys roamed around before another lizard scuttled across the path before pausing momentarily to pose in an impressive display of his attributes.
We got back to the car just as the parking ticket expired so jumped in and were on our way again. The town was mayhem. We didn’t want to try to negotiate parking with the trailer on so headed south again, ending up with some pretty ordinary food from a servo.
Emma broke out into song when passing the sign for Yamba as childhood memories of family road trips filled with John Williamson’s song flooded her head. (Click here for a YouTube version of the song) Craig wasn’t amused.
Hit The Toad 