Return to Australia

While I enjoyed my time at home- Hopewell, VA, where Spring was in full force - I must admit, I was yearning to get back to the "Great Southern Land." However, given my latitude, one has to think, why would I ever want to leave Spring, which eventually turns in Summer, to head in Autumn, which will eventually lock into Winter?

Well, I guess the allure lies in the idea of hiking through wilderness in Tasmania. Crisp days, hiking along jagged ridge lines overlooking pristine lakes, a ragging ocean, and soft meadows that steal all the mind's thoughts.

In consequence, Jessie and I our steadily making our way down the South Eastern Coast of Australia, and hitting every National Park along the way, or so it seems. Apart from writing a novel on each of the parks, which I could easily do, I'll just provide a brief but descriptive overview of each.

I will start with parks in the northern coast of NSW, and work my way to the south. Get Ready:

1. Yurayguir - Home of the elusive coastal emu, which we did not see, however we did see its tracks in the sand. This coastal park encompasses the largest stretch of protected shoreline in NSW, and includes multiple secluded beaches (and surfing). Best thing = playing beach volleyball with 7 friends, and no one else in sight.

2. Dorrigo - Easy hike through the rain forest. Our first introduction to the Superb Lyrebird; a bird famous for its ability to mimic other sounds (known to mimic chainsaws, flute songs, cell phones, and babies crying). Best thing = seeing and hearing the Lyrebird.

3. Cathedral Rocks - Hike through 3,500 ft. dry eucalyptus forest to granite outcroppings that look like "sumo wrestlers doing Kama sutra." Best thing = friendly possums lending a helping hand at dinner time.

4. New England - A World Heritage Area, and NSW's most inaccessible park. Only 2 1/2 hours from the coast, but more than 5,000 ft. in elevation, this was our first introduction to cold weather in Australia (38 degrees F). Best thing = hiking through ancient Antarctic Beech forests, fern gullys, areas where you thought moss and lichen might actually start to grow on to you (considering it had already taken over everything else), and doing it all in "cold" weather (55-60 degrees F - during the day). and we saw a quoll (meat eating marsupial).

5. Boodoree National Park - Part of the Australian Capital Territory and managed by the local Aborigines. Aside from having some of the worst campsites, this park can definitely claim to have the best views of the Pacific from its 300 ft. tall bluffs. However, we didn't see any whales during our morning breakfast taken on the tallest cliff in the area. Best thing = having possums join us for dinner.

6. Pebbly Beach - 7 km of dirt roads leads one to the beach where kangaroos rule. Often seen playing in the waves, Jessie and I had the opportunity to pet our wild, but tame, two-legged friends on the grass covered dunes. Best thing = snorkeling in the kelp forests and successfully stealing the lives of two innocent fish, who hopefully appreciate how good they taste breaded with peri peri spices (HA HA Dinner!).

7. Mimosa Rocks - Another coastal park notorious for its snorkeling. However, cold and rainy autumn weather kept Jessie and I out of the water. Best thing = finding perfect abalone shells.

8. Wilson's Promontory - A mix of Cathedral Rocks and Pebbly Beach. Abundant wildlife on shore is supposedly trumped by the variety of critters found just offshore. While we didn't go snorkeling, Jessie and I plan to visit the park again. Best thing = Emus! Wombats! Wallabies! Para! Fox! White-sand beaches of Little Oberon Bay.