Our Touring Past

Hi All
A weekend away with the vintage vans has been organised for May 20/21/22.
In previuos years we have gone to Koala park at Munmorah on the NSW central coast. However the park has come under the scrutiny of the local council and the max number of vans has been reduced to 12.
With this in mind i figured we would have some people missing out on a spot ....so.. I rang a van park at Blacksmiths beach which about another 20 mins up the highway for anyone coming from the south.
We have 12 sites set aside .
It is a very modern park with great facilitys and close to clubs , pubs and restaraunts . right on the edge of swansea channel.... entrance to lake macquarie
It will be too cold for a swim so we might organise a bit of a cruise/ drive into newcastle or if anyone is keen we can do a half loop the lake and call at my place for a cuppa and check out whats in the shed.. FJ ute.. old bikes,A40 ute.. timber boat .....etc.

Anyway... there ya have it . do as little as you like for the weekend or.. get out and do a bit of site seeing.

If you are keen just ring Blacksmiths caravan park at Lake Macquarie and let em know ya want a site with the vintage caravan mob.... tell em ya with that Redman Bloke

regards
Reddo

G'day Reddo

Finally bit the bullet and made a booking, I was undecided as I've got work planned for the car and van but as usual that is all behind schedule so will take advantage of the opportunity for a few days to catch up with a few VVers.

Nice spot around the lake and a tour of your shed sounds interesting too.

George

The weekend away at Blacksmith’s was very pleasant for the small group of caravanners who attended. The weather was just ideal and when we arrived on Friday afternoon there were 3 vans in attendance and as we booked in another was arriving too
We set up had a chat and sorted out the loose tow bar on the Velox before heading into Swansea for some provisions. On the way back we took a tour around the back of the caravan park and along the beach and river front only to spy an Olympic Riviera in the front yard of a house that was only yards from the back of the park Reddo later informed us of another just up on the main road, what a place The camp kitchen, just behind our van became the focal point for the Friday night socialising and bbq with Sutac (Clyde & Barbara) making a guest appearance too, camped at a dog friendly park just up the road.

Saturday Reddo took us on a tour of the northern end of Lake Macquarie, a couple of antique shops, Mt. Sugarloaf for the views and some exercise, a quick look about his sheds (seriously tidy) before dropping into the Royal Motor Yacht Club Toronto where we tucked into lunch on the outside deck, looking over the moorings and wondering what the poor people were doing at that time It was a great spot with fantastic fish and chips and we could have settled in for a few ales if we didn’t have to drive home We continued the tour to take a drive though of the Wangi Wangi Tourist Park which might be on the agenda for a future weekend. Very pretty but if we do it then best get in before the water levels rise, it will be one park that will be finished if the doom and gloom eventuates.

Back at camp a Sunliner had joined the group but left after a few hours socialising and two other couples joined us too, one staying in a cabin the others checking out the activities, getting some advise and heading home. It was time for light refreshments and nibbles as Reddo broke camp and headed home. That just about finished us and we headed off early and I just about died on the pillow at 8.30pm, unheard of bedtime for me but I didn’t sleep well the previous night and certainly made up for it. Sunday morning the ‘workers’ were breaking camp to head back to the city before the traffic which left Cobber and us to fill in the day which we did with a tour of the southern side of the lake, after checking out Caves Beach and lunching at Catherine Hill Bay at the ‘Catho Pub’. This place is very pretty, nice beach with a quaint little town of old coal miner’s cottages. Big development has been approved and the locals are ‘not happy Jan’ with lots of banners voicing opposition. They even want to save the coal loader but I’m a bit inclined to think it should be recycled as Toyotas, bit of an eyesore on a lovely beach in my view. Dinner at the local RSL that night found us winners of a meat raffle so all was good

Some heavy rains overnight cleared in the morning and for leisurely run back home on Monday morning, in the door at 12.30pm despite a delay on the M2 with a broken down truck, over $7 toll with the van to sit in a traffic jam for 30 minutes not much chop.

A good weekend Reddo, thanks for arranging it

George

Hi George.
Thanks for posting some photos. Well it looks as though Reddo has organised another fantastic weekend away. I was only sorry that Linda and I couldnt attent. Although we have booked a site for Reddos next big adventure Christnas In July, so that should be great, and cold.

Cheers.
Richard

Hi Richard

I'm not committing to Blackheath, 'she who must' is not inclined to venture into the cold with the van yet we may just pay a visit on the day, depending on what else is on the agenda.

Before Blacksmith's there was some more fiddling with the Debonair's brakes and at last I seem to have obtained some more response so the electrics are on the backburner once again. I'd go for them regardless except I have to increase to 14" wheels and the extra weight of wheels and the brakes is all just a bit extra I don't need so fingers crossed.

Here are a couple more photos from the weekend.
George