Grafton to Jugiong

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Heading south the weather is getting colder.

Grafton is established on the Clarence River, the city is the seat of local government, the Federal and State government administrative centre.

We began our day at 0615hrs, odometer 97798 and a chilly 8 degrees Celsius. Camping across from the McDonalds fast food restaurant in Grafton we indulged in a Macca's breakfast, and like the multitudes of times we've been there before, they manage to mess up the order. Fuel stop, cost of diesel 119.9cents per litre.

First stop, The Big Banana, Coffs Harbour. Too early for the centre to be open, we used the opportunity to use the toilets and take photos. Coffs Harbour is the hub of the thriving banana industry and home to the first of "Australia's Big Things". Hence the Big Banana. It is a coastal city on the mid north coast of New South Wales, 540 kilometres, north of Sydney. The Jetty is a historically important timber wharf where coastal shipping once moved timber from the hinterland. We have stayed in the area on many occasions taking in the beaches of Split Solitude and Woolgoolga, just north of Coffs Harbour.

We travell the notoriously dangerous Pacific Highway down the East Coast past one of our favourite beach holiday spots at Nambucca Heads, having spent a couple of weeks there in January 2016.

A toilet stop taken in desperation for Tom at a road stop called Paddy's Rest, we witness the largest 'flock' of roosters we have ever encountered, just wandering the area. Another stop for fuel at the Caltex in Coolongolook, fuel cost 124.9 cents per litre. Here we purchase a snack of hot chips and drinks.

Travelling on we arrive at Newcastle 13.50 hrs. Famous for its coal and largest coal exporting harbour in the world, exporting 154.45 million tonnes of coal in 2013-14. Newcastle is located 162 kilometres from Sydney on the mouth of the Hunter River.. A planned stop in Newcastle, a fantastic late lunch with our top end travel companions, who have made it back home to Newcastle, Jen, Dave, Bailey, Will and Bella. They had travelled down the centre of Australia whilst we went across to Queensland. We enjoyed a great lunch and great memories. Sadly we had to be home by the following evening for school, term 3 already commenced in Victoria.

Now with the afternoon of grim weather and the realisation of the end of our adventure drawing closer a cloud hangs over our car.

We travel around the westerly fringe of central Sydney avoiding the peak hour inner city traffic. Sydney the capital city of New South Wales and one of Australia's Largest cities, best known for its harbour-front Sydney Opera House, with it's distinctive sail-like design. The massive Darling Harbour and smaller Circular Quay are hubs for waterside life with the famous arched Harbour Bridge. As we have travelled the tunnel and Harbour Bridge on previous occasions before and found ourselves disoriented, we avoided the area.

Just South of Sydney we swap drivers and have a rest. Travelling late into the night down the Hume Highway, we arrived at our well known free camp destination of Jugiong at 2300hrs.
The camp is populated by horse floats as there is a polo competition on this weekend. Exhausted we climb into the caravan, wash faces, brush teeth and snuggle down in the cold of the night.

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