Sugarloaf Point (Seal Rocks) Lighthouse – You can stay in one of the keepers quarters for only $300 per day (minimum of 2 days). December 25 – Merry Christmas this morning to all from ‘down under’ where one can only dream about snow. The forecast today is for sunny skies with temperatures in the 80s – a great day to head to the beach. On TV, they have been tracking Santa’s last minute plans and have plotted his flight path in the Southern Hemisphere. Christmas dinners here are not your typical turkey and ham – instead it is a mixture of foods with seafood (such as prawns and oysters) or a picnic at the beach with BBQ, etc. The Christmas decorations are even a little different here with Santa seen in shorts in some displays. With all of the food stores and restaurants closed today, we may be celebrating our Aussie Christmas dinner with crackers and cereal or a snack from a petrol (fuel) station (many of which are open).
The last 3 days we have continued our drive along the coast from the Brisbane area, and today we will continue south through Sydney before heading inland to see Canberra. Since we will end up in Sydney, we do not plan to stop to see any of sights as we drive through. After leaving all of the resort cities on both sides of Brisbane, it has really been great to be out in the country and in small towns without all of the condos etc. and travel thru farmland and eucalyptus forests on our way to lighthouses along the coast. Some of the lighthouses are in remote communities and this has taken us down some gravel roads to reach them. It has been worth the drives most of the time since we have been rewarded with some really beautiful lighthouses and rugged coastlines.
In one of several National Parks we have driven through, when we stopped for a rest, Cathy noticed on a sign that the largest eucalyptus tree in the state of New South Wales (in which Sydney and Canberra are) was close by. So, we decided to go see it. Little did we know that we would drive 12 kilometers (8 miles) down a deserted gravel road that was narrow & rough in places. Fortunately, it had not rained recently since part of the road was dirt and would have been impassable for a car if it was wet. What we found was a beautiful gigantic flooded gum eucalyptus tree called ‘The Grandis’. The tree is over 400 years old, 76 meters (250 ft) tall, and over 9 meters (30 ft.) in circumference. With the lowest branch being 25 meters (80 ft) high, it would be a little difficult for koalas to reach the leaves of this tree to eat – so they will have to settle on smaller trees for their food. This side trip was quite refreshing and we almost felt like we were in a wilderness.
Side note: Prices for items seem higher here than back home, but not as high as it might seem since the Australian dollar is worth about 70 US cents. Also, in New Zealand and here in Australia, the GST (sales tax) is included in all prices for everything. So – what you see on the price tag or menu etc. is what you pay. This makes the shopping experience much simpler. Prices are also rounded since there are no pennies.
Cape Byron Lighthouse – most easterly point on the Australian mainland. Note the castle-like design (James Barnet style). You can also stay here overnight.
Point Danger and Captain Cook Memorial – This sits right on the border between the states of Queensland and New South Wales.
Eastern Curlew sighted at one of the lighthouses.
‘The Grandis’ eucalyptus tree.
One of the many koala road signs that we have seen. We have not seen any of the koalas while driving, but hundreds are killed by cars each year. ->
<- A kangaroo road sign.
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