The forecast for a miserable Saturday prompted us into opting for a road trip and venturing far out of Sydney.
We had even had the car cleaned! We bought it privately and there was a slight smell of spilled milk, so we decided to have it professionally cleaned inside. However, as it rained heavily on Friday, the day we had the car cleaned, the mats were therefore unable to dry properly, so the car had a distinct odour of wet dog...
We drove just over 100 miles (162km) north east to the seventh largest city in Australia: Newcastle.
We had even had the car cleaned! We bought it privately and there was a slight smell of spilled milk, so we decided to have it professionally cleaned inside. However, as it rained heavily on Friday, the day we had the car cleaned, the mats were therefore unable to dry properly, so the car had a distinct odour of wet dog...
We drove just over 100 miles (162km) north east to the seventh largest city in Australia: Newcastle.
We decided to drive the more scenic route up there and then make our way back along the motorway/highway. However, we didn't see much of either the lakes (Tuggerah Lake and Lake Macquarie) on one side, or the Pacific Ocean on the other. It was more houses, and trees - and we get that at home...
We did drive through The Entrance though.
I hadn't realized there was an actual place called, 'The Entrance' and asked T where The Entrance was.
"Here. We are driving along The Entrance's main street"
Oh.
The town is located where Tuggerah Lake meets the Pacific Ocean and is therefore the entrance to Tuggerah Lake.
We did drive through The Entrance though.
I hadn't realized there was an actual place called, 'The Entrance' and asked T where The Entrance was.
"Here. We are driving along The Entrance's main street"
Oh.
The town is located where Tuggerah Lake meets the Pacific Ocean and is therefore the entrance to Tuggerah Lake.
Arriving in Newcastle, we followed signs to the city centre and found it surprisingly easy to park. Not only that, but it was free on a Saturday afternoon! We walked up to where we thought the centre was, to find ourselves on a rather quiet street. There were a few shops and coffee shops, and a spattering of people but not the buzzing high street we were expecting.
But then we also reasoned that not everywhere does city centres and high streets like the Europeans do.
After a brief walk ups and down the street, we stumbled on an fantastic cafe for coffee and lunch (and taking note to sprinkle poached eggs liberally with dried chilli flakes,,,). Energized by caffeine and food, we took a stroll in-between the rain showers along to the sea.
The place was so quiet - no wonder parking was free on a Saturday afternoon!
But where was everyone?!
But then we also reasoned that not everywhere does city centres and high streets like the Europeans do.
After a brief walk ups and down the street, we stumbled on an fantastic cafe for coffee and lunch (and taking note to sprinkle poached eggs liberally with dried chilli flakes,,,). Energized by caffeine and food, we took a stroll in-between the rain showers along to the sea.
The place was so quiet - no wonder parking was free on a Saturday afternoon!
But where was everyone?!
We eventually found some more people, all whom were walking along the pathway on the headland to the southern entrance of the harbour to Nobbys Head.
On one side of the headland, the dark clouds were threatening to empty their wet load with a vengance...
On one side of the headland, the dark clouds were threatening to empty their wet load with a vengance...
...whilst on the other side, it looked such a beautiful day...
We didn't reach the lighthouse due to the waves crashing against the breakwater which connected the lighthouse to the mainland, soaking anyone who was stood on the rocks. It would have been a very long and wet journey home.
No one seems to know where the name Nobbys Head, given to the small rocky island which houses the lighthouse, came from;some believe it was the name of a convict who decided to settle on the island; others that it's origins are descriptive: from 'a knob of rock.'
The name 'Newcastle' was a very familiar one to us, of course. Growing up two hours away from Newcastle upon Tyne. It wasn't just this name which was recognizable: Jesmond, Gateshead, Hexham - the surrounding place-names make the area sound very North of England-esque. Not surprising many of the coal miners were originally from the northern England area.
Standing on the mouth of the Hunter River, the city is famous for it's coal, and is apparently the largest coal exporting harbour in the world.
Newcastle stands on the sight of the second European settlement in Australia. The most dangerous of convicts were sent here to dig in the harsh coal mines as punishment for their crimes, leading the place to become known as a 'hellhole'.
Thankfully, a lot has changed since then...
Thankfully, a lot has changed since then...
After walking along the coastline a little way, we got tired of walking against the strong winds and walked back through the - quiet - town to the car. Driving through the outskirts, we did notice there were a few events on, such as a Jazz festival and big footy game - so maybe that was where everyone was.
Opting for the more direct - and in a way, even more scenic - highway route back to Sydney, we noted down some scenic towns to research for another day, another road trip.