A wet and wild birthday in Tathra

Tathra, NSW

Tuesday 5th April - Friday 8th April

Emilia had one request for her birthday - to be on the coast so she could swim in the ocean. As the weather was predicted to be very poor we let her choose a place and caravan park she thought looked good, as we were pretty sure she wouldn't get a swim in the ocean on her birthday. We were right, but thankfully she got to swim, and boogie board, in the beach at Tathra the day before her birthday.

It was a lovely afternoon when we arrived. We got the boogie boards out so the kids could make the most of the little waves. Daniel and I had a swim as well, before the stormy weather clouded the sky and turned the air cool.

On Emilia's birthday (after presents at 6.30am!!) we managed a walk/run/bike ride along the beach before the rain started pelting down. It rained all day, and not just a drizzle. It was that sideways rain that drenches everything! 

To ensure she still had a good day we decided to take her out shopping for the day to spend her birthday money (which had the added bonus of keeping us inside and dry). We stopped in Merimbula first for cake and coffee, then we went to Eden for lunch (an exceptional pub lunch) and a spot of shopping. She managed to spend all her birthday money and vouchers and she left Eden a happy girl.

When we got back Daniel took the kids for a swim in the heated pool at the caravan park - so Emilia still got to swim on her birthday, just not in the ocean.

That night we cooked burgers with 'the lot' for dinner (her request) and a chocolate cake. Thankfully there was a large camp kitchen at the caravan park as it was STILL raining. Then we tried out one of her presents, a kareoke microphone. We had a ball!

We decided to stay the next day as the weather was predicted to be terrible again and we weren't sure where to go (and we also wanted to stay off the roads and there was apparently lots of debris and road closures due to flooding). Luckily enough the storms seemed to skirt around Tathra and we had a cloudy, but reasonalby dry, day. The kids did LOTS of activity as they had both just bought Garmin watches so were competing to get the most steps and activity for the day. We took them on a bike ride (and found a very muddy mountain bike track), walking on the beach, to an adventure playground, swimming in the pool and go-karting. They were suitably exhausted by the end of the day.

On Friday we packed up in the rain and left Tathra unsure of where we were heading, but praying for a reprieve in the weather.

Taking advantage of a break in the weather to catch a few waves

The waves were small but the kids were so excited to use their boogie boards for the first time on the trip.

"Use them or lose them!' - Daniel set them an ultimatum as he didn't want to cart their roller skates and roller blades all around Australia without them getting regular use.

Birthday morning - among other things she got a pair of flippers........

......a kareoke microphone........

.... and a book about inspiring women.

Some of her gifts (including what she's wearing). She got a lot of her birthday presents before we left so it's been a neverending birthday this year!

She requested fully loaded burgers for her birthday dinner.

And a devil's food chocolate cake, with ice-cream, for dessert.

Lining up for kisses once she touches the plate! 

Trying out her birthday present - I want one of my own!!!

Jackson kicking up some mud on the mountain bike track

They let us use the go-karts all afternoon - they were a lot of fun.

One of the flowers Jackson picked for Emilia and I.

Eden's newest attraction - a chocolate river!

Eden, NSW 

Sunday 3rd April - Tuesday 5th April

After leaving Orbost it seemed like we were driving into the eye of the storm. The rain was teeming down and the sky was grey and foreboding. It was a long drive as the conditions were terrible and visibility was so poor. We had to stop several times as the road was down to one lane due to earlier landslides. We also came across a recent landslide with police directing the traffic slowly around the debris. It was interesting (and slightly scary) seeing how full and fast flowing all the rivers and creeks were when we crossed them. There were even 'waterfalls' occurring all along the side of the road, as water gushed down. We found out the next day that many areas on the drive were flooded later that afternoon, and the road was closed, so we were lucky we left when we did.

We finally arrived at Eden early afternoon. Thankfully the weather eased for the afternoon, and we got to enjoy the beach that the caravan park was located next to. The storms from the last few days had caused exceptionally big waves, so the beach was laden with 'treasures' which the kids enjoyed scouring through (especially Jackson who found lures and other fishing equipment).

The storms had also turned the creek near the caravan park, and the ocean it ran in to, brown from all the mud being washed down. It looked like melted chocolate and we all imagined what we would do if it was actually a chocolate river (there were lots of references to Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!).

Some highlights of our time here:

-Jackson's excitement at catching a ray off at the Eden wharf

-Watching the kids enjoy the beach for the first time on the trip

-The warmth of the ocean up here – so different to the beaches on the southern part of Vic that we normally swim in, they are always cold!

-Being able to have our coffee looking out to the ocean, just a short stroll from our van

-Having some sunshine after A LOT of rain

Jackson doing an Augustus Gloop impression and drinking from the 'chocolate river'.

The rain had turned the rivers and the ocean a muddy, 'chocolate' coloured brown.

At the Eden wharf on the first stormy evening

Jackson and the shovelnosed ray he caught off Eden jetty, he was super proud of his effort.

Emilia and I took a long walk along Long Beach while the boys fished.

Having fun in the sand - notice Jackson's addition of 'humps'.

Playing in the beach at the caravan park on the first afternoon

Their expressions are priceless

Exploring the beach near the caravan park

Balancing act

One of the interesting things Jackson found on the beach - a dead baby ray.

The driftwood teepee Jackson and Emiila worked on during our time in Eden (photo credit - Jackson)

Some sort of sea worm we found washed up on the beach.

Champagne and mussels at the Snowy River

Willis Campground, Snowy River, Vic

Wed 30th March - Sat 2nd April

Daniel was keen for a few days camping along the Snowy River. It’s one of his favourite places, he’s been coming here since he was child and it holds very special memories for us – it was the place where he proposed 14 years ago!

Although the weather certainly put a dampener (literal and figurative) on our time there, we still had many memorable moments.

- We enjoyed a bottle of Moet by the campfire and reminisced about our engagement (and also wondered if we will ever get around to getting married!).

- Daniel cooked up the trout that he and Jackson caught, resulting in a delicious dinner.

- Daniel and Emilia spotted a brumby on morning walk/ride and we all saw 3 brumbies on the drive out.

- The kids collected freshwater mussels and decided to eat one – the result was hilarious to watch.

- Emilia made an apple and blackberry crumble from apples we collected at Edi Cutting and from blackberries Daniel and Jackson collected at the Snowy – it was the most incredible dessert I have ever had. It is amazing how much better food tastes when you are camping (and it is cooked on the campfire).

The rest of the time was spent going for walks and exploring the area. Jackson spent hours collecting firewood and he started getting up early to light the fire in the morning. He is becoming a real hunter-gatherer. The kids also enjoying riding their bikes and trying out Daniel’s fat wheeled bike on the rocks.

We heard from some fellow campers that the weather was predicted to become even worse over the weekend, so we decided to leave early Saturday morning. We are glad we did as it bucketed down all day Saturday and Sunday and we may have ended up having trouble getting out (the road out is narrow and windy).

Orbost

Sat 2nd - Sun 3rd April

We spent Saturday night in Orbost and caught up with Markus (Daniel’s brother) and his work colleagues from Port Campbell, Deb and Pete, who are all working at Orbost at the moment. After a boring day sheltering from the rain in the van (Emilia and I) and watching a wet and dirty match at the local footy (Daniel and Jackson), we were keen to get out. We had a great dinner out at the local Thai restaurant, which we were all grateful for as the weather didn’t allow us to do anything else.

We awoke to more rain, but managed a short walk around town before packing up the van to leave. On the walk we discovered a bower bird nest, complete with hundreds of blue ‘treasures’, the kids were pretty excited to see it so went back with their cameras whilst we packed up (in the rain!).

The drive in from Jindabyne was treacherous.

The sign we saw after the road in from Jindabyne. It definitely wasn't very suitable - lucky Daniel is a great driver.

Not much of a lookout!!

The narrow, steep road into the camping area Daniel was determined to get in to.

A tight fit - this is why caravans are not recommended!

It was worth the drive down to get to this lovely camp spot on the river.

Reminiscing about when Daniel proposed at the Snowy River - 14 years ago! Thanks for the champagne Val and Henry.

Escaping the bad weather and starting their scrapbooks - thanks for all the supplies Lisa B.

Running for a quick swim whilst the sun was out - then we stood by a roaring fire as the sun was out for less than 10 minutes!

Mussel collecting (and showing off his muscles)

Jackson spent a good few hours collecting, breaking and stacking firewood so he and Emilia could have their own fire.

Ready to taste one of the mussels they collected - Daniel said they had to commit to eating it if they took its life.

Emilia downed hers with a large gulp of water.

   

Jackson, on the other hand, took a long time and several dry retches before he swallowed his half mussel. I don't think they will be cooking river mussels any time soon!!

An emu and chicks we spotted when exploring one afternoon.

Apple and blackberry crumble made from fruit we collected ourselves - delicious!

The brumbies we saw on the morning we left.

The conditions were even worse on the drive out, I white-knuckled it the whole way out!

It was great to catch up with Markus and enjoy a night out at the local Thai restaurant

We also got to catch up with Deb and Peter who Daniel worked with at Port Campbell (not sure where Pete is hiding in this photo??).

The bower bird nest we found on our morning walk (photo credit- Jackson Katz).