Over the years we have camped & explored the area that is within around a two hour drive of home in  Newcastle which we refer to as OUR OWN BACKYARD. This encompasses a huge natural area from the sea to the mountains with many things to see & do. Camping, 4wding, fishing, surfing, swimming, bushwalking, bird watching, the list goes on. If we haven't been there, we sure know about it.

    We look upon ourselves as modern day explorers. Day trips or weekends camping & sightseeing in the great outdoors. It is all there to enjoy. There is nothing better than sitting back relaxing at the end of the day in the bush by a babbling creek with a piece of damper & a cuppa in front of the camp fire.

    From Taree on the Manning River in the north, the coast flows down to the Hawkesbury River on the Central Coast in the south with beautiful golden beaches & clear water punctuated with headlands & rivers.

    Behind the coastal lakes & farmlands rise the mountains with their rich native forests, sub-tropical rainforests, beautiful waterfalls & some very spectacular lookouts. These include the Bulahdelah, Buckets & Watagans Mountains, Comboyne Plateau & the Dingo, Barrington & Gloucester Tops.

    Barrington Tops to the northwest includes a huge area of natural wonder made up of state forest, national park & world heritage wilderness areas. Here at 1500 metres above sea level & 100 km as the crow flies from home, snow falls in winter to engulf the forest in a magical world of white. From the antarctic beech forest, sub alpine woodland, living peat beds which soak up many times their own volume of water, to the rugged slopes covered in rainforest with their hidden creeks & waterfalls. There is much to be seen if you take the time to explore. The lookouts with views of the distant mountains have no perspective of their surrounding size. Natural land bridges, huge rare native trees, forest steams, caves, mountain tops & our diverse & unique native flora & fauna. We have it all here in our own backyard.