A Wee Bit of Scotland in Australia

Maclean (New South Wales north coast) situated on the Clarence River is a wee bit of Scotland over here.  All the lamp posts in town have clan tartans painted on them.  After much searching I found mine.

There's even a cafe dedicated to Skye and she found a mural with some of her cousins on it although Skye is still looking rather un-Cairnlike after her close shave with paralysis ticks at Budgewoi.

Waterfall Way

Yesterday we drove along the Waterfall Way from Bellingen to Dorrigo and the Dorrigo Plateau - what a magnificent drive climbing the escarpment of the Great Dividing Range to a height of 1500 metres.

The Dangar Falls on the Dorrigo Plateau

This sure is a "mosaicy" area - this fine example is in the main street of Dorrigo and was installed in 2001

Superb scenery

It's just so green here

Is it a kangaroo or is it?????????

NOOOooooooo it can't be

Yes it is...........

Yes, it's Skye, looking like a little kangaroo

(but she thinks she doesn't look any different)

Apart from how she looks, Skye is back to her usual bolshie self again.

See the "Oh Dear" post on 15th May for details of the "Great Tick Attack"

Bellingen Growers' Market

Woke up this morning to music and another market on my doorstep!

This time a much smaller affair - the Bellingen Growers' Market which is held every 2nd and 4th Saturday - small and intimate.

A great breakfast to be had here - good coffee, waffles
 or a traditional fry up and plenty of weekend newspapers to read

Local (very talented)  musos to listen to whilst munching and shopping

And a wide variety of stallholders

Bellingen Showgrounds

After leaving Budgewoi (and the ticks) we had a quick overnighter at Kendall Showgrounds - $7.50 pp with power - to be recommended - lovely and green a quiet small town.

Next day, bright and early for some, rather later for others, we continued the trek northwards - stopping at Nambucca Heads where we met up for lunch with Laurie and Robyn - good lunch at the pub - great company - fabulous view - what more could you want?

Lunch at Nambucca Heads with Robyn and the 2 Lauries!!

Onwards again, only half an hour's drive, to Bellingen, another showground - this time $10pp with power.

Bellingen is another one of those "alternative" towns, although not as "dippy" as some other places - it reminds me a bit of Deloraine in Tasmania - like them a lot of people moved here in the 70's so the artisans who remain are seriously good.  The Nexus Community Gallery at the Old Butter factory had some really good work on display.

Our campsite

The showground toilet block with decorative mosaic

Detail from the mosaic

Picnic table in showground shelter

Detail from picnic table

Oh Dear!

Poor little Skye she somehow stumbled head first into a tick nest and ended up with numerous miniscule tick larvae on her head and body (even on her eyelid).

Yes, this is Skye - she had to have a "tick shave" - I bought her a couple of plush doggy coats to keep warm

Whilst we were at St Ives showground both dogs had picked up quite a few bush ticks, which were removed easily with no ill effects.

Being in a tick area Skye has been having Frontline Plus applied fortnightly - last  application was last Thursday.  On Sunday evening Skye's bark was a bit hoarse but I thought she'd just pulled too hard on the lead and hurt her throat, however, Monday morning she looked a bit wobbly around the hind legs so I had a bit of a search - found a tick, it looked like the bush tick, but just to be safe I phoned the local vet - Doyalson Animal Hospital - they said come round straight away.

Jen, the vet,  looked her over and found another very small (pinhead size) tick - she said it was a paralysis tick larva and suggested that they keep her in overnight and give her a Permoxin wash.  Later they phoned and said they'd found at least a dozen minute larvae and weren't sure how many more there were and asked if they could give her a "tick shave" and also administer tick antivenom intravenously.  The vet thinks Skye may have stumbled into a tick nesting area.  She said she'd had a dog with up to 50 tick larvae on it - it didn't survive.

Skye came home late this afternoon - she doesn't LOOK or SOUND like herself , the voice change could take a few weeks to come back to normal (lararyngeal paralysis), her eyelids are also paralysed and she needs eye cream applied 3 times a day to keep the eye moist.

It will take a bit of time getting used to the new Skye. Her rear legs are still a bit weak - she can't jump up to front seat or step, but she isn't having any trouble eating!

It's good to have her back - the motorhome felt empty without her!

Budgewoi - love that name!

On Wednesday we reluctantly left St Ives Showground - a 101km drive on the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway (previously called the F3, now M1) - WOW what a wonderful drive - I'm not forgetting this is a freeway, but with it's sheer rock cliffs and sweeping river views as you cross the Hawkesbury River and Mooney Mooney Creek it was a pleasure to drive on.

Destination BUDGEWOI (what a wonderful Australian word! apparently means 'Young Grass" - pronunciation for overseas folks is budgie woy).  It's nestled between 2 lakes - Munmorah and Tuggerah - a small unspoilt town.

We're at the Budgewoi Holiday Park on Lake Munmorah - an ENORMOUS park - long and narrow - all along the lake edge, so you're not too aware of the size.  We're parked right on the lake, just a nature reserve between us and the water.  Winter special rates of $110 per week with power.

The reserve is an ideal place to walk the dogs..........except for one small thing(s)............

RABBITS......RABBITS and more RABBITS

Timmy, who has kindly consented to stay with Skye and myself for a week, is COMPLETELY OBSESSED - it's hard to get him to pee and poo he's so busy rabbit hunting!

Will be exploring more of the area in the next few days - so stay tuned..........

Sydney - Warm and Wonderful

I LOVE THE NORTH SHORE! - the winding tree-lined roads, the native bushland with pockets of rainforest, the water, the boats and the rugged headlands,

A sunny day out on Pittwater

 Boats, boats and more boats

 I met some "cousins" - charcoal Cairn Terriers, Robbie and Angus - they come to St Ives Showground most days 

There MUST be some food in here!