Stony Creek

During the school holidays we visited friends on the far South Coast of NSW.  They bought a vineyard.  For real.  Take a look and enjoy the view.

I really want to live on a farm......

...... in the Byron Bay hinterland.

 
We stayed at Byron Bay Farmstay in Bangalow.  Five minutes from the impossibly picturesque village of Bangalow, five minutes to the beautiful beaches of Byron Bay, this 300 acre property really has the best of both worlds. We can't wait to go back.  It was the perfect way to end our Easter holiday break.

Currumbin Valley

Week one of the Easter school holidays saw us enjoying a glorious week at Rainbow Bay, the beach just before Coolangatta.

It was everything you would expect at arguably one of Australia's top family holiday destinations - scary rides at Movie World, lots of laughs at Wet n Wild (twice!), surfing for the boys, lots of sand for practicing gymnastics for the little girl and plenty of afternoon snoozing and reading for me.

We decided to head out into the Currumbin Valley one morning, and we are so glad we did.  Thirty minutes from the hustle and bustle of the Gold Coast we found ourselves in the beautiful hinterland, surrounded by fresh air, the chirping of birds in the trees and the prettiest of streams which led to the beautiful Currumbin Rock Pools.

After a swim and sit in the sun we continued on and finished up at the Mt Cougal section of the Springbrook National Park, where we enjoyed the rainforest walk.  The walk took us maybe an hour return, and is flat most of the way, so is super kid and family friendly.

 If you ever find yourself on the Gold Coast, leave the beaches behind for a day and head into the rolling green hills of the hinterland.  You'll be so glad you did.

weekly stills - the staycation edition

My husband's parents have been away these last few weeks.  They only live 40 minutes away, but wait for it.  They live on a golf course.  A golf course.  The eighteenth hole is their backyard.  There is a pool ( 2 in fact), a tennis court, a golf buggy.  Sounds like a holiday to me. 

So, with their permission (thank you so much!), we packed the car and headed up for a few days r & r. Like they say, a change is as good as a holiday.

We had a ball.  We think we might send them away again!

1. Plenty of wet towels
2. Raggedy Anne
3. I remember when they were both little enough to ride this.  Not any more
4.  This was not the only lizard we saw
5. Green thumb
6. In or out?
7. Afternoon scooter rides
8. Camouflage
9. Those golf buggy drivers mean business
10. My little mermaid

Joining in with  The Beetle Shack again for 2014.

Weekly stills - the "geez Byron Bay is further away than I thought, but totally worth the drive" edition

We love nothing more than a road trip in this family, and when my husband suggested a trip up to Byron Bay I had accommodation booked in a jiffy, before he could change his mind.  We stayed five minutes out of Byron Bay proper, at Suffolk Park.  It was just delightful, away from the manic busyness of Byron, but still with some great facilities, including beachfront accommodation, a couple of restaurants that were super family friendly, and most importantly for me, great coffee.  I get cranky if my coffee routine gets upset, just ask my family. 

Obviously we spent a lot of time on the beautiful beaches of Byron Bay, but also spent a day exploring the hinterland around the area.  Bangalow is a small town around 15 minutes from Byron and is just the most lovely little place to visit with cute shops, great cafes and a lovely streetscape.  We would love to return there and maybe stay in one of the farm stays in the area.  It would be a nice alternative to the usual beach style accommodation we usually go for.

1. Heading down to Tallows Beach
2. Nice place for a sit
3 & 4.  Early morning walk
5. Surfer's highway
6 & 7. Old wares in Bangalow
8. Bangalow streetscape
9. Warming up in the afternoon sun
10. Checking out the view from the most easterly point on mainland Australia

Linking up with The Beetle Shack (better late than never!)