38. Australian road trip - from Sydney to Brisbane

Foreword - by Pierre
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- The end of the Australian adventure ties mechanically beaches, unusual animals and national parks within intriguing vegetation. Let's review the most beautiful moments of our stay there.
- We had just finished to work for fifteen days in Shepparton, a city close to Melbourne. After so many efforts, we could pretend to great holidays well deserved...
- So we have left to Sydney, to start our second road trip to Brisbane. From there, we will consider to go in our van to Cairns, to see the great Barrier Reef, according to the time and money that we would have to make it.
The beginning of holidays in Gosford
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- First night in Gosford followed by a good swimming and a morning sunbath. It was so good to rest and enjoy life. We were not accustomed anymore to work and these two physical weeks were really painful.
Some history in Nelson Bay
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- In the Nelson Bay is located Newcastle, an important industrial city in the XX° century. To protect this target against Japanese during the 2nd World War, they installed a gun and a radar at the top.
One Mile Beach in Nelson Bay
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- After the waves of Gosford and Shoal Bay, we admit it wasn't pretty original.
- We got entertained watching the ringleader of the seagulls:
- https://youtu.be/e-v25fXCMY4
Lake in Myall Lakes National Park
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- And its volatiles that made their show under the lights of our maimed photographer with his temporary camera. It was thanks to my smartphone that Benoît managed to capture the flight of these volatiles.
A beach in Seal Rocks
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- There was no seal in this season on the seal rocks. Shame! Instead we had to take advantage of the beach without these marine mammals.
Fiona Beach in Seal Rocks
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- When surfers were doing their show, I practised the few pieces of guitar that Benoît taught me to play on the heap. After my debut on the Australian beaches, where will my pieces of guitar bring me?
A lake in the Smith Lakes
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- Roads in the campaigns in Australia are winding and very often surrounded by eucalyptus forests. So when we see a stork along this country road, it is well worth a break.
The beach of the Queen Elisabeth
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- Elisabeth Beach named in honor of Her majesty is one of the most common names for beaches (with Shelly Beach). We only used this place to a lunch break.
The waterfall of Ellenborough falls
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- 160m high and an impression of a preserved nature. The video of Ellenborough falls:
- https://youtu.be/zjaw0pzQ7CI
The historic village of Belligen
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- With its buildings of the early 1900 that survived to the century, the village is an important part of the history of Australia. We yawn a bit of chauvinism in front of this point of interest.
The panorama of Griffiths Mountaintop
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- In front of such a view, we can only rave about and get gliding through our feelings when playing our best pieces of guitar.
The rainforest of the Dorrigo National Park
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- The rainforest is extended over 12 000 hectares and is hundreds of million years old. Meaning that it existed when the South America, Africa, India, the Antarctic and Oceania used to form a single supercontinent, appointed Gondwana in the Aboriginal tradition.
In immersion in the Dorrigo National Park
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- Trees were impressive, lianas went in every way. And along the canopy, many kind of birds with weird cries animed our ride. Get into it:
- https://youtu.be/of5IvpRSMjw
Dorrigo National Park
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- Some meetings under the trees: a goanna laid under the flashes of Benoit. Further, a wallaby attempted to hide but was not so discrete:
- https://youtu.be/0FA7jPbaCX0
A ferry crossing
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- Arrived at Lawrence (not from Arabia!), we wanted a breathtaking experience and were able to enjoy a cruise on the local river inside our own van! This was priceless!
Dolphins of the lake Woololeyah
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- After a windy night in Ambourie, the weather was sullen in the early morning. This was no rejoicing for us, but the circumstances led us to this lake where dolphins took their breakfast. What a delight!
- https://youtu.be/FATBe-gapTU
The sea eagle of the Lake Woololeyah
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- That day, there was not only dolphins around the lake. The sea eagles and pelicans were also on the lookout for raking the lake of its fishes that went up to the surface.
A hermit crab around the Lake Woololeyah
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- While I was staring at the approach of a pelican in the direction a seagull (to swallow it), I discovered in the ocean, this bernard l'ermite that was clamping for me, apparently.
Brutal wake-up in Lennox Head
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- In Australia, overnight sleeping in our car is overall prohibited, but tolerated, except where the signalisation clearly specifies "No overnight stay." Simple to understand, not that easy to follow when all the parking areas on the coast are equipped with this formal prohibition. After two hours of research, we have chosen to rest in this viewpoint. But the rangers make a point of doing it right and start in the early morning: six am, a wholesale warning.
The resort in Byron Bay
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- Beautiful landscapes and one of the best surf breaks for beginners. We understand easily the abundance of tourists in this place.
Some climbing of Mount Warning
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- Want to see the first sunrise in Australia? Since the summit of this Mount, you will see it. We rather chose to sleep! We started the climb only from 10am.
The panorama from the Mount Warning
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- View from the top. Despite the clouds, the view was still ideal. Australia is not very high from up there.
A stick insect around Mount Warning
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- What is this small branch which moves through the vegetation as if it's part of it? It thought to stay unnoticed. It did not expect the eye of hawk of Benoît. Good tried.
Snakes around Mount Warning
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- Similarly this reptile was well hidden under this rock. We had to be careful where we put our feet. Fortunately this one was not dangerous. However the one we found above the parking area was very aggressive and dangerous.
Summary of the adventure
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- So a double road trip on the east coast, which animated our trip in Australia. We first had an overview of the wonders that this continent contains. But because of the distances between each wonders, we could admire a small part, which finally revealed boring by its lack of diversity.
- Finally it is during the second Road Trip that we noticed that this mode of travel did not match with our adventurers and explorers style that we have. For details, I refer you to the article 40 coming soon about our opinion about Australia.
- Thus, we decided to shorten our itinerary on the road, by going in Cairns see the great Barrier Reef by air rather than the road.
- Here our video channel of Australia:
- http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-CUk3xAtkr6g20e7yk_6oaLyNPzimoET

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