Update - Yes, it's mid-September

Now I know the grandparents really want pics of Lara. None on this post because it's just of the weekend gone by, and she's been with Ian... Apologies. Nevertheless it's a lovely stretch of coast that we visited, and even as it is the number of pics have been culled drastically. We went camping up to Hat Head National Park (about three and a bit hours' drive up from Newcastle) for a couple of days. Couldn't be better weather, really - not too hot, beautiful skies (as you'll see), gorgeous bush walks.

We stayed at Smokey Cape, and here's the lighthouse. This beach is just next to the campground. 



Having reached the place in the afternoon (late start), and after wandering out randomly onto the aforesaid beach, we reckoned there must be a path up to the lighthouse from the beach.

Possibly there was. What we found was a kangaroo track, which lead us up through the bush, occasionally crawling through the undergrowth. Not exactly wheelchair friendly for the guidebooks. Plenty of kangaroo poo though. I reckoned the roos must surely know where they're going so forged on ahead regardless. Got there eventually. Not before being called Captain Crazy Pom. Here's a view from the top.

Next day we went for a MASSIVE bush walk, all up from Smokey Cape northwards... my hips are still aching. Stunning spring bush, everything in a myriad shades of green, birds everywhere, glorious green-and-sea smell... what more could one want.

Some roo tracks on the beach (can't exactly remember which one, this was in the middle of the walk)

Up at the lighthouse. The roos aren't shy at ALL.

This is back down at the beach near the campsite, I think.

Ah, here's the lighthouse. More or less at dawn on Saturday, I think... pics are rather messed out of order, aren't they. Note the picturesque morning mist. It's artistic.

View towards the beach...

Klaus at the top of... actually I can't remember. Perhaps it's near the lighthouse.

Another picturesque bit of sand-motion. Artistic.

Me wearing a lighthouse on my head.

Ah, here's the campsite. Very comfy tent. Took TWO duvets so it was snug as anything - most comfortable camping I've ever experienced!

This was the view from up near the north end, beautiful dragon trees (we think that's what they're called), stunning sea.

Mr Big Roo saying bye as we leave the campsite on Sunday

On the way back we stopped at Seal Rocks. Guess what, they have ANOTHER lighthouse there, so of course we climbed up. Truly spectacular rock-stuff in this corner of the world.

Impressive gorge, sploshing through all the time, on the way up to the lighthouse at Seal Rocks.

Same place, just with both of us obscuring the nice view.

Here I think we're obscuring the view from the top of the lighthouse at Seal Rocks. The very top.

View unobscured.

Found a place on an almost-island at Seal Rocks that was (more or less) out of the sun AND out of the wind to have our picnic at. Named Pigwig Island. Tuna sandwiches and red wine, plus copious chocolate biscuits - yum.

View from the summit of Pigwig Island. (That's not its real name, by the way, just that we had a picnic there. Don't actually know what it's called.

Ok gotta go. Net is really dodgy so I always have to go back to Hatfield Street to load up the pics but I'll try and get some of Lara and the Kiddies in asap ... not today though. Keep your fingers crossed for me getting back on track with this thing!