Wednesday morning we left Brisbane (click here for the post) and hit the road for Byron Bay. It was a rainy day which made for a long drive, but we were thankful we weren’t missing any activity time anyway.
After settling into our room, we ventured out for some food. We found a great little restaurant called Munchies where the food was delicious and the service fantastic!
The rainy day continued and we enjoyed a family nap and some R&R for the evening. The next day brought an early start with a walk up to the Byron Bay lighthouse.
Once again, the view proved to be beautiful!
We spent the afternoon on the beach where Avera was able to play in the sand for the first time. She loved it!
Friday morning we had planned to drive to Port Macquarie, but after a recommendation from a barista, we added a couple of stops along the way.
He told us to make a stop “a little before [one town] and a little before [another town] in a small town about 7 km off the highway… and there you will find magic”. We followed his direction and found this gorgeous hideaway.
He told us that he didn’t tell many people about this place and asked that we do the same. Oh the mystery!
Our stomachs were the cause of our other detour to Yamba where we found this cool place.
We reached Port Macqaurie in time for a late lunch and an evening walk.
There is this cool path along the water with all of these rocks where people have decorated in memory of others or in honor of their memories in Port Macquarie.
Day two in Port Macquarie we enjoyed breakfast on the pier before taking a boat out for whale watching.
Another first for Avera: riding on a boat!
We saw several humpbacks and apparently a pretty rare (injured) dwarf minke whale. (We didn’t get many pictures as Mike had to take Avera since I got sick.)
The guides pulled this balloon out of the water and gave us all a lesson on the dangers to the animals on balloons and other waste in the ocean.
The afternoon entailed more delicious food and scenic walks.
We went to the heated pool for a quick dip before bed.
Sunday had us heading to Coffs Harbour. Since our first off the agenda exploration went so well, we decided to try it again. This time, we added a stop at Ellenborough Falls.
The end result was absolutely stunning! However, it only came after an added 6 hours of winding roads and 1,244 walking steps.
Coffs Harbour was a quick stop given that the falls took up most of our day. We were only there one night so we stuck to the hotel for the evening.
Monday took us to Newcastle. There wasn’t much on our list here, but the Newcastle Memorial Walk was a must.
Again, the coastal views were exceptional and combined view of the coast and the city was breathtaking.
Tuesday began the last stretch of our trip leading us to our final destination of Sydney.
I love reading your posts and seeing your pictures. I enjoyed spending time with your mom and dad at family reunion this summer. I hope you can bring your family so we can meet you in person. I would love to travel like you do but I seem to be Oklahoma bound. Maybe after retirement. Right now my travels are achieved by collecting coins and currency from foreign countries. I love reading about the people and places that are chosen for rack countries money. Learn lots of history in researching them. Have fun and be safe. Love the sunglasses picture of Avera.