17th Dec – Brooms Head with a trip to Mclean




After a relaxing start including bacon and eggs for breakfast we took a short drive to Red Cliff, the national park camping just north from Brooms Head. The Pandanus trees were huge and used by many of the campers for shade, many of the sites had a pretty view of the ocean but unfortunately limited access to the beach, we decided to return to Brooms Heads for a paddle and play in the water. Thank goodness the winds were light and we could enjoy the beach, with the tide out at 1pm we headed to the lagoon for a walk out to the outer edge of the rock reef. We wondered where the little stingray went with most of the water emptied from the lagoon. With the seagulls bathing (literally .. they are so funny), we found this little spot where the kids could jump off the rocks into the lagoon pool area which was constantly being flushed by the incoming waves, and they loved it. Knowing Christmas was close we wanted to attend at least one Christmas Carols event, so we headed into Mclean (20 min away). It was a very tidy town by the Clarence River with a Scottish History. The carols event had around 10 market stalls (mostly food), so we set up the picnic blanket and took in the atmosphere. The highlight (or freak out) of the evening was the thousands of flying fox which were gliding overhead just around sunset, we had never seen anything like it. The best way to describe it would be as the Steven King Movie ‘The Birds’, and apparently it happens regularly but not in the volume we witnessed! Aside from this distraction the live music was lovely. Driving home in the dark we took it easy, and sure enough we saw a big grey kangaroo and a little joey on the side of the road. We pulled up next to him, said hello and then he jumped off!! Last thing we need to do is hit one of these buggers.











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