My location : Look out Tower

My location : Look out Tower
LOT 107 Wharf Rd
Newcastle New South Wales, Australia

(Latitude = -32.9257, Longitude = 151.7814)
(Altitude = 4 m)
(Accuracy = 30 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-32.925663,151.781433

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

Location : Mereweather pool

Location : Mereweather pool
Henderson Parade
Merewether New South Wales 2291, Australia

(Latitude = -32.9512, Longitude = 151.7550)
(Altitude = 14 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-32.951176,151.754959

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

January 28th 2011

Just to confuse our devout followers, we are now back in Sydney, this not really being part of the round Australia trip as such..just a catch up with our daughter who is moving to Perth tomorrow to work for a while,  but has dropped in to Sydney for this week to stay with a friend .

We finally got out of Gladstone to head South as soon as the floodwaters had receded enough to reopen the highways. Made it back in nice weather to Gold Coast where we were again treated to the awesome hospitality of our friends in Mudgeeraba. Took in a few days of surf and sun soaked beaches at Burleigh and Fingal Heads as well as dinner in park at Burleigh featuring drummers and entertainers on a lovely balmy evening. South again there were however a few detours in place round Grafton. We had to hide out in a bus stop shelter out near Ballina in sugar cane country when a storm front hit us soaking rapidly through to undies and then tipping it down so hard we couldn't see. Just a bit further on in Grafton we hid back in McDonalds planning which camping ground we'd head for..Sawtell again..hmm how about nah.. electrical storm now in full swing stopped any further plans and pitching a tent went rapidly to booking into a cabin in camping ground close by instead. Yes wimps I know, so next day heading South thought we'd better harden up and head for a camp spot in our 'Camps 4' directory off the beaten track a bit 24k's North of Bulahdelah.We turned off highway just 3k's South of Coolongalook (now how do you think they came upon that name?) and headed 9.5 k's East into forestry roads/tracks and it soon became evident I lacked motorcross experience so after crossing a bridge with slats missing and getting into slushy mud applied a little more throttle than I should have and back wheel stepped out and I crossed it all up beautifully and bike and I landed on our side in the mud, nothing damaged, just dirty, at least I had a knight in Armour (well lets face it none of it shining..all pretty grimy) pick me up out of the mud. Met a dude on a motorcross bike who looked sceptically(the dirt road having deteriorated into motocross heaven) at our bikes in the forest ….OK so both Bevin and I had flashes of 'Wolf Creek' flash through our thoughts ..individually I might add..what was scarier same thoughts or Wolf Creek..you decide… that told us where the 'camp' was and after Bevin explored a wee bit further said we'd never make it through the river round the next bend..well not till I get my Crusty Demon's diploma anyway. Back on the Pacific Highway..it was like a long lost friend… we got to Bulahdelah and settled for pitching our tent in a camping ground right beside busy highway so got serenaded by trucks all night..but hey I got a look at the size of the mosquito's in that forest we had just escaped from and at least trucks don't bite if you don't bother them.

Hitting Sydney we had organised to try out Couch Surfing and got hosted by a lovely lady called Catherine. If you don't know what that is google it, we were hosting travellers ourselves before leaving NZ. We had a lovely few days there before arriving here in Parramatta to stay with another awesome host, Mary, sister of a good friend of ours back in Taranaki. We have been gadding about Sydney, having fun with our daughter and her friend beaching it at Bronte and surrounds and a barbeque dinner down at Bronte. Next day Jo took us all down to Southern Beaches (Stanwell Bay to name one) through the Royal National Forest…lovely thanks Jo. Rest of the week has seen us getting right into public transport scene (trains, buses and ferries)…drivers are pretty scary here in Sydney… it's very busy, very hot and tempers thin it would seem L So it was Sydney CBD, then Oxford Street and other malls so darling daughter could shop..till we all dropped haha ! Wednesday was Australia Day and boy do the Aussies know how to celebrate this day..flags a flying etc. We caught River Cat down Parramatta river to Circular Quay, met our daughter and friend  Jo and headed over to Manly on ferry..walked along beach to Shelly Bay and tossed ourselves in the tide amongst thousands of others, before returning to the city after a pretty cruisy day.

Bevin has been helping Mary out with some minor repair jobs at her apartment so it was a Bunnings( affectionately named the Man Shop) trip for bit and pieces yesterday…some missions accomplished others a work in progress..Mary treated us to a Thai dinner in Parramatta last night..awesome thanks heaps MaryJ

Bevin headed off this morning to Motorcycle Accessories..a huge warehouse to get a new Back Tyre for his bike. After purchasing the tyre thinking he would have to fit it himself noticed they fitted tyres then found out they would fit tyre and balance it for nothing as long as he gave them the wheel or charge $50 for the job. After telling them what we were doing on our bikes lent him a stand and out in the carpark he removed the back wheel and within half an hour was back on the road having saved $50..awesome thanks guys, the Aussies love a good adventure storyJ We had a lovely day at Featherdale Zoo out in Blacktown with our daughter today so Bevin and I are just having a quiet night in tonight J and will see her off at airport tomorrow L then make our way North again in a few days.

--
Bevin & Felicity  Lealand iPhone
+61412205936
http://bikersfromdownunder-lealand.blogspot.com/

My location : Wild life park

My location : Wild life park
14 Lynwood Ave
Doonside New South Wales 2767, Australia

(Latitude = -33.7649, Longitude = 150.8846)
(Altitude = 54 m)
(Accuracy = 10 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-33.764915,150.884628

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location : Barefoot cafe

My location : Barefoot cafe
5A Market Ln
Manly New South Wales 2095, Australia

(Latitude = -33.7973, Longitude = 151.2856)
(Altitude = 11 m)
(Accuracy = 10 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-33.797329,151.285599

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location : Manley Australia Day

My location : Manley Australia Day
110-112 The Corso
Manly New South Wales 2095, Australia

(Latitude = -33.7972, Longitude = 151.2879)
(Altitude = 9 m)
(Accuracy = 5 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-33.797215,151.287918

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location : Pub on the Sydney coast

My location : Pub on the Sydney coast
385 Lawrence Hargrave Dr
Scarborough New South Wales 2515, Australia

(Latitude = -34.2697, Longitude = 150.9620)
(Altitude = 70 m)
(Accuracy = 30 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-34.269741,150.961960

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location : Oxford lookout

My location : Oxford lookout
Rawson Rd
Otford New South Wales 2508, Australia

(Latitude = -34.2111, Longitude = 151.0107)
(Altitude = 175 m)
(Accuracy = 5 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-34.211105,151.010651

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location : Bbq Bronte Beach

My location : Bbq Bronte Beach
400 Bronte Rd
Bronte New South Wales 2024, Australia

(Latitude = -33.9047, Longitude = 151.2670)
(Altitude = 20 m)
(Accuracy = 10 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-33.904659,151.266953

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location : Bondi beach with Sarah and Felicity

My location : Bondi beach with Sarah and Felicity
Queen Elizabeth Dr
Bondi Beach New South Wales 2026, Australia

(Latitude = -33.8906, Longitude = 151.2790)
(Altitude = 7 m)
(Accuracy = 5 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-33.890598,151.279022

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location : Pit stop before Sydney

My location : Pit stop before Sydney and my buddy the Spider
Sydney-Newcastle Fwy
Warnervale New South Wales 2259, Australia

(Latitude = -33.2543, Longitude = 151.4049)
(Altitude = 16 m)
(Accuracy = 100 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-33.254284,151.404922

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location : Camping ground Grafton

My location Hiding from the weather : Camping ground Grafton
42 Cambridge St
South Grafton New South Wales 2460, Australia

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-29.714563,152.945862

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location : MacDonalds Grafton

MacDonalds Grafton

Waiting on weather again the last time we were here doing the same thing ;-)

Late in the day so camping here over night
600 ks to Sydney

1A Spring St
South Grafton New South Wales 2460, Australia

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-29.706646,152.941452

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location

My location :
Lioo Promenade
Robina QLD 4226, Australia

(Latitude = -28.0757, Longitude = 153.3852)
(Altitude = 2 m)
(Accuracy = 30 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-28.075743,153.385178

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

Weather Radar

Radar screenshot from Oz Weather

Bevin & Felicity  

http://bikersfromdownunder-lealand.blogspot.com/

My location

My location :
36 Queen St
Fingal Head New South Wales 2487, Australia

(Latitude = -28.1993, Longitude = 153.5712)
(Altitude = 11 m)
(Accuracy = 5 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-28.199343,153.571152

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

My location

My location :
LOT 1 Tweed St
Burleigh Heads QLD 4220, Australia

(Latitude = -28.0881, Longitude = 153.4531)
(Altitude = 2 m)
(Accuracy = 10 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-28.088142,153.453079

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

Today's trip

BikeMateGPS.
Hi

Well we saw the flooding it was masive hard to Beleve
Links below are mashup links sent from your iPhone.

- Mashup http Link-
Link below is link to your mashup
Trip1
http://bit.ly/fCTnyg

--
Bevin & Felicity Lealand iPhone
+61412205936
http://bikersfromdownunder-lealand.blogspot.com/

Next move

Holed up in Gladdy 12/01/2011

January 12^th 2011

 

Locked in Syndrome….Today finds us still in Gladstone, Queensland in a world that seems to have gone quite mad.

We are the very lucky ones, cut off yes, but very lucky as Gladstone is not suffering floods like all our neighbours around us. People have gone mad though, hitting the supermarkets and petrol stations in droves. Even though the supermarkets have been emptied of most essentials it looks as though they are now to bring it in by Military C130 Hercules and there's talk of barging stuff up and other trucks going 1000's kilometres out of their way so it's time just to chill out and wait for stuff. As I said its lucky its only food we have to worry about here, we are high and dry and safe.

There have been many very horrific images playing out round the clock here on TV and is extremely heartbreaking to see and so very hard to believe its unfolding all round us.

For us there was the plan to get down to Sydney to meet our daughter Sarah but that's looking more and more doubtful by the day. We are still staying with my cousin Lara and family, so days are taken up a lot of the time helping out in the household with wee children and chores and the odd bit of DIY home renovations. Bevin has been helping Bevan ( no its not a typo Lara's husband is yet another  haha) knock out two 70's style arched walls converting them to nice square open entrances which have made an incredible difference to space.

I  went of to a Girlie night, last Friday with Lara to one of her friends, the idea drinkies and nibbles/dinner…well what can I say those Ozzie chicks can't be trusted they were on a mission to stitch the two of us up. They had a card drinking game planned and the hostess' husband was making some chocky flavoured cocktails which were yumm..see bad things looming there don't you. Well turns out these lovely Ozzie girls were cheating making sure we got more than our fair share of punishment.

We got there just after 5pm and about 10pm ish Lara turns to me and says "I think I am going to be sick" so off I trot for a piece of Tupperware..they don't seem to have the very handy icecream containers stashed like we do. J Next she says " Can we go home"  so call up the support crew and Bevin came to get us…good news is neither of us disgraced ourselves

Bevin got his turn on Sunday going out with Bevan and mates to the pub..it was me this time on support/pick up duties…Me and 6 guys in a falcon…1 beside me, 3 in the back seat..now where do you put the remaining 2????? The boot of course and I can't even begin to tell you what sort of dialogue went on between those inside the car and those in boot..not for publication I'm afraid.

It has continued to be very hot and sticky and every time we go for a bike ride we become melting moments..yeesh. Headed out to Tannum Sands Beach couple of days ago to try cool off and Bevin who is usually a little reluctant to get into cold water was bobbing around in the tide saying..hmm its almost a little too warm isn't it?

So now we are just waiting till floodwaters recede enough for us to head South..carefully of course as roads potholed before will probably resemble a war zone now.

So no great adventures at the moment as there is nowhere to go except around Gladdy and have now done most of that. Replaced the front sprocket on my bike so no more clicking going on. In retrospect its lucky we ordered it and so therefore were waiting for it or we may have been more unlucky and stuck in the middle of this disaster.

Twelve people are now confirmed dead, that is sooo sad and there will be more… though those now missing have come down to in the 50's  The mess and destruction is honestly beyond belief. Our thoughts and hearts are soo much with all those that are suffering right now…puts our very safe lives in perspective huh? And on that note to all our family and friends we truly do love and appreciate you so much x x

 

--
Bevin & Felicity  Lealand iPhone
+61412205936
http://bikersfromdownunder-lealand.blogspot.com/

GPS trip log

Here  is a link to my GPS travel information that im now going to use 

This was a short trip to the beach for a swim and back and back we did yesterday just click on the link below 

Im sure it will be more intresting as we move along ;-)

Trip0

http://bit.ly/eY2nZA 

Tiny wee lizard

My location : Auckland lookout

My location : Auckland lookout
Auckland Lokout
Gladstone QLD 4680, Australia

(Latitude = -23.8335, Longitude = 151.2539)
(Altitude = 14 m)
(Accuracy = 50 m)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=-23.833521,151.253922

Email generated with iGPS mini / http://www.kiwiobjects.com

The orange highlighted lines are were we have traveled so far

New years Day 2010

Happy New Year everyone.. Let us hope it's a peaceful and Happy year
for all mankind
Here I am tapping this out tonight in the basement rumpus room in the
dark at my cousin Lara's home in Gladstone being serenaded with the
chirps of our wee friends the Gecko's- ok so we weren't so charitable
to the cheeky Cane Toad who thought it would be fun to play in the
corner( he got rerouted to outside) mind you in retrospect he could've
come in handy as we spent a bit of time trying to locate the giant
cockroach that got away after my less than successful attempt to
squish him.. La cockaroacha then headed under our air mattresses yes
again no luck .. Dunno where the horrid thing is now.. Hope I don't
find out in the night either We have other wildlife sharing our room-
couple of rather large lizards as well as the chirping geckos and a
wee mouse quite a menagerie we are down here lol
Christmas day here started off quietly as Lara and husband Bevan
worked and got home after 1pm.. Their wee boys were just about beside
themselves with excitement and hyped to bits on stocking lollies so
that grandparents Michelle and Barry had their work cut out for them
childminding. Bevin got to be Santa all dressed up in red and
sweating.. Wonder if thats why wee Joel wasn't keen to sit on Santas
knee :-)
Forgot what bedlam it is watching a 3 year old & a 17 month old open
stacks of pressies but we all had fun!
Dinner was Ham and Roast Beef & and Salads and nibbles and yip
drinkies and tired the working ones were so 9pm bed... Arrhgh that's
not right on Xmas day aye?
It was indeed a wet one for the area .. Widespread flooding up North
at Rockhampton and surrounds and South of us as well with some areas
declared disaster areas so some sadly had pretty soggy Xmases
Boxing day was rainy hot and sticky and our work and toddler tired
cuzzies hit bed again early and Bevin and I couldn't sleep so at about
2am. Bevin asked me if I wanted to go for a walk down to McDonalds for
a thickshake.. Well wasted walk we could not go through drive through
without a car.. HSE policy.. damn should have taken the kids electric
car with us
Bevin & I along with cousin Michelle and Barry took a drive up to
Rockhampton .. Lovely day , very hot and lotsa water round & the
Fitroy river a torrent. Rocky has some nice old buildings too. We
headed out to Yeppoon which is a pretty seaside village that is
favoured as a popular retirement spot.
Spent a day doing bike maintenance & general bits and bobs.. Bevin has
a new luggage carrier.. Watch this space pics will feature sometime
Yesterday Bevin and I and a neighbour took a ride on bikes up to the
Awoonga Dam- the spillway working well as heaps of excess going over,
then on another road we came across 2 motorbikes an R1 & a 750
Kawasaki both newish bikes trashed after hitting huge pothole and each
other both guys ok but pretty sad I think..no insurance :-(
New Years eve we and several other neighbors got together at one of
the other neighbors to see in the New Year with with nibbles and
drinkies .. There were 13 of us 9 being Kiwis :-)
We went for a ride today out to Tannum Beach . Warm as day but did
not seem to deter people from swimming in a brown sea
Tonight at bed time, just after 9. .. Nope am not sleeping- though
struggling now lol The major excitement tonight was a domestic going
on across road.. Ugly , and no sooner had I got out that we should
phone police when they arrived,
Well I'm fading now so goodnight to all 01/01/11 out!

--
Bevin & Felicity Lealand iPhone
+61412205936
http://bikersfromdownunder-lealand.blogspot.com/