As we descend thru thick clouds from 9000 feet, we emerge in the foggiest and wettest weather I’ve flown in. “ Lucky, the instruments are working “ I say, “ since we can’t see where we are going “
We’re flying into Coffs Harbour in driving rain. Thankfully winds are light and Mr T manages one of his legendary smooth landings. It’s been 2 years since our last visit, but it feels like yesterday as we park the plane and make our way into town. Nothing has changed.
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Yesterday was ANZAC Day in Australia. This is when the country commemorates the crushing WW1 Gallipoli battle and more broadly the sacrifice made by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during the past and present wars.
Every year, people will gather in the early hours of the morning, to attend the dawn service remembering the fallen. Except this year was different: gatherings are banned so most people were standing in their driveway, lighting candles to the sound of a live stream playing the Last Post. I was lucky to wake up early enough and witness the most beautiful dawn from our rooftop, while indeed, someone out there played the mournful tune.
Then, I set out to bake ANZAC biscuits, as I do every year. These are iconic pieces of of Australian food heritage, along with pavlova and lamingtons. The key features are that they contain oats, coconuts and are eggless. The story goes that these biscuits were originally sent as part of care packages to the the troops in WW1, on the basis that they would survive the long journey.
Yesterday’s biscuits happened by accident.
Read MoreAs you know I have a weakness for octopus. It is my favourite seafood, on par with prawns and dare I say, I love it more than lobsters! There, I said it.
Ii was lucky enough, last weekend, to land a beautiful large specimen from Mrs Fish, my local fishmonger. Tony ( Mr Fish ) had trimmed and cleaned it all for me so that all I had to do was give it a quick rinse, and put it in the pot. I managed to make 3 different dishes out of it, not wanting to let any of it go to waste, and served them at a family lunch. The guests liked it and some asked for the recipes. These could not be easier!
What to do in 36 hours in Port Macquarie?
Earlier this month, we were meant to fly our friends, Dave and Denise, down to Merimbula for an overnight stay. However the NSW South Coast bushfire crisis forced us to change plans and head north instead. Ironically, the North Coast had been battling its own bushfires a couple of months prior and was only just recovering from massive destruction around the Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie area. So, in a way, we were doing our bit to support the local economy and though we didn’t bring an empty esky, we indeed had plans to visit as many places as we could.
Milton, Mollymook, Batemans Bay, Mogo, Moruya, Narooma, Tilba, Bermagui, Bega, Merimbula, Eden…these are some of the towns along the NSW South Coast we have visited in the past 3 years, either driving along the Princes Highway for a weekend getaway or flying down to the farthest reach close to the Victorian border for a longer break. Its beautiful coastline, green and lush pastures and unspoilt surfing beaches keep us coming down every year, as do many people during the holidays.
Off Lake Conjola, NSW
We had planned for a while to fly down to Merimbula for New Year and show the region around to visiting friends. The early onset of bushfires along the coast in August however had us keeping our plans in limbo and monitoring the conditions for months. Daily checks of the NSW Fires Near Me app, showed fires up the north coast and out west in the blue mountains during spring season, then with the arrival of summer mother nature turned its fury towards the south east of Australia, engulfing the whole region into a furnace.
Needless to say that we didn’t fly to the Sapphire coast as intended, and like most people we watched in horror as the bush fires wrecked so much devastation across the whole region. As I write, the loss of human lives, wildlife and stock is astronomical. So is the number of homes destroyed and businesses lost.
Close to my heart are Roman Leathergoods and Milstons Past and Presents, both shops in Mogo, near Batemans Bay. I remember leaving Mr T at our hotel downtown and driving to Mogo for a bit of “me” time, wandering around the quirky shops the village used to be famous for. There I purchased beautiful handmade leather belts and purses from Roman and chatted with his wife, Lorena, while finding a rare book at Leah Milstons bookstore next door. That was over a year ago. They, along with the entire town, have been reduced to ashes in the NYE blaze.
Milstons Past and Presents, Mogo, NSW
Unfortunately, they are two of hundreds, if not thousands of families and businesses, affected by the bush fires along the East coast of Australia in the last few weeks.
While the state of emergency/disaster both in NSW and Victoria is now lifted, thanks to easing weather conditions, the full extent of the devastation reveals itself daily on our screens. Not every properties were destroyed, some people were lucky and spared. I am relieved to see that some of the establishments we visited in the past came out unscathed, though the loss of income from the NYE “Tourist Ban” is a crucial blow to these businesses that rely on the summer holiday season to see them thru the rest of the year. With entire communities shaken to their core, the rebuilding becomes everyones’ focus.
Remnants of previous bush fires on Holmes Lookout, Batemans Bay, NSW
The urge to help is compelling, either by donating or collecting and most of you would by now be aware of the many options available to help ( from globally known Red Cross, to government agencies such as NSW RFS, or grassroots organisations like Treading Lightly Inc…). Social media campaigns such as Instagram @emptyesky and @spendwiththem are another great way to contribute towards the recovery effort, encouraging city folks like us to take on a road trip to fire affected areas, once safe to do so, and buy from local business. Options range from services, to wine, fresh produce… I can personally relate to this kind of initiative, always keen on a road trip I don’t need much incentive to pack up and go, especially when it is for a good cause !
Tilba post office, NSW
So as I happily add a South Coast getaway to this year’s travel plans, I thought I’d share with you some of our favourite spots, visited pre-fire season… Beautiful then, and always.
Mollymook/Ulladulla
Milton
Merimbula
Batemans Bay
Eden
Bermagui/Tathra
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