30 October 2009

Ballina, Nimbin & Tumbulgum


Our first camping trip in Oz!  Finally, we got around to packing up the tent and heading down the coast.  We were initially going to head for the unchartered territory of the Sunshine Coast, but the pull of the NSW coast was just far too strong!  We found a beautiful tent-only camp site (very unusual) down in Ballina (of the giant prawn) called Flat Rock.



Moggil to Ballina - 218km


Setting up camp


Just resting for a minute


Set up....  relax time...



We chose an awesome site way up in the back with plenty trees around


Time to get supplies - loved the name of this bottle-o!


Up at sparrow fart as they say! 


Bushy tailed - not so bright eyed...





Coffee time!


Our camp


It turned out to be a little warm and we had no shade....  welcome the gaz'bo to our camping arsenal!


Beer time!


The campsite was on a little peninsula with Flat Rock at the end.  Scott took this with Flat Rock at his back.


A bit more relax time...


With our contribution for the kids - it was Halloween.  We were most upset that they went trick or treating & missed us completely!  Hrm...  the downside of finding the most secluded camp site....


Coffee time again!

Nothing wildly exciting to report - we just had a wonderfully relaxing time down at the seaside walking, reading, sleeping....  Lovely!

Sunday morning saw us heading out of Ballina on a detour to a little spot called Nimbin....  Nimbin is known for it's hippy culture and lax attitude to da holy herb.  Well, it used to be.  It's now gone downhill a bit - as so often happens, a harder element moved in to deal stronger stuff than dope, they got out of hand, the cops moved in, the original Nimbin residents are miffed that things aren't the way they used to be....  But it was interesting to visit nonetheless.  :-)  And no, we didn't buy any cookies....  and unfortunately, there was no-one selling shrooms!


The next leg of our journey - Ballina to Nimbin - 68km


 A big pineappleas going through Ballina


Leaving Ballina past the big prawn



Through Lismore...


My chauffeure



Nimbin Rocks! No really, these are the Nimbin Rocks...  ;-)








The main street was so colourful - a bit tacky, but pretty cool nonetheless.


Another one of these murals - this one outside the general store.


Colourful character


I absolutely loved this sign for a body piercing studio


The Rainbow Cafe


And then we got to the Nimbin Museum...


"Klitsers" hanging from the ceiling







Loved this sign behind Scott:
Business Hours
Open most days about 11 or 12
Occassionally as early as 9 but
Some days as late as 3
We close at 5.30 or 6
Sometimes its 4 or 5 sometimes
its 11 or 12 Some days we're
not here at all ...


And some more colour!

After Nimbin we headed off to Tumbulgum on the way home.  Before my dad came out to Oz last year, he'd seen Tumbulgum on Google Earth and was absolutely taken with it.  When my folks came out on holiday, they visited several times and absolutely loved the place.  So we had to go and visit.


Nimbin to Tumbulgum - 60km



Us outside Tumbulgum


Arriving in Tumbulgum








Tumbulgum is really so pretty





The Tumbulgum Tavern


The Tumbulgum Hall


And that was pretty much Tumbulgum - very quaint

And that was our trip.  We wanted to get home before dark, so we hit the road again and got home in time for dinner.  What a lovely relaxing weekend!