Newcastle on time

Our bus promptly picked us up and whisked us away from the bay and back to Casino, where we had an hour til our train.. The staff who checked in our bags can't have much to do there as they were the first to make me remove my shoes clipped to my bag, as they may be lost. After watching Australia's Funniest Home Video's in the waiting room we boarded the train not a minute too soon. We were due to arrive in Newcastle at another ungodly hour, again being picked up by a relative. Fortunately we were all on time, so we loaded up, arrived, drank coffee and went to sleep!!
It was a Sunday so everyone was at home, a good chance to get out and see some of where we were. We headed out down in the direction of Nobbys Headland stopping off at Merewether Beach then we went to visit Bogey Hole, an ocean baths that was cut out of the rock by prisoners - since closed but due for renovation.. As we stood watching the surf crash over the rocks in front a few dolphins swam past, right on time!! It was a great viewpoint to get our bearings and see some of what was on offer, the 14km beach further along the coast, sheer cliff-faces exposing the coal which this areas wealth is seemingly built upon and hang-gliders dancing around overhead. It was another terrific scene, truly the Aussie idyll - plus the sun was back.
Next day and we were left to our own devices, taking the opportunity to do some research for New Zealand which was looming ahead of us, then funny enough as a result of a mistake in a medical our host gets the week off - people should pay us to visit. This meant everyone but the kids were off the next day so we headed out to Blackbutt Reserve, another free zoo. We saw a variety of birds and more wombats, emus, wallabys and kangaroos plus a rather noisy black goose. Though with less variety than Rockhampton it was nice to get out and see some more furry and feathered friends, even if I did lean in bird poop.
Thereafter we headed to Lake Macquarie, the largest salt water lake in the Southern Hemisphere though due to its vast size we could only really see a portion before it disappeared behind land in the distance. It was certainly a nice place to have a home if you had the money!!
We visited the local mall a couple of times and went down to Newcastle Harbour one afternoon, taking the dog for a walk and then after school headed down to the Merewether Ocean Baths, two pools at the base of a cliff with the sea crashing over rocks below. The water was pretty cool to put it politely, which half froze me!!
Before we knew it the weekend had arrived. A netball match took up Saturday afternoon then Sunday we set off early for the beach. Nelsons Bay was around 45minutes drive away, including a flying visit to Anna Bay where camel walks were available - very much suited to the desert-like sandplain stretching all the way back to Newcastle. Nelsons Bay was a beautiful corner of a vast inlet from the Tasman Sea, calm and with a small marina tucked away for the yachts and whale and dolphin watching boats. The water was warmer than the Ocean Baths and not long before we left to the park for lunch we saw our second pod of dolphins that week. Behind the park a small afternoon market was packing away so we managed to tour that quickly before it disappeared then all headed back to the beach for one last swim. We then moved on up to the lighthouse at Nelsons Head. This was another great view, almost like the Whitsundays from Mt Rooper..
A few more days planning and a visit to the Max Brenner chocolate cafe (yum yum) and we were all set to head to Wollongong via Sydney. It had been a fun time and it was good to see some more of the lifestyle you expect to encounter..