From Tassie to the Hunter Valley and on to Port Douglas
SuburbanNomad said
04:15 PM May 20, 2012
Since we picked up our Oasis Van we have not stopped. Our highlights in Tassie for the 2 months would include the East and Northern coasts. We arrived back on the Gold Coast just long enough to have a small repair fixed and then off to the Hunter Valley where we enjoyed the best weather they had seen in May. Two great restaraunts are certainly The Shakey Table and Mojos. You pays the price but what an experience.
We are now planning the trip up north so we can pack away the dunna and wear shorts again.
This Nomad stuff is working for us.
Any great free camping spots on the way that you know of please share.
gold dandelion said
05:50 PM May 20, 2012
if you go to port douglas, you have wasted your time if you dont go over the hill to cooktown. it is a bit more relaxed, port douglas is good if you like the coffee strips, i feel a bit to yuppie for most nomads.
jimricho said
06:18 PM May 20, 2012
Mission Beach in the Tully/Innisfail area is my favourite FNQ place. Hasn't been "yuppiefied" as much as Port Douglas. That said, Port Douglas is nice however and there is much to see and do there.
If towing a van up to Cooktown from PD you'd need to go via the main road which from PD you'd join at Mount Molloy.
Cooktown has two museums, both worth a visit, especially if You've done a bit of "homework" on the Palmer River gold rush. One of the museums has some artifacts including an anchor and a cannon that were were jettisoned by Cook when they had their unfortunate encounter with the reef.
PS: Are you going straight from the Hunter to Nth Qld? My preferred route from home (Newcastle/Lake Macquarie) is via Narrabri, Goondiwindi, Miles, Taroom, Rocky (via Westwood) then up the Bruce Highway. Alternate route to Goondi is via Tamworth and Bingara. Good free camping at Bingara, also Theodore north of Taroom.
-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 20th of May 2012 06:55:59 PM
SuburbanNomad said
07:03 PM May 20, 2012
Thanks mate,
There is a bit of Yuppie left in me, but I do make my own coffee, always ... So will never hang out at any coffee shop not even for the cakes.
What I will fall over for is the ocassional dinner out, and Port Douglas has its share of excellent cafes.
But now that you mention Cook Town I am thinking... why not !
golivers travels said
10:10 PM May 20, 2012
gold dandelion wrote:
if you go to port douglas, you have wasted your time if you dont go over the hill to cooktown. it is a bit more relaxed, port douglas is good if you like the coffee strips, i feel a bit to yuppie for most nomads.
Agree with you GD. Cooktown is a wonderful place to sit back and relax. Bowling Club and I think it ia the Workmans Club have excellent meals at very reasonable prices.
Glenda
kandagal said
10:31 PM May 20, 2012
Hey, I'm up here in Chillagoe & they have marvellous caves here.
Since we picked up our Oasis Van we have not stopped. Our highlights in Tassie for the 2 months would include the East and Northern coasts. We arrived back on the Gold Coast just long enough to have a small repair fixed and then off to the Hunter Valley where we enjoyed the best weather they had seen in May. Two great restaraunts are certainly The Shakey Table and Mojos. You pays the price but what an experience.
We are now planning the trip up north so we can pack away the dunna and wear shorts again.
This Nomad stuff is working for us.
Any great free camping spots on the way that you know of please share.
Mission Beach in the Tully/Innisfail area is my favourite FNQ place. Hasn't been "yuppiefied" as much as Port Douglas. That said, Port Douglas is nice however and there is much to see and do there.
If towing a van up to Cooktown from PD you'd need to go via the main road which from PD you'd join at Mount Molloy.
Cooktown has two museums, both worth a visit, especially if You've done a bit of "homework" on the Palmer River gold rush. One of the museums has some artifacts including an anchor and a cannon that were were jettisoned by Cook when they had their unfortunate encounter with the reef.
PS: Are you going straight from the Hunter to Nth Qld? My preferred route from home (Newcastle/Lake Macquarie) is via Narrabri, Goondiwindi, Miles, Taroom, Rocky (via Westwood) then up the Bruce Highway. Alternate route to Goondi is via Tamworth and Bingara. Good free camping at Bingara, also Theodore north of Taroom.
-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 20th of May 2012 06:55:59 PM
Thanks mate,
There is a bit of Yuppie left in me, but I do make my own coffee, always ... So will never hang out at any coffee shop not even for the cakes.
What I will fall over for is the ocassional dinner out, and Port Douglas has its share of excellent cafes.
But now that you mention Cook Town I am thinking... why not !