Postcards from the Road - Far North Coast, NSW

Days on the Road 9 | Traveled 924 ks | Campgrounds 2
Temp 16°C - 21°C | Water temp 24°C
Catch of fish | Silver Bream 9 | Dusky Flathead 2 | Sand Whiting 6

We are on the road for six months doing a lap of Australia, Mr G (the fisherman) & me (the cook & photographer) together chasing the sun and a catch of seafood. The coastal places are what we crave and where we will spend most of our days, with occasional detours inland to see landscapes (although void of fish) paying dividends in colour and form.

Wetting our feet literally at Scotts Head for our first three nights in the camper trailer, we managed to calmly erect our side annex to provide extra shelter from the rain. The fisherman undeterred by the menacing, grey skies was straight to it, bringing home a bag of bream caught off the beach the first day. Simply pan fried in butter, lemon and rosemary and shared with friends camping nearby made for a wonderful start.

In an attempt to run from the rain we scooted further up the NSW coast to Cabarita Beach, where we’ve been for five days and the sunshine has been plentiful, objective achieved. Our approach to road trip life is to stay a few days in one place to avoid the set up/pack down routine where possible. Taking your time on the back roads is where you'll get the roadside stall produce finds and day trips to explore the surrounds, are way more pleasant when you know you don’t have to return to make your bed at the end of the adventure.

Cabarita Beach
Walk & swim ~ Cabarita Beach to Casuarina Beach return
Norries Headland Walk to watch the dolphins & whales pass by
Fishing at Hastings Point for whiting and bream
Breakfast Bacon & Egg Rolls at Pandanus Cafe at Cabarita SLSC
Twilight Barefoot Bowls at Cabarita Beach Bowls Club
An inland drive to Mavis Kitchen where you’ll find nestled at the base of the majestic Wollumbin-Mt Warning, a twenty five-acre former dairy farm, now home to a rich organic kitchen garden and restaurant.

Day trip to Brunswick Heads
Kayak fishing and paddle boarding on the Brunswick River (albeit brown waters after the rains)
Swimming at Torakini Beach
An afternoon in the iconic beer garden at Hotel Brunswick

Day trip to Tamborine Mountain
Breakfast (Mushroom Risotto Fritters / Tamborine Mtn Beef Sausages) & Lunch (Nourish Bowl / Bombay Fish Burger) at Picnic Real Food Bar
Curtis Falls & Lower Creek Circuit: Rainforest walk & water hole swim (hiking boots & walking poles advised as it was very muddy after the rains).
Tamborine Mountain Hang Glider Lookout - expansive views of the western Gold Coast hinterland and magnificent sunsets

Byron Bay Eats

Byron Bay Eats

You've got just one day in Byron Bay - where would you eat?
Recently I was faced with this wonderful opportunity to eat my way around Byron Bay, combined with a healthy dose of exercise in between meals, simply to further stoke the appetite! On a Thursday morning it’s straight to Byron Farmers market for breakfast from The Nomadic Kitchen, and on other days; organic plant-based fare served thoughtfully at FOLK Cafe, or bacon and egg butties, green curry of fish, crispy pork belly roll with Asian pickles and their popular three cheese toastie with homemade mustard pickles are amongst the standard offerings at 100 Mile Table and then a cosy night out with some Argentinian fare on the fire at Barrio

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'Tis the season to stop!

'Tis the season to stop!

'Tis the season to stop!
It's been quite the year 2016, boxes are ticked with the second cookbook on the shelves and our final child finished school, but I'm ending it all just a little weary. It seems when you burn the candle at both ends for a whole year, you eventually run out of wax - I think I'm going to fall over the finish line at the end of this week and then proceed to lay horizontal for quite some time. I'm so thankful for what's been done and just as thankful to have the chance to stop.

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Do what you love!

Do what you love!

Recently I heard a young girl speak on the eve of graduating school and she quoted these words to her fellow classmates: "Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life"
These words are apparently attributed to Confucius, a Chinese philospher (who in the words of our older son Tom, was a smart Chinese guy who would have made a lot of royalties from fortune cookies if he were still alive today!). 

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Our days in Hobart, Tasmania

Our days in Hobart, Tasmania

Hobart really is such a pretty place, and the many similarities found me likening it to the city of Wellington in New Zealand. Both cities are wedged between extensive mountain ranges, with older style houses and shacks sprawled along the hillsides, lots of hipster cafes and a bustling city market, with a stunning harbour and waterfront taking centre stage.

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