A Quick Trip To Port Macquarie

Last week I did a 3 day drive to Port Macquarie in NSW (1500Km all up). The drive took me through the northern coastal river country of NSW. The country from Tweed Heads to Coffs Harbour could never look better. It is so green as to be almost luminous. The section around the Bangalow- Byron Bay area is an especially beautiful part of Australia. The rolling green hills that stretch away to the beaches are covered with macadamia orchards and coffee plantations and many other sub tropical fruits. I marvelled at the huge Moreton Bay fig trees that are sometimes close to the highway - they are just massive and their broad span could shade a hundred cattle. One of the reasons I always like to take the coast troad is to see the mighty northern rivers. The Tweed, Richmond, Clarence, Macleay, Hastings - Wow! The volume of water passing into the Pacific daily from these rivers is mind boggling. I can't help but think as I drive over their bridges that they would go a long way to solving the water shortages of Brisbane and Sydney. Of course I'm not suggesting that they should be ripped off to the point of damaging their ecology but surely carefully computer monitored harvesting of the excess that just flows away is feasible. Perhaps it is too simple in its concept and too difficult politically! Heaven forbid that Queensland should take 'NSW water' from the Tweed 20 kilometres to supply the thirsty Gold Coast (the fastest growing city in Australia).
I must mention the beautiful river towns of Ulmarra and Maclean. These are fabulous historic river towns on the Clarence. It is not hard to imagine the hustle and bustle of their busy river life when they were centres for river boats coming and going in a pre highway and pre heavy truck era. Now they are quiet and charming places for travellers to stop and reflect and be awed by the magnificent river.
The purpose of my trip was to visit my Aunty Betty. She is my mother's sister and only sibling and has a special place in my life. No one on the planet has known me longer. We had a great day together that included a 3 km walk along the creekside boardwalk through Port's paperbark forest. The walk begins and ends at the fascinating, original Port Macqaurie cemetery which dates back to 1821. The rest of the day was taken up with coffee downtown, lunch at a local vineyard, drives around Port's beautiful headlands and beaches and finally some Aussie Open tennis on the TV. Betty was pretty tired after all this because as she kept telling me 'I'm not a spring chicken anymore'. Nevertheless at 82 she is an inspiration with her energy and positive attitude. No matter what life throws at you, Betty says you just have to cope and get on with it.
I was pretty tired my self when I got back to Buderim but glad I'd done the trip and travelled through such beautiful country. No doubt the green of this area is a luxury and a total contrast to the dry, thirsty places further south and west. But then to be driving through 'Eden' while listening to reports of bushfires, evacuations and droughts in other parts of the country typifies Australia and always has.