G'day nomads, my name is dave and my partner and better half for the last 38 years is rose. We have always claimed our hometown as being Newcastle even though we actually live in Lake Macquarie which some people will try and convince you is a separate city. Over the years we have both lived and worked in places like Dampier in WA, Richards Bay/South Africa and Maputo/Mozambique although all of them fantastic places as soon as the contracts have ended we made a beeline straight back here to our beautiful lake, beaches and wineries. I retired last year at the ripe old age of 59 with the plan of getting my golf handicap below 30 and setting ourselves up to travel this country at our leisure. With great reluctance I had to trade in my 2015 Sorento due to it's 2T towing capacity to a 2016 Pajero Sports (3.1 towing capacity) hopefully it's going to pull our Retreat Fraser van (2235 tare) that is due for delivery in October. I spent a lot of time reading posts on the grey nomads site as a guest when looking at what rig would best suit our needs, as with any forum the opinions are wide and varied but I know that the advice from this site comes from the wisdom of experience. As new caravaners we will probably give a lot of people at campsites a great deal of amusement at least in the short term as we try and master the art of maneourvering. Looking forward to meeting fellow nomads out there on the road maybe to share some stories at beer o'clock. Love to hear anyone who has h
Dougwe said
04:14 PM Aug 24, 2016
Welcome to the gang DavRo, enjoy here and out in the playground.
You have picked a great forum with many knowledgable people and a few, well, lets say they like to rock the boat a little but we all manage to hold on ok.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
-- Edited by Dougwe on Wednesday 24th of August 2016 04:15:05 PM
The Belmont Bear said
06:09 PM Aug 24, 2016
Cheers one feather, I have read many of your posts over the last few months I look forward to running into you out on the road (not literally). Great respect for the people contributing to this site must be thousands of years of combined experience.
BaupleNut said
07:36 AM Aug 25, 2016
Welcome Rose & Dave,you come from the privileged side of the lake I see, the rest of us are forgotten.
The Belmont Bear said
12:38 PM Aug 25, 2016
Thanks BaupleNut I don't know which is actually the better side all I know is that you are privileged to live anywhere around this beautiful lake..I was born and raised in Windale raised our kids in Bely South and for the last 10 years we have been in Valentine. I guess our advantage is that we have the beaches but then on your side you have the mountains and the bush - either way it's only 20 minutes by car.
Tony Bev said
01:03 PM Aug 25, 2016
Hello The Belmont Bear
As others have already said, welcome to the forum
Congratulations on your early retirement
Hope you have many enjoyable trips in the years ahead
Woody n Sue said
01:04 PM Aug 25, 2016
And it's welcome from us two 2 DavRo
I live on a farm and think I'm on the privileged side too, um no lake here though buggar, lots of open space though and nearest neighbours 2 km away now that's peace n quiet fer ya , blow that city traffic.
But that's my choice and that's yours isn't it great that we have that choice in this beautiful country to be able to live where ever we want to like you have been privileged to do already in your previous life hope all goes well in your new life on the road.
Woody
cruisaderhilton said
04:03 PM Aug 25, 2016
Where does Cardiff rate ,when it comes to living in Lake Mc . Lived there for my first 50 years. before moving to Cairns QLD
-- Edited by cruisaderhilton on Thursday 25th of August 2016 04:36:02 PM
cruisaderhilton said
04:36 PM Aug 25, 2016
Where does Cardiff rate ,when it comes to living in Lake Mc .
The Belmont Bear said
06:41 PM Aug 25, 2016
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome we are really looking forward to getting out on the road and meeting as many of the grey nomad gang as we can. I totally agree with you Woody n Sue if you can't find that perfect place somewhere in this beautiful country you're not really looking that hard. Even when you think that you've found it there's always a chance that there maybe somewhere even better just over the next hill. Crusaderhilton - Cardiff is home of the mighty Cobras RLFC we (Windale Eagles) had many a battle with them on the field back in the 70s & 80s. I don't know how long it is since you've been to the north lakes area but it's really a major commercial hub, with the main growth corridor now spreading north west from Newcastle & Lake Macquarie it's now close to being the geographical centre of the region. I actually did my apprenticeship on diesel locos at the old Cardiff railway workshop so I have plenty of fond memories of the place. I also have a number of good friends that I grew up with who went to Cairns for a holiday 25years ago and decided to stay - we took the long drive up there in 2010 for a visit and it wasn't that difficult to see what the attraction was..
Dick0 said
11:58 PM Aug 26, 2016
Hi DavRo, welcome. May see you on your travels,
The Belmont Bear said
07:57 AM Aug 29, 2016
Thanks DickO looks like you have a couple of grandkids about the same age as mine.
cruisaderhilton said
05:58 PM Aug 30, 2016
We went down to Newy a couple of years ago to visit relos ,Could not believe the amount of traffic heading in and out of the city and suburbs.Wallsend rd was a nightmare ,just on nockoff time .Some traffic lights had to wait 3 changes of lights for our turn .
Peter and JudyH said
07:15 PM Aug 30, 2016
Belmont,
We have just joined as well and looks like we are just down the road on the southern part of Lake as well...what a great part of Australia we live in.
However, looking forward to seeing more great places..........
The Belmont Bear said
01:15 PM Aug 31, 2016
Totally agree with you Cruisaderhilton that area is a real pain especially with the ever expanding John Hunter Hospital precinct and the new Hunter expressway funnelling more & more traffic through that area. One day they will get around to building the promised missing link between the already completed Charlestown and Hexham ends of the western bypass, like everywhere else in NSW we seem to run a poor second to Sydney when it comes to government funding.
Welcome Peter and Judy H we have only been members for a short time and have already found this site to be full of both interesting information and great advice. Like you our van is still on the assembly line but we don't expect to see it until around the end of October (signed on the dotted line in April but said not to prioritise ours if someone else needed their van quicker). When you say the southern part of the lake are you in the central coast i.e. Wyong shire or Lake Macquarie City ? Maybe we will catch up with you somewhere out there on the road - happy travelling
Peter and JudyH said
03:42 PM Aug 31, 2016
Belmont,
Agree entirely about the traffic in Newie and yes we are neglected when it comes to the big money for infrastructure.
Although I have to say the Hunter Expressway has certainly helped us when we travel to the north west. I used to do a fair bit of work up the Valley visiting mine sites, so it certainly saved some travel time there..
We are at Gwandalan - previously Wyong - now Central Coast Amalgamated Shire. We should be LM City, but doesn't look likely to happen now.
Will catch up on the road.
The Belmont Bear said
06:53 AM Sep 1, 2016
Peter and JudyH, it could be worse at one stage they were suggesting that Lake Macquarie council amalgamate with Newcastle council. Lucky we still have our own local government area - unfortunately for Port Stephens I think that they copped the privilege of joining up with them. Great area around Gwandalan we were even thinking of moving down that way ourselves but it's a little bit too far to drop off the grandkids when we look after them - maybe when they get a little older.
G'day nomads, my name is dave and my partner and better half for the last 38 years is rose. We have always claimed our hometown as being Newcastle even though we actually live in Lake Macquarie which some people will try and convince you is a separate city. Over the years we have both lived and worked in places like Dampier in WA, Richards Bay/South Africa and Maputo/Mozambique although all of them fantastic places as soon as the contracts have ended we made a beeline straight back here to our beautiful lake, beaches and wineries. I retired last year at the ripe old age of 59 with the plan of getting my golf handicap below 30 and setting ourselves up to travel this country at our leisure. With great reluctance I had to trade in my 2015 Sorento due to it's 2T towing capacity to a 2016 Pajero Sports (3.1 towing capacity) hopefully it's going to pull our Retreat Fraser van (2235 tare) that is due for delivery in October. I spent a lot of time reading posts on the grey nomads site as a guest when looking at what rig would best suit our needs, as with any forum the opinions are wide and varied but I know that the advice from this site comes from the wisdom of experience. As new caravaners we will probably give a lot of people at campsites a great deal of amusement at least in the short term as we try and master the art of maneourvering. Looking forward to meeting fellow nomads out there on the road maybe to share some stories at beer o'clock. Love to hear anyone who has h
Welcome to the gang DavRo, enjoy here and out in the playground.
You have picked a great forum with many knowledgable people and a few, well, lets say they like to rock the boat a little but we all manage to hold on ok.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
-- Edited by Dougwe on Wednesday 24th of August 2016 04:15:05 PM
As others have already said, welcome to the forum
Congratulations on your early retirement
Hope you have many enjoyable trips in the years ahead
I live on a farm and think I'm on the privileged side too, um no lake here though buggar, lots of open space though and nearest neighbours 2 km away now that's peace n quiet fer ya , blow that city traffic.
But that's my choice and that's yours isn't it great that we have that choice in this beautiful country to be able to live where ever we want to like you have been privileged to do already in your previous life hope all goes well in your new life on the road.
Woody
-- Edited by cruisaderhilton on Thursday 25th of August 2016 04:36:02 PM
Belmont,
We have just joined as well and looks like we are just down the road on the southern part of Lake as well...what a great part of Australia we live in.
However, looking forward to seeing more great places..........
Welcome Peter and Judy H we have only been members for a short time and have already found this site to be full of both interesting information and great advice. Like you our van is still on the assembly line but we don't expect to see it until around the end of October (signed on the dotted line in April but said not to prioritise ours if someone else needed their van quicker). When you say the southern part of the lake are you in the central coast i.e. Wyong shire or Lake Macquarie City ? Maybe we will catch up with you somewhere out there on the road - happy travelling
Belmont,
Agree entirely about the traffic in Newie and yes we are neglected when it comes to the big money for infrastructure.
Although I have to say the Hunter Expressway has certainly helped us when we travel to the north west. I used to do a fair bit of work up the Valley visiting mine sites, so it certainly saved some travel time there..
We are at Gwandalan - previously Wyong - now Central Coast Amalgamated Shire. We should be LM City, but doesn't look likely to happen now.
Will catch up on the road.