What I liked and disliked

		Liked	Disliked
Jasmine		Sitting in the back seat with Ben and playing with our toys Making and sitting around a fire Joining mum and dad in bed in the morning	Going to pit loos Setting/packing up the tent March flies
Jordan		Campfires Waking up and seeing something awesome during the day Having a long distance relationship with friends	Uncertainty of driving tracks Long driving days with the food bag at my feet Everyones mess in the car
Adam		Playing Imaginary Transformers anywhere in the bush Going to cool places like BIG things and Natural wonders No school work/homework	Taking siblings to the toilet Flipping the car seat Missing my friends
Ben		Going to all the BIG things Meeting lots of different people, especially the kids Eating yummy meals on the campfire – like pancakes and cakes	Taking Jordan to the shower Having to do times tables Having to collect firewood
Robyn		Having a real cup of coffee first thing in the morning in the peace and quiet of the bush with Vin Having the freedom to explore all the different wonders of this country Hanging out by the fire/playing uno with the whole family	Counting how many days we haven't had a shower Washing clothes in various caravan parks – especially through the rainy times Tripping over/packing up multiple guitars and other related items
Vin		Experiencing new adventures with my family Australia's people and natural wonders The quiet mornings, watching the sunrise and sunset	Taking kids to the loo in the middle of the night Fuel-bills Road-trains

A Journey Ends

The Ralh family makes its way home, a little older, grown a little wiser and a little closer.

We've travelled the length and breadth of this fair country,

And seen many wonders of the natural world and shared many an adventure.

We've caught up with old friends and made many new ones,

We've experienced the kindness of strangers in a way that reaffirms your belief in human nature.

From trial and error and help from others,

We've learnt many new skills:

From 4WD'ing, chopping wood, starting a fire and cooking bush-tucker.

We've got bogged, got lost, swarmed by mice, bitten by mozzies

and infected by hooks and some of us got hung-over.

We've swum on a reef, clambered through gorges and walked 'round Uluru,

We've slept under the stars and caught a barra.

The kids have toughened up a little, growing in confidence and stature,

Education on the road expanding their world,

Robyn has chilled she says, the nervous twitch hardly noticeable -

As the rest of us go days on end without bathing.

And I? I had the pleasure of sharing this journey.

And next? We've started planning our next adventure. 

 

Day 173 Little Styx Campground – Woolemi National Park September 20th – September 22nd

Our next challenge was to figure out a good stop on the way back to Sydney, to relax before we headed back home. We decided on Wollemi National Park and the Dunns Swamp Campground.

We put out the camper-trailer and annex for the last time and over the next two days we didn't do too much except relax. The kids played adventure games on the rock formations. We read, played games, strummed the guitar and cooked over campfires.

Next stop, home.

Biggle and BIG Blue Heeler

Camping at Dunn's Swamp

War games

Cleaning blackened feet

 

Plum pudding

Day 172 Little Styx Campground – Tamworth - Wallabadah Rest Area September 19th – September 20th

From Little Styx Campground, we continued along the Waterfall Way and stopped for a tour of historic Armidale and a great coffee. Then it was off to Tamworth to get our fill of the country music capital of Australia. To our uninitiated family, country music doesn't get a lot of time on their playlists but a visit to the quaint Australian Country Music Foundation gave the kids a view and interest of some of country musics greats and young stars. Then we drove on to stop at the Wallabadah Rest Area, a pretty, well-equipped stop next to a creek and First Fleet Memorial Gardens.

Biggle and BIG Soldier

Biggle and BIG Chook

Biggle and Golder Guitar

Our personal trampoline

Day 171 Coffs Harbour – Little Styx Campground September 18th – September 19th

We decided to take a backroad from our campground, traversing through beautiful rolling hills, banana plantations and then as we passed through the Great Dividing Range - steep windy roads and old rainforests. Lucky for me, Robyn drove through the windy bits and I could just chill!

We stopped at Dorrigo National Park to take in the stunning views of the skywalk above the treetop canopy and joined what is known as the Waterfall Way, one of the famous NSW driving routes.

We stopped at Little Styx Campground next to New England National Park and enjoyed a quiet bushland camping experience next to a creek, with a roaring fire and kids singing for entertainment.

Dangar Falls

Cooled lava flows

Dorrigo Skywalk

Relaxing at Little Styx Campground 

Day 169-170 Borders Range National Park – Coffs September 16th – September 18th

After a quick bit of research, we decided to stay at Split Solitary Family Park at Sapphire Beach, just outside Coff's Harbour. This park turned out to be a bit of a find, a small friendly park with lots of space and a nice feel. We got unpowered sites in a quiet corner of the park next to the beach. Robyn's friend – who is also a Robyn and her family Mark (serious fisho) and their kids Luke and Adam joined us for the next couple of days. Luke and Adam showed us their skills with the guitar and song, singing their funny song “What are you doing today?”.

The weather was a glorious 28 degrees. The kids played in the surf and ran into the waves for hours amusing themselves. The Robyn's talked as only women can, interrupted only for a glass of white wine. Mark and I tried our hand something more productive, beach fishing while the sun set in the horizon, and the result was catching a shovel-nose shark which we threw back. 

Catching the waves

Adam and sand art

Beached whale

Luke, Adam and the gang

Biggle and BIG Banana

Biggle and the BIG puzzle

Day 168 Brisbane – Borders Range National Park September 15th – September 16th

Time to get reacquainted with camping and after a pack-up which took ages, it was off to Sheep Station Creek at Borders Range National Park. There we met up with Doug, Sharon and their kids Jarrod and Ella. We had a simple meal over the campfire and sang songs. The kids did their best to wake up the sleepy, tranquil campground, roaring and shrieking away while they played war games with long sticks which as we all know was only going to end with tragedy.

Doug, Sharon, Ella & Jarrod 

Pinnacle lookout

Scribbly leafs

Adam singing From Little Things Big Things Grow

Name that lizard

Day 162-167 Fraser Island September – Brisbane September 9th – September 15th

We said goodbye to Fraser Island, taking the barge back across to Rainbow Beach and headed towards Brisbane. On the way we met up with fellow Great Dividing Range inductees – Doug, Sharon and their kids Ella and Jarrod for coffee at that great Australian institution, Macca's. They were on their own 3 ½ month odyssey across the eastern half of Australia.

Catching up with Doug, Sharon, Ella and Jarrod

Then it was off to Brisbane to catch up with old friends Peter, Jacqui and their kids Kaitlyn and James. Allan, Vickki and Jessie from Perth were also there so it was a great catch up for all. We all 'squished' into Peter and Jacqui's house, we had a few cooked dinners, some great wine and plenty of laughs as we caught up on old times.

Roughing it with drinks at the pools

Jacqui the pool shark, slaughtering us at pool

Cheers!

Time for a visit from tooth fairy

The boys all cooked an Indian banquet on the first night. Allan drew the short straw and cut up 4kgs of onions – which was so funny that we all joined in and cried - though ours were of laughter, joining an exhausted but good humoured Allan. Peter manned the BBQ for the kebabs and chicken tandoori. I tried not to be too bossy or messy in the kitchen – a vain hope.

Peter, Allen and Vin - ready for action

For heavens sake - chop finer man!

A job well done!

Peter handling his balls - I mean kebabs!

Jacqui to the rescue

Dishing up for the kids

They had to wait a while but all smiles

In our stay in Brisbane we had a ride on a rivercat, walked around Southbank, visited museums and art galleries, parliament house and of course, visited Movieworld.

Kaitlyn and Jasmine at lightshow, Brisbane Festival, Southbank 

Biggle and BIG Pie at Yatala

Good pies!

Cheese Factory at the Witchery, Tamborine Mountain 

Marking art at the Modern Art Gallery

Surrealism by Adam

Queensland Museum with Jassy and Ella

Chinese in Brisbane

State parliament house

Reading room at State Parliament House

Mace

Biggle and BIG Redback Spider

The kids had a their first ride on a serious roller-coaster – Scooby Doo which started out as a tame ghost train and ended up opening into a large cavern and being a roller-coaster. Jassie and Ben found it a little scary and enough for their first experience. The three older boys - Allen, Peter and I - went on the larger rides – Superman and Lethal Weapon rides which were exhilarating.

Kids ready for Movieworld!

The ride looked easy.... 

Marilyn doing her magic with Peter

Jacqui not looking to amused

Stunt cars

We're still alive after the Superman ride

Every boys favourite cat-woman

Kodak moment :)

We also visited Customline and got a few thing fixed in the trailer – like the handbrake and zipper!