On the corner of Bermuda and Markeri Streets in Mermaid Waters, Q Super Centre is a shopping mecca right in the centre of the Gold Coast’s style map. The Silver team catch up with all the news from the popular shopping haven.
It’s a tough life as a magazine writer, having to spend time at places like gorgeous, sunkissed shopping mecca Q Super Centre. But someone has to do it!
With the absolutely beautiful Spring weather now upon us at the Gold Coast, an outdoor shopping centre is the way to indulge in some retail therapy. We can look for our favourite things, and enjoy being outside as well. Q Super Centre is on one level only, so there are no stairs to navigate. And it is beautifully landscaped, giving the feeling of being in an oasis, protected from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. So what is happening this Spring at Q Super Centre?
Leanne Coutis, Q Super Centre’s ambassador
Doggie Calendar
As most of us know, Q Super Centre is becoming very well known as a doggie-friendly shopping centre. There are dog watering stations across the shopping centre, plus handy dog waste bags throughout the complex, and doggies are allowed in all the outdoor areas. Some stores also allow dogs inside. A fun event that takes place every year is the Doggie Face of Q. This is a competition where owners send in pics of their fur babies. One winner is selected, plus 11 other pups are chosen to be in the doggie calendar.
The 2021 doggo finalist won $500 credit with Vet Call and a $500 Petbarn gift card. Plus, a pet photo shoot with Sandy Noses Pet Photography. And, a Doggie Face of Q 2021 dog tag and a gift from Petbarn. Eleven lucky runners up received a $100 Petbarn voucher, plus a pet photo shoot with Sandy Noses Pet Photography and a gift from Petbarn. Keep an eye on Q Super Centre’s social media pages. The 2021 competition has just been closed, so the calendar will appear soon, featuring the Doggie Face of Q 2021 star!
Some contestants for the Doggie Face of Q
Donations
Q Super Centre is very active in giving to those in need. Every entry received in the Doggie Face of Q meant that the centre gave $1 to Story Dogs. The Story Dogs literacy program is built around the idea of kids reading to dogs. Kids with reading difficulties can fall behind very fast. So the charity tries to ensure that the gap between these kids and fluent readers doesn’t widen. Story Dogs has been very successful, with great improvements noticed in the participating students.
Q Super Centre are also supporters of the Animal Welfare League Queensland. They have often asked for their customers to bring any old or unwanted blankets or towels to collection points at the Shopping Centre. They also have other charity events, including food donation bins, which is especially helpful at Christmas.
Community Services
There are plenty of services for those in the community to avail of. There is now a completely free JP service operation 7 days per week except public holidays (although this can change during Covid restrictions, please check with the website to see the schedule.) The JP service is now permanently located next door to ALDI Supermarket. No appointment is necessary.
Shopping haven at the heart of Gold Coast
There’s over 80 retailers including three supermarkets at Q Super Centre. There’s also Bunnings, Pet Barn, and nine dining choices, specialty stores offering gourmet fresh food, dining, hair and beauty, home wares, medical and health, banking as well as unique and boutique fashion. For more updates, keep an eye on Q Super Centre social media (facebook.com/QSuperCentre or Instagram @qsupercentre or log onto qsupercentre.com.au).
Want to read more about the Q Super Centre finds? Check this one out.
When it comes to over-50s lifestyle communities, Halcyon Greens is smashing it. The development can’t stop winning awards. It has been attracting buyers from all over the country who are flocking to the Gold Coast in unprecedented numbers. With the Pimpama community’s final stage now selling, Silver Magazine took a spin around the development to see all of the good stuff before it sells out.
Several years ago, Halcyon founders Dr Bevan Geissmann and Paul Melville took a trip to Florida, the epicentre of over50s lifestyle resorts. Returning to Australia with the latest thinking on the good life, the vision for Halcyon Greens was born. “Our vision for Halcyon Greens was to create modern, country club living, the size and scale of which has never been seen in over-50s living in Australia,” Dr Geissmann said.
Masterplanned by Sanctuary Cove architect Brian Toyota, the northern Gold Coast community is located on an 84-acre island. It is surrounded by a nature reserve, and stunning native wetlands. Also, it is nestled next to the ultramodern community of Gainsborough Greens. Residents have private access to the club’s 18-hole Championship golf course and clubhouse.
Homeowners at Halcyon Greens enjoy connecting with neighbours through various activities
Many homeowners enjoy free golf as a benefit of living at Halcyon Greens. They are incredibly active in organised competitions… but are also partial to a social game with friends. Outside of golf, there are plenty of activities, with groups and events being organised to keep homeowners busy and connected.
$20 MILLION LIFESTYLE AND RECREATIONAL PRECINCT
Running through the community and located across six acres is the $20 million lifestyle and recreational precinct. This is the largest, purpose-built facility of its kind in Queensland. It rivals many of Queensland’s five-star tourism resorts. Homeowners have access to 22 different functional spaces, it caters to more than 40 individual sporting, leisure and recreational groups. Homeowners can enjoy both casual and formal events, in different spaces, which are connected by enclosed walkways.
The Lodge is the more formal of the leisure facilities. It features a luxe seated area with stone fireplace, commercial kitchen and bar, private dining room, a 40-seat Gold Class cinema, library and sala.
Surrounding The Lodge is an outdoor seating area which looks out over the resort pool. It has sun lounges, a beach entry and disability rail for ease of entry. Plus there’s a sunken firepit, which is perfect for afternoon meets.
On the other side of the resort pool is the Recreation Club. It has a commercial kitchen and bar, parquet dancefloor, function space, 25-metre heated mineral pool, spa, gym, hair salon, beauty treatment spaces and bocce court.
The Pavilion opens to eight pickleball courts, tennis court and a championship-size bowling green, all floodlit so homeowners can play well into the evening. It also offers BBQ facilities, kitchenette, function space and a billiards area.
Recreation Club’s heated mineral pool
LET’S GET THE PARTY STARTED
Halcyon communities are designed to provide homeowners with the ability to do as much or as little as they like. The homes are built to allow ageing in place and the facilities offer a platform for homeowners to form vibrant sporting and leisure groups. The social club at Halcyon Greens, known as the ‘fun club’ is incredibly active. It organises many events and activities ranging from live concerts, themed dinners, fashion parades, mystery bus trips, excursions and trivia competitions.
Gatherings are also being held at the social rooms
A team of busy volunteers work hard to organise the many events. Group president Ann Ryan said the best thing about being involved with the social group is having the opportunity to meet more people in the community. “It brings homeowners together from the single homeowners to the couples who socialise and connect with the rest of the community. It’s great watching people who haven’t danced in a long time hit the dance floor. It’s also great seeing the people who have just joined our community talking to new friends, and happy.”
The community has recently had trips to Maleny, the theatre in Brisbane and one of Gold Coast’s most fun cover bands, Koi Boys, played live at the Recreation Club. “We are spoiled for choice as you need to prioritise what you want to go to each week as there are so many things on offer,” said Ann.
A theater in Brisbane where community events are held
AWARDS
Halcyon is no stranger to industry recognition being the most awarded creators and operators of over-50s lifestyle communities, with almost 30 national and state awards.
Halcyon Greens is no exception with the Pimpama community winning the prestigious Urban Development Industry Australia (UDIA) Queensland’s 2020 awards for Best Seniors Living and Best Master Planned Community.
The community was shortlisted in the national awards. This made it the first developer of over-50s communities to be a finalist in the Seniors Living and Master Planned categories.
The UDIA recognition was off the back of the community’s $20 million Recreation and Lifestyle Precinct winning the Master Builder’s award for Best Tourism and Leisure Facilities over $10 million, beating many hotels and tourist resorts on the Gold Coast.
More so, Halcyon Greens is also a final in this year’s national Urban Developer Awards, which are yet to be announced.
GREEN CREDENTIALS
Halcyon Greens has been designed and built to take advantage of green technology. This lowers the carbon footprint of the community and offers homeowners more certainty over energy costs. The community has six-leaf UDIA EnviroDevelopment certification for its sustainability initiatives across ecosystems, landscaping, waste and recycling, energy, materials and water.
In addition to this, Halcyon homes are built using materials such as steel frames, Hebel panels, insulation and 3.5kW solar panels and solar hot water as standard, with many homeowners choosing to upgrade to 5.0kW. Many homes have Tesla batteries which drive down energy costs even further, with one homeowner revealing they were averaging around 1.0kWh per day compared to their previous home (also solar powered) of around 11kWh per day. “The cost comparison isn’t simple because we had solar in our previous home with a very good feed-in rate. However our average daily cost in our previous home was $1.00 per day compared to a credit of $2.70 per day at Halcyon Greens,” the homeowner said.
Greenery is a key point at Halcyon Greens
THIS IS THE LIFE
The lush island oasis has allowed the community developers of Halcyon Greens to dream big and create an exceptional lifestyle community. The team at Silver have visited and can vouch that the development is everything that the builders have promised. We highly recommend doing the tour. The final stage of the Pimpama community is now selling and with the Gold Coast real estate market set to get hotter over the coming years, the time to inspect Halcyon Greens in now. Enjoy!
An Instagram grandma called “Baddie Winkle” says she has been stealing your man since 1928.
Holiday company Hotels.com have got together with a bad-ass grandma who calls herself “Baddie Winkle” to encourage people to go travelling (staying in their hotels, of course). Using the hashtag #BadAssBucketList you can follow her adventures. You can even contribute yourself to the hashtag should you be a granny looking to feel up some prime young beef.
Bad Grandma
Baddie is promoting Hotels.com Rewards program, which gives patrons a one-night freebee in a hotel for every 10 stayed. She says, “I have always wanted to party in London, go to the Moulin Rouge in Paris and watch cheeky volleyball players do their thing on a beach in Brazil!”
Baddie with a Kardashian
Now as a micro-influencer, she can perve on Brazilian boys on a holiday company’s dime. Which is nice work if you can get it. All the Insta-grandma has to do is to flit around a number of hotels, staying there and showing fans what she gets up to inside them. Baddie wrote on her Instagram page recently; “I’m international baby!”
nternational indeed. The 89-year-old micro[1]influencer even has her own celebrity fans, including Miley Cyrus, Khloe Kardashian and Nicole Richie. Perhaps they will be watching with glee as she mixes rooftop cocktails in NYC, rubs shoulders with NFL players, and helicopters over The Grand Canyon. It’s a tough life, but someone’s Nana has to do it.
So why are a holiday company hiring a bad granny? Because they want boomers with cash to come and stay. But that’s not all. According to the astonishing results of a recent survey, one in five people under 30 have confessed that their travel plans are inspired by their favourite oldies. Who knew that oldies could be travel inspiration? The marketing people at Hotels.com knew. Oh hell yes, they knew.
Baddie brings her granddaughter along on the trip, and this seems to fit in with accusations that millennials are a bunch of home-loving family[1]stalking squares. 40 percent of millennials would prefer to complete their bucket lists with their parents or grandparents – rather than with a celeb (11 percent), siblings (28 percent) or on their own (25 percent). What the….?
One in eight confessed that their gran (or nana) was cooler than them and travelled more than them. For those of us in marketing? Let’s remember that the best micro-influencers might be someone you haven’t considered before. Like grannies in leather dresses. Who are on their way to steal your man. Now would be a good time to panic. ■
Love travel stories? Then click here and lose yourself abroad!
Silver Magazine spoke to some people who use dating sites after 50. Love? Lust? Hot? Cold? Yes? No? Let’s find out.
LUST
MARIA (54)
I had been married a very long time – 30 years – and the marriage was always very good. But the sex was always disappointing for me. It was good for him but not for me, and I couldn’t seem to get around that. When I turned 52, my sex drive was very, very high and he was very, very low. He was lucky to want sex once every two weeks.
We both knew our sex life needed something new, so we decided to make our relationship an open one. When you’ve been together for 30 years, having sex with each other is less important than it was when you were young. Our kids were raised and out of home, so it was time to have some fun.\
My husband preferred to take just one lover, and he sees her maybe once every two weeks. I don’t think his sex drive could take much more than that. But I decided to experiment.
So being 54, I thought that I would be less desirable. I also thought that men wouldn’t be open to the idea that we weren’t working towards a relationship, because I never wanted to leave my husband. I just wanted to have a more interesting sex life. And so I said that on my profile.
I was very clear that I wasn’t about to take on one-night stands and do that 300 times. I wanted to know the person and make sure they weren’t going to murder me and put me in a freezer. But also, while at this age we can’t get pregnant, we do have to be careful with STIs. I was looking for some regular lovers who were open to being very safe with sex. And I’ve had some really good success with that.
My biggest surprise was to see very young guys in my inbox wanting to have an affair, and it has been amazing. Only one of them I’ve taken up with. It is honestly because I couldn’t resist. He is 26 and he is absolutely stunningly gorgeous. And the sex with him has been wild. It makes me think that good lover are born and not taught. He hasn’t had a lot of partners, but he has sex as he has.
We see each other about once a fortnight and I am delighted to see him every time. I am on borrowed time though, he will find his life partner soon and then his focus will be her. So I enjoy it while it lasts. Porn has done a lot of good things for older women, thanks to the MILF category. Young men absolutely have fantasies about us and they desire us.
Each dating app offers a different type of dating. There are lots and lots of interesting people out there. And lots of people want to get to know you and have sex with you and take you on as a lover. They want to listen to you, and they want you to listen to them. And it’s been really, really refreshingly a good experience. I now currently have four lovers who I see maybe once a week each and they offer me different things.
One of my lovers is my age, he’s 54 and he owns a boat and he moors it at the Southport Yacht Club, and I go and stay on his boat one night a week. We have wine and we have dinner and it’s amazing. He has seen the world, and he has a lot of interesting things to say, and he’s got kids like I’ve got kids and they have their own lives now and that’s lovely. But that is his life – I don’t want to live on a boat! But sex on a boat is great!
My next lover, I like a lot. He’s divorced and lives on his own. He’s such a nice person, and you know what? I’d never married him in a million years. This guy is not exciting enough for me, but he is amazing in bed. So that’s been a diverting experience. And, he lives up the road and I can visit him whenever. I’m always welcome. I think it will work with him until he gets to the stage where he wants a second wife. And the second wife is not going to be me.
My other lover is a man that I didn’t meet through dating online. I met him at my gym. He is ten years younger than me. I don’t even know how to describe him. He’s really tall and broad, and he is properly wild. He is covered in tattoos and has a wild hairstyle and piercings. He’s into domination and other things that I have never experienced in my life except when I was reading 50 Shades! But when he strides into the room, picks me up and throws me over the kitchen counter, I lose my mind. You are literally never too old to try new things and this guy has put me through a loop. I could never have a relationship with him. He’s broke and irresponsible. But as a lover? Holy hell.
If you want just a casual thing, and you’re just looking to have a more exciting life, absolutely try internet dating. But do it sensibly. Always meet these people first in a cafe or a bar or whatever. If they want to meet you just for sex and they want you to come to their house at the first meeting, I think you’re going to have a bad time. This is because it is probably someone who just doesn’t care about anything but the sex. But if they’re willing to take the time to get to know you and have a coffee first or have some dinner somewhere or go for a walk on the beach first, they’re better guys. And then also always tell someone where you are. Always practice safe sex.
If, like me, you are an older woman who wants to explore her sexuality, then absolutely do it. I think this is an exciting time in our lives. We can’t get pregnant. We’ve got no responsibilities. Our kids are grown up and moved away. In terms of material things in life, we’ve got everything we need by 50. As we age we are more about the experiences, rather than things. So it’s a great time to grab your sex life with both hands and go for it.
LOVE
BILL (72) MET SANDY (68) on an online dating site.
I’ve been divorced for well over 23 years. I never got married again, but I’ve had relationships that never worked out for one reason for another. It took me a long time to get the courage up to put myself on a dating website. But eventually, I did, and I wanted to find a partner. Sandy got on the website, would you believe, find a partner for a New Year’s Eve party! She wasn’t looking for anything long term. She was just looking for a party partner because she hadn’t been to a New Year’s Eve party for years! She had been on her own for nine years, she decided to make the move. I was the first person she contacted.
I met Sandy about two weeks after I went online. When we connected, we started communicating on the dating site. After some correspondence, I asked, “Would it be okay if I sent you my email address?” Which I did.
We corresponded for about three weeks. The chats were nice, I could tell she was a lovely, lovely lady. And it all kind of went from there until Sandy said, “I think we should meet.”
We chose to meet at a place she was comfortable – her local surf club. After communicating with one another, we had a friendship happening by the time I had met her. After we met, I took her to Rydges at the airport. It is a really, really, really nice restaurant.
It was straightforward from there. We started dating and seeing one another and the friendship grew and we’re inseparable now. We celebrate the first of every month – it was the 1st of January when I first met her and took her out. And so as of the 1st of June, it has been six months.
I would definitely recommend meeting online. But be cautious about who you are corresponding with. Connect on the dating site but then continue to communicate privately off the site.
There are scammers out there. I started to communicate with a person calling herself Jewel. She was in Malaysia buying jewellery. She sent me very, very flowery messages. Next thing you know, she was asking me for money. Of course, I told her, “I don’t want to have anything to do with you.” And I never heard from her again. If someone asks for money, run for your life.
Sandy and I are going to move in together at the end of the month. Sandy is originally from South Australia and her two sons are living over here on the Gold Coast. So it makes sense that she moves in with me. She has sold her place in South Australia and things have worked out great.
She had her reservations in the beginning obviously, how things were going to happen. She kind of felt that we have met in a previous life because we just get on with one another so well. Now, we are totally inseparable.
In fact, where I get a lot of ribbing from my mates…Can’t you leave her alone? You’re always holding her hand, or you’re always doing something with her!
At the current moment, she is busily putting a lot of stuff on eBay because I’ve got an apartment here and it is fully furnished.
When I met Sandy, I was 71, I turned 72 in March. I said, “It’s taken me 71 years to find you.” And she says, “We’re meant to be and we were meant to meet later.”
I have two sons who are 44 and 42. My eldest is on the Gold Coast, and my other one is in Sydney. And Sandy has two sons as well around the same age group. We have all met each other and everyone is happy for us. I’m still pinching myself.
IN LIKE
MICHAEL (56)
My marriage was winding down and we were coming to what I thought was a natural end of the relationship. And so, I thought I’d see if dating was still possible over 50. I tried a few different online apps. Some of them were good and some of them weren’t so good.
I wanted something that would lead to a relationship, something to have a future. It was easy to arrange dates. The nice women on there will take some time to chat and get to know you a bit. Once you’ve established some sort of rapport, they are always willing to meet you for a coffee or something simple to start. This is just to see if you’ve there’s some sort of in‑person compatibility.
I didn’t have any sort of real chemistry with some of my dates. But I have kept them as good friends. And these are people that I still like to meet up with and have a coffee with. I see how they’re getting on and see how their dating experiences are going versus mine. I’m sure that one or two women that I dated probably thought that it would be nice to move things along. But I didn’t reciprocate those feelings.
Then I met Jackie. I think we just got on best. There was chemistry, there was the physical attraction. But also we were able to chat more freely and I think we had a better understanding of what we both wanted. And so, it just felt like natural.
Internet dating is definitely a good thing. Back in the day, you had to meet somebody in a bar or at a nightclub. You didn’t even know if they were single or not. You just had to sort of asking them. There was a lot of hit and miss and you could be rejected an awful lot. The girl might be attracted to you but if she was with somebody and you didn’t know that before you approached her, that was awkward.
Whereas online you know what you’re looking for and you know what they’re looking for. So, there’s a lot of the hit and miss stuff that is gone immediately from the equation. But also, back in the day, you were meeting somebody in a location, you were limited to the sorts of people around you in the places you were going to. Whereas online, you could meet somebody that you might never have met before.
I hope my relationship with Jackie will end up in marriage and world travel. There’s no rush though. Things have to go the way they go.
I would highly recommend online dating. It is an advancement on what in-person dating used to be.
KEEPING IT CASUAL
JANET (62)
I was single for five years when I met Albert. I was really looking for somebody that enjoyed the same things that I did. I was always looking for that drop[1]dead gorgeous guy, but then I changed things around a bit and started looking for a different kind of guy. I wanted a good personality. And someone who was interested in the same things I was – travel and fishing and all sorts of different things that I find me involved with.
I have finally realised that it is not all about looks. Companionship needs to be there as well as being attracted to him. I like having somebody to do things with.
I went onto an online dating site, and I met Albert. We chatted for a couple of days. He was away at the time so when he returned we met for coffee at a local restaurant. He was very nice and very considerate. And then we chatted some more and then I found myself on a second date with him. Fish and chips at Charis by the Broadwater… my favourite!
We just seemed to get on really well. He makes me laugh. Now we see each other a few times a week and spend a couple of nights at each other’s houses. I quite like that we still live in our own houses. After being single for so long, you have that independence. Even though we are in a relationship, I still like to have my own space, and he does too.
We don’t have any plans of moving in together in the near future. We’re quite happy the way things are going. While I don’t have any kids at home, his grown-up kids have just moved back in with him. And I don’t want to live in that tornado!
I would absolutely recommend dating online. If nothing else, it is a good giggle. ■
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The Caravan Repair Company at Burleigh Heads is known across Queensland and New South Wales as the place to go to restore a caravan or get it fixed. They tell us what tips we need to know if we want to hang on to our beloved caravan.
If you are somebody who has an adventurous spirit and a lust for travel, then it is probably very likely that you either are thinking about purchasing a caravan, or you already have one!
The great thing about the caravan market is that there are lots of older models on sale for very reasonable prices. You should feel confident in picking up a bargain with a few future little tweaks and improvements in mind.
Caravan restorations are the latest trend, and you can really bump up the value of your investment if you know the best things to change and upgrade.
To give you an insight, here are five of the best tips for modern caravan restorations.
REUPHOLSTER
An easy way to breathe some modern life back into an old caravan is to reupholster all of the main cushioned areas within the unit.
A lot of old caravans will have seen a lot of wear and tear in these areas, so giving them a fresh set of cushioning can make a world of difference right off the bat. Reupholstering is one of the best tips for caravan maintenance.
CHANGE CURTAINS
Again, old curtains must smell musty as well as looking very dated at this point. An easy way to spruce up the interior is to update them with a more modern pattern and material.
Caravan Repair Tips
CHANGE THE LIGHTING
One of the best tips for caravan restoration is experiment with some cool and fun lighting ideas inside the caravan. Explore LED strip lights, which can be placed on pretty much any hard surface and produce some really modern looking results.
DECAL
Make an instant impact to the exterior of your caravan by installing a wrap or decal that features a fun design or colour. It’s a great way to stamp your own personality on an old vehicle!
ENHANCED SECURITY
One of the most crucial tips that you need to know is a lot of old caravans are very easy to break into, so do yourself a favour and upgrade the security features of your model along with all of the more aesthetic changes.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Modern caravans are complicated machines. Developments over recent years have turned many of them into homes from home, which is great for holiday making.
However, these developments mean there is a lot to go wrong, and plenty of items which wear out. Unlike static homes, caravans are motor vehicles which have to pass road safety standards.
This and the home comforts can be very demanding to keep on top of.
SAFETY FIRST
Before you hit the road in your caravan, you’ve got to be sure it’s safe to do so. Caravans tend to be heavily used at certain times of the year, then left standing for a few months. It can be easy to overlook essential vehicle checks and repairs, and just head off into the distance.
The trouble is, that distance might not be very far, if your vehicle lets you down. RV users can find their holidays cut short by being pulled over for a safety infringement.
Safety inspections should be carried out regularly, especially if your caravan’s been standing for any length of time. This should be done by qualified professionals, rather than just giving your vehicle the once-over. It’s easy to forget how many kilometres caravans and other RVs clock up over time.
A safety inspection lets you know that you’ll make it all the way there and all the way back.
The most common repairs carried out are covered by, and to comply with, your warranty. Manufacturers have strict rules about this, of course, and it’s a bad idea to fall foul of them.
Similarly, logbook servicing must be done regularly and correctly, to keep your caravan roadworthy.
ADDED EXTRAS
There are a lot of extras fitted to caravans these days, which is what makes them so enjoyable. Fixtures and fittings such as awnings, AC units, fridges and microwaves are almost taken for granted today when caravanning.
Finding out that one or more of these don’t work when you’re parked up is sure to spoil your holiday.
Other essential repairs include those for toilets and showers, not to mention water tanks. These kinds of jobs would be carried out by other trades in the home, but require specialist skills for caravans.
Important items like these need as much care and attention as your vehicle’s roadworthy components. ■
Silver Adventurers Jan and Peter (both 74) hit the road in their caravan to explore the stunning Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, famous for its waterfalls and gorges.
Map
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
The Oxley Wild Rivers National Park is in the Northern Tablelands region of New South Wales. It is World Heritage-listed in recognition of the extensive dry rainforest that occurs within the park, and its rich biodiversity. There are at least fourteen waterfalls in the park, which are at their most spectacular after rain.
In February, heavy rain along the East Coast caused a cancellation of our fishing trip. So where to go after heavy rain? A place known for its waterfalls! Friends suggested we join the two of them on a trip to Oxley Wild Rivers National Park in our caravan, and off we went.
First Part of Our Journey in Our Caravan
The first part of the journey took us through Grafton and along the Waterfall Way to Ebor. After that, we were in new territory. We discovered that the dramatic gorges captured our attention more so than the waterfalls.
HILLGROVE
Travelling further towards Armidale in our caravan, the old mining town of Hillgrove established in the late 1880s was worth investigating. Although a number of cottages remain from its peak population of 3,000, there are interesting signboards scattered around the laneways describing the former structures. The Hillgrove Museum gives visitors a view into the rich heritage of the past. The major surprise for us was the amount of mining that took place in this rugged part of the country.
Dangars Gorge
Hillgrove was once one of the major goldfields in New South Wales, exploiting a rich reef of gold. This area of gorges was operating 9 mines at one time. Also produced was antimony – used to make flame-retardant materials – and tungsten, which was profitable during World War Two for its steel strengthening abilities.
Dangars to Mi-Hi Falls hike
A drive along Old Hillgrove Road and a short walk from a car park took us to a viewing platform over Bakers Creek Falls. Further, around the escarpment above Metz Gorge, we looked down 490 meters to the Bakers Creek mine, still an active mining area. On the opposite wall of the gorge, large dump trucks were snaking their way up and down the steep incline to the mine below. Previously, tramways operated by steam-powered engines pulled trams up and down the precipitous incline to the Bakers Creek mines.
DANGARS GORGE CARAVAN TRIP
Our camp for the next few days was at Dangars Gorge in the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, just a short drive out of Armidale. It is the most spectacular area of this National Park. The campground is on the edge of the Great Escarpment on the western side. The seven campsites are well set up with individual picnic tables and fireplaces with firewood supplied. Our evenings were spent barbecuing our dinner on a campfire under starry skies.
The scenic lookout near the day-use area revealed the dramatic Dangars Gorge and falls. The 120-metre drop to the bottom of the gorge is awesome. An information board informed us that eels migrate down the perilous descent of these waterfalls and out to the Coral Sea to breed in saltwater. Their homing instinct guides them to return after breeding, swimming back up the rivers. They have been observed climbing up through the damp grass. Moreover, at night next to Dangers Falls. To get to the higher reaches of the river. After a major flood event, thousands of eels get washed over the falls and perish. Apparently, it can make the bottom of the falls smell quite terrible.
HIKING TRAILS
We hiked around the edge of the gorge. To impressive views from McDirty’s Lookout at the northern section of this World-Heritage listed area. There were various viewing platforms along the trail. On the return hike on an overgrown track, we could see our campsite across the other side of spectacular views into the deep ravine in front of us. At a junction, we diverted through woodland, open fields, and following a fence line, found Mi Hi Falls. We were rewarded with a view, from another platform, of water plummeting into the bottom of the gorge. A tired foursome of seniors returned to camp that evening after hiking 10.5 kilometres.
McDirty’s Lookout
The birdlife in this area was plentiful. In the last couple of days, we encountered a spotted quail thrush. Additionally, king parrots, and a flock of white-winged choughs, amongst many other more common species.
Trelfell Track
Second Part of Our Journey in Our Caravan
GARA RIVER
We moved on the next day in our caravan. The Blue Hole picnic area and popular swimming hole on the Gara River. A short drive north-east of Armidale, was a pleasant spot for morning tea. There are remnants of a dam here. It was part of a historic hydroelectric scheme to power the mines. It is the town of Hillgrove in the late 1800s. Amazingly, the dam was built with a timber framework, faced with a rock and a core of gravel and clay. Over the years floods have destroyed most of the dam wall. 100 metres downstream is a concrete weir, built to divert water into an aqueduct or flume which took it 2.5kms from here to the power station in the gorge.
Trelfell Walking Track
The circular Trelfell walking track follows the line of the flume staying close to it for most of its length. Further along the track at the Gara Gorge lookout, high above the Gara River, we gazed across the rugged wilderness below.
Boundary Falls Jan & Peter
GIBRALTAR RANGE NATIONAL PARK
At Glenn Innes, along the New England Highway, we called into the Tourist Information Centre. The well-informed assistant imparted his wide knowledge of the National Parks ahead. He mentioned this year’s Celtic Festival, which was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid, would go ahead this May. A couple of years previously we took part in this celebration of Australia’s Celtic Pioneers. The 40 granite monoliths of the Standing Stones here, unique in the southern hemisphere, are central to this interesting celebration. However, we made an overnight booking at the Boundary Falls camping area in the Gibraltar Range National Park. Located just a short drive off the Gwydir Highway.
Boundary Falls
In 1938 a sawmill here employed workers and included a dormitory, kitchen, two houses and single huts. They were all moved to Armidale when the mill closed. One of the relics still on view today is the steam engine that powered the mill.
Gibraltar Range NP Boundary Falls camp
Unfortunately, the heavy rains that had been lashing the north coast area of New South Wales penetrated into this region. Not to be deterred, the camp was set up in a very muddy area. Also, we managed to cook our dinner on a campfire whilst sheltering under umbrellas. Donning our wet weather gear the next morning, we were determined not to miss two more waterfalls. That also within easy walking distance.
Under umbrellas
Boundary Falls In Our Caravan
There was plenty of water over the Boundary Falls. Easily viewed from a platform at the edge of the day-use area. Recent fires had destroyed some of the signage. But, with a bit of searching around, we found the track to Lyrebird Falls. The 2.1km hike in the pouring rain was well worth the effort. To view plenty of water over the long drop.
Gibraltar Range Lyrebird Falls
On the southern side of the Gwydir Highway, still in the Gibraltar Range National Park. A well-formed gravel road gave us easy access to Mulligans camping area. It is very well facilitated with large individual sites. Flushing toilets (rare for a National Park) and the lovely swimming hole in Dandahra Creek. There was a wonderful choice of varying hikes for us during our few days camped here.
Lyrebird Falls, Jan & Peter
William Mulligan and His History
William Mulligan, who the campsite is named after, was a prominent citizen in this area. At the turn of the century. He built slab huts, one of which has been restored by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. He was a mining engineer. Moreover, he proposed a hydroelectric scheme by building dams on the north and south arms of the creek. Additionally, he also proposed installing a power station after sending the water 600 meters over the escarpment. We viewed the concrete weirs that were built in the 1920s. In an endeavour to measure the flow of the water. Unfortunately, the necessary funding to complete the scheme was not available following the war years.
William Mulligans Hut
With it still raining, we lunched in one of the attractive picnic shelters in the day-use area. Where an assortment of birds including a treecreeper, yellow robins and a pretty rufous fantail entertained us. A 120-metre walk from there took us to the Burra Nulla Cascades. This is quite a pretty section of the creek where the water cascades over and through large boulders.
Fern Tree hike
Another day and a 6km hike on a medium grade track took us through a blackbutt forest. Before climbing higher through the rainforest to the spectacular columns of the Needles. They rise up from the Dandahra Gorge. We enjoyed a packed lunch while taking in this panorama.
Concrete Weir Mulligans Camp
The Tree Fern Gully 8km hike, which took us 3 hours, was disappointing mainly because the vegetation had severely suffered during the recent bushfires. Our favourite of all was the Anvil Rock hike, a 4.3km return. It is a short drive from the campground to the commencement of the track which winds through large granite outcrops, balancing rocks, and across metal, grids spanning swampy areas.
Overhanging Anvil Rocks
There is an easy climb when reaching the rocky outcrop at the end. Arrows mark the trail squeezing between and under huge boulders to the summit. Once again, we were buffeted by rain. Overhanging rocks sheltered us while we enjoyed the scenery and our lunches carried along with us once again.
The Needles
GRAFTON
On departing Gibraltar Range National Park, we travelled along the Gwydir Highway in our caravan. Down the range through Jackadgery, and on to Grafton. From here we chose a backroad along the western side of the Clarence River through the quaint area of Southgate. The pretty farming areas revealed classic federation houses. We camped the night on the grounds of the Lawrence Tavern, for a small fee. We also enjoyed a good meal that night in the Tavern. Early the next morning we crossed the mighty Clarence River on the Lawrence ferry to Woodford Island, travelling along the riverside where a trawling fleet was anchored. The skies were clearing, and a pretty rainbow welcomed us back through Maclean, onto the highway and towards home. ■
