Day 275 - Saturday 30 September - AFL Grand Final -The Tigers Roar

Day 275

Saturday –

30 September 2017 - AFL Grand Final - Adelaide Crows 60 v Richmond Tigers 108

Cessnock – Wine and Beer tasting in the Hunter Valley

The morning arrived early for Paul, who was a wake and reading before me. I slept until 730am and then read as well, before we both ventured from bed at 8.15am. While Paul went for his shower, I cleaned up and made breakfast. Once he returned we ate and then got into the homework that we had not completed after our long day out yesterday.  

When I was all caught up, I went for my shower. The showgrounds was a hive of activity this morning with a poultry auction taking place in the undercover area. The sound of cockerels and chooks was quite deafening and they were competing with the auctioneer.  There was also plenty happening on the track, with trainers out with their trotters. 

I returned to the van and we gathered our things together, along with a plan and then we were off to the wine country. Our first stop was Drayton’s Family Winery in Mount View. Paul believed there was a brewery here, but as it turned out, it was at Peter Drayton Winery instead.

We took the opportunity to sample some of the wines they had on offer. The young man behind the counter was very personable and knowledgeable and was keen to find wines we would enjoy. He did such a  great job, that we came away with a Moscato and Shiraz.

 

With directions to the IronBark Hill Brewhouse, we were off once again, this time heading into Pokolbin. We located the winery about 15min later, parked and made our way inside. The brewery is only new and is an extension of the winery. We spoke to the manager, who happily showed us through before pouring out a paddle for Paul.

We decided to enjoy the outdoor area, the deck providing a view over where young vines had been planted. As it was now 1230pm, we decided to eat lunch as well, rather than fiddle around finding somewhere else. It was a good choice as the burger we had was delish.

 

Once Paul was all done, we navigated back towards the Hunter Beer Co, stopping for fuel on the way. We returned to the brewery, so Paul could get himself a pint and then we found a place to settle in for the afternoon.

There wasn’t much of a crowd interested in the footy, not surprising seeing we are in NSW. We had the large TV almost to ourselves and Paul was happy to be as loud as he liked, he was just missing the Crows supporters to stir up.

 

The beers flowed as freely as the goals for Richmond and by 5pm Paul was singing the theme song loud and proud as we watched Dusty Martin pick up the Norm Smith medal, the players receive their premiership medallions and the cup held aloft by the captain Cotchin and coach Hardwick. With all the past and current players in tears, I am surprised the cup wasn’t overflowing.

 

Once the ceremony was all done, we left the brewery and returned home, happy to be in at a reasonable time. I cooked up soup for dinner as we were still full from lunch. Paul wrote up his review, while I put things up on line and then it wasn’t long before we were retreating to bed to read.

Day 274 - Friday 29 September - Looong Weekend needed for all the breweries

Day 274

Friday –

29 September 2017 

Cessnock – Dungong – Morpeth – Aberglasslyn

We awoke to a beautiful blue day and Paul complaining about his throat again. First port of call was going to be a doctor again! After reading for a short time we were up and getting breakfast. Pau went for a shower, but I missed out, as the water was turned off. There is a lot of general maintenance work going on at the ground currently, so lots of workers and lots of noise.

I organised a DR appointment for Paul and then we went in to Cesnock for a look around. We parked at the Coles, did a quick shop and then did a walk of the main streets. Pau was amused by a postie bike mounted on the roof of a hotel advertising a postie GP and sent a pic to Ballsy.

We completed our lap before returning to the car and back to the van. Paul’s DR appointment wasn’t until 11.45am, so we had some time to kill. We spent it reading and hanging in the van.

At 11.20am, we drove to the GP clinic, Paul went through the motions of filling out new patient forms and we were finally ushered into a nurse’s office for initial tests before seeing the DR. We didn’t leave until 12.30pm.

We made a stop at the chemist for more antibiotics, then it was back to the van for lunch and on the road again.

We were heading to a small town, Dungog, about an hour and fifteen minutes away. The road took us through other various country towns, some smaller and older than others before we were finally deposited in the main street of Dungog and at the door of the Tin Shed Brewery.

We made ourselves at home, with Paul talking to the owners, a young couple before settling in with a tasting paddle. We were given plenty of tips on where to head to and where to stay and they even rang one of the brewers to ensure he was around for us to drop in on our way home.  It was an ominous sign of the long day to come.

At 330pm, we began the trip back towards Cessnock with a detour to Morpeth and the Commercial Hotel, where Morpeth Brewery was set up. Unfortunately the brewer wasn’t around, so Paul talked to the barmaid and tried the beers while attempting to phone the Canadian brewer.

It was only a quick stop at the Commercial, before we continued on to the Dusty Miner Craft Brewery. The Canadian brewer phoned Paul on the way to Dusty Miner, so he was able to get some more information about Morpeth Beer for his write up.

A short time later we had entered a housing estate in Aberglasslyn and we pulled up outside the home of Stuart and Cath. The sign on the metal gate indicated we had the right place and as we looked down the driveway, we could see the shed that was the brewery.

The brewery is impressive for someone who has upped his home brewing hobby in his backyard shed. Lucky for them their home, on one and a half acres is partially zoned rural and they can run a commercial enterprise on their land. Oh by did this have Paul’s mind ticking over. Stuart still works on the mines so this enterprise is still truly a hobby.

Paul felt right at home on Friday afternoon, drinking beers in a shed with new friends. It was a terrific afternoon that morphed into night far too easily. Turns out Stuart knew all about us, as he is a member of the We Love Craft Beer site and had been watching our journey so he was chuffed that we had made it to his back yard. We were just glad we had been put on to it by the guys at Tin Shed because you wouldn’t locate it by chance.

7.30pm came around fast and it was time to say farewell with the promise to catch them at the beer festival next weekend further down the coast. Paul left with some beers and a new hat, so he was stoked and just a little pissed.

I drove us back to Cessnock, stopped at a local Thai restaurant for a couple of items and then it was back to the van to eat finally. The dinner didn’t last long, as we gleefully inhaled the meal and then it was off to bed. 

Day 273 - Thursday 28 September - Heading to the Hunter Valley

Day 273

Thursday –

28 September 2017  - Began “Devil’s Cut” by JR Ward, book three in the series of the Bradford Bourbon Family

Darawank – Cessnock

Yesterday’s lay in must have refreshed me, as I was awake at 6.45am and feeling good. I stayed in bed and read with Paul getting out just before 8 and going for his shower. I got out and started organising breakfast and tidying the van. We ate and then I went for a shower. By the time I returned, Paul had everything ready for moving.

I finished off what I needed to do and then we made our way out of the park and 10min down the road to Nabiac, where the Australian Motorcycle Museum is housed. We located the large tin shed, parked, paid the $15 entrance fee and then began our wander amongst the 1000 or so bikes and 20 odd cars. 

Paul busily pointed out different models that were of interest for varying reasons as we walked the aisles. There were also posters, leathers, motors, helmets and other bits of interest displayed around the walls to keep enthusiasts busy for hours. As it was, we were there for 1 ½ hours taking in the spectacle. It was certainly interesting and well worth the look. 

After completing the lap, we returned to the van, set the GPS for Cessnock and began our two hour drive into the Hunter Valley region. We spent most of the time on the Pacific Highway, before taking the turn away from Newcastle and towards Sydney.

As we drew closer, we branched off again and headed west and by 12.30pm we were at the showgrounds joining other vans taking advantage of the cheap accommodation, $20 a night. Beats the busy caravan parks. We booked in for 4 nights so that we were covered for the long weekend and then made ourselves at home.

Paul plugged us in, while I put lunch together and then we ate as we researched breweries near by. When we were sorted, we jumped in the car and did a drive down the main street of Cessnock to acquaint ourselves with where things were, in particular somewhere to watch the AFL grand final on Saturday. We saw a few pubs that may be able to accommodate us.

We then drove on to the Hunter Beer Co not far from the centre. I recognised the old brick kilns out the front from our trip to the Hunter in 2003, though we didn’t stop in last time. Paul was straight into the venue, while I took some photos outside before joining him. 

He was busy talking to Jordy, the brewer. She took him through the brewery, before pouring the tasting paddle and leaving us to sit back and critique. The place was part of a hotel and tavern, so when we were done we went to the sports bar to find out if the footy would be on. With a resounding yes, we figured we had found our venue, though we couldn’t get in for lunch, as it was fully booked.

With it still early, Paul figured we could complete another brewery, so we drove up the road to Lovedale Brewery that is housed inside the Crown complex and overlooks the 18^th hole of the golf course. 

We found our way in to the bar that also looks out on the pool, a very busy spot. Paul was palmed off to Cameron, one of the brewers, who again took us into the brewery and we also got to speak to the distiller who was kind enough to give Paul a small bottle to take away.

We returned to the bar and Paul tried the beers, as he talked to the bar staff between other customers. He was happy to leave with a tasting glass, another quick chat to the brewer and then it was back to the car to head back for the evening.

We unpacked the car, dropped things in the van and then decided to walk laps of the oval, which was really a horse track. There were a few horses being housed in a paddock that we said hello to, there were also a few within the stables. Then as we completed the first lap we witnessed a guy exercising seven horses that he had tethered to a long trailer and had it being pulled behind a car. Some of the horses didn’t look very impressed by this and were bucking and pulling. They weren’t out for long before being put away.

We completed three laps and then returned to the van. Paul got on with his homework and I loaded the photos before thinking about dinner. We interrupted our work to eat and then returned to computer things for the evening before heading to bed. 

Day 272 - Wednesday 27 September - Checking out Wallis Lake

Day 272

Wednesday –

27 September 2017  - Finished “The Angles’ Share” by JR Ward, book two in the series. I am moving on to Book 3 to continue following the saga.

Darawank – Forster – Coomba Park

L A Z Y, pretty much sums it up. I was surprised to see I had slept in until 8.15am. I must have been tired, all this traveling and sight seeing is taking its toll. Not being in any hurry, we read until 9.30am and then finally dragged ourselves from bed.

I went straight for a shower and then returned to make breakfast as Paul went for his wash. After eating breakfast, we put the next load of washing on and then planned the day ahead, before heading up to the laundry to collect our load. It wasn’t ready, so we did a walk around the park and by the time we were back, it was done. 

We were then free to begin our day of exploring. We made our way through Tuncurry and over the bridge into Forster heading on to Bennetts Head Lookout. We parked at the top of the hill and were blasted by the wind when we made our way from the car. 

There were a couple of vantage points to take in the view over the choppy water below. We watched the incoming whale watching boat and a fishing charter coming back from their offshore run, glad we weren’t on either, as they rolled about at the mercy of the seas and wind. It did not look like fun at all.

Glad to back in the car and out of the gale force winds, we drove down the hill and towards the golf course. Paul had packed his clubs and thought he might like a game, but the car park was chockas and with the strong wind blowing about, he was put off so we didn’t bother.

We returned to the main street, parking where we had yesterday, so that we could stop in at the small fish shop and buy two dozen oysters for $27. With dinner sorted we were then able to continue on the tourist route, The Lakes Way.

Our next wayside point was Cape Hawke Lookout. Here we had to park and then hike up 410m to the summit. There were lots of stairs to navigate, but thankfully it was all through the rainforest so we were shaded and protected from the wind. 

Once at the top, we climbed the three story metal structure to enjoy the view back over Forster and the lakes.

  We returned to the car, going down far easier than heading up and drove on to Elizabeth Beach. We stopped just before the turn off, when we spotted some park benches by the lake and figured it was a good spot for lunch.

The sign on the table requested we didn’t feed the kookaburras as it would make them aggressive, we probably should have taken more notice. A kookaburra made its self know as we began putting our rolls together and we figured while we could see it we were all good. We kept our fillings covered as we put them together and then we began enjoying lunch. Two bites in however and Paul’s roll was snatched by another bird we hadn’t seen that came swooping in from behind, belting Paul in the back of the head with its wing as it speared his roll with its beak, spreading the filling across the table before coming to rest on the lawn as it attempted to swallow the avocado spread ham and salad roll. The first bird came in to collect the half that had been dropped and they both sat there enjoying Paul’s lunch as we sat there gobsmacked, a truly Aussie experience. 

Paul ate what we hadn’t put in the roll, all the while cursing the birds that eventually ended up sitting together on a branch and we could imagine their conversation “That was a good one Bruce. Stupid person didn’t see that coming. Great roll. Think we got this caper down pat, you lull them into a false sense of security and I’ll stun them with my flying prowess.”

Still shaking our heads and laughing at the misfortune and cunning of the birds, we packed up and continued our drive. We followed the road up past Elizabeth Beach before stopping to check out Boomerang Beach. 

We made our way through Blueys Beach, a small holiday destination with plenty of tourists visiting. From here we drove up the other side of Wallis Lake to Coomba Park.

 It was about a 20min drive to reach the isolated settlement. We stopped at the lakeside park where there were a few families enjoying the day and fishing with their kids. We got out to go for a walk and were again blown away by the force of the wind. While it wasn’t creating great chop in this particular spot, it was further around. 

We didn’t stay for long, opting to return to the car and make our way back. Paul’s throat was starting to play up again and was leaving him a bit flat. Every time he finished the antibiotics he gets sick again, it is a real pain.

We drove back the way we came, noting the number of caravan parks that lined the thin strip of land between the ocean and the lake. It is obviously quite a popular spot to come and visit.

We did a quick stop at woollies on our way back and then it was on to the caravan park in Darawank. We had to pass a section where smoke was over the road with an obvious bush fire flaring. With this wind it wouldn’t have helped the fire fighters.  Thankfully back at the van there were no signs of smoke.

Once unpacked, we collected our washing and then we loaded the car ready for our move again.

When all the work was done, we were able to enjoy the peace of the afternoon.

By 5pm we were ready to go for a walk around the park. We were again appreciative of our spot at this caravan park, noting where we could have been placed and the noise that was being generated. 

We walked around a point, checking the water of the river as we went along. At one point it was quite boggy and we had to be careful where we put our feet. We continued our lap through the top end of the park before returning to the van. I could see the sunset was going to be quite pink tonight, so I returned to the van for the camera and made my way back to the water. Paul got talking to a fellow biker, who told him about the National Motorcycle Museum in Nabiac, so I guess we will be heading there tomorrow.

I wasn’t disappointed by the beautiful sunset with all the colours on show and reflecting off the clouds and smoke in the air as well as the water. It was very pretty and I was glad I had returned for the camera.

Paul finished his chat with Peter and we returned to the van to cook up our oyster dinner that was delicious. After dinner I set about coming up with a plan for the next few days, sorting out where we would head and possible stays. We then sat back listening to the ipod as we read and did computer bits before making it to bed.