6 July 2012 - Taree Showgrounds, Taree, Manning Valley, NSW

Vic would not have been happy this morning; he specifically told us yesterday when we arrived here that he did not want any more rain. Large parts of the grounds are a bog and we are glad to have a relatively hard stand beside a shed for our camp. Personally I had found the sound of the rain on the caravan roof rather comforting through the night but did hope it would abate early in the day.

We set off into town to find a printing service and found a most obliging fellow who entertained us relating his frustrations of having his house rendered (or plastered) in these climatic conditions, while each file was queried and then printed. I recalled a sign I had seen in a paint store back in New Zealand a month ago: “Please do not chat with the assistant while he/she is mixing your paint”. This morning I feared for the results of our documents.

The rain was still intermittent; however we still were able to wander around the excellent town of Taree. We walked down to the river to admire the parklands and appreciate the force and size of the Manning River, then wandered up the main streets to discover that here business had survived the establishment of the greater shopping malls. So often these traditional “main streets” simply become a backwater of commerce, home to tattoo parlours, ethnic restaurants, emporiums and accountancy practices. We had found this to be the case in Newcastle and with so many towns where the retail centre has moved to modern Stocklands or Westfields centres. Those two companies have much to answer for, but then ….. they are only answering the demands of the masses. We were amazed to discover that Taree manages to support two Coles supermarkets, one Woolworths and an Aldis, all of good size. The daily newspaper purchased and we were all set to head off on the day’s tour: to the river mouth and then up into the mountains.

The lighthouse at Harrington's Pilot Hill

Our first stop was Harrington located on the northern mouth of the Manning River. Here one can enjoy a stroll along the breakwater or take in the view of the river delta from Pilot Hill lookout. We chose to do the latter where we learned a few facts about this delightful spot, once the sight of the southern hemisphere’s largest shipyard. Between 1846 and 1879 Captain Alexander Newton built thirty ships using local timbers. The ships often carried cedar and were employed in the Australia - China and African trades. The captain’s five sons were all shipwrights and seamen, skippering their father’s ships.

A maritime pilot was appointed to the Manning Heads as far back as 1856 because the bar was so very difficult to cross, the entrance narrow and the channel constantly shifting. Over fifty ships are known to have foundered here between the years 1824 and 1941.

Harrington is a delightful spot but we had places still to go so left the holiday makers to it.

We drove on to Crowdy Heads, a very small fishing village, the lovely modern houses all built on the hill below the lighthouse. From the top there are 360 degree views all about, including of the open sea which is the main route for migrating sperm whales at this time of the year. We looked and looked but neither we nor the others there on the hill with us could see any of these awesome creatures. I did however spot a large dolphin battling the surf while we were parked up nearer the wharf for lunch. It might have even been an orca whale however I am not sure if they inhabit this area, so I shall stick with “dolphin”.

The tourist route we were following crossed back to the Pacific Highway via a track through the low lying banksia covered Crowdy Bay National Park. We wove our way through the marshy land dodging the deep puddles on each side of the track then emerged on to the Coralville Road which was one of the worst roads we had travelled. But then this is New South Wales and we truly believe that NSW Roads should be awarded the prize for the world’s worst roads, or at least Australia’s.

There had been no rain since leaving Taree so we decided to press on with our day, now following another Tourist Route up into the Coorabakh National Park via the unsealed Coopernock Forest Drive. The road soon enters State Forest, some of which is currently being milled. We listened for advice on Channel 24 as directed however did not see any action despite the truckies’ voices over the air. The signage was just dreadful and twice we took the wrong turn, soon realising our mistakes, however once we entered the National Park it improved and we found our way to Vincent’s Lookout at 310 metres ASL on the Lansdowne escarpment from where we could see down over the valley. We proceeded through the beautiful tall eucalypt forest, on down through subtropical gullies dressed in ferns and bangalow palms, and up Newby’s and Flat Rock Lookouts where the views over the rich alluvial flats of the lower Manning Valley were again stupendous. One of the volunteers we had spoken to in the Information Centre had suggested that the area was not unlike the Blue Mountains. Certainly the craggy rocks overhanging the bird filled forests far below were reminiscent of the more southern escarpments, however the scene below here was of lush green farmland and forest of an even deeper green, whereas the views from the Blue Mountain lookouts are far down into mysterious bush. The birds were also wonderful up on the range but the wildlife encountered was limited to one small dark startled wallaby. Frogs, snakes and a multitude of other creepy crawlies fill the park but few are keen to show themselves to the casual visitor.

The Coorabakh National Park covers1,827 hectares and was previously part of the Lansdowne State Forest. Rumour has it that the National Park powers-that-be would like to take over all the State Forest alongside the entrance road.

Beyond these lookouts, signs warned against proceeding in a two wheel drive car; we could see why. Of course we had no trouble and descended steeply back down into fertile dairy farming country passing through the small villages of Hannam Vale and Moorland before reaching the Pacific Highway once again and heading home.

Back at camp and with the rain still staying away from Taree but evident up the valley toward Wingham, Chris decided to do further diagnostic work on “The Mysterious Smell in the Bathroom”. Until now we had pulled out all the drawers from the vanity and left the bare space to air, we had poured a bottle of Australia’s version of Drain-O down the drains and had positioned air-fresheners about but still the mustiness persisted. Chris had removed the inspection panel on the outside of the van and we had peered and sniffed at the shower pipes but found nothing amiss. So today he crawled under the van and dismantled the plumbing components and together we flushed the system out with the hose and water force. Certainly there was action; one year’s stubborn sediment, having resisted chemicals and hot water, were no match for the scratching and beating it received today and perhaps, just perhaps, we have solved the problem. A relatively simple solution to a recent annoying problem solved today along with a wonderful sight-seeing expedition; surely a very successful day!