February 24
Nelson Bay to Cessnock
I was sitting on my balcony having breakfast, when I was joined by a medium sized, very bright and very noisy parakeet. I decided that if I went back inside to collect my camera, I would lose a fair chunk of my breakfast. As a result, I didn't get a photograph but concentrated on shooing the birdie away.I checked out quickly and discovered that not only was it dull outside but that there had been some rain and that the car was covered in dampness. It was, however, still warm. |
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The man in Newcastle Museum had told me about Birubi Bay, home to the largest dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. I drove down some back roads and parked behind a busy café near a busy beach. Sand as far as the eye could see and lots of people with both dogs and surf boards. I had another coffee.
The drive out of Port Stephens and back inland to Maitland took less than an hour going reasonably slowly. I didn't stop until I reached Maitland, but the area I passed through looked green and lush. No sign of either drought or fires.
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Maitland is an old town. Lots of historic buildings and fading grandeur. The Post Office was probably best of the lot. I think they even still sell stamps there. Equally important, I found an ANZ machine to sell me some cash.
Cessnock was another 20 minutes away, through lots of ribbon housing development. I didn't stop but headed straight towards the main vineyard area.
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There were some magnificent new buildings on display and I stopped at one of them, which contained several tasting rooms and several cafés.
At Meerea Park, I tried three Semillons and two Chardonnays. The Semillons, a local speciality, were particularly interesting. The Smelly Cheese Factory, next door, sold lots of cheese but their idea of food seemed to revolve round chips. I beat a hasty retreat.
Not much further along the road are the Hunter Valley Cheese Co and McGuigans Wines. I visited both about 20 years ago and they looked very familiar.
A cheese tasting platter served for lunch. The main cheese board included about half a kilogram of cheese, slightly too much for one. There was also a good long black. While I sat outside on a verandah, a sharp shower delivered the rain which had been threatening all morning.
I walked into McGuigans, next door, to ask about the Chardonnay that I had had in Singapore. Whilst the man behind the counter was very obliging, he couldn't really help. The company seems to have so many labels overseas that he couldn't be sure what I had enjoyed. They also have loads of labels which are only sold at the cellar door. Very confusing.
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I drove the few kilometres back to Cessnock and located the motel. Quite a large and grand building but past its best. It was cheap, which was why I chose it.
The town is definitely the poor relation of the area. Originally a mining town, it seems to have missed out on the money that has poured into Pokolbin, now the vineyard centre.
There are a few fine old buildings but many that are closed up. Not dissimilar to many high streets in the UK. The pub/restaurant I had chosen for dinner looked very imposing but also very closed. Research revealed that it went broke ten days ago. While I was examining it, the rain returned but only briefly.
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There was a distinct shortage of anything much open in the town, most activity being concentrated in the shopping centre, which housed Coles, Target etc. Yet again, typical of so many towns in the UK.
Having explored from one end of the town to the other, I returned to the motel, noting the pub/restaurant next door. After a couple of hours and not feeling at my best, I went to Pedens Hotel, a pub with a huge restaurant and not many people. The service was good, however, and I was soon attacking a very good steak with an excellent but over large salad. If in doubt in an Australian pub, have the steak. You can't go far wrong. By the time I had finished it, I was feeling better again.
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