Levuka – May Day 2021 long weekend
We headed off to Levuka nice and early to make an extra long weekend of it. Guy and I met Becca and Nathan at the Shell in Tingalpa so that our three cars could travel in convoy.
Bob and Rose were our welcoming party and helped us find the campground. The site was quite hilly so we spent a bit of time scouting the best spots.
First order involved shovelling the cow manure to clear the selected areas. This trip saw us upgrade from a swag to a tent which for us was great.
Nathan started the fire early and kept it going all weekend which was awesome. He’s definitely our number one club pyro.
By the time it we held the pre-drive briefing on Saturday morning our original group had grown from Guy and I; Becca; Nathan; Rose and Bob to include Darren and Mel; Lee; Greg and Rita; Peter; and Paul, Wendy and Chloe. We also welcomed visitors Heike and Udo; Michael; Rod, Carmen and Jade; and Leanne and Bob.
Lee led our 4WD adventure through water crossings and muddy terrain. We hadn’t gone very far before Nathan got bogged and had to be winched out by Lee. Nathan was testing an alternate crossing to going through the water. Lucky for us all the water crossings had a solid base.
Engaging low range 4WD our convoy was coached by Lee up, down, through and around all sorts of obstacles. We got to watch some impressive 4WDing when Lee and Peter put their skill and vehicles through the challenge of the playpen area. The rest of us chickened out when it came to testing out the steep playpen tracks!
At one point on our way back to camp our vehicles and the terrain took over and we were just passengers going for a ride. Unfortunately for Bob and Rose this resulted in damage to their rear tail lights.
After lunch we went off on a more sedate drive to Tooloom Falls near Urbanville, picking up some firewood on the way. The Falls were lovely, as was the whole area. The sun brought the fields and hills to life. The scenery was magical.
Back to camp and happy hour around the fire was the order of the evening. Darren and Mel (our NSW members) introduced us to the wonders of Aldi cocktails. Yummy!
Becca treated us all to her amazing scones with cream donated by the The Crown Hotel in Urbanville. Great country hospitality.
On Sunday those of us who stayed on went in search of a counter lunch. The Crown was closed (there is a definite pattern forming here with regional pubs being closed when we visit for a meal) so off we went to Woodenbong where we had a lovely meal and explored more of the local area.
Levuka is an ideal spot for mixing with nature, hearing whip and bell birds, cattle, wallabies, pythons and experiencing rustic Australian amenities. If your looking for a black soil mud adventure this is for you.
On returning home it was time to clean the car of the mud and rocks. Overall we had a fabulous weekend with nice weather once the showers cleared from Sunday lunch on. It was great to welcome our visitors and hope to see them all again on our next adventures.
Louise Watson