beautiful pebbly beach

We are just back from 3 days and 2 nights at the beautiful Pebbly Beach.

Pebbly is part of the Yuraygir National Park.

Access is by 4WD driving 2km on the beach 

 

before crossing a creek at low tide, .

 

It is not for the faint hearted or glamper, 

there is nothing glamorous about camping at Pebbly - except for the views. 

 Be prepared for no water- you must bring all you need with you, the toilets are compost toilets (they weren't unpleasant at all), there is no power and no showers.

So if you don't think you can handle that don't come, but if you think you can then, you are in for a treat.

 

This is one of the most pristine, 

beautiful beaches you will ever see.

 

While you are there you can fish, swim, play in the sand, 

 

 

walk around the headland to Freshwater Beach, 

investigate the rock pools, 

 or just enjoy the scenery!

 We had a fabulous time with our friends and I am sure we will go back there again.

 This really is just a small snapshot of Pebbly Beach, I took 100's of photos. 

The fabulous thing is that it really only an hour from home, we live in a glorious part of Australia!

a dining experience with a difference

 Last month for VCH's birthday I took him out to dinner.

 I didn't tell him where we were going, only that he had never been there before.

When we got there he was quite surprised.

You see I had taken him to our local TAFE restaurant.

In our town the TAFE students are trained and assessed through a "pop-up" restaurant that has two seasons per year. 

They open one night a week, one lunch time a week and one morning a week for about 2 months twice a year- a semester 1 and semester 2 session.

 The students are either training to be bar staff, restaurant staff, or are apprentice chefs.

We had such a lovely meal, for such a reasonable price and VCH thought it was such a great concept that we booked in for another dinner out before the restaurant closed up shop until the Semester 2 session.

  As you can see in the background, Matt and Kim have been in to help with painting the blinds!

 

 So on Wednesday night, on the very last night the restaurant was open, we went out again, 

I took my old camera (canon powershot SX120) that would fit into handbag, rather than my DSLR, along to record the event.

 The meal included a complementary cocktail/mocktail upon arrival,

this was the cocktail of the night a mango daiquiri.

 A lovely freshly baked bread roll.

 The menu is limited to a choice of 3 entrees, 3 mains, and 3 desserts.

They cater for special diets, you just have to let them know when you book in.

VCH chose the Quail with Mediterranean Couscous for entree.

 I had the Risotto with Pumpkin Fetta and Rocket.

 For his main VCH chose the Lamb, Rosemary and Shiraz Pie,

 While I had the Herbed Salmon with kipfler potatoes and hollandaise sauce.

 The desserts we chose were a Berry Barvois with brandy snap and

a Chocolate and Hazelnut Brownie

(I thought the brownie would have been better with a berry coulis, the chocolate sauce with it was a little too rich)

The cost for our 3 course meal, cocktail, bread roll, and tea/coffee was $28 per head, 

drinks are extra, but very reasonably priced.

They ask that you complete a questionnaire at the end of your meal, asking for your feedback regards service, presentation, meal etc.

We can't wait until they open up again in the Summer to go back.

Have you ever dined at your local TAFE restaurant or something similar?

when you wish you had a camera

Warning long rambling post with no pictures

Yesterday I was driving around with B2 and B3 delivering them to soccer games.

B3 was playing at a village down river and B3 at a small town further down the river. 

To get to the small town from the village you have to go on a car ferry across our beautiful river and onto one of the many islands in our river and then you drive along until you come to a bridge that crosses back over to the mainland at the small town.

I first dropped off B3 and then proceeded to the small town to drop off B2 - him and B1 were spending the afternoon refereeing down there so they were both getting a lift home (B1 was getting a lift down with another ref after he finished refereeing his morning game), so I left him there and headed back to the village so I could see some of B3's game, I have only caught a few minutes of some of his games here and there while running around with the others, so I was looking forward to watching a good uninterrupted chunk.

As I was driving over the bridge to get back onto the island I noticed how still the river was, the day was overcast and there was not a breath of wind, so the river surface was mirror-like and there on the river along with some prawn trawlers at anchor along the bank, was a lone pelican on his way across the river. 

His reflection was perfect and his wake trailed behind him. 

OHH what a perfect photo- but alas I hadn't packed my camera!!!

Back over the ferry to the village to watch B3's game- he played very, very well- I am so impressed with how his game has improved! 

They won 3-1 despite being short and with no reserves!

As B3 and I headed back home we decided to take the scenic route that goes along the river bank, as we came across a field on a corner, we spied 2 brolgas and then 2 more brolgas- we had tried to find these brolgas the year before when they were in the area to do their mating dance, but couldn't find them and then without even looking there they were - alas I had no camera, we tried to take a photo on my phone, but without zooming in you couldn't really see them and it was a lost cause.

The moral of this long rambling tale is:

DO NOT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT YOUR CAMERA AS THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WILL LIKELY NOT COME AGAIN!!!!!

To find out more about our beautiful dancing Brolgas go here and here: