City and Outback Australia

Newcastle caravan and camping show I would have to say I’m pretty disappointed. Some great things to see but really could have just driven to Heatherbrae and seen all that was on offer without having to pay entry. The vans were inflated in price the the “show discount” brought them back to the normal price in my opinion. What a waste of a day and parking was a nightmare. Save your money and don’t go. You really see more going to the dealers site and I believe you will get a better deal.  The show lacked variety of manufacturers and really it just had high end caravans. The camping gear is better at 4WD Supacentre.  I’m not sure if this is the same as the Rose Hill show in Sydney so I won’t be bothering anyway.

Registering a Caravan NSW  Unfortunately, the camper I have just bought is due for registration and needs the NSW Pink slip roadworthy certificate. Im so stressed as I can’t really afford for it to fail. I need three new tyres as when I drove it home they did not feel the best even though they had plenty of tread. I spoke to the mechanic and he was of the belief I should change them also.  So tomorrow I find out if I dodged a bullet as I have never gone through this process on a caravan before. I really just want it over and done with. My saving grace is a normal pink slip mechanic can do the inspection due to the weight of the camper, Blessed.

Caravan Camper Progress  So far I have got the Camper registered which was a great outcome. Im looking at replacing the leaf springs, bearings and brakes just so I know im not going to have a problem with them.  Also, my daughter has been great in patching the problem areas of the canvas. Im having real problems finding a company that is able to make me a complete new camper canvas, in New South Wales. So far it is going okay though Im unable to get the fridge working and it smells ghastly so I have decided to replace the fridge when I can afford it. I looked around and they cost about $250 for a 240-volt fridge with a three-year warranty. im not going off the grid so this should do me fine with my cooler. Heres some photos of the inside.

Camper Progress (LED Lighting)  Today Iinstalled the cheap LED Light strip I bought off Ebay. I only had enough to do half the camper so I purchased another 5 meter strip. I have bought a great 5 meter strip at a 4X4 store that I will use on the outside of the camper, Inside the awning tent. We also installed more Sail Track so we can use a tarpaulin off the side in bad weather. This was great until we realised we left the Caulking gun on the roof and had some pretty fancy stretching to get it rather than lowering the camper again. What was great was my 15 year old daughter did most of the work. It was a great boding moment.  We head to Canberra on the 15th April for a few nights so check us out if you can. Greg

The Three Sisters Rock Formation  The three sisters rock formation is about a 1-hour drive from Sydney to Katoomba in New South Wales, Australia. We travelled from Newcastle so it was approximately a 3 hour trip for us. Parking at the site is difficult and has parking meters which add to the unfriendliness of the place.  It’s a great rock formation and very famous so it is worth going to see. You do not have to hike as there are viewing platforms though getting to a spot you can take a photo at is annoying. It is full of tourists and the tour buses just drop them directly at the viewing ramp and it really is very congested. Expect extreme temperatures. In Winter it’s bitterly cold with strong winds that freeze you to the core. In summer it’s so hot and fires often rage in the Blue Mountains.  It’s definitely worth the trip but you will need patience. Shops are limited but locals obviously live there getting al they need from the area but I would search google maps for whateve

Goulburn NSW Australia On the way to Canberra today, we stopped in at Goulburn. Goulburn was Australia’s first inland settlement.  The town nowadays looks a little run down and I more than likely will drive past it in future. It still has the Big Marino though it’s been moved 800 meters from its original location.  Goulburn is the home to the NSW police academy. It’s sort of fitting that there is a large jail here also.

National Arboretum, Canberra - Australia Great day today! I thought the Arboretum would be a boring place so last time I was here I didn’t see it. This time I thought I would give it a chance and I was so surprised. There are mass plantings of trees and it looks great. Plenty of stealth campers enjoying what it has to offer. The views are stunning and it’s such a short drive from the city. 5 minutes I’d say.  Make sure you come out for a visit as there are plenty of areas to view and explore and your able to drive from place to place and parking is a dream. Here are some photos.

Telstra Tower, Black Mountain - Canberra - Australia Had a great time at Telstra Tower. It’s about a 10 minute drive from Canberra City in black mountain.  There is a notice that you car may not start and to contact security if this happens. This is apparently due to the transmission from the tower. The Telstra museum section is free and has some interesting old time phones etc. Top of the tower is a viewing platform which costs to go up to. I wouldn’t bother about that. The best view is of the tower not from the top of it. I would allow twenty minutes for your visit. Great little stop and the drive up is picturesque. Enjoy the 140mbs 4g data while your up there.

The Worst Tourist Attraction Ever, Rock Garden - Canberra - Australia I’m not joking when I say it’s awful. It really crap just about 10 big rocks of different type. This is supposed to be an attraction, What were they thinking. Anyway here are some photos so you don’t have to go. Truely the worst thing ever promoted by a tourist commission.

Old Parliament House, Canberra - Australia You will have no problem finding old Parliament House. It has exhibitions and tours at regular intervals. As a kid we all had school excursions to the Parliament House and now school kids visit both old and new.  The house has been very well maintained and I feel a very pretty piece of architecture. It’s in contrast to the super modern and advanced design of new Parliament House. Most famous piece of footage from here is when the Governor General sacked Prime Minister Gogh Withlem and the famous lines - Long May we say god save the queen as nothing will save the Governor General. Well that didn’t work out for him but really a defining piece of film on the steps of the house. The Aboriginal tent embassy is out front which is just shipping containers. They are friendly as anything and are happy to have a chat to you so give them a bit of love and support.

LED Camper Lighting Solution / Canvas update.  The main problem I’ve been having is the self adhesive doesn’t stick. Tape in areas also came away on hot days. It was driving me crazy so my daughter suggested I try hot melt glue gunning it. Ans it worked so mush better than all my other options. My wife is making the bed end fly’s for the camper out of King’s Awning walls and sewing them, I can wait till they are done. This is a temporary solution until I can afford a full new canvas. I have a picture of what canvas I’m ordering as I really like the colours and it will make a big difference when complete.

Parliament House (New), Canberra - Australia As an Australian kid we all were stuck going on school excursion to Parliament House. As a kid I went to the old house then visited the new house after I had left school. The new house is really very pretty and is a great place to visit. Your able to watch parliament when it sits from the gallery. If you think it is a good idea to yell abuse at or country’s finest I would advise against it as the house is top heavy with security and Australian federal police. Still it’s good to have a look at these self serving dopes. The house has so many exhibits it reall will take a fair amount of time to see it all. I loved the paintings of all the former prime ministers. Just a personal preference I guess. A great exhibit is the gifts to the country by dignitaries from other nations.  There is a gift store that you exit the house by but give it a miss I’d say. Parking is free onsite and you will find a parking spot easily. I’m not sure about

On the Hunt for more Vanlife Gear.  I am looking for some pretty specific gear for my van. One which it an awning and also an awning tent that goes with it. I drove from Newcastle to Erina to the 4X4 Supuacenter and I know there is a company store closer but I wanted to see how this store set up their gear. I was really pleased with the outcome. They had everything I wanted and had it all displayed. I didn’t have the money to buy it yet but I’m getting closer. They have fitting at this store chichis great so im nt going to make a mess of t doing t myself. A big surprise is the wife was of the same mind that we should just pay for all the gear we need over the next few months so we can hit the road as soon as possible. I like the Kings brand they sell and they had so many items that were not displayed at the company store.  I have a few photos of inside the store which I will post here. Please Subscribe if you can, that would be great.

Caves Beach - Newcastle - Australia  Caves beach is simply stunning. As the name suggests there are caves in the rock walls on the beach area. During the hotter months this is a patrolled beach with a small canteen for food and drink. Parking is limited so you may or may not get parking depending on the day.  The beach is very clean as is the water. Ive never had an issue with poorly behaved beach goers at any time that I have been. It really is a great place to spend the day and there is shade areas just back off the beach which are grassed so you can comfortably have a picnic. I feel this is one of the best beaches in NSW. It is certainly a must if your in the area.

Redhead Beach - Newcastle - Australia  Redhead beach is a great beach in the Newcastle - Lake Macquarie area. Its never too busy and this is a patrolled beach by surf lifesavers.  They have a great place to get food and drink and it also has great parking though a caravan will not be able to access this beach. It has a shark tower from the early 1900′s that still stands and looks great. This beach is great for sunbathing and it is a great beach for surf activities. Its a definite must visit if your in the area. Check patrol times and surf club times online. I have a few photos.