The Great Survivor Gerry Ryan’S Big Surprise As Jayco Turns 40

15. Jun/Jul 2015 timetoroam.com.au RRP $5.95 The Great Survivor Gerry Ryan’s big surprise as Jayco turns 40

BAGGING A BARGAIN MAKING YOUR DOLLAR GO FURTHER

TRAVEL DOING THE LAP OF OZ, BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE REVIEWED THE NEW AUSSIE- MADE WINNEBAGO

Flinders Park, 1912 Escape to the coast less travelled

Is this the ‘Best kept secret’ on Australia’s east coast? Fig Tree Avenue Certainly on the most populous stretch of holiday playgrounds stretching up the Pacific Highway, the Clarence Coast is something of a hidden gem.

It’s the place to come and explore the Best of the Best Yamba Marina longest stretch of completely undeveloped If it’s been a while since you spent time in the coastline between Sydney and Brisbane. bush, you can’t go past Yuraygir National Park. It’s where the tall timbers of northern NSW Deserted beaches, remote campgrounds, meet the sparkling Pacific, with thousands and stunning coastal lookouts, it’s the park of acres of national parks and beaches that lays claim to the longest stretch of pristine that can be enjoyed all year round. coastline in NSW. The four-day Yuraygir Coastal The busy Pacific Highway passes Walk allows you to fully experience the park. through, but the Clarence coastal retreats For those with limited time there are are located well off the main road. Perhaps shorter half and single day walks. that’s why they’ve maintained a special Calypso Caravan Park Brooms Head Caravan Park 1960s Enveloped by the national park, the charm and largely stayed off the tourist seaside towns of Minnie Water and Wooli are radar - treasured by locals and the lucky few renowned for their beautiful simplicity. The Rich History visitors who come back year after year. sort of places where you can throw a line Cedar-getters were the first Europeans to River Historical Society, is the place in the river and let life’s cares melt away. make their way up what had previously to learn more about this rich history. Forty minutes drive inland from Wooli is been known as the Breimba or Berrinbah Volunteers are on hand to share local Brooms Head Caravan Park today the Clarence “capital” of Grafton, a leafy city River. The local indigenous people knowledge and show you through that was once a bustling river port. Famous were said to have lived in some of the exhibits including beautiful displays of memorabilia, glassware, furniture and more for its towering Jacarandas planted in the Yamba most sophisticated settlements ever than 150 pieces of Wedgewood china. 1870s, the Cathedral city is home to an Old National Australia Bank encountered by the early British explorers interesting emerging arts and cultural scene. and colonists. The abundant rainfall and If the aim of your holiday is to really Maclean rich soils of the valley saw agriculture just relax and get away from it all, there Top 5 things to do boom, the products easily shipped from are plenty of options. Getting really back in The Clarence bustling river ports. Grafton grew quickly to basics, campgrounds at Lilydale, to become one of NSW’s first regional Copmanhurst and Buccarumbi are 1 Explore the Yuraygir cities in 1885. Notable heritage buildings popular with campers. All three within an National Park Brooms Head include the Old National Bank and Anglican hours drive from Grafton and have basic facilities. The dirt road to Buccarumbi Surf the break at Grafton Cathedral. The city is also famous for its 2 double-decker road and rail bridge over can also be a bit rough at times, however Angourie Point the Clarence, designed by Sydney Harbour the scenery is worth the effort. 3 Take the Old Glenn Bridge’s creator JJ Bradfield in the 1930s. Innes Scenic Drive Wooli Schaeffer House, home of the Clarence > continuead on page 46 4 Wine and dine along the Clarence 5 Dive the North Solitary Islands

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Grafton

New South Scotland Yamba and Iluka, twin towns at either side of the Clarence River heads are the region’s After spending time in the bush you can best-known holiday resorts. There’s more head back to the coast, follow the bonny great surf, friendly locals and a range of bars, banks of the Clarence River and find cafes and restaurants. Take the ferry for a yourself within a wee bit of Scotland. relaxing 45-minute cruise between the two. Maclean is known as “The Scottish town Fishing has always been one of the main in Australia”. Proud of its Scottish roots, Clarence drawcards, with a choice of rock, the picturesque river town hosts a highland beach, estuary and deep-sea spots. Boats gathering every Easter, bringing together clans are readily available for hire. If you want to from all over the country. Now in its 111th explore at a relaxed pace, there’s no better Iluka Bluff year, the event features hammer throwing, way than by kayak. Iluka Bluff Lookout, caber tossing, and bagpipes galore. Yamba Lighthouse, and Yamba Museum It’s an easy drive from Maclean to some Top 5 national parks are all worth a sightseeing stop. of the best coastal hideaways. At Brooms Yuraygir National Park 1 Head you can snorkel in the tidal lagoon Clarence Tourism 2 Bundjalung and view whales on their annual migration. 02 6642 4677 | clarencetourism.com National Park The surf town of Angourie lays claim to being the first surfing reserve in NSW. 3 World Heritage listed Iluka Nature Reserve 4 Nymboi-Binderay National Park 5 Washpool & Gibraltar National Parks

46 timetoroam.com.au Fishing at Wooli on the roam | flavours on the roam | flavours

Spicy Tequila Prawn Cocktail

Recipe provided by Irons and Craig Café – Yamba This is a real prawn cocktail. Serve over ice in a snazzy cocktail glass for real dinner party impact. The prawns will ‘cook’ in the tequila and citrus juice mix. This recipe is a spin on the traditional Peruvian dish, ceviche where thinly sliced raw fish is cured in lime juice with other flavourings. Serve well chilled. Clarence’s coming of age Serves 4 Ingredients 3. Combine tequila, lime juice and The fertile Clarence Valley has always produced an abundance of great food, • 200g green prawns, peeled and deveined orange juice and add to the bowl. • Thumb-sized piece of ginger 4. Add the green prawns and a pinch of salt and but it’s only recently that local eateries have truly started embracing the • 1 red chilli (optional) toss gently in the marinade to coat well. ‘gate to plate’ food philosophy. • 1 spring onion 5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set • 1 cup (250ml) good quality tequila aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until • Juice and zest of 2 limes well chilled. (No longer than 60 minutes). Pictured (left) inside and out of Botero Espresso, Maclean • Juice of 1 orange Serving Suggestion: • Pinch of salt Chill some cocktail glasses and half fill with Method ice to serve. Top with prawns and plenty 1. Peel and finely julienne the ginger of the tequila mix. If you’re not a huge fan and set aside in a bowl. of tequila you can substitute with vodka, gin or a white rum such as Bacardi. 2. Chop chilli and spring onion and add to the ginger.

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48 timetoroam.com.au Issue 15 Jun/Jul 2015 49 on the roam | celebrity camper on the roam | celebrity camper those luxuries. Boys can rough it, these days, less roughing it. I girls not so much. The camping would love to do the Great Ocean trip was still a blast though; it’s Road and even the Top End. an incredibly beautiful spot. Who’s idea was it to feature the Do you have any camping caravan on the artwork for your tips? Must do’s and don’ts? latest album Here’s To You & I? If you’re tenting it, you need to We talked with our manager about always pack a fan. It can get so what would be something different hot in a tent! Pack insect repellent and cool for the cover, and he found too, that’s essential. Swim lots, a picture of a vintage Airsteam fish lots, relax and just enjoy the Caravan. He showed it to us and we moment! Make sure you’re not all thought, ‘That's the coolest thing camping on a low-lying area near a we’ve ever seen”. The one featured creek or lake, don’t camp in an area on our album cover was just a shell, where you’re likely to get flooded but I went to the Berry Show recently in. It seems to always happen when and saw the interior of one, and I you’re out camping, and there’s now want my own. They’re amazing. nothing worse than a wet tent. out and reel one in. I think because What are the must sees in dad worked all the time, we only had Do you still like to get out and the Clarence Valley? summer holidays when we could explore Australia? If so, where's Maclean, Yamba, and Wooli are go away because all the weekends on your camping hit list? some of my favourite places. were taken up with us singing. Poor Yes, but I now go camping with my They were where you would go dad didn’t get a fish because he fiancé. Lake Conjola (on the NSW for the weekend if you were from was constantly baiting my sisters South Coast) is a favourite of ours. Grafton. The Clarence River is and I up with worms and prawns. It It’s right on the lake, there seems to absolutely stunning, there’s so was just our thing we did together. always be a lot of fish. We throw out much to do. Wooli is where we’d the rod and constantly catch. It’s always go on fishing trips, and Any not so favourite camping great because you cook up what I was there a lot because I had memories or experiences? you’ve caught on the barbie. It’s a lot of friends who lived there. Camping Oh my goodness. I remember one really quiet, really peaceful. We Maclean has really cute shops time being stuck out in the middle have our own tent and a cool little and cool heritage. The beaches of the bush at Copmanhurst with set up, all the equipment we could in Yamba are stunning also. no toilet or shower. I know that's the possibly need, but we do take his whole idea of camping, but I have parents caravan away sometimes. Country Style realised I am very girly and need It’s more like camping in style

With nine Golden Guitars and two ARIA Awards under their belts, there were no fancy restaurants - it Did you camp in a was family barbeques every night. caravan or a tent? The McClymonts are one of the most popular country music We used to go swimming at the We did both, with every holiday groups in Australia. Although life in the spotlight is fun, the sisters beach, ghost crabbing with dad at came a different adventure. When night, and generally just hang out. I was younger I used to love do like to escape from it all now and then. For Mollie, Sam and Camping trips were a chance for our staying in a tent because it was an Brooke, camping has always been a part of their lives. family to just spend time together. adventure, but the older I got the less attractive the tent became. What was your favourite I probably preferred the caravan place to camp and why? later on, but my favourite memories The talented trio originally Where did you go for camping Iluka was always a family favourite. It were definitely staying in the tent. from Grafton has been on tour holidays when you were young? has the beach on one side and the There was something really fun recently promoting their fourth We used to always go to a beautiful river on the other. Up on Iluka Bluff about having to do everything from album, “Here’s To You and I”. little town called Iluka, 40 minutes the views are absolutely gorgeous. scratch, like set up the kitchen. We caught up with Mollie to north of our hometown of Grafton. Nymboida was another amazing chat about the McClymont’s It was always about family time, place to go, but we only went Tell us about some of your past and present camping habits it’s where mum and dad used there once. The Nymboida River is favourite camping memories. and their favourite escapes. to take us. I don’t think we ever stunning; we rented tubes and just Every camping memory involves actually travelled with anyone else. floated down the rapids. It rained fishing with dad. I love that we would Dad used to work a lot so it was the whole time we were there, but sit there for hours and just chat and a convenient spot to get away to. there was so much to see and do, on the odd occasion reel in a fish. Iluka was, and still is, very tiny, so we didn’t care about the weather. He taught me how to bait up, cast

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