Gloucester

September 2023, and we are starting what is possibly our last trip.

Our first trip in this motorhome began in August 2017 after a hectic 6 months that involved a holiday in Victoria, buying the vehicle in Sydney, a wedding (Fiona and Don) at the Sunshine Coast, a holiday in Canada and USA with a cruise to Alaska, a holiday with all the kids in Hawaii, then rushing home to register and prep the motorhome for a half-circle with our travelling companions, the Manns and Priests. We certainly relaxed that pace somewhat, but have had six wonderful years of travel, about which you, dear reader, will be most familiar if you have read a little of our travel blog.

2023 began with a promise to ourselves that we would have a short trip each month, intersecting the busy times at the end and beginning of each month. The promise was quickly abandoned or neglected and our poor motorhome has been sitting idle on the driveway since February. When we did rouse ourselves to at least start the motor, there was indignant silence and we had to buy a new battery to coax it into submission. At least we are consistent as we return to the same promise each year! Jen had some mechanical work on her spine mid-year, and that curtailed our plans somewhat.

Today we are at Gloucester in the beautiful Hunter Valley, having driven from Wangi Wangi on the shores of the delightful Lake Macquarie, where we spent a couple of days with Uncle Tony and Aunty Janet It was terrific to relax with them for a short period. (Long periods are less than relaxing!)*

To get to Gloucester from Wangi, we had to contend with the traffic on the M1, as far as Raymond Terrace. We motor along at a sedate pace while the B-doubles, caravans and other travellers roar past, showering us with fumes and dust. Not far from Raymond Terrace, Bucketts Way takes us off the motorway, Northwest through Stroud and a few small villages. The cattle look very content with life, lying in the deep grass, chatting amiably amongst themselves, no doubt remarking their good fortune that they were not born chooks living their miserable life in the numerous long barns dotting the adjacent paddocks. The countryside is very pretty as the road tracks the valley through to Gloucester with some impressive mountains looming over the landscape. We will be visiting the most impressive of them with a day outing to Barrington Tops.

A new day. Somehow I imagined Barrington Tops was like a place – a singular location we could drive to, enjoy a picnic, go for walk, and enjoy the scenery. And maybe it is, but we seemed to discover a vast area with multiple  places to enjoy all those things. We left Gloucester in the morning with pockets of smoke marking some fires, presumably hazard reduction burns, though nothing is shown on the  Rural Fire Service website.. It is a pleasant drive along Thunderbolts Way, presumably a  path once followed by the notorious bushranger.

The creeks and rivers are largely dry and rock-strewn leaving only imagination to visualise the water tumbling and rushing to their destinations. We took a very pleasant stroll through the rainforest at Honeysuckle Forest with the air fresh and cool, purified by the mosses, ferns pepperbush and tall gums, belying to 30 degree plus heat outside the protective borders of the bush. We enjoyed a very modest picnic and headed back to Gloucester, stopping at the tiny village of Copeland to take some photos  for some subject material for some sketching.

We had a funny experience this evening when we popped down to the local supermarket for some last-minute provisions. As we were leaving a car lurched out in reverse just in front of us, causing us to brake quickly. In a haste to depart their shopping excursion, the driver had reversed too quickly and bumped another parked car. About to roar off, the driver was startled by a knock on their window. It happened that a couple of cops had just parked and were standing next to the injured car and witnessing all, got the offender to pause for a spot of questioning. We don’t think there was any serious damage, but we are sure the driver was ready to depart the scene, leaving at least some marks and bruises on the car they hit. As we left I remarked to the cop that their timing was impeccable.

Well, tomorrow, Sunday, we head back to Thunderbolt Way through to Walcha and then on to Armidale. On the map, the road looks a bit windy, which Jen will not appreciate!

*  A vast exaggeration – we thoroughly enjoy staying with Tony and Janet who are hospitable in the extreme!