Granny meets the goats

An innocent trip to Oakvale Farm with Master Loges was as usual with him, a learning experience, where he got lost only once, waved to me from the train going by (sheesh!) and generally tried to get into every animal enclosure available.

Apart from that it was a good day out

Mandatory Koala visit!

Aawwww how cute!

(Not local koalas, they actually come mainly, from Blackbutt Reserve  where they are in a breeding programme.) Local Koalas still run free here but this is a good way to get up close and personal. I prefer to see them in their homes.

Tanilba Bay

So what it about this stunning piece of Port Stephens that I love so much?

All of it!

From the magnificent gates

'The Water Gate' with the bollards from H.M.A.S Sydney

and

'The Entrance Gates'

which were built by unemployed workers during the Depression  

 to commemorate the centenary in 1931 of the land grant to the Caswells,

To the unique, and sometimes confusing,

layout of the township itself

being based on Walter Burley Griffin's plan for Canberra with a central 

'Avenue of the Allies' 

which all roads radiate from, 

which simply means all roads go round!

Koala in a local street

The streets remind us of WW1 veterans with names like Diggers Drive. Navy Nook

Convict built Tanilba house, 1837, was the home of William Caswell who was granted 50 acres in 1831 for his service in the Napoleonic wars.

and so we also have such as President Wilson Walk, Poilus Parade and Clemenceau Crescent

The name means "place of white flowers" and we are blessed with the sight of Flannel Flowers growing wild and heralding in another season.

and our numerous wild flowers that make every season special