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Published: April 2nd 2011
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Sunday, January 23rd
I was ready and waiting at the Tree House when Jake arrived with some friends. Daph and I said our goodbyes earlier, as she was going off to the field for BBQ breakfast, is that an Australian honeymoon breakfast I wondered? Jake was planning on a last surf whilst at Byron, I was happy to stay around the Tree House, (already packed up) I could have a leisurely breakfast and read my book. Kerin stayed with me and talked about her forthcoming 6 month working trip, to Cambodia, with husband Dan. It sounded exciting, I couldn’t help feeling that people seem to live life, outside the box, in this part of the world. Limits, what are they?
Jake and Dan returned from their surf, and after a light lunch and visit to the nearby surf shop, we were on our way. We had a really interesting journey ahead, in his mid twenties and sharing many of the same hobbies as my own son, we talked of family and travel, and he talked about Newcastle, giving me tips on places to visit. With the exception of a couple of comfort and fuel stops, the 10 hours on
the road went in the blink of an eye, fantastic scenery and open, empty roads. It was just starting to get dark as he dropped me at the McDonalds in Morriset, a last minute arrangement made by phone, and taking him out of his way.
Grahame and Fiona made their separate ways to meet me there, which I believe was about mid way for each of them, coming from differing directions.
I had initially met Grahame in Albany, when I was travelling in 2006, then I saw him again in Perth, and at the time he lived near Sydney. He took me to the Blue Mountains about 6 weeks later, when I’d got that far around Australia. I initially met Fiona and Robyn (who we catch up with later) when I was travelling from LA to San Francisco in 2007. I sat next to Robyn on the plane and after chatting for the whole journey, we found out we were staying at the same hotel, hard to believe, of all the hotels in San Francisco. We have kept in touch ever since and it was only a few weeks ago that I discovered Grahame now lived about 15 mins
away from Fiona.
It was surreal to be meeting them again at this quiet little McDonalds, in a place called Morriset.
Fiona had some sad news, she had a funeral to attend the following day and so it was agreed that I would stay at Grahame’s that night and Monday night, moving on to stay at Fiona’s on Tuesday.
Grahame lives at Mecca Village, right next to Lake Mcquarrie, just a short drive away from Morriset. By the time we’d eaten and chatted, it was fairly late and I was extremely tired. What an amazing day.
Lake Macquarie, located between the Central Coast and Newcastle, is the largest coastal saltwater lake in Australia, and over four times the size of Sydney Harbour. The eastern side of the lake area, border the Pacific Ocean with long white sandy beaches. The western side adjoins the Watagan Mountains.
I woke in the night, wondering where I was, and the heat was stifling. What relief to find the window and open it wide, one thing I found surprising, is how different the culture of having open windows – even though fly netting is generally fitted, I gulped in some fresh
air and dropped off to sleep again.
The morning I felt disorientated again and it was good to see my surroundings in daylight, beautiful Parakeets were gathered in the garden while we ate breakfast. Afterward a walk to the edge of the Lake, well the part of the lake we could see, hard to get the full concept of its actual size.
Another cup of tea, pack up a picnic, and then off to do some exploration. We stopped at what appeared to be a very remote spot, Budgewoi Beach, good idea to park under a tree, now about 35 degrees. I think I melted, on the walk up the path to the long white sandy beach, realised too late I hadn’t brought a big bottle of water with me and no hat either. There were no shady trees on or around the beach itself, and it was quite a shock to realise Grahame was intending to just lay there in the sun with a book (and no umbrella).
Don’t get me wrong, I love the beach (and to lay and listen to the sea breathing). This was indeed a beautiful beach, the surf was gorgeous and
I couldn’t help wanting to walk along it. I felt ill prepared for lazing on it though, even during our sorry excuse for a summer, I would have plenty of water and a beach umbrella, plus something to lie on. I think my reaction was a bit of a surprise, and so we walked along the shore in silence, without seeing another person.
Leaving the beautiful remote beach behind, we went for some more exploration, visited some other bays, stopped for our picnic at one of the many shady picnic areas, complete with BBQ, tables and bench seats. We found the parking area for Norah Head lighthouse, built in 1903. In the shade of the cloudy sky, we walked around to it, and the surrounding viewing platform, where whale watching can be done in the right season.
Back at Mecca Village I had a swim in the pool, to cool off a bit. I had been considering that maybe I had made a mistake, feeling I was pushing Grahame to explore when actually he may have preferred to rest, it was an impression I got, and realising that we were only an hour train journey from Sydney, I
what do you see?
I spotted this tree while eating our picnic and I made it into a person hanging on..... toyed with the idea of making my way there and fly back to Brisbane. (The original plan was for Grahame to drive me back, but I think it was clear that we had different ideas, and didn’t seem to be working out too well). That evening after dinner and a walk by the lake, we watched TV, a show I hadn’t seen for years.
The following day, better prepared with water and hat, we visited Catherine Hill Bay. I loved it there, a unique coastal village of about 100 houses – timber miners’ cottages – a pier and remnant infrastructure from years of underground coal mining. It was so beautiful and felt welcoming, (reminded me of NZ), although the many placards were a clear sign of the threat it is facing, for development and loss of identity. The beach was even more beautiful than Budgewoi and there were surfers out enjoying the perfect waves. If I lived nearby, this would be a favoured location for me, better yet, to live in one of those timber mining cottages… sigh.
Onward for a picnic lunch and a drive some way around the massive Lake Macquarie past Belmont and Toronto, I
longed to stop for a coffee, I love the café culture and the flat white coffee’s, and hadn’t had one since leaving Byron Bay.
We finished up at Dora Creek, where Fiona lives and he dropped me off there a little earlier than planned. He didn’t stay for a drink, seemed in a hurry, I think he had a holiday to sort out; he was planning a trip to America in a few month’s time. Fiona was not home yet, so her daughter Lauren welcomed me. Another amazing young traveller talked of her recent trip to America with her friend.
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Chris Baker
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Great Stuff
Keep it coming!!