Category Archives: Australia

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Fabulous Soi 11 Bangkok

French village Breil Sur Roya

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Gosford Central Coast NSW

March 24, 2017 by David Herd

Gosford-Central-Coast-near-Sydney-Australia

Brisbane Water

Gosford Central Coast NSW is located on Brisbane Water just 80 km north of Sydney. Growing up in Sydney this area was where our family would spend our annual holidays.

Breakfast at Tommys Cafe at Gosford

Before driving to Coogee in Sydney I decided I needed a good breakfast.

Scrambled eggs & avocado

On Turkish toast of course. 🙂 TripAdvisor rate #6 of 101 Restaurants in Gosford.

A delightful spot in Gosford Central Coast NSW

I wish I could find Turkish bread in Thailand.

Perfect sunday morning in Gosford

From Gosford it’s just a short cruise to the magnificent Hawksbury River,

Starship Cruises

The “Lady Kendall” will take you on a 2.5 hour cruise for $37.

Gosford Sailing Club Club

Located on the foreshore of Brisbane Water. Check it out through THIS LINK.

Shooting some photos

I never go anywhere without my Canon. 🙂

A perfect place for a row.

Opposite the Leagues club.

Gosford Central Coast NSW Central Coast Stadium

The stadium has picturesque views over the Brisbane water.

Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent discount.

The Settlers Tavern

A terrific T Bone have Settlers Tavern at 2 Hely Street, West Gosford. They have a great menu for a local pub, check it out on THIS LINK.

All the meals were excellent

My friend Geoff had the pasta & his ex fiance Nana ordered a huge meal of steak & seafood. Geoff is a regular visitor to Thailand, follow THIS LINK to see his 50th birthday party.

Time to head south to Sydney.

The last leg of my road trip is just a short drive south to Sydney along the Pacific Highway.

And here I am approaching the bridge.

It’s been a great drive down from from Surfers Paradise to Sydney stopping at Kingscliff, Yamba, Port Macquarie, Forster-Tuncurry, Gosford & Coogee. Also dropped into Maroubra which is a place I have not seen for over 50 years. Just click on the links to see my photo blogs.

Thanks for visiting my Gosford Central Coast NSW photo blog.

Checkout some more of my terrific blogs on the links below.

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Forster Tuncurry north coast

March 24, 2017 by David Herd

Arriving at Tuncurry

Forster Tuncurry north coast NSW was my first stop on the way from Port Macquarie to Sydney in March 2017. A population of over 18,000 people it is a holiday destination for many Sydney people who are only a 4 hour drive away.

Over the bridge to Forster

The bridge is 631 metres long and was built around 1956, prior to that it was a half hour ferry trip between the two towns.

View from Forster to Tuncurry

It is really a magnificent looking structure.

A fisherman & a pelican

Who is going to catch the first fish? My money is on the Pelican. 🙂

Up a lazy river……

There are so many places here you can go by boat.

A boating paradise.

More water than land around Forster Tuncurry mid north coast NSW.

Talking about boats….

This one is almost identical to the boat I owned in Sydney in the 80s. One of my most interesting experiences occurred on NYE 1981 on Sydney Harbour, follow THIS LINK for the story of THE GREAT ESCAPE.

The main St in Forster

As you can see the main street is nothing to get excited about.

Nice little coffee shop

I’m happy as long as I find a good coffee shop with the daily newspaper. 🙂

If you have the time take a cruise

Unfortunately I was heading south to Gosford so I didn’t have time for a cruise.

Cruise prices

Not too many alternatives here.

You could have fun on this boat

As long as your friends contributed to the fuel cost. 🙂

Forster Tuncurry north coast weather

An absolutely beautiful climate in Forster Tuncurry mid north coast NSW.

We always seem to come back to the bridge

No doubt it is the most memorable landmark in the area, and probably even the whole NSW coast.

Over the bridge & back to the highway.

Next stop Gosford, thanks for visiting my Forster Tuncurry mid north coast NSW photo blog.

For an excellent discount on your room rate in this area just book through THIS LINK.

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Rock Art Port Macquarie

March 23, 2017 by David Herd

Southern breakwall Hastings River

Rock Art Port Macquarie

Rock Art Port Macquarie actually began as an art competition in 1995 & gradually evolved into a fascinating outdoor gallery.

Rock Art Port Macquarie

Sadly after a small amount of complaints 12 in 10 years the rock art is now banned. It’s crazy how a few idiots can spoil things for the majority, what a shame the council won’t hold a vote on the issue.

Celebrating an engagement.

Two lovers leave their mark to celebrate their engagement.

The mouth of the Hastings River

The river descends 1,040 metres (3,410 ft) over its 180 kilometres (110 mi) course. The Hastings river descends 1,040 metres from the Great Dividing Range over its 180 kilometres journey to the coast at Port Macquarie.

Look closely and you will see the rock art. 🙂

A beautiful day to catch a fish.

One of the locals has picked a beautiful day to fish off the rocks.

Waiting for the big one

Actually I spoke to the guy who said he was trying to catch some small fish to use for bait.

Apparently their life is a circus.

It says so on the rock. 🙂

A great tourist attraction

You can spend a very interesting hour or so checking out the Painted Rock Art Port Macquarie.

Port Macquarie

And so it goes on & on, a great addition to this terrific coastal town.

Port Macquarie’s Town Green

This is a superb park where people relax and enjoy the perfect environment beside the Hastings River.

Oxley oval

Just a short way along the road from the painted rocks is Oxly oval where cricket & football are played in beautiful surroundings.

A beautiful park beside the river.

A great place to relax have a picnic lunch and check out the Painted Rock Art Port Macquarie.

Please check out my photo blog for Yamba on the Clarence River a little further north.

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Rio beach babes

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Yamba Clarence River NSW

March 22, 2017 by David Herd

Wonderful NSW coastal town

Yamba Clarence River NSW

Yamba Clarence River NSW Coast has a population of just over 6,000, which tends to triple in the holiday season. The economy is based on tourism & fishing. Yamba was my 2nd stop after leaving Surfers Paradise where I had spent a week catching up with friends.

Mathew Flinders was the first European to visit Yamba Bay in July 1799.

If you live in Yamba you gotta have a boat.

The fishing is wonderful all along the NSW Coast.

If you don’t have a boat…

Go to one of the seafood restaurants along the Clarence River.

Or buy fresh seafood here

Then sit in the park close by and enjoy it. 🙂

Or perhaps here

I really love those Sydney Rock oysters (double this price in Sydney) plus the fabulous prawns.

Here is the place to eat

A nice park overlooking the water is the perfect spot to polish off your prawns & oysters.

You can watch the waves rolling in

The surf was fairly rough today on March 10th 2017.

Beautiful deserted beach

Not quite deserted, I can see one person. 🙂

Moby Dick Motel

A good location on the waterfront, for a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Coffee or a tattoo?

Why not do both? 🙂

Yamba Clarence River NSW Coast

Yamba certainly has a nice friendly feel about it.

Another waterfront motel

You may like to compare room rates to the Moby Dick motel, just use THIS LINK for a great room rate.

Room with a view

When the Pacific Hotel in Yamba in northern New South Wales opened in 1934 it was lauded as “the most perfectly appointed place of all seaside resorts north of Sydney”.

The view from your room.

Eighty seven years later, the Art Deco pub still stands majestically overlooking her namesake in this town at the mouth of the Clarence River.

For a terrific room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Thanks for visiting my Yamba Clarence River NSW Coast photo blog. Next stop is Port Macquarie, check out the painted rock art by the river.

Please check out these fabulous posts

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Rio beach babes

Florianopolis Brazil

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Amazing World Food

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

Lake Como Lake Garda Italy

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Kingscliff Northern Rivers NSW

March 20, 2017 by David Herd

Breakfast at Kingscliff

Kingscliff Northern Rivers NSW

Kingscliff Northern Rivers NSW was my first stop after leaving Surfers Paradise where I had spent a week catching up with friends. My plan was to travel down the coast to Sydney stopping at various coastal towns on the way.

Kettles on

Very popular for breakfast as you can see.

Eggs Benedict for me.

Cooked to perfection. 🙂

Huge breakfast for my brother Ian.

There is nothing wrong with his appetite. 🙂

Kingscliff Northern Rivers NSW

A fairly typical coastal town with lots of coffee shops, tourists & terrific beaches.

For instance

Miles & miles of surf & sand & deserted at 9am on Wednesday March 8th 2017.

Short walk from the beach to the shops

Kingscliff Northern Rivers Coast NSW is a tourist destination with a population of a little over 6,000 with beach and estuary access for swimming, surfing, fishing and all types of water sports.

Choppy surf today

Kingscliff is only 14 kms from Coolangatta airport.

Location

It’s obvious why Kingscliff is so popular given how close it is to the Gold Coast.

A beautiful day

Kingscliff by the beach.

Kingscliff estuary

A nice peaceful picnic area.

Picnic area beside the estuary.

Grab the morning paper & relax under the trees.

Time to hit the road & head south

I got an amazing deal on my hire car from Apex, 6 days hire and drop it off at Sydney airport for only $150, a special relocation deal.

Here we go

After an excellent breakfast I’m on the road again.

Hundreds of new townhouses

So many new homes, the demand is obviously here.

Other towns heading south.

All are nice little seaside villages, I may well wind up in this area when I return permanently to Australia in the next few years.

This was Chinderah on the way to Kingscliff.

One lazy pelican and Mount Warning in the distance.

The highway to Byron Bay.

I thought I would bypass Byron Bay and head for Yamba.

Road tunnel

Cutting through the hills.

Inside the tunnel

Lucky for me there is very little traffic.

Thanks for visiting my Kingscliff Northern Rivers NSW photo blog.

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Rio beach babes

Florianopolis Brazil

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Amazing World Food

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

Lake Como Lake Garda Italy

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Kitchens Robina Town Centre

March 19, 2017 by David Herd

Fabulous Robina food court

Kitchens Robina Town Centre

Kitchens Robina Town Centre Gold Coast is the largest and most expensive in QLD costing a whopping $160,000,000. Combining bars, cafes, restaurants along with 40 fresh food retailers. Spread over two levels it features eateries from local hospitality heavyweights such as the Honeyeater Kitchen from ex-Songbirds chef Trent Scarr, David Hayles’ Betty’s Burgers and James Brady’s Mr Pigs Bakehouse; alongside celebrity chef George Calombaris’ first Queensland restaurant, Jimmy Grants.

Kitchens Robina Town Centre Gold Coast

The whole place is quite spectacular, I will certainly visit again next time I’m on the coast.

Pure Meats

Butchers have come a long way since I grew up, I clearly remember them having sawdust on the floor. Here is an explanation from an old butcher explaining why;

When my Dad and I butchered, we used it as a safety enhancement and for ease of cleanup as was mentioned. No, we wouldn’t have meat on the floor, but it seemed as the floor would get slippery over time, and without sawdust, it was only a matter of time before someone would slip and it didn’t matter much what you had for footwear.

Often we wore cowboy boots as you basically stand for 8 to 14 hours at a time and it seemed easier on you, but as you can imagine they aren’t known for tractive abilities. If you are packing a 135# or so hind, you really want your feet to stay under you. We never would have worked without sawdust on the floor in the back, the front we left sawdust free but eventually it would make its way up there.

It is a pain though tracking sawdust all over the place, in your vehicle, etc.

Naturally the beef must be hung. 🙂

Why is meat hung you may well ask;

Meat hanging is a culinary process, used in beef ageing, that improves the flavor of meats by allowing the natural enzymes in the meat to break down the tissue through dry ageing. The process also allows the water in the meat to evaporate, thus concentrating the flavor.

Fish Lab by William Wu

Not only is this a good looking restaurant they also have a “drying room” next door. Follow THIS LINK for more about it.

The drying room

I have never seen anything like this before in a food court.

One of the many cafes

There is certainly lots of choices where to have a coffee here.

Too many coffee shops are never enough. 🙂

Not too sure if they are all making a living, and I’m guessing the rents are astronomical.

Such a feeling of space.

The high ceilings and open plan gives a feeling of space.

Spectacular roof at Kitchens Robina Town Centre Gold Coast

The architects have really done a great job here.

Lucky Luciano’s

I wonder if it’s a mafia hangout? 🙂

Woolworth’s for some serious shopping.

As you can see Kitchens Robina Town Centre Gold Coast caters for everything.

Farewell from Robina

Thanks for visiting my Kitchens Robina Town Centre Gold Coast photo blog.