Far from being “just a pass through town”, Ballina is a great place to spend some time with your family, particularly if you like the water, be it surf or still water.  There is far too much to explore in Ballina to do it justice in a weekend, so we will certinaly be heading back to sample some more of the areas natural playgrounds.

Our recent weekend was spent at the Gunundi Youth Camp.  5 Star it is not, but it does have all the facilities you would need for a camp or conference, the accommodation is clean and honest and the amenities are plentiful and clean.  Gunundi offers great value for larger groups and is also located within a short walk to the beach via a quaint bush track.

Ballina offers all the aminities you could possibly need for a family holiday, without the fuss and crowds that are synonymous with South East Queensland.  Accomodation is also comparatively good value.  There are two large shopping centres plus a main town square that offers shopping, eating and of course a couple of old pubs.

The only real disappointment for us was what looked like the beginning of the end for one of our favourite landmarks, the big prawn.  It’s funny how old landmarks like these are still great references for the kids.  When travelling the Pacific Highway we would pass through a hundred little towns, and the kids would barely remember any of them – but they always remembered Ballina and Coffs Harbour.  Hopefully the area is just being tidied up and given a coat of paint, but the construction barriers look ominous for our favourite crustacean!

If you are looking for an honest destination for a family holiday you could do alot worse than Ballina, particularly if you are lovers of the water.  Pack your surf boards, your ski boat or your tinnie and rods, and head of for a lazy weekend without the glitz, crowds and prices of South East Queensland.

Some places to check out before you head to Ballina.

Ballina Tourism Website

Map of Area

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Unlike beaches in our major cities, we were able to experience some of the most beautiful beaches in the country almost all to ourselves.  Some of the beaches are open to four wheel drives, and some were only accessible via a 4WD track and a short walk.  Either way it was well worth the extra effort.  Permits are required to drive on beaches in Hat Head National Park.  For further information on these permits please visit here.

With South West Rocks being so conveniently close, you can have the best of both worlds at Smoky Cape.  We “roughed it” in the camping grounds but were able to pop into town to have lunch at one of the many pubs, clubs, cafes or restaurants.  We were also able to travel relatively lightly and buy fresh produce daily.  Fuel, bait, ice and cold refreshments were also readily available at reasonable prices – remember, South West Rocks is a holiday town!

Trial Bay, South Smoky Beach and Gap Beach are all within a stones throw of the camping grounds and offer a good range of options, according to the swell and weather conditions.  It is important to note that none of these beaches were patrolled and you should be very careful when swimming.  Of these options, Trial Bay is probably the the safest.

The best advice I can offer for those heading to Smoky Cape is to do a little bit of research first.  There are plenty of great family activities but some require permits or advice.

Hat Head Beach information.

Hat Head Beach Driving Permits.

Google Map.

If you are heading to Smoky Cape from Sydney and want to try camping in style, try Sydney Camper Trailers for a selection of hire campers.  There were about eight of them in our area and they lived in soooooo much more comfort than us in our tent.

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Adels Grove is an eco-sensitive tourist camping facility on the edge of the National Park that caters for all levels of self suffiency.  Even though we took everything we needed, there is nothing better than and ice cold beer at the casual bar after a long day exploring.  Exploring is surely the best word to describe our time at Adels Grove.  We all tried our hands at fishing, though fish need not tremble, most of our time was spent detangling.  We hired canoes, went swimming, walked some bush trails and took a relaxed tour to look at some of the indigenous sites in the area.  There are dedicated and cleared camp sites from the riverbank and up on the hill for a few hundred metres.

As with all adventures there are things to be wary of.  It can get seriously hot out here, but if you have ventured this far out, you would already know that.  The other thing to watch is mosquitoes.  While the campsites close to the river are the most attractive, and offer the best shade, there is alot to be said for being up the top of the hill.  There are less mosquitoes and you are closer to the all important ablution block – along with it’s hot showers!

If coming from the South there are really two ways to get to Adels Grove and the Lawn Hill National Park.  From Cloncurry head North on the Burke Developmental Rd and turn left after the Four Ways or, for the more adventurous, head North from Mount Isa on the Barkly Hwy and venture off road to the  Gregory Downs Camoweal Rd.  The latter is a fantastic (and quite sedate) drive on dirt roads and tracks.  The only real caution is to check the river levels in Mount Isa.  There are a couple of water crossings on this route.  In the dry season they are quite tame, but after heavy rain they are for the hardcore 4WDers only.

Get off the beaten track and treat your family to one of the most rewarding, yet relaxing, holidays you can experience.

Google Maps link for Lawn Hill National Park

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If you could only choose one word to describe Bower Retreat it would be “relaxing”. Even though we spent the bulk of our days checking out local attractions and activities, everything in this region oozes with the relaxed atmosphere you can only experience in rural areas. Adding to the generally slow pace of the area was the homely welcome you get from the owners of the retreat. Little touches like fresh eggs in the fridge, chopped firewood next to the fireplace all added to the experience.

Apart from all the new sights, sounds and smells to explore around the house, there were also bikes to ride, toys to play with and a table tennis set in the shed. The kids were entertained from dawn until dusk, which ensured their parents got some much sought after recuperation.

The house itself is in good condition without being as clinically maintained as a city based apartment. While respecting somebody else’s property, you never get the feeling that you have to follow the kids around to make sure they weren’t touching anything. Everything you need is in the house along with two toilets and two showers, including one outside.

There is a vineyard, horse riding, walking trails, heritage landmarks, dairy farms and much more nearby and Dungog is just down the road for supplies.

All in all, this was one of the most relaxing and value for money holidays we have had in years.

Google Maps link for Bower Retreat

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The area is steeped in indigenous culture, including the story behind the formation of the Three Sisters.  The Darug and Gundungurra tribes in particular have a strong connection to this area and to nearby Echo Point.

My family braved the walk downstairs to the Three Sisters.  While only a very short walk, the stairs were very steep and I would recommend a good pair of shoes for anyone visiting this site.  We spent around an hour at this site (we had a few sites on our wish list this day) and made our way to the gift shop for a browse afterwards.

Norah Head has all the ingredients for the perfect family holiday along with a few hidden attractions that are available for those that like to explore.  By mid morning there is a steady stream of families heading for the relative safety of the rockpool.  The water is largely sheltered from the waves that break prior to the rock wall and whether swimming, snorkelling or just playing in the sand, there is at least a few hours of fun to be had – remembering of course to slip, slop, slap.

With space at a premium in the rockpool confines, we decided to head off on a trek along the beach to the most famous landmark at Norah Head, the lighthouse.  Having been to Norah Head before, I was wary of the wear and tear on the feet caused by the rocks and I made sure we all wore appropriate footwear for our little adventure.  While the beach was fantastic, it was the rocky areas that the kids really wanted to explore.  Crabs, starfish, fish, shells and more were on offer as we climbed and searched the rocky coastline on the point.

After an hour or so exploring we made it to the base of the point and made our way up the stairs to the base of the lighthouse.  There are guided tours of the lighthouse on weekends and public holidays.  They start at around 10.00am and run every half hour until 3.00pm.

There are plenty of parks and covered public eating areas, along with restaurants and takeaway outlets.  The Norah Head Sports Club has meals, a courtesy bus and plenty of cold beer on tap!  Toukley is also only five minutes away for those that cannot find food to their liking.  Soldiers Beach is a patrolled beach with a good surf break (so I’m told).

Accommodation at Norah Head ranges from holiday apartment rental to the Norah Head Holiday Park, the latter containing a variety of options from camping to on site cabins.

My family thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Norah Head and found it an excellent place to explore.  As a bonus it is also only minutes away from places like Toukley, Budgewoi, The Entrance and all the other towns on the great lakes of the Central Coast.  The only real advice I would give is that you have all your sun safety gear well prepared, including hats, sunshirts and plenty of sunscreen.  With all the sites, parks and water in the area, we spent most of our waking hours outdoors.  The one benefit of all that excercise was that the kids went to bed without any arguments at all.  The downside was that their parents were also too tired to take advantage and went to bed soon after.

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The park itself has been around for just short of a hundred years and I first visited it as a child over 30 years ago and although the mind does play tricks on you it doesn’t seem a great deal different now to how it did then. Anyhow, if you’re intersted in the associated bumf then why not pay their website a visit at www.wicksteedpark.co.uk

As the parents of four typically unappreciative children (ages 15, 13, 11 and 6) my wife and I had relatively low expectations when we decided to treat the kids to a day out from the usual routine of arguments and fighting that make up the school holidays and to be honest I think we set our expectations too high.

That’s not to say that Wicksteed Park doesn’t offer a reasonable range of entertainments but it’s not really a Theme Park in the sense that somewhere like Alton Towers, for example, is. It has a range of rides, including a log flume, new for this year, but those that would interest the older children are few, there is no massive, heart stopping rollercoaster but there is a smaller not unacceptable version, a pair of Pirate Ships, some tired looking dodgems and one or two other rides, in the main though it is disappointing fare for children brought up on the high octane thrill of queuing for an hour before boarding a ride that will make you feel like your stomach is being wrenched out of your throat whilst your heart tries to exit the other end.

There is also a selection of the traditional smaller rides for the smaller children but in the main these attractions are only a small part of what the Park has to offer. If planned properly and with the unlikely helping hand of the great British weather this can be a good and relatively cheap day out. The Park is situated in extensive, attractive grounds with many great spots for a picnic and with lots of play areas for the kids, there is plenty of room to bring a ball, even a bat and some stumps for the more refined among us. There are various entertainment shows to attend if that’s your thing and you can take a rowing boat out on the water too if feeling energetic or even go fishing.

For us it wasn’t a great day, the weather was not great but could have been worse and whilst the older three kids had a reasonable time on the attractions our youngest was far from impressed with his day, our children are of the generation that feel the need to be entertained and baulk at any suggestion that occasionally they might take responsibility for their own entertainment though. As for us, there is only so much pleasing scenary you can take in before trudging round the grounds becomes a chore. If you’ve never been and you’re prepared to temper your expectations, then I would recommend it as a day or maybe even a half day out.

At the time of writing the cost for the day, exculding petrol and food was £81, £6 for parking (steep), £45 for 3 older children wristbands, £20 for 2 adults and £10 for the youngest child. There are various discounts, group tickets etc on offer, details on the website I’d have thought.

A little piece of Dutch heritage in Coffs Harbour

Having Dutch in-laws means that I have probably stopped at The Clog Barn in Coffs Harbour more times than most would have.  There are plenty of reasons to stop, not the least the chance for a coffee and something to eat and a break from the driving madness.

For those visiting for the first time there is literally a whole world to discover at this attraction, namely the miniature Dutch world built on the other side of the gift shop.  Everything from old style Dutch buildings to windmills and a miniature railway has been lovingly, and no doubt painstakingly, created for the viewing pleasure of tourists.  Whether you have a Dutch background or not, this is a surprisingly interesting attraction for the whole family.  My kids seeem to love anything miniature and it proved to be a great way to show them some of the landscape that Oma and Opa recalled from their childhood.  

Perhaps the thing I most looked forward to over the years has been Big Omas Dutch Kitchen.  I really looked forward to my croquettes with mustard on a bread roll.  Truth be known, they are better with a decent Dutch beer, but as I was normally driving, coffee wasn’t too bad an accompaniment either.

I have to confess to being a little disappointed on my last vist to Big Omas Dutch Kitchen.  While the look and feel hadn’t changed much at all, it was a little disappointing to note that none of the staff spoke or understood any Dutch and the famous croquettes on bread rolls has been seriously downgraded.  While I can’t speak or understand much Dutch, it does make you feel a little more comfortable if the staff, or at least the cook, can speak Dutch in a Dutch kitchen.  To make matters worse, my much loved croquettes with mustard on bread rolls had been relegated to a single croquette with a squirt of mustard and half a slice of bread – seriously disappointing.

Having said that, the rest of the facility was just as good as I remembered, and the break was just as important.  I recommend it as a break location for anybody travelling through Coffs Harbour.

Grand old buildings are the norm for Ulmarra

Having managed to drive past this little town on previous Brisbane / Sydney roadtrips, I was feeling confident that I could again distract my wife for long enough to scoot past the turnoff.

I must confess to being the type of driver that plans his trip on an A to B basis.  That is I plan on getting from here to there and anything in between is merely a distraction and even worse, something that adds precious time to the trip.

Ulmarra was always one of those beautiful little craft towns that my wife often pinpointed as a must do, but invariably I was able to distract her for long enough each trip to sneak past the turnoff.

This time was different.  My wife warned me before we set off that we would be stopping at Ulmarra, and despite my best efforts at distraction, stop we did.

The first impression of this little town was one of heritage.  The main street was filled with shops and galleries that looked right out of the early 1900’s.   Straight away I knew that this would not be a five minute stop.

We ate at the local cafe, which had a surprisingly tasty and modern menu, and toured many of the art and craft galleries before buying a few gifts and piling back into the car.

As much as I hate to admit it, I quite enjoyed my brief visit to this little nostalgic town built on the Clarence River and highly recommend it to those travelling in the area.