Blogs from South West Rocks, New South Wales, Australia, Oceania

This morning a friend tagged us with the NSW Health advice that they are advising people who have been in Sydney CBD area in the past 10 days to be on alert for symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease after seven people who have developed the disease spent time in the area in the last three weeks. Oh well, wait and see, I guess. At least it is not contagious person to person so we don’t have to isolate because we may have been exposed!! So, South West Rocks, why South West Rocks? We really enjoyed Sawtell when we visited last year and we could have returned to Sawtell. However, when we were in NSW in 2019 the staff member at the Visitor Information Centre in Muswellbrook extolled the virtues of South West Rocks so we decided when ... read more

Here we are on day 1 of our epic trip from Sydney to Townsville to Darwin to Broome to Alice Springs to Sydney. The vehicle has been well prepared with a snorkel added (flippers when I can afford them) and new tyres. I left home at 5.30 to pick up Mr Lax enroute. Getting up at that time of the morning I always wonder what jobs all these people up at 5.30 do and more importantly what time do they go to bed. Traffic out of Sydney was great and before we know it we are on the M1, however it is with a heavy heart that I have to admit that I was overtaking a semi and missed Leyland Brothers World at Karuah. The Big Ayers Rock was a bit smaller than I remember (possibly ... read more

On we go to Newcastle Airport to drop ben off to catch his flight to Melbourne, where he has his Nannas 70th birthday to look forward to along with catching up with mum and friends. From here we stay for an over night stay at a free camp at Coopernook state forest, there was only a few campers there so it was very quiet and well off the main road. After setting up having dinner and a few vino's you'll never have thought that with all the space there someone actually came and camped up for the night right on the back of us, i was bloody gob smacked!!!!!! Anyway the next morning we packed up and went on our merry way to South West Rocks, Trial Bay Campground which is positioned at the Arakoon State ... read more

I feel like we are becoming seasoned family holidayers already. I can feel the coating of salt on my skin, but I guess this is from the sea rather than from being seasoned. My attempt at humour aside, those first 7 (to 9?) months of the girls' existence where we struggled to even get out the door seem a distant foggy memory, touch wood. Holidays can exist with two babies afterall, despite often held scepticism (my own included.) Yeah, there's still dishes and laundry and nappies but each day so far we have swam and walked in the bush, done yoga, read books, gazed at sunets and stars... wow. The girls have been sleeping all night every night and having great naps during the day EVEN THOUGH big painful pre-molars are starting to poke through their ... read more

There is diving...there is good diving...there is even great diving...and then, there is hidden jewel diving! Welcome to Fish Rock dive site, few miles away from South West Rock, welcome to "the" hidden jewel diving...in cold water...and pretty average visibility! I was not going to give you this blog right after two diving blogs on PNG...this place need patience...because here you cannot dive everyday...and because getting here...is a long and sometimes pretty boring drive from either Brisbane or Sydney! I was supposed to dive with South West Rock Dive Center...but once I got there, the place was close...and no idea how to find them...even in this small place...so I went to the local pub...the waiter was working for Fish Rock Dive Center...so he hook me up for diving the next day...and a place to stay. Now ... read more