A DRIVE DOWN THE NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY

STANTHORPE

As we left the Gold Coast we started to climb and eventually reached Stanthorpe which has the reputation of being Queensland coolest town with an altititude of 915m. It has over 50 wineries, cideries and brewery and many good restaurants, music festivals and opera. It is also where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables often from the grower. We enjoyed tasting both wine and food here and also some delicious homemade apple pie with sweet cider ice cream from Suttons cidery. It is also worth paying a visit to Vincenzos which is an enormous deli emporium with samples of most things that the district offers and a cafe as well. There is also a delicious cheese place and a berry farm.

TENTERFIELD

Known for being the birth place of Peter Woolnough (the boy from Oz Peter Allan) and his famous song the 'Tenterfield Saddler' which is still in business.

GLEN INNES

Home of the Celtic Festival and celebrating all things Scottish. Town is full of historic buildings and boasts a ring of standing stones.

ARMIDALE

A very pretty leafy town that can get cold in the winter (has got to -18C and snow at times) and colourful in the autumn with all the leaves of the trees in full show. It is known as the place of education boasting many fine schools and the University of New England. The information centre provides a two and a half hour tour of the town that is free but you must book as it is really popular and very informative. We stayed at the showgrounds which is reasonably priced at $22 night for power and water and the amenities are clean and the water good and hot.

 Historic Armidale Station

 Booloominbah Homestead on New England University campus

Dumeresq Dam

TAMWORTH

We came for the Country Music Festival and we weren't disappointed. We managed to get a site at the North Tamworth Country Leagues club which was a bit noisy as we were right next to the fence and near a road but we could stay for as short a time as we wanted (some ask that you stay for 7 days). The place was really jumping with great entertainment on every street corner and shows being done every night of the week at various venues for free or low cost. There are over 800 acts so lots of choice. We witnessed an impromptu song by Kasey Chambers in the main street with some up and coming young artists, and went to Creedence and Johnny Cash tribute shows which were great. Lots of our well known acts started as buskers on Peel Street during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. We both said we'd love to come again with friends and really make a week or so of it. It really is lots of fun!

 The Waylon and Willie Show

 

Standing in the middle of Peel Street.

 The famous Golden Guitar outside the Information Centre in Tamworth

GOLD COAST QUEENSLAND 8/11/14 TO 12/1/15

GOLD COAST

Well it has been some time since my last post. Thats because we havent been moving around we have stayed in the one place for quite a while. We came to the Gold Coast because it's always a nice place to visit and also because Keiths son Michael and his lovely girlfriend Tamsin live here.
We began our stay at a place called Sharps Bend a low cost camp in the hinterland behind the Gold Coast but once we'd found out that Keith had a fly in fly out job in Gladstone we moved the caravan down to Nobby Beach on the Gold Coast Highway and close to everything. When we first moved here we thought Keith might work up until mid January so we had expected to stay around that long.
Nobby Beach is in a great spot right near Burleigh Heads and close to Surfers Paradise and Jupiters Casino. As I knew that Keith would be away for 3 weeks (returning just before Christmas) I rode my bike down to Gold Coast Volunteering office and found myself a few positions to keep myself busy whilst he was gone.
 On Mondays I walked dogs on the beach at Runaway Bay for Animal Welfare League Shelter and then took myself off to free Movie Mondays at Jupiter Casino. They run latest releases for free if you join their Absolute Rewards system. The movies are run at 10, 2 and 7.30pm every Monday. On Tuesday I worked at a sheltered workshop for people with disabilities and Fridays at an Op Shop. I also found low cost workouts at the beach at North Burleigh on Monday, Wednesday and Friday $3 for an hour. I also did yoga for $2 on a Tuesday morning at Nobby Beach.

 Walking Tessa for Animal Welfare League at Runaway Bay

As I soon discovered the sun rises here at 4.30am and I was wide awake usually by 5.30 and off to the fitness class. Everyone is down the beach either walking or running - it seems to be the place to be and doing it early before the heat!!
Finally Keith returned from Gladstone and we had an enjoyable Christmas celebrating with Michael and Tamsin. We went to Main Beach at Surfers Paradise to watch the carols.
I also tried out paddleboarding for the first time as I had bought a voucher for Keith for Christmas so we went with Tamsin and Michael and had a great time afterwards we had dinner at the caravan and watched the New Years Eve fire works from the beach.

 Hidden Bridge

 This was taken on a night out at Fishermans Wharf when my daughter Leah came for a visit from Melbourne.

 The Surfers Paradise Skyline taken from a canal cruise

 New Years Eve dinner at the van with Michael and Tamsin

Kirra Beach

The Anzac Memorial