CARAVAN HOLIDAY 1958

 In 1958 and we had been in Australia for 9 years. My Mum and Dad took five years to build their house themselves and they were still both working hard to pay off the bank loan , educate me and find enough money for a holidays. This was our second caravan holiday. We were going north again to the beaches and the warm sunny weather. It was May at the end of Autumn.

Mum and Dad looking foeward to a relaxing holiday.

This time we were going to go at a more leisurely pace along the coast road stopping when and where we wanted. First stop was in the lakes district near Newcastle at Belmont. 

The Comboyne Mts forestry road.

Next we went to Taree a little inland and close to the Comboyne Mts. We left the van in the park and went exploring in the mountains. We found ourselves winding through the forest on a narrow, dirt road. Soon we heard the growling of a huge Timber Jinker loaded with forest logs coming down the mountain. We were all nervous of how it was going to pass us. Dad moved to the edge of the road as far as possible, the wheels teetering on the side of a steep drop to the valley floor. With our hearts in our mouths we watched the huge truck squeeze past inch by inch and continue on its way. I don't think the driver was too impressed with us being on the forestry road. I don't know how we ended up on the wrong road but now we had to try and turn around and get out of there. Somehow we did it.

I took over the navigation after that, finding a way from Grafton to Ballina. We had to cross a river by ferry at Woodburn. It was school holiday time and the road was full of caravans heading north.   We stayed at the beach town of Ballina for a few days.

Brunswick Heads. I love this photo because they look so happy and they deserved this after their hard start in this country.

Then we went on further north to Brunswick Heads one of the most northern beaches in NSW. Mum and Dad were in the swing of enjoying their relaxing holiday and loved living in Australia.

I am holding my first camera case.

We turned back towards Sydney and stopped at different beaches on the way home. We stopped at Yamba where I bought a plastic banner.  I collected one from each town and stuck them on the wall of my bedroom. After Yamba we pulled into Woolgoolga. There was a lake and the beach. 

Dad having his daily sit and think by the lake at Woolgoolga.

Here Mum and Dad have caught each other at Woolgoolga.

We loved Woolgoolga and had many happy times. We laughed ourselves silly at our fishing attempts.  It was such a quiet and untouched place that we were to return to stay here for next year's holiday.

Our last stop was at North Haven where a river emptied into the sea. Mum was trying to catch our dinner but her line got snagged on the rocks. Us Pommies never became good Aussie fishermen.