Barrington Tops - November/December 2020

 A short trip (10 days) to Barrington Tops, an area of NSW we have never visited.  On the way a detour to Cessnock to spend a day at the Hunter Valley wineries and then through the tops from west to east before spending a couple of days on the coast before heading home.

Thursday 26 November 2020 - Mullumbimby to Yarralen Retreat (Yarrahapinni)

We were on the road about 9:30 am heading for our first night's stay at Yarralen Retreat at Yarrahappini (near Kempsey).  We were meeting up with travelling companions Arthur and Margaret along the way and were also spending the night with Mullumbimby friends Sunita and Greg who were on their way home from travels in South Australia.

Lunch was at the tavern at Mooney Beach which was a convenient spot to get off the highway and also where we met up with A&M.  A bonus was that it was not crowded and the food quite good - Prawn Poke Bowl for Jill & Calamari for Alex.  This was our first drive on the newly opened stretch of the Pacific Highway which now stretches from Mullumbimby to Coffs Harbour without passing through a town. It certainly takes some time off the trip.

Yarralen Retreat is a fairly rustic campground and the road in would be a challenge in wet weather but the camping was more than adequate for a night's stay - a nice lagoon at the bottom of the hill, a very good camp kitchen and some tarraces for camping on an otherwise fairly sloping site.

Was lovely to catch up with Sunita and Greg.

 

Friday 27 November 2020 - Yarralen Retreat to Cessnock

A relaxed breakfast in the "funky" camp kitchen and we were back on the road.  Our original plan had been to head to Barrington Tops from Yarralen but with extreme fire danger and 40-degree temperatures forecast we postponed that idea for a few days and headed to Cessnock for a couple of days where we decided to visit wineries in air-conditioned comfort for a couple of days.

After setting up at Cessnock Showground we headed into town for a bit of shopping and then back for beer o'clock followed by trout and salad for dinner before heading off to the Hunter Valley Gardens for their Christmas Lights Display.  All quite spectacular but we didn't enjoy the crowds in these Covid-19 aware times.

Saturday 28 November 2020 - Cessnock (Hunter Valley Wineries)

 First stop this morning was the Hunter Valley Information Centre to plan our day of Wine Tasting plus lunch.  Easier said than done!  Because of Covid-19, there's no fronting up to the cellar door for a wine tasting any more.  You have to book in - usually days before.  After a ring around we eventually found ourselves a couple of wine tastings and a lunch reservation.

Wine tasting Number 1 was at Lambloch Wines (11:30 am) where you purchased a 'tasting plate' of 5 wines of your choice for $14.  Wasn't a bad way of doing it we thought and a reasonable range of reds and whites.

Lunch was at Draytons Log Press Cafe followed by a visit to a couple of cheese factories (even some sheep and goat cheeses) and then on to Gartlemann Wines for our 3pm wine tasting.  Here we had a more traditional wine tasting moving through quite a range of the Gartlemann wines.

Consequently, the cellar has increased in size.

On the way back to the showground, we called into the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company to stock up on chocolate supplies.  A huge range on display but was far too crowded to call it a pleasant experience.  

Out of the airconditioning today it got up to 41 degrees.  So hot!!

Sunday 29 November 2020 - Cessnock to Barrington Tops

After packing up this morning we headed to Scone and the information centre to see if we could get some details on Barrington Tops.  Had coffee and pear & walnut tarts in the air-conditioned comfort of Crowded House Cafe while we were stopped.  41 degrees again today.

After fueling up we headed east towards Moonan Flat, travelling along the Pages/Isis/Hunter River Valley before talking the steep climb up the mountain to the Tops.  The road was very steep, very windy and gravel so the going was quite slow pulling the Quantum.  Pulled off just before entering the Barrington Tops National Park for a bite to eat for lunch and then on to our camp for the night at Polblue camping ground.

After setting up camp we went for a walk around the Polblue Swamp Walk next to the camp.  Was about an hour with sections on boardwalks across swampy areas.  Was a lovely walk with lots of wildflowers out and masses of the yellow Scottish Broom (unfortunately).  It looks quite pretty but would take over the world if given half the chance.

It's much cooler up here already and you can certainly understand that it snows quite heavily here in winter (photos in the information hut to prove it).

Dinner in the cool tonight (for a change), with a lovely sunset and some light rain.

 

Monday 30 November 2020 - Barrington Tops to Gloucester

A nice twelve degrees when we woke up this morning and what a restful sleep.  It's a lovely misty morning.

Heading through the park, our first stop was at Devils Hole Lookout.  We're told by Margaret and Arthur, who were here not so long ago, that the view is spectacular.  Well, it was pretty spectacular this morning - spectacularly white.  You could see no further than a few metres in front of you.  Even on the road Arthur (driving in front today) was disappearing into the fog less than 100 metres in front.  

Devils Hole

Thunderbolts Lookout

No view again at Thunderbolts Lookout Track but we would have to say the 400m walk is pretty spectacular with lots of trees dripping with moss.  One gets the idea that days like today may be a common occurrence up here.

Honeysuckle Walk

Now, if we thought that Devil's Hole was spectacular than the 1km Honeysuckle Forest Track takes that up a notch.  What a lovely spot with the majestic Antarctic Beech trees all covered in moss and reaching up into the fog.  Apart from the beech trees, there's also an abundance of tree ferns and mountain banksia (honeysuckle).  The Antarctic Beech's are just amazing.  Hard to imagine that they are 2500-3000 years old and relics from Gondwana times.

A quote I came across:

I find it staggering to think these trees are so old - some sources say approximately 3000 years old. They were alive during the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the birth of Christianity, the dark ages and the crusades, and the renaissance period. They would have seen Captain Cook's ship (the Endeavour) sail up the east coast of Australia in 1770, and the slow deterioration of the vast forests that once covered this land. Now they are living through the modern age and most likely will see our demise if we don't lift our game. It does my head in! The weather today was cold, windy, and very misty with occasional drizzle - conditions that these trees love, I'm sure.

Gloucester Caravan Park

From the Tops, it was a very steep drive down the mountain to Gloucester.  Had to take it easy as brakes were overheating on both vehicles.

Booked into the very pleasant caravan park at Gloucester.  Lot's of space in the unpowered section and lots of green grass.

Went for a walk into town to pick up some information on Gloucester Tops (our destination tomorrow).  Coffee and cake at Roadies followed by a visit to the IGA and Driftas Camping shop (Gloucester being their home).  

Back to camp for "happy hour" and dinner. 

Tuesday 1 December 2020 - Gloucester Tops

 

After a walk along the River near the Caravan Park (very extensive parklands) this morning, it was up a different mountain,  this time without the Quantum+ in tow.  Gloucester Tops are SSW of Gloucester.  Quite a windy road, so while it's less than 60 kilometres it takes about 90 minutes.  Stopped off at the Gloucester River Campground for a stretch of the legs on the way up.  Would be a pleasant camp for a few days and manageable in the Q+.

Our first choice for a walk was the Gloucester Falls Track which heads to the falls via Andrew Laurie Lookout.  Views today are spectacular and you can even see the Bucketts Mountains at Gloucester in the distance.

Andrew Laurie Lookout - The Gloucester Falls Track 

From the lookout, the track narrowed and ran along the edge of the gorge - still plenty of trees so not too scary, to the lookout overlooking the Gloucester Falls.  I don't know that you can actually call them falls - more like cascades.  A great lookout all the same and a pleasant view over the "falls" followed by a lovely walk along the river back towards the carpark.

Gloucester Falls

Next stop was the Antarctic Beech walk.  A little the same but also quite different from yesterday's walk.  The environment here appears to be drier than it is at Barrington.  Still plenty of moss though and lots of those majestic Antarctic Beechs.  We learnt that the Beechs propagate by coppicing (suckering) as well as from seed.

Antarctic Beech Forest Track

Back down the mountain and a restful afternoon (even a nap) followed by dinner at the Thai Restaurant - and very nice it was.

Wednesday 2 December 2020 - Gloucester to Wauchope (via Ellenborough Falls)

 

Back on the road this morning.  Planned camp tonight is Wauchope Showground.  First stop, however, is Ellenborough Falls up on the Bulga Plateau near Elands.  Was an interesting drive through Krambach and the outskirts of Wingham.  Krambach was Jill's first teaching appointments and she had the lower division by herself in the hall which was some distance from the actual school.  There was some brief reminiscing.  The school has considerably more building there than there were in 1969.

We spent a bit of time at the falls, walking around to the knoll ( a lovely walk) for a view back to the falls.  Was pretty hot again today so we declined on the opportunity to take the 640 steps down to the bottom of the falls.  Margaret and Arthur had done it in the past and were not too keen to repeat the activity (that's our excuse anyhow!!!)

At 200 metres, Ellenborough Falls is the tallest single-drop waterfall in New South Wales and amongst the tallest in the southern hemisphere.  Quite spectacular and quite a contrast to our visit to Gloucester Falls yesterday.

Ellenborough Falls

After lunch at the falls, it was on to Wauchope via the Comboyne Plateau where we set up for the night at the Showground.  We're expecting rain so put up the front wall for a bit more kitchen protection.

Into town for coffee and cake at Classy Cafe which was the only one we could find open at that time of day.  Walls were covered with "Pink" (the singer) memorabilia.  Someone was an obvious fan.

Had to share the showground with a Physi (dancing) Christmas party in the pavilion right next door to the camping area.  Fortunately, it finished reasonably early.  

Nice to have some rain to cool things down.

Thursday 3 December 2020 - Wauchope to Racecourse Beach

 

We had arranged with the Hatch's for a 7 o'clock walk this morning but the Benham's slept in.  Oh well!!!  Must have been the rain and the cooler night.

Packed up (still rain around) and headed off to Racecourse Beach Camping Ground in Goolawah National Park on the coast from Kempsey.

Called into Crescent Head for a bit of a walk around and a coffee at Green Room before heading on to the camping ground.

Racecourse Beach

After setting up (including an annex roof extension to accommodate the rain) we had a late lunch and then a walk on the beach.  It's very hazy today so there wasn't a lot to see.  Did inspect some nice rock pools at one end of the beach.

The number of campers gradually increased as the afternoon wore on and the campsite was quite full by evening.  Most of the campers were young people (good to see young people out camping) - perhaps schoolies.  

We were expecting loud music at any minute but that didn't happen.  Just lots of young ones having a good time.

Friday 4 December 2020 - Racecourse Beach to Station Creek

Up early for a walk on the beach this morning.  Rain has gone and it's a much clearer day.

Racecourse Beach

 

After breakfast and pack up we headed back towards the highway but instead of straight back to Kempsey, headed north and drove along the eastern side of the Macleay River as far as Jerseyville before ducking west through Clybucca and eventually meeting up with the new highway again.

We filled up with fuel along the way and arrived at Station Creek in time for a late lunch.  This was our first time at Station Creek.  We had stayed next door at Pebbly Beach a couple of times but to get to that camping spot you needed to drive along the beach a while and cross Station Creek at low tide.  Not today!!  Station Creek Campsite is quite a way off the highway from near Corindi Beach.  We guessed the fairly ordinary gravel road in was probably the reason that there were not so many campers there.  We managed to find a pleasant spot large enough for our two vans.

What a delightful swimming spot it is.  Beautiful clear water and very refreshing and the bonus was the reflections in the water at sunset.

Station Creek

Saturday 5 December 2020 - Station Creek to Mullumbimby

A nice long walk this morning to Blackbutt Point and back through the bush along Station Creek.  Quite a few shrubs in flower and the wildflowers were pretty impressive too.  It's amazing how adaptable Banksias are.  Here they are in abundance where we would expect them to be but they were also prolific a few days ago in the highlands of  Barrington Tops.  Quite a few very healthy elkhorns in the forest here as well.  One often sees staghorns in the Australian bush but not as often the much finer fronds of the elkhorn.

We have seen a few goannas around Station Creek and on the way back spotted a particularly impressive character sunning himself in one of the amazing orange eucalypts.

Margaret and Arthur were a bit keen to get home so packed up and headed off at this stage.  Jill and I headed back to the creek for another swim.  Not quite as pleasant today as the tide was coming in very quickly and the current particularly strong.  Refreshing all the same.

On the way out to the highway, we passed a convoy of tractors (mostly grey Fergusons), presumably on their way to Station Creek.  A shame we had packed up so early as we could have had a chat.

Back on the Highway, it was head for home.  We did intend to deviate to have some lunch thinking that the Old Church Cafe at Broadwater would be a nice spot.  Googled it to find that it is now permanently closed.  Progress!!  Guess a lot of those spots on the old highway will now disappear.

As Broadwater was off the agenda we ended up at the Ferry Park Cafe at Maclean, a very easy spot to get off and back on the highway/expressway.  From there it was an easy drive home.