366 March 2020

At Ballina, on our recent trip to New South Wales. Richmond River, principal river of the North Coast district, New South Wales, Australia, rising on Mt. Lindesay, in the McPherson Range, and flowing southeast through Casino and Coraki, at which point it is joined by the Wilson River. The river then turns northeastward, entering the Pacific Ocean at Ballina, 360 mi (580 km) north of Sydney. With a total length of 163 mi, it is navigable as far upstream as Casino. Henry Rous, a British naval officer, was the Richmond’s first European explorer (1828). The river crosses a district first settled by lumbermen and pastoralists in the 1840s. The area, also drained by the Clarence and Tweed rivers, yields sugarcane, bananas, dairy products, corn (maize), millet, and timber. britannica.com

Broadwater is a small town in the Richmond Valley local government area, in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. In 2006, the town had a population of 463 people. It is on the Pacific Highway. (Soon to have a bypass with the road construction project) The history of Broadwater has largely revolved around its sugar mill. In 1863 Henry Cook and Alexander MacDonald became the first people to select land in the area. To begin with, sugar was grown and crushed on the small private farms in the region. The Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) opened the town's sugar mill in 1880. In the early days sugar cane was grown as far up the Richmond River as the town of Bexhill and was carried to the mill on punts. In 1978 CSR sold the mill to the newly formed New South Wales Sugar Milling Cooperative, which established its head office at Broadwater. Today Broadwater is the centre of the region's highly mechanised sugar industry, which is still a major employer. In recent years the area has also seen an influx of new settlers, attracted by its peaceful rural lifestyle. Wikipedia

Golf course, NSW

March 2020, on our travels in New South Wales, Australia. Tacking Point was named by Matthew Flinders in 1802, on HMS Investigator. This lighthouse is one of five along the northern NSW coastline designed by noted colonial architect James Barnet. The other four lighthouses are at Clarence Head, Fingal Head, Richmond Head and Crowdy Head. Four of these five original lighthouses, including Tacking Point, are still in use. Tacking Point Lighthouse was built in 1879. Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie.

Alliance Airlines offers direct flights from Port Macquarie to Brisbane on their jet aircraft – 80 seat Fokker 70... Flights are available 7 days a week. The upgrade of the Port Macquarie Airport Terminal Building was officially completed in November 2019... The project commenced on 12 October 2018 and took 13 months to complete. It includes a total floor area double that of the existing airport terminal and a new departure lounge to cater for up to 300 people. pmhc.nsw.gov.au

Eumundi, Queensland

Our cat, Dora the Explorer :-)

Sunday lunch

Packing to move house