Earlier this year we drove north to one of our favourite destinations, Port Stephens.
There is no denying that the scenery around Nelson Bay, is glorious and the area’s beaches appear pristine, however, we found its roads – especially the secondary ones – were literally a minefield. We had planned to stay in the more relaxed hamlet of Lemon Tree Passage and make daily excursions to other destinations in the region, however, the road, especially on the inward journey, was in such a state of disrepair that we soon quashed that idea.
We walked our dog on three beaches, our favourite being Birubi because of its firm sand and its sheer length. One Mile Beach was another to impress us. A footpath leads one on a walk from the waterfront in Nelson Bay to and beyond Dutchman’s Beach. It was near here that we sighted dolphins just off a nearby rocky point. Our walk also passed a number of dead and dying mature trees. A plethora of nearby signs asserted that they had been poisoned and/or irreparably vandalised.
During an earlier visit, we had enjoyed the expansive views afforded from Port Stephens’ Tomaree Lookout. One can reduce one’s assent by driving to the carpark, which is not far below its summit.
I really enjoyed the meals I partook of at ‘Cafe on the Bay’, in the heart of Nelson Bay itself. As we were making our way there we happened to pass a store with a small blackboard set up on the edge of the footpath. Written upon it was the following:
‘Why didn’t the toilet paper cross the road?
Because it got stuck in a crack!’