8 - 9 September Evans Head

We love Evans Head and have been holidaying here since the boys were babies, so it seemed like the icing on the cake to stay here to complete our journey. We went fishing and Riley caught a big bream. We had a great chinese meal at the bowls club and won a $20 voucher for the fish co op. The number was called out and Jamie went up to collect his prize and the 4 boys went charging up madly after him like we'd won the lotto. It was a gorgeous sight. We played footy on the beach, played in the park, saw a whale, dolphins and a huge turtle. On the last night the boys presented us with a beautiful gift box full of goodies to thank us for the trip ! This brought tears to our eyes. Our journey has been a time in our lives which we wish we could seize forever. Life was simple and the freedom that came with each new day was so relaxing and exciting. It has been such a fantastic family experience and it is with mixed feelings that we head home to Carindale. We do not want this trip to come to an end, and even after 17,000kms behind the wheel Jamie said "It's not the end, only a beginning!!!". It has been an awesome finale to Part 1 of Habbin Family Aussie Road Trip 2010. Australia is so diverse and so beautiful, we cannot wait to discover more. Every moment was part of the journey, whether it was exploring Ayers rock, doing the dishes in a creek bed, or throwing pillows at the snorer or person with too much gas (5 males collectively have a lot of gas) - these memories are priceless.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO FOLLOW OUR BLOG. I HOPE I HAVE ENLIGHTENED YOU, ENTERTAINED YOU AND INSPIRED YOU TO HIT THE ROAD.....YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!!!!!!

Raylene.

6 - 7 September Port Macquarie

We stayed in a caravan park by the Hastings River and had our own private jetty to fish off and enjoy the sunset. We had the camp kitchen to ourselves. The boys had a swim in the ocean and we had a picnic at Shelly Beach with the turkeys and goannas. There were rabbits everywhere in the caravan park and a large bird aviary (the boys know their birds well now). Chrissy has a bout of asthma so he wasn,t feeling too crash hot at night. Port Macquarie is definitely worth a visit.

5 September Norah Head NSW

After the wild weather last night, blue sky started to break through as we zoomed through Sydney. We saw the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Penrith Rugby League Stadium. Sydney is so horrifically busy, even our GPS didn't know where it was going. Eating our Kentucky Chuck on a footpath somewhere and adding up the many tunnels and road tolls we had been through, we contemplated "where to now?". Jamie is very tired from all the driving and does not wish to see one more museum, aboriginal art painting, vineyard, bridge, mountain, memorial, antique, collectable shop...... We are very lucky he still wants to look at us! (only joking). Our trip has been so fantastic and we have seen everything that we set out to see and so much more, but it's time to wind down at a couple of beachside towns before returning home. Norah Head is a beautiful place. The sun shone, we could hear the waves, see the ocean and we walked to the lighthouse. The Central Coast of NSW is really beautiful.

3- 4 September Canberra ACT

Exhibition Park Showgrounds was our stop for 2 nights. The boys watched the trots and amused themselves in the wide open space. Weather - cyclonic, never the less we got out and about to check out the ACT. The National Australian Museum was a great morning out. It was interesting, fun and interactive for all. We then went to the Royal Australian Mint and watched our own $1 coin being stamped. We saw the door of a volt with $12 million dollars inside !!! We drove past Parliament House and around all the Embassies, saw the War Memorial and the Canberra Stadium. On our second night here at about 8.30pm the wind and rain was absolutely howling and our blue tarp flapping madly (I felt like I was chip in a big chip packet). We decided it was too dangerous to stay out in the open, so in the dark, Jamie and Thomas hooked up the van, (the rest of us sitting in the van - we love adventure) and made our way to a massive shed. Our only concern now was if we woke up in the middle of a market! We would be first there and wouldn't have to find a parking space. P.S. Our van does not leak. The blue tarp is a preventative measure so that the push out ends don't get wet. There's nothing worse than water dripping on your head whilst you are asleep.

Anyway, no sitings of Julia or Tony anywhere. Porta potty nearly came to a sad end in a carpark. What's that scraping noise? We forgot the extra height of stuff in our roof carrier. Porta potty came out fairly unscathed and lives, fresh and clean to see another day!

2 September Gundagai NSW

"There's a track winding back to and old fashioned shack, along the road to Gundagai. Where the blue gums are growing and the Murrumbidgee's flowing beneath that sunny sky.." We had to stay here. A classic Aussie town - we could not miss seeing the iconic "Dog on the Tuckerbox", a tribute to the early pioneers. We saw the historic Prince Alfred bridge and railway bridges and the old railway station which is in a beautiful state, due to a loving caretaker. The timber viaducts are a spectacular latticework of wooden trusses and wonderful examples of early engineering solutions to crossing a major flood plain. The town is also noted for the marble masterpiece of a miniature cathedral (1.2 m high, 20948 pieces) made by mason, Frank Rusconi over 20 years. It is a town of hills and plains and the main street is lined with billowing Australian flags. Unfortunately the unpleasant weather followed us. Driving to our next destination, Christopher and Riley were making this lovely tapping sound in the back seat. They had "borrowed" (STOLEN) two massive bolts from the old Gundagai railway line!!!! (See, Ned Kelly characteristics, it starts from a young age) What are we going to do with these kids? (We stopped in Holbrook for lunch and climbed aboard a replica submarine).