Just 4 weeks before we leave for Ottawa, en route to England to begin our trek! We have had to modify our training program, as Lois had a flareup of hip tendinitis (?) following a 20 km walk. She was hoping her GP would give her a steroid injection, as this has worked in the past, but the presence of sciatic nerve involvement has the doctor concerned that the cause may be degenerative disc disease. As an X-ray was inconclusive, Lois is relying on a combination of physiotherapy, massage therapy, accupuncture and a regime of strengthening and stretching exercises to get her “hike ready”. Deciding that part of the problem might have been that we increased the distance on our long walk too quickly, we started over, now walking longer distances several times a week, increasing the distance by a kilometre each longer walk. Tomorrow, we will do 13 km. It is frustrating that we were not able to train in the way we had planned, but we are hopeful that by the time we leave, we will have had enough kms under our belts that we can begin the trek with some level of endurance and fitness (and no pain!)
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Wednesday, February 1, 2023
We are now into week 5 of our training. As a treat to ourselves on our long walks on Sundays, we have been exploring different brunch venues in Victoria. So far, we have walked to Jam Cafe, Blue Fox and Fuego, all excellent and highly recommended (and worth the lineup)! This week, our 20 km walk will be celebrated with brunch at Bear and Joey with friends Helen, Wayne, David and Kate.
Apart from the long walk, our training is not exactly rigorous. We are walking with an empty pack a couple of times a week and searching out hills to include in our routes. We are both doing our daily (more or less for Lois, always for Paul!) stretches and strengthening exercises and Lois continues to practice yoga twice a week.
Footwear has been the subject of further discussion and debate. Lois ordered a new pair of Lowa Explorer II hiking shoes, when she discovered she may not be able to get her old ones reheeled in time (there appears to be a shortage of shoe-repair services in Victoria). After ordering the boots, we discovered that Oak Bay Cobbler was able to repair her old ones quickly, after all. Now, it’s a matter of deciding whether it is advisable to use the new boots, which are a half-size larger than her normal size (as recommended on hiking blogs), or her old ones, which are already broken in…
Paul’s concern has been the development of a pain in his heel after a long walk in his Lowa’s. He has now purchased a new pair of Blundstones, with a hiking sole, which appears to be solving the problem.
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
Planning is well underway for our latest adventure! We have booked our flights to England (arrive April 3) and have arranged to spend a week visiting with family and friends, before beginning our walk in Canterbury on April 10.
We will be following The Lightfoot Guide to the Via Francigena.
We have started preparing physically, using the Camino de Santiago 12-week training plan. As we are currently in the practice of walking 5 km/daily, we will continue to do our daily walks, while increasing the distance on one or more walks a week. Eventually, we will also have to start walking with packs fully loaded. Our goal for the trip will be to average 20 kms/day.
In terms of gear, we will be using our 30L backpacks ( Lois’ is a Deuter Futura women’s fit and Paul’s, a Tatonka) and our trusted Lowa hiking shoes. We are still sorting out clothing, bearing in mind that the ideal weight of our backpacks without water is 10% of our respective body weights, including the weight of the backpack itself (i.e., no extra shoes for Lois!)
Readings (and a movie) on Australia
Songlines – Bruce Chatwin which we re-read after visiting the Red centre and Far North
Cicada – Moria McKinnon. Highly recommended and written by a colleague of Paul’s that comes from Western Australia and now lives in Canberra
Island Home by Time Winton and Australia Day by Melanie Cheng both of which Lois discovered during our travels
Movie: That’s Not my Dog! Unfortunately this does not seem to be available on iTunes or Netflix in Canada but if you ever have a chance watch it and you will be surely be laughing out loud. It is a film of a real life party where all of the guests are comedians and the whole production, with some musical interludes, is them telling jokes (rated R)!
September 1 – Sept 5, 2018
Dunedin to Christchurch – 361 km (by bus)
We are on the traditional territory of the Maori
In Māori mythology, Rūaumoko is the god of earthquakes, volcanoes and seasons. He is the youngest son of Ranginui (the Sky father) and Papatūānuku (the Earth mother), (commonly called Rangi and Papa). His movements (explained in various stories) account for earthquakes.
To visit Christchurch is to get some sense of what a city goes through after a major, sudden onset disaster. New Zealand has always experienced earthquakes and the latest series to hit the Canterbury region began September 4, 2010. This quake, which occurred very early in the morning, caused widespread damage to Christchurch and surrounding areas, but no fatalities. A shallower but closer quake shook the city at midday on February 11, 2011, resulting in 185 deaths and major damage to land, buildings and infrastructure, nearly wiping out the old downtown area, where 80% of the buildings were affected. Two more quakes in June and December 2011 caused further damage. The central business district was “red zoned” and cordoned off for 800 days. Seven and one half years later, while life has returned to the city centre, many large buildings, including the Post Office, remain boarded up awaiting removal or reconstruction. Restoration of the historic provincial government seat, shored up by steel girders, is scheduled for 2029. Shipping containers were put to all sorts of uses, creating pop-up coffee shops or piled high to reinforce unsound buildings or to create a temporary mall, the latter now replaced with a brand new shopping centre. A decision to reconstruct the Gothic Revival-style Anglican Christchurch Cathedral has only just been taken, the ruins of this landmark sitting as a painful reminder of the devastation. We were intrigued by the transitional “Cardboard Cathedral”, designed by Shigeru Ban and rapidly constructed using reinforced cardboard tubes, timber and steel, with eight shipping containers forming the walls. Nearby is an outdoor installation of 182 white chairs donated by relatives of those who died. 115 of these deaths occurred when the 6-storey CTV building, declared safe in December 2010, collapsed and caught fire in the February quake.
We spent a fascinating morning in the compact museum, Quake City, learning more about the earthquakes and their impact, including very moving video testimonials from people who were immediately affected. In one video clip, a police officer on duty at the time in the basement of the police station described having to escape with 6 prisoners as the station began to flood. Emerging from the damaged building with the men all handcuffed together, he managed to find a judge standing in a nearby square and quickly organized an ad hoc bail hearing for two of the prisoners, with the terms written out on a paper receipt! When the police station had to be demolished later, 40,000 people ignored the call not to watch the controlled destruction!
It is salutary to think that the Canterbury events were small compared to many others that happen across the globe, and even with all the help and support that a developed country can give, it will still be decades before the city fully recovers. While many residents left while the central district was closed, some have returned however, and, together with workers brought in for the rehabilitation effort, the city’s population is now greater than it was in 2011.
Life goes on and there is great coffee (see below), excellent food and warm hospitality. The Heritage Hotel which had undergone a seismic upgrade in the 90’s, has a lovely bar with a good menu. Christchurch Art Gallery, Te Puna o Waiwhetu, built in 2003, which also survived relatively intact, introduced us to New Zealand artists of the 20th and 21st Century. Above the main stairs is a great piece by Bill Culbert called Bebop, which has a fascinating provenance.
A walk along the Avon River and through the Botanic Gardens was a peaceful contrast to the destruction and rebuilding in the centre, with the exception of the Holiday Inn sign standing alone overlooking the Avon.
Coffee notes:
The Caffeine Laboratory: single origin Ethiopian- 9/ 10
C4 Coffee – many locations – 8.5/ 10
Christchurch Art Gallery
Parkinson’s Disease Note:
Given our findings related to other countries it was not unexpected that we learned that the prevalence of PD in New Zealand is much the same as in other countries. When we were in France we discovered that pesticide exposure is now accepted, for worker’s compensation purposes, to be an occupational risk for PD. In New Zealand we found a news report that exposure to Trichlorethylene, used as a chemical solvent had recently been accepted to be a cause of PD in a veteran who had been a sailor in the New Zealand Navy.
While in Christchurch we read that the effects of the earthquakes on the mental health of persons with PD had been studied using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Interestingly no significant differences were found comparing status before and after the earthquakes.
August 30 and 31, 2018
Clyde to Dunedin – 197 km (by bus)
We are on the traditional territory of the Maori
The University of Otago, based in Dunedin, boasts the city has produced many of New Zealand’s greatest novelists, poets, artists, scientists, journalists, musicians, athletes, business people and leaders. Dunedin comes from the Gaelic word for Edinburgh. The city celebrates St. Andrew’s Day and its streets, lined with classic Victorian and Edwardian architecture, are named after streets in the Scottish capital. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area had a lengthy occupation by the Ngai Tahu, the principal Māori iwi (tribe) on the South Island. The region of Otago takes its name from the Māori village of Otakou at the mouth of the harbour. Its takiwā (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from Blenheim, Mount Mahanga and Kahurangi Point in the north to Stewart Island in the south. The New Zealand Parliament passed the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act in 1998 to record an apology from the Crown and to settle claims made under the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. One of the Act’s provisions covered the use of dual (Māori and English) names for geographical locations in the Ngāi Tahu tribal area. Ngāi Tahu actively owns or invests in many businesses throughout the country; tourism, seafood and forestry, and property.
The day was grey, windy and cold, but we hardly noticed, so captivated were we by the scenery and intimate sightings of exotic marine wildlife. The peninsula is home to the world’s only mainland (ie, non-island) nesting site for Albatross. The Royal Albatross has a wingspan of up to 3.6 m and can live at sea for years on end. Right after fledging, the young fly direct to Chile! Non-breeding birds and juveniles 3-4 years old cross the Southern Ocean to feed in South American waters before circumnavigating the globe to return to the breeding area. They mate when they are between 6-12 years of age and live into their 40s. We were not able to see down onto the nests without paying for an additional tour, but we did catch sight of a couple of adult birds in flight, as well as the smaller Buller’s Albatross (Mollymawk) flying out at sea.
Māori and the Treaty of Waitangi

We were interested to learn about New Zealand’s relationship with its “first people’s”, the Māori, who make up 15% of the population (Indigenous Canadians = 5% pop; indigenous Australians = 3.3% pop.) 85% of Māori New Zealanders live on the North Island. The Māori language – Te Reo – is an official language of the country, along with English. In 1993, legislation provided for Māori representation in Parliament proportional to their representation in the general population.
The 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document, has long had a certain stature for Lois. Through that Treaty, the British Crown and Māori people agreed on a set of principles for the establishment of the nation state of New Zealand. While the treaty has assumed the aura of a constitutional document, its legal status is a matter of debate. Unlike in Canada, where Aboriginal and treaty rights are recognized and protected under the Constitution, New Zealand has no formal written Constitution and the the Treaty of Waitangi has not been protected by legislation.
August 28, 2018. Day 115 & August 29
Cromwell to Lauder – 75.5 km (by bike and taxi)
Lauder to Clyde – 51 km ( by bike and van)
We are on the traditional territory of the Maori

August 27, 2018 – Day 114
Queenstown to Cromwell – 66.5 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Maori
New Zealand’s South Island is considered even more beautiful than the North Island and it’s easy to see why. Rugged fiords, snow-capped peaks, deep gorges, raging rivers and fertile valleys reminded us variously of the BC Coastal Range and Okanagan valley, English moorland and the Yorkshire Dales, all with the addition of thousands of sheep! The temperatures were slightly cooler on the South Island -we were told that snow in September is not uncommon in Queenstown – but as we travelled east, we noticed trees beginning to bud and fruit trees coming into blossom and even the occasional daffodil. We realized that spring has been a constant and delightful feature of our trip since leaving the cherry blossoms of Victoria in May!
August 25 & 26, 2018
Auckland to Queenstown – 1044 km (by air)
We are on the traditional territory of the Maori
We spent the past 17 days on an incredible road trip of New Zealand’s North Island with Maritia, Steve, Jade, Rhys and Emme. Maritia devised a great itinerary, with the help of New Zealand Tourism, which took us across the Coromandel Peninsula to the east coast, through to Rotorua and on to Hawkes Bay and Wellington, then north again past Mount Taranaki to Waitomo and back to Auckland, via Maramata. It was 17 days of wonderful sights and experiences for us all, and much fun with the family.
Highlights:
Mount Eden at sunrise
Ferry and wandering around Devonport
Driving Creek Railway and views of Hauraki Gulf
Cathedral Cove & Hot Water Beach
Te Puia: Cultural centre, crafts institute, geysers
Redwoods Tree Walk
Bike ride in Hawkes Bay
Te Papa Tongarewa – Museum of New Zealand, Wellington
Waitomo Caves
Hobbiton
Auckland Sky Tower
We have now flown to Queenstown on the South Island to see a bit more of New Zealand over the next couple of weeks, before finally heading home. We will be back on our bikes tomorrow to begin cycling from Queenstown to Dunedin, following the Queenstown Trail and Otago Rail Trail.
August 4, 2018 – Day 113 & Aug 5-6 – Days Off
Loganholme to Brisbane – 37 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Yuggera People
It was a relaxed final day, with no highway cycling, the end of our 1155 km bike trip in Australia, nearly 800 kms for Wayne.
The ride began with a stop at Shorties Espresso, just down the road from the hotel. To avoid the highway, we followed the CycleWayz route from there, which took us up to the Daisy Hill Conservation Area, with a view of the Logan Valley, eventually winding our way down on to Miles Platting Road and back on the V1 Cycleway. On the path, we met David, whose bike was set up to carry three of his grandchildren, with modifications planned to accommodate two more! He showed us a photo of when he transported a washing machine on his bike…..
August 3, 2018 – Day 122
Main Beach to Loganholme – 53 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Bundjalung Nation
We are staying in City of Logan. “The acknowledgement and acceptance that Logan has a vast and rich indigenous and cultural history, enhances our commitment to reconciliation and gives us a deeper understanding of our past“ (City website).
As we three were leaving Crema Espresso, we were cheered on by Jeff Downes. Also an avid (boomer) cyclist, he was eager to mention us on Facebook. We will be looking at his website.
August 1, 2018 – Day 121 and August 2 – Day Off
Kingscliff to Main Beach – 44 km ( by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Yugambeth People of the Bundjalung Nation
We followed the Tweed Cycle Way alongside and across the Tweed River, which took us under and then up and over the Pacific Highway. From the path, we could see Wollumbin (previously Mount Warning), an old volcanic plug.

In Tweed Heads, we turned off on Dry Dock Rd for breakfast at Next Door Espresso. Sitting outside in the sun, we enjoyed very good Byron Moonshine espresso (8.75/ 10) and scrambled eggs on sourdough (with an added side of avocado, of course). Further along, we stopped at a small park on the water for another view of Wollumbin, then turned down Boundary Road, the boundary line between the states of New South Wales and Queensland. A quick selfie to mark the completion of our 1000+ ride through NSW, followed by a very short, but steep, climb and we were at Point Danger (named by Capt. Cook) and Snapper Rocks. This area is famous for its wave and consistent surf, but there were few surfers in the water today.
July 31, 2018 – Day 120
Brunswick Heads to Kingscliff – 45 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Bundjalung Nation

We can highly recommend the Brunswick Heads Motel. It is bright, stylish and contemporary, and serves an amazing continental breakfast featuring local produce with fresh fruit, yoghurt, meusli, sourdough and fruit breads, avocado smash, croissant sandwiches and barista coffee. Our server, Georgia, was from Vancouver- we recognized her accent! (Her parents have also just moved to Victoria.)
July 30, 2018 – Day 119
Lennox Head to Brunswick Heads – 40 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Bundjalung People
We were pleased to find a website of the Arawkal People of Byron Bay who have lived in the area for at least 22,000 years. Since 2001 the Arakwal people have entered into three Indigenous Land Use Agreements with the New South Wales Government recognising our rights as Traditional Owners to lands and waters in and around Byron Bay within this area.

The good and not so good continue. The Campos espresso at Quattro was predictably awesome, particularly when sipped looking out on Seven Mile Beach. Lennox Head is a National Surfing Reserve, with its right-hand point-break one of Australia’s most famous waves. We did not see any surfers out this morning, or identify the direction of the wave break! But, we did enjoy the sunrise over the water, still a novelty!
July 29, 2018 – Day 118
Evans Head to Lennox Head – 52 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Bundjalung People
Today, for the first time, we are feeling discouraged. Perhaps, it’s just time to wrap up this long-term adventure. We are definitely still loving the cycling, seeing the countries, meeting people, eating great food, learning. But, we are becoming increasingly less tolerant of cycling beside fast moving vehicles, especially on highways or busy narrow roads with no hard shoulder. The CycleWayz app we have been using in Australia has been good in directing us off the highway, where possible. But, the route also takes us away from built up areas, where accommodation is more available, which for “posh” cyclists (as we were referred to the other day!), who aren’t carrying camping gear, is a challenge. The only alternative is cycling on busy roads. Where cycle paths exist, they do not usually extend beyond the outskirts of a town. An added difficulty in Australia, or at least in New South Wales, is the relative absence of pedestrian crossings and traffic lights across main roads.
July 28, 2018 – Day 117
MacLean to Evans Head – 63.5 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Bundjalung People
We set the alarm for 05:30 so that we could catch part of the total lunar eclipse, the second we have seen in six months. The first, also a « blood moon », we viewed in Goa on January 27.
Cycling to the River Cafe for our morning jolts, we admired the tartan-painted power poles, celebrating Maclean’s Scottish settler heritage. With the downturn of the economy in the 90’s, it was decided to market the town’s history beyond an annual highland gathering. When the Olympic torch was coming through MacLean before the Sydney Games in 2000, hydro poles were painted with tartans. Afterwards, more and more people wanted to commemorate the history of their families and now there are 240 adorned poles lining the streets. We found MacIntyre (Helen) and Stewart (Steve) but not Leslie, Fraser or Murray.
July 27, 2018 – Day 116
Grafton to MacLean – 45 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Bundjalung People
The Bundajalung are a large Aboriginal nation, a federation of a number of groups of clans which occupy the land from Grafton on the Clarence River of northern New South Wales north to southern Queensland, and down around the other side of the Great Dividing Range and back to Grafton.
Six Aboriginal communities are represented within the local government area of Clarence Valley at Baryulgil, Malabugilmah, Grafton, South Grafton, Maclean and Yamba. The 2011 Census reported 2,846 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Clarence Valley. Of these, 1,406 (or 49.4%) were male and 1,440 (50.6%) were female; the median age was 20 years.
Like many Australian towns we have cycled through, Grafton has a number of well preserved buildings, which give it an old town vibe, together with wide streets lined with palm trees and diagonal parking. (The diagonal parking is tricky for passing cyclists!) Grafton is famous for the annual Jacaranda festival, held in late October/early November, when the town is ablaze in purple blossoms. We had thought that Purple Haze cafe, which served us good Vivo espresso this morning, was a reference to Jimi Hendrix, but on reflection, it is probably related to Jacarandas! (or both).
July 26, 2016 – Day 115
Coffs Harbour to Grafton – 86.5 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Bundjalung People
It’s just two of us cycling for the next few days. Wayne is taking a break and will meet up with us in Lismore on Sunday.

July 25, 2018 – Coffs Harbour
Parkinson’s Disease:

Jane Gow is the Coordinator of the Coffs Harbour Parkinson Support Group, one of 70 such NGOs in New South Wales that provide information, counselling services and training for health professionals, raise awareness, and fund research grants to find a cure. She kindly agreed to meet with us to discuss her work and PD in NSW. Over coffee in Coffs Central shopping mall, we had a very interesting and informative discussion with this lovely and dedicated lady, grandmother to four. Jane became involved in PD support after her husband was diagnosed in his 60’s. He is now 74. After they retired, they moved to Coffs Harbour from Sydney to enjoy the warmer climate, but are still dependent on the medical system in Sydney. There is no neurologist in Coffs Harbour, a community of 60,000, although one flies in from Newcastle.
The Coffs Harbour Support Group has grown from a membership of around 30, when Jane started the group, to its present size of 126 families. This includes a few spouses of persons with PD, who have continued an association with the group after losing their partners to PD. The group brings in guest speakers, hosts special discussion meetings, maintains a newsletter and holds regular social events. It relies on volunteers and fundraising to carry out its work and has the support of some local businesses and Rotary.
An important activity of the support group is lobbying Government on the needs of persons with PD and their carers. Jane’s group is fortunate to be able to employ a neurological nurse three days a week, who provides support and assistance to persons in the community with PD, particularly in their interactions with the medical system. We were interested in this service, which appears to be provided by other PD support groups in NSW. We were not able to meet with Vince, the nurse, as he was in Sydney, but we hope to chat with him before we leave Australia.
Basic rehabilitation services are available in NSW for persons with PD, but exercise programs, for example, are private and can be costly. Jane mentioned that there is a rebate of $150/year for heating and cooling costs for people who have difficulty regulating their body temperature, including persons affected by PD and MS.
July 24, 2018 – Day 114
Macksville to Coffs Harbour – 69 km ( by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Gumbaynggirr People
The highlights of the day were looking out over more endless strands of white sand and sea at Hungry Head, enjoying a second coffee and fresh berry muffins in the picturesque village of Urunga, and a quiet lunch at a picnic site off the highway amongst tall eucalyptus trees. Between bites, we gazed up into the canopy hoping for a sighting of a sleeping koala.
July 23, 2018 – Day 113
South West Rocks to Macksville – 62 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Gumbaynggirr People
Our morning started with Holy Goat coffee and scrambled eggs at Sixty Degrees.
We retraced yesterday’s ride for 11 km before rejoining the route, heading north on Macleay Valley Way, parallel to the Pacific Motorway for a time, then turning east again at Stuart’s Point Road. The road was more undulating, with some steep pitches as we went across country, through farmland and forest. Stopping at a roadside stand selling oranges and lemons, we bought a handful of local mandarins for 50 cents.

We were told that the best option for dinner was Dougie’s Takeway where the hoki fish burger was good and the “hot chips” were very good! Wayne was surprised when his bacon and egg burger also included a meat patty! When Wayne had asked if the milkshakes were thick, Dougie came out holding Wayne’s chocolate shake upside down. He was impressed by our adventure.
July 22, 2018 – Day 112
Crescent Head to South West Rocks – 49 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Dunghutti People
We had noted Blackfish Coffee on the way back from the fish and chip shop last night and its early opening hours. Apart from the fact that Wayne’s request for a toasted bagel was forgotten, it was a great find! We ended up staying longer than intended, partly waiting for the bagel, but also because we got engaged in conversation as we were leaving with a group of people sitting at a table outside. Then, Justin, the owner, come out to chat with us about our trip and his coffee and offered us an espresso on the house. Paul’s assessment of the single origin bean from Tanzania was “fabulous” (9.5/10)!
July 21, 2018 – Day 111
Port Macquarie to Crescent Head – 42.5 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Dunghutti People
Today was Wayne’s birthday and we celebrated with Helen over breakfast at Casualties.
and large plantations of small trees. We learned later that these were tea trees, used for the production of two essential oils. The effectiveness of the oil for the treatment of skin infections is questioned in a Wikipedia article.
An early dinner of fish (flathead and NZ hoki) and chips at Hooked left us feeling the need to get back on our bikes!
The first successful land claim under the Native Title Act was made by the Dunghutti people in 1997, concerning a parcel of land at Crescent Head that had been used for residential development. The Crescent Head Agreement recognizes the native title rights of the Dunghutti people, including the exclusive right to possession, occupation and enjoyment of the land and, where title has been extinguished, to compensation, in this case, $6.1 million. Since 2014, the Dunghutti people have been working on a blanket land claim for all vacant crown land in the Dunghutti tribal area which extends from the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park at the head of the Macleay River, north to Yarrapinni Mountain and south as far as Walcha, inland from Crescent Head.
July 20, 2018 – Day 110
Lake Cathie to Port Macquarie – 19.5 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Biripi People
This morning we prepared breakfast in our apartment overlooking the sea; muesli and Tasmanian Greek yogurt (our favourite), scrambled eggs, toast and espresso (tea for Wayne).
It was a short ride along Ocean Drive/Pacific Dive towards Port Macquarie, becoming hillier with more traffic and narrower shoulders as we progressed.
July 19, 2018 – Day 109
Harrington to Lake Cathie – 59 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Biripi People
An espresso, a flat white, English Breakfast tea
plus an Aussie pie for Wayne from Harrington Bakehouse helped start our day. Lois gave the server our card and we were on our way again along Crowdy Head Road, passing the breakwater at the mouth of the Manning River. At the turnoff to Crowdy Bay National Park, Wayne headed off along the unsealed road, while we did a side trip part way up the headland at Crowdy Bay to be rewarded with a spectacular view looking north to Diamond Head.
July 18, 2018 – Day 108
Taree to Harrington – 41 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Biripi People
Paul wanted to have coffee at Cafe 1 Twenty 3, as he was curious about the Holy Goat coffee advertised out front. The only reference Paul recalls to a “holy goat” was Rowan Atkinson’s blessing in Four Weddings and a Funeral! The barrista did not appear to know who Rowan Atkinson is or what Paul was talking about! She did say that legend has it that a goat discovered coffee beans in 600 AD! Whatever the background to the name, it comes from a roasterie in Port Macquarie and was very good.

Our motel tonight is on the Manning River, the largest undammed river in Australia and one of the few to be fed by melting snow. The river is a large producer of Australian oysters and is home to many estuary fish, the most common the dusky flathead. Apparently, the river is frequented by dolphins and sharks and, occasionally whales. We have not spotted any.
July 17, 2018 – Day 107
Blueys Beach to Taree – 61 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Biripi People
We had coffee with Helen at Kembali Cafe and then left her to catch the bus back to Newcastle, while we headed down Boomerang Drive to rejoin the route on the Lakes Way. The road followed a narrow peninsula between the ocean and Wallis Lake and through Booti Booti National Park, which encompasses part of Seven Mile Beach. This beach was used by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in 1933 as the runway for the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand. Seven Mile Beach was also mined for mineral sands until 1975.
Wildlife notes:
Kangaroo roadkill seen by us all…
1 bee sting – Lois, while riding
July 15, 2018 – Day 106 & July 16 – Day Off
Hawks Nest to Blueys Beach (63 km by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Worimi People
It was a cold 2oC when we left Hawks Nest at 7:30 am, fuelled with espressos and tea from the IGA coffee shop. We soon forgot the temperature as we pedalled through Myall Lakes National Park, rays of early morning sunlight filtering through the mist, accompanied by a cacophony of birdsong. We could hear the breakers and caught glimpses of the sand dunes from the road. At Hole in the Wall picnic area, we pushed our bikes up a path to get a view of the sea and the expansive Mungo beach. Myall Lakes National Park is part of the traditional territory of the Worimi people, who occupied the lands for at least 4000 years before they were “discovered” by Captain Cook in 1770. The park contains a number of middens and other cultural and spiritual sites important to the Worimi People. Here is an all too familiar history of the Worimi following European contact.
Canoes were made from the bark of the Stringybark tree (Punnah) E. obliqua or She Oak. The ends were plugged with clay and when in use a fire always burned on a bed of clay at the back. Paddles made of seasoned hardwood were shaped like a large spoon and these paddles were used in a kneeling position from the middle of the 4.5m canoe. Fishing lines were made from the inner bark of young Kurrajong trees or Sally Wattle twisted, and rendered watertight by soaking in the sap of the Bloodwood tree. Women of the tribe had the first joint of their little finger removed to be dropped in the fishing grounds so that fish would be attracted to that hand. It was forbidden to fish if you had just eaten fruit.
Fishing spears were made from the flowering stem of the Gymea Lily or the Grass Tree and tipped with 4 prongs of ironbark, the lot was held together with yellowgum (grass tree). Boomerangs were made from wild Myrtle. The young flowering spikes of the Gymea Lily were roasted in the fire after a long soaking in water. The wild Cape Gooseberries that grew on Cabbage Tree Island were highly sought after. Fern root and daisy yam were eaten when fish were scarce.
Sign outside the Kembali Cafe warning of swooping Kookaburras – there was one perched on a hydro line waiting…
July 13, 2018 – Day 104 & July 14 – Day 105
Newcastle to Nelson Bay – 56 km ( by bike) &
Nelson Bay to Hawks Nest (16 km by ferry and bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Worimi People
July 13: Nothing opened for breakfast before 7:30 am, so we packed up and parked our bikes outside Momas just as the doors were opening. Breakfasts were delicious full cream yoghurt and homemade granola, poached eggs and thick slices of sourdough bread. We then cycled back to the docks and caught the ferry across the harbour to Stockton, where a path took us along the North Channel of the Hunter River, past Newcastle airport and onto the B63 parallel to the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes. At a service station, where we had stopped to look for food for a picnic, we chatted with a man who gave us directions to a good bakery and told us that he had just seen a group of kangaroos near the road that we were to take. Unfortunately, we missed the kangaroos, but we did see an emu! We weren’t sure whether it was domesticated or wild, as it was near farmland and it rather tamely came across the field to check us out.
July 14: After discovering the night before that the 08:30 ferry to Tea Gardens is not running, we had to change plans. The first ferry leaves at 11:30 am, meaning we would not begin the 60 km ride to Blueys Beach until nearly 1:00 pm, too late to ensure arrival before sundown, currently around 5:00 pm. We quickly changed our hotel reservations and booked rooms for tonight at the Hawks Nest motel on the other side of the river.
July 12, 2018 – Day 103
Belmont to Newcastle – 28 km (by bike)
We are on the traditional territory of the Awabakal People
After a good breakfast at Cafe Macquarie, we set out on the Fernleigh Track Rail Trail. The historic 16 km-long trail is a super route through wetlands, forest and coastal heath, and is close to a 10,000 year-old sand dunes system and the sea. The railway opened in the late 1880’s to transport coal from mines in the Lake Macquarie area to the Port of Newcastle and the steelworks, and passengers between Belmont and Newcastle. The track traverses Glenrock State Conservation Area, Awabakal Nature Reserve and the Belmont Wetlands State Park.
