Cruising down the highway - to Coffs Harbour

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Geo: -27.4676, 153.028

We got away reasonably early - 8.45am, and after a brief visit to St Andrews Hospital to visit mum, we were on our way to Sydney by road. It must have been ages since we have been to northern NSW, as we hadn't ever been in the new road across the border!

We made good time, arriving in Byron Bay by midday (NSW time). We were very fortunate, as the town was very crowded - we got a carpark right on the beach - but quickly assessed that meal service at the Byron Bay Hotel would be slow as the crowd was large and it appeared that they hadn't closed at all since last night...So a beach picnic of sushi/kebabs in the shade on the beachfront was a much better option.

We then went up to the Cape Byron lighthouse- stunning! We could see a pod of 7 dolphins cavorting in the waves below us, as well as a turtle and a stingray in the clear green waters. A lovely walk to the easternmost point in Australia, although it was very hot.

We then drove to New Italy (near Woodburn). It has a museum (closed today) and a large pavilion display about Italian immigrants to the Ballina/Lismore region, which was very interesting. It was also the driver recover stop, so a quick coffee as the cafe was closed for the public holiday. Driving in NSW - so many more police cars and speed cameras than in Qld - I reckon we've seen 5 police cars, and another 5 speed cameras (fixed and mobile) in 350km since the border.

We then drove to Coffs Harbour, listening to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. We've reassured the kids that Coffs is more a "convenience stop" than anything particular to see - they were not overwhelmed by the Big Prawn at Yamba or the Big Banana at Coffs - but we arrived with enough day left for a walk to the jetty, and a walk through the carnival on the foreshore, and a nice (albeit very slow) Indian meal. The motel is clean and perfectly set up for five...and we'll be back in the road tomorrow!

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