- 1st day of 2023 we need some excitement. I take the boys tubing and a swim at the 90-mile beach.
- The overcrowded Jett in Nungurner continues.
- I crash the boat getting into a tight spot at the barrier landing on a fast run out tide.
- Tanya and I hit the hot springs while Nanny watches the kids. We have a facial in a tent and head to the hilltop overlooking Lake Victoria. The hot springs are only 20% complete.
- Leo makes his own paint at a school holiday work shop in Lakes.
- Radford finds a new king George white spot off the lake shore drive private jetty using fresh muscle and shows me how to use his new toy, Frankenstein the crane.
- Hugo loves walks around Nungurner in the backpack.
- Leo finds a pet lizard while helping me in the garden.
- I gift Radford my 12,000-litre water tank to make way for my new ring road garage driveway.
- I get some new fishing marks out of Mark my neighbour that works on the dredger ‘Tommy Naughton’.
- Leo and I build a domino placing machine
- My tackle box handle breaks off and I lose my gear in the gravel.
- I mount the massive cork board in Nungurner and start another phot wall.
EDEN
- We hitch up the boat and head for Eden. Its exactly 3hours from bells track. We arrive and I put the boat straight in and go for a solo fish. Something grabs the big bate and the braid cuts my finger.
- Next day Jett throws up overboard and Tanya sinks the kayak. I try some interesting new rigs. Patanosca with a soft plastic jig head as a sinker.
- Day after Tanya gives the boat one more shot but calls it after 30seconds outside the breakwater wall.
- I meet a new friend “Damen’ the helicopter paramedic who’s also a mad keen fisherman. His family cant handle the swell and pull out so I invite him on my boat. Were the only mad men going out. Its super rough but we have fun. Only flathead and I snook. Were back by Lunch and I set up on the beach. Wind is going to cancel out any more fishing I’m afraid.
- We head to Wheelers (Kids fall in love with minute steaks) for an early lunch then off to Magic mountain for a 2 hour power session with the kids.
- Next day is again super windy so we go for a hick. I spy an enclosed bay out of the wind we can snorkel in. (great spot but turns out the wind has still churned up the water, No visibility.) The wind pulls a 50 foot yacht off its mooring. We go pump nippers with Damen for an early morning fishing session.
- 5am start for our last ditch fishing attempt with Damen. I give the kids seasick pills just before we leave and it knocks them out for the entire trip. Massive swell and the wind is up and down. No luck just a few flathead. We get back to the ramp and the kids wake up so we have a fish there and they both hook up. Back early and off to Wheelers for lunch again. We find bluebottles washing up on the beach. Good thing its our last day.
- Main freeway is closed due to a truck crash early in the am. Were diverted around past Cape Conran so we stop for lunch. Its blowing a gale. We stop for Leos 5th piss break them head off again only to be stopped by a fallen tree. I reckon Leos piss break saved us.
NUNGURNER STAGE 2
- Damon’s home-made bacon is a hit. Nungurner is cover in a blanket of FOG.
- Boys help me clean the boat and natural Jett has to get naked.
- I drop a tractor tyre (thank you Radford) at Clive Burys Slipway ready for concrete to use as my new mooring sinker block. Then I do a quarry run with JT and the tipper trailer.
- Next day we hit the road back to the big smoke. Its been our best holiday yet in Nungurner with only one visitor, Nanny Phillips.
- Leo gets custom converse shoes then I hit the tennis with Nick Burnham.
- Back to Nungurner for Chines new year on the balcony.
- JT builds an impressive stone staircase to the spa.
- I help the Cub, scouts and Venturers go to Bunga-arm and spend the night on the boat with Leo. It’s a bit hard with 2 in the front. Next time roll out a single mat down the centre or set up a swag outside.
- Lenny fixes my swing mooring.
- We try making toasted sandwiches on the boat (it’s a hit).
- Daisey the discoverer caravan is SOLD.
- One last dinner at the Metung pub and then we hit the road back to Melbourne, which marks the end of our summer holidays. WOW it was a great time.
- Jett starts year 8 on a Friday! And Leo starts year 4 on Monday.
- We go and see Yeah Yea. He’s slowly recovering from COVID. Then a quick yum cha followed by the Tennis with Tanya.
- I head back to DARKON to prepare for an epic February. Time to SAVE THE COMPANY!
