Fri, 5th Jan, 2024 Wooldridge Fossicking Reserve, Rocky Creek near Uralla to Kerry & Brian’s place, Port Macquarie, NSW

Cool night - felt cooler than the thermometer said, 18 degrees. The rooster is waiting for the axe as he is sitting on the stump crowing!! He doesn’t seem to stop. The magpies though are nice with their songs and there are a few pretty parrots about too.

Changed all the clocks over so we got up at 7am (6am Qld) so it will take a bit of adjusting to the earlier start. I know time is our own but if we don’t get moving then we will lose an hour each day as we will still want to pull up and camp before 5.

Headed back to Uralla then on a side road (Thunderbolts Way) to Walcha to take us down to Port Macquarie. The sky is heavy and grey. Pretty views though.

Through Walcha - neat little town. Across the Apsley River that was just a narrow stream here.

Onto the Oxley Highway. More pretty views with lines of poplars in the fields as we climb up a ridge. 

Over rolling green hills. Through some mist as we climbed up to 1130m and then into misty clouds as we travel through Mummel Gulf National Park. Back out to open green grazing fields at Yarrowitch. When you look at the map we are crossing the Great Dividing Range though there is no mention of it along this road - just up and down the hills.

Still in misty clouds.

We slowed down as it was getting harder to see through the mist/fog.

Into the next section of the national Park and still in thick fog at 1170m. Starting to descent down the range slowly - though its not called a range apparently. Still foggy which then changed to rain. Very windy like the Gillies Range and similar vegetation.

1030m the fog started to clear. Lovely tall gums line the road.

Still winding our way up and down over the ridges in the mist.

820m the road gets very narrow. It is much longer than the Gillies and still very windy.

Stopped at Stockyard Creek Rest Area for a cuppa. A chap says the next bit gets a steeper in descent. Not raining so we stood outside and listened to the Whip birds’ calls.

Continued downward. Amazing tall straight trees - hope none decided to fall.

Still winding around the ridges - I made a note on the map so we don’t come back up this road! Stopped at lights for road works where the edge has fallen away. Made us think of all the road works underway around Cairns after the recent heavy rains.

Amazing to think of the old timers that rode these ridges to find a track through then the work involved in making a road for wagons etc.

Still winding our way slowly down. No overtaking lanes at all, just a few pull off areas. More road works to stabilise a wall.

Just past that we got a nice view of the valley.

The cicadas are very loud as we can hear them inside the truck with the windows up. Another shot of the valley and looking back up to the road we just came down.

A few section of permanent one lane as the side has been eaten away then stablised but they don’t seem to be planning to cut into the hill to make it two way again. Plenty of space to see anyone coming so it works ok.

Down to 234m - open grassy hillsides now. Winding around the edge of them with green grassy pastures below. Down to the flats (140m) in the valley. Through the town of Long Flat. There is always one house that is the junkyard house - this one had boxes completely covering all his wraparound verandah!

Still winding along the hill edges heading towards to coast.

Through Wauchope and down to Rocks Ferry Reserve by the Hastings River for lunch.

Walked up to check out the sculpture of Oxley exchanging a tomahawk for a canoe. Great information.

Along the river edge - looking dark and gloomy.

A few spits of rain fell from the very dark cloud over us and we got back into the camper as the rain hit. Hard and fast with wind for about 10 minutes then it was all over. Looking downstream as the storm left us.

Back into the truck and we headed to Port Macquarie through more rain. Across the motorway and the rain stopped. A bit of blue sky ahead too.

Kerry had given me very good directions to their place in a Lifestyle Village. They have a great location and room for us to back down the side as they can now house their caravan under cover in a shed.

We had a great afternoon chatting. Another shower of rain but not much.

Their neighbours who love detecting came down to meet us so we chatted some more.

Dinner and lovely dessert and we chatted into the night.