  Reg and I have been careful to select quiet companion dog friendly, eco-friendly locations for our 2011 tour and the BIG4 Trial Bay Tourist Park, South West Rocks, NSW, is one of the best to combine the well cared for, pet friendly caravan park site with a true nature experience. This weekend with strong winds predicted for the area I am grateful to be tucked away sheltered from the winds. I was amazed when we were directed to a caravan site that had an expanse of natural bushland behind and to the side of it and a very short walk to a natural lagoon. Reg takes the fishing gear and walks to the beach once or twice a day. Whereas I, mostly sit around the caravan enjoying being surrounded by National Park while I work on my Australian bush novel. It is a pleasure to be interrupted by birds and wildlife. I met the resident kangaroo family this morning.   This would be an ideal location for international guests looking for nature and history or a family wanting all the facilities including a kids club. For the social couple there is lots of dining out opportunities in the town which is only 2 kilometres away. The only sounds I have heard in the week that I have been here were the call of the birds and pleasant sound of waves plus one gentle knock on the caravan door. The knock on the door was a neighbour giving us two excess to his own needs, fish he had caught that day. Did I mention how friendly people are here? Not that you need meet anyone, the place is so peaceful. There is morning coffee get together every day at 10.30 am if you want to get to know the neighbours, listen to the chat about the area, find out about the great scenic drives and walks your neighbours have been on and learn a bit about the history of the area. I sent Reg to the morning tea last Wednesday, he came back enthusiastic about the free lemon meringue pie I missed out on and stories about the area he had heard.   My main exercise has been discovering the gorgeous clothing boutique in the shopping centre that gives a 10% discount to the park residents. When you arrive, pick up one the discount meals and services cards. The reception is filled with helpful brochures and maps of the many places to visit while you are in the area. The facilities here include movie room, camp kitchen, BBQ's resort pool, spa, games room, toddlers play area, playgrounds, jumping pillow, half court tennis, free internet kiosk, and laundry. Of course I am mostly interested in the peace and quiet aside from the sounds and views of nature and Reg has his fishing to content him and Indigo lots of places she is allowed to walk plus a dog friendly beach she is allowed to fun off leash on, about 2,000 human steps away. To be up-to-date by the minute and follow the BIG4 Trial Bay Tourist Park, South West Rocks (NSW) on facebook and twitter. Subscribe to newsletter and be the first to know about their specials and offers or call them today on 02 6566 6142 They are offering a current SPECIAL of $20. per night for a powered caravan site. Now that is the best value I have seen this season for the amenities provided.       Reg and I had a wonderful day today. We set up our caravan on an absolute riverside frontage beside the beautiful Brunswick river. on the grounds of the Mullumbimby Leagues Club with a backdrop of Mt Chincogan. There are powered and un-powered sites and club house amenities. Many of the campers are golfers and take advantage of the Par 3 & 4 x 11 hole golf course. There are great BBQ facilities and Reg had fun fishing. I set up my office and logged on to the internet and was thrilled to get all 5 bars for wireless internet coverage on both my Optus and Telstra networks and no need to use additional wireless antennas to strengthen the signal. This is the strongest internet coverage I have had for the tour so far.     The Elbow Inn is a great undercover kitchen with loads of seating for a big group and chairs facing around the tables and out to the river views. Book early for the popular riverside sites. I suspect some people would come here and stay, it is such a perfect holiday venue. Even the non riverfront sites are good with green grass and mountain views. I am pleased I found this peaceful and pretty place. If I had the time I would stay longer. The shopping in Mullumbimby is excellent and the surrounding scenery provides loads for the explorer to discover. I found this great caravan park site because it is listed in Camps Australia Wide 5 as a reasonable priced caravan park. I prefer not to stay at those high cost resort parks. This one is great value and you don't feel you have to blow wave your hair to step out the door, which for me is what a traveling holiday should be like. Showers were great, plenty of hot water and an efficient water supply, as one would expect in a sporting club. The Mullumbimby Leagues Club is 2 km NE of PO. Contact details for bookings ! P.O Box 501 (Manns Rd) Mullumbimby NSW 2482 Australia Attn: Caretaker ph: 0405 19 88 66     Images of Australia in the Paintings and Writing of Artist Author Kathy Shell Artist – Kathryn Shell Author Kathryn Shell is a published non-fiction and fiction author currently working on an Australian Novel. Feel welcome to reproduce the words in the above blog post provided you copy it in its entirety including this section with all its active links. The images may not be copied without permission of the artist, author. You can purchase prints from the art of Kathy Shell. Art and art print sales are available from Kathy Shell Artist. ` Flower Gallery ` Horse Gallery ` Landscape Gallery ` Portrait Gallery – Includes Australian Wildlife, Dogs and Bears and Gollies or by selecting from those offered in the sidebars of her web blogs then Contact Kathy with your selection and these will be listed as a buy it now bundle for you though secure PayPal. You are most welcome to link to this blog post.Thank you. - Kathy Shell. 1 Comment     My first impression was the friendly greeting we got. Then the joy of finding the powered caravan sites were in a wide circle around all the facilities and these were placed in a parkland type setting. Parents would be able to sit in the shade of their can awnings and watch the children play safely. What a playground there was. It isn't just for the little kids. The jumping pillow is the best I have ever seen. The solar heated swimming pool, now that is what I love. The bathroom facilities. I love walking in to spacious light and clean facilities and being greeted with a full length in good condition mirror and live indoor plants. These are amenities that impress me. Love the huge BBQ and dining area too. Once again, this is within view of the children playground so happy hour can be spent in comfort while keeping an eye on the children. Not that there are many children here playing. This area abounds with lakes, beach, bush walks, shopping and theater. Most people seem to go out during the daytime and enjoy the surroundings. For the internet users there is excellent internet connection here and you can access the free internet (limits apply) provided by the park host. So much more I want to share, and I will over this next week while I am staying in this excellent park. Check out their website at Eastern Beach Tourist Park . That is Reg fishing. We saw a few fishermen catch salmon just up from where Reg was fishing. Reg is having fun and Indigo gives Eastern Beach Tourist Park a five paws rating for small dog friendly.  We are currently staying at Eastern Beach Tourist Park and can highly recommend this park as the best and friendliest park we have stayed in on our many trips to Lakes Entrance, Victoria. Order DVD's and Books at DISCOUNTED prices. Click on Fishpond Image link below to browse.       Reg and I have arrived at the Flying Fish Point, Tourist Park this afternoon and set up for what will be our winter base, for touring, writing and my art. Such a friendly welcome, Reg, Indigo our poodle and I are going to love it here. Our powered caravan site, is a little tropical oasis, the pool to our left, the dog friendly beach directly across the road and a large green oval behind us where pretty faced, wallabies are sometimes seen grazing.  They say the fishing is fantastic here. Reg has never gotten into fishing but if we stay here for winter, maybe this is the time to buy him a fishing rod and try it. I could possibly sit, fish and paint beside him. Innisfail, looked like a pretty town as I drove through it, I will enjoy going there to shop and walk. It is 7 kms away from Flying Fish Point, on the “Great Green Way", an area of outstanding natural beauty spanning from Townsville to Cairns in tropical North Queensland. Innisfail Web Site.  I will be very busy, with swimming, beach running and my writing and painting even if I never leave this beautiful caravan park, but when I am ready to venture out the area has so much to offer including two World Heritage listings. These being the Wet Tropics Rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef. Over 25 tropical islands off our coast, over 12 mainland National Parks, and Flying Fish Point, is the closest mainland access in Queensland to the Outer Barrier Reef Reg has fond memories of the Atherton Tableland and is eager to see it again and I have a good friend Gem in the mountains west of Cairns, who I am keen to visit some time while we are here. I think this will make the perfect base camp for a wonderful winter holiday plus writing and painting inspiration. Attractions, Tours & Things To Do
Reference
Photos below are of our powered caravan site and the oval directly behind us at Flying Fish Point Tourist Park.     Images of Australia in the Paintings and Writing of Artist Author Kathy Shell Artist – Kathryn Shell Author Kathryn Shell is a published non-fiction and fiction author currently working on an Australian Novel. Feel welcome to reproduce the words in the above blog post provided you copy it in its entirety including this section with all its active links. The images may not be copied without permission of the artist, author. You can purchase prints from the art of Kathy Shell by selecting from those offered in the sidebars of her web blogs then Contact Kathy with your selection and these will be listed as a buy it now bundle in this EBay Store. You are most welcome to link to this blog post.Thank you. - Kathy Shell.    Last night Reg and I went to dinner on the kiosk deck at Ballina Beach Tourist Park, enjoyed the great entertainment of live music and stunning fire dance performed by Utopianfire. It was a great night. This tourist park has been fantastic for the enormous activities they provide. I am almost sad to be leaving in the morning. I will let the photos do the rest of the talkingJ.                   Reg and I arrived at Ballina Beach Holiday Park. The first thing that struck us was how friendly the management was. This was consistent with the earlier friendly email communication we had had with them. We have set up our caravan in the wilderness area, where there is a large area of green lawn. I spent the afternoon in the shade of a hut working at my computer. Reg set up the awning and shade cover on the Eco-Tourer caravan, I took lots of photos of Reg at work, lol, pretended that that was work, lol :-) and enjoying seeing Reg happy and fit enough to be doing a great job of the set up.  After relaxing and enjoying lunch, then afternoon tea outside the van, we went for a walk though the grounds of the park. The twin swimming pools impressed meJ. Then we went to the beach, a short walk from the reception kiosk. I had my jog along the spotless clean sand. Reg stood watching the anglers, surf fishing and he was impressed at the obvious success they were having.  There is entertainment and meals here from Friday night and over the weekend, it sounds great. A band one night and fire show another evening. I think we will have so much to do and see here. Tomorrow we will look at the dogs off the leash beach near here and there are dogs off the leash trails to investigate. I plan to go into Ballina to shop tomorrow and return on the ferry. I love everything I have seen. A perfect start to the week we will be spending here at south Ballina Beach, staying at Ballina Beach Holiday Park. J       Images of Australia in the Paintings and Writing of Artist Author Kathy Shell Artist – Kathryn Shell Author Kathryn Shell is a published non-fiction and fiction author currently working on an Australian Novel. Feel welcome to reproduce the words in the above blog post provided you copy it in its entirety including this section with all its active links. The images may not be copied without permission of the artist, author. You can purchase prints from the art of Kathy Shell by selecting from those offered in the sidebars of her web blogs then Contact Kathy with your selection and these will be listed as a buy it now bundle in this EBay Store. You are most welcome to link to this blog post.Thank you. - Kathy Shell.  Eden, NSW I had a quick change of mind re our campsite for tonight and we came on ahead of our plan, to Eden on the Sapphire coast of southern NSW, halfway point between Melbourne and Sydney. Eden, situated on the deep harbour of Twofold Bay, is a picturesque and quiet town and offers a wide variety of waterway, forest and mountain attractions. As we are members of Family Parks, we checked their book for a dog-friendly caravan park in Eden and chose the Fountain Caravan Park. The drive into Eden from Victoria was as pretty as I remembered it and views of Twofold Bay, as we drove through, were beautiful.  Twofold Bay, Eden.  The Fountain Caravan Park was easy to find, it is located on the Princes Highway, the first park you encounter as you enter the town from the north. As soon as we turned in toward the entrance to the Fountain Caravan Park the sounds of bell birds welcomed us and made us feel we were entering park land. Indeed the park was sweeping lawns surrounded by beautiful tall timbered forest and there were shade trees. The park has un-powered, powered and ensuite sites, we chose a powered site as we have our own en-suit van and the amenities block was one of the best with one thing I do like to see, if I stay at a caravan park, plenty of mirrors. Lol, that is about the only thing I do not have in my own caravan. I had both a very friendly response when I rang ahead to book our site and an equally friendly greeting on arrival. This might sound normal but sadly hospitality in the hospitality industry is not always present and I like to praise it when I find it as I personally think friendly management, is one of the most important assets a caravan park can have.  Fountain Caravan Park, Eden. Lush lawns, sourounded by bushland, shady caravan sites and bird song. Just what Reg and I love.  Photo is of Reg, setting up our Eco-Tourer caravan on site ar Fountain Caravan Park, Eden, ready to begin exploring this area, tomorrow. REGION: NSW > Sapphire Coast > Eden. Places to Visit while staying at Eden. Twofold Bay Eden - Wonboyn Lake Ben Boyd National Park flanks Wonboyn to the north and Nadgee Nature Reserve National Parks Regional Office - Far South Coast Region Cnr Merimbula St & Sapphire Coast Drive | PO Box 656, MERIMBULA NSW 2548 Phone: (02) 6495 5001 | Fax: (02) 6495 4137 Mt Imlay National Park provides bushwalkers with spectacular views of Twofold Bay and adjacent mountain ranges. It is a steep track to the summit but well worth the effort. Wallagaruah Forest Drive and Maxwell's Rainforest Walk starts 30km south of Eden at signpost. This easy rainforest walk is accessible for all ages. Lots of great exercise here. Walking along the boardwalk of Eden, the beach and exploring nearby Boyd Town, the historical whaling museum, township. Discover Boyds Tower on the southern headland of Twofold Bay, a massive sandstone tower built by Benjamin Boyd in the hope of establishing his empire in the area, the tower was also used by whalers. Access is from Edrom Road, and there is a sealed walking track with disabled access to the tower and sweeping views along the coast. Lookout Point, Rotary Park and Seamens Memorial Wall are up the hill from Eden Wharf. They offer panoramic views over beautiful Twofold Bay to Mt Imlay. There is a Picnic area, toilets, and playground. Boydtown and the Seahorse Inn, were built in 1843 on the shores of Twofold Bay by an early whaling king whose name it bears. The historic inn has been restored and the ruins of Boyds church can still be seen. More locations to visit on the Sapphire Coast of NSW Cobargo BermaguiBrogo BembokaBega Tathra Candelo Wyndham Merimbula Pambula Wonboyn Images of Australia in the Paintings and Writing of Artist Author Kathy Shell Artist – Kathryn Shell Author Kathryn Shell is a published non-fiction and fiction author currently working on an Australian Novel. Feel welcome to reproduce the words in the above blog post provided you copy it in its entirety including this section with all its active links. The images may not be copied without permission of the artist, author. You can purchase prints from the art of Kathy Shell by selecting from those offered in the sidebars of her web blogs then Contact Kathy with your selection and these will be listed as a buy it now bundle in this EBay Store. You are most welcome to link to this blog post.Thank you. - Kathy Shell.  We arrived this afternoon, towing our Eco-tourer caravan, to Grampians Gardens Tourist Park 2223 Grampians Road, Halls Gap, Vic We asked for a powered site out the back. I brought our one-meter long wireless internet antenna and while the signal is a low one, I am able to access the internet without any difficulty. It certainly has paid to have this extra antenna with us for these weak Telstra connection spots. We set up camps and had our evening meal outside as we were reluctant to come inside the caravan with a mob of kangaroos grazing the lawns near us and a large flock of sulphur crested cockatoos, kookaburras and a family of wrens, three brown ones and a beautiful blue wren, nearby. I have yet to meet the resident male emu and his six young babies. That is a treat, I am eager to see. The mountains and clear air, are as beautiful as I remember them and tomorrow I will drive the 2 kilometers into Halls gap town and walk around there, go to the tourist information bureau and get a book on the walks in the Grampians then maybe drive to some of the lookouts, do these easy views tomorrow. Come back to our great base camp here at the Grampians Gardens, Tourist Park, and study the walks, choose some easy ones to start with and take it from there. Walks in the Grampians:- http://www.grampiansnationalpark.com/grampians/national/park/walks.asp Drives in the Grampians:- http://www.grampiansnationalpark.com/grampians/national/park/drives.asp          Images of Australia in the Paintings and Writing of Artist Author Kathy Shell Artist – Kathryn Shell Author Kathryn Shell is a published non-fiction and fiction author currently working on an Australian Novel. Feel welcome to reproduce the words in the above blog post provided you copy it in its entirety including this section with all its active links. The images may not be copied without permission of the artist, author. You can purchase prints from the art of Kathy Shell by selecting from those offered in the sidebars of her web blogs then Contact Kathy with your selection and these will be listed as a buy it now bundle in this EBay Store. You are most welcome to link to this blog post.Thank you. - Kathy Shell.  Fridge magnet from the art of Kathy Shell, Mirinatwa Gap, Grampians, Victoria. Our next stop over is at the Grampians Gardens Tourist Park. The management is friendly, the Park is one of the great Family Parks, Pet Friendly Parks and the souroundings of Halls Gap and the Grampians are a natures wonderland. Reg and I will love our stay there. park facilities...(taken from thier website) We are a dog friendly Tourist Park
If you have a dog friendly venue you would like us to review, please contact us with your details, Thank you The gray-nomad, and doggies blog, 2010 review of dog-friendly caravan parks, tour is underway. Reg, Indigo our poodle and will be touring Australia, in 2010,reviewing dog-and J people friendly, caravan parks and I am going to do some on location paint outs. Our tour iis currently underway in Victoria, we recently had a great tour of Gippsland in Victoria and stayed at and loved Frenholme, Tarra Valley The second phase of our review tour will take us to another favourite location of ours, beautiful Grampians region, in Victoria’s west. We will stay at Grampians Gardens Tourist Park. Then we will tour into NSW reviewing dog-friendly caravan parks and we will revisit two of our favourite areas, the Kiama Coast, staying at Seven Mile Beach Holiday Park and South Ballina staying at Ballina Beach Holiday Park Then we tour into QLD, towards Cairns, we will stay at the Flying Fish Point Tourist Park. Images of Australia in the Paintings and Writing of Artist Author Kathy Shell Artist – Kathryn Shell Author Kathryn Shell is a published non-fiction and fiction author currently working on an Australian Novel. Feel welcome to reproduce the words in the above blog post provided you copy it in its entirety including this section with all its active links. The images may not be copied without permission of the artist, author. You can purchase prints from the art of Kathy Shell by selecting from those offered in the sidebars of her web blogs then Contact Kathy with your selection and these will be listed as a buy it now bundle in this EBay Store. You are most welcome to link to this blog post.Thank you. - Kathy Shell.  It is lovely to feel you can happily recommend a caravan park you have stayed at and I am going to heartily, rave about our stay at the Captain Cook Holiday Village in the town of 1770. Take plenty of insect relpelant as this as a wilderness area and the midgies come out at dawn and dusk in the right conditions. Aside from that it is paradise. Named for the historic landing of Captain Cook in 1770 on the 24th of May 1770. This was Cooks first landing in Queensland and hence why it is now considered by many to be the birthplace of Queensland. Captain Cook was accompanied by Botanist Joseph Banks and Dr Solander having anchored the Endeavour a couple of miles offshore. The Captain Cook holiday village is the Caravan Park on the hillside, not the one on the foreshore as you enter the town of 1770, near Agnes Waters, in Queensland. Reg, Indigo our poodle and I stayed at this caravan park in 2007 and we plan to return in 2010. I remember the amenities block was clean and pleasant, I cannot recall details like ceramic tiles, because it was the outdoors, the scenery, the walks and wildlife, that made such an impact on Reg and I. We just loved every moment of our stay at this park and I am eager to stay there and review it again, in 2010. To begin with the Captain Cook Holiday village, is alongside natural bushland on several sides, and the swimming pool is high on the hill side so you swim with an incredible view over the ocean Overhanging trees are filled with birdlife and I have swum with kookaburras diving into the water nearby,J and loved the experience. It is a nature lover’s paradise. I remember the owner managers as being extremely friendly, I am assuming it is the same managers now, as the reply to my recent email asking about booking a caravan site for sometime in autumn or early winter in 2010 brought a similarly friendly response I remembered from our last visit. Reg and I (and the dog J ), stayed at a site, in the top right hand corner of the park, very quiet and peaceful and it was near a walking trail that lead down to the beach where we took our late afternoon early evening walks. The local shops provided quality fresh produce, there is local entertainment venues, even a shop where you could have a bathing costume custom made to measure. You can take tours out to the Great Barrier Reef and to the nearby islands. The surrounding beaches were all beautiful. The town of 1770 is a little bit of paradise and I can highly recommend The Captain Cook holiday village as a place to stay. Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef (Lonely Planet Country & Regional Guides) Order DVD's and Books at DISCOUNTED prices. Click on Fishpond Image link below to browse. |  Images of Australia in the Paintings and Writing of Artist Author Kathy Shell are created on location while touring in an Eco-Tourer Caravan. `````````````````````````
If you would like Kathy to review, write or paint, your location, please contact the artist author with your offer. National Parks Passes Art and art print sales are available from
|
RSS Feed
