So as the previous few posts have mentioned, Day 17 saw us leave the much loved snoozefest that was Coonabarabran, and head out to Tamworth. We had a slightly longer drive ahead of us, but we were well rested and really enjoying this part of Australia.

Although the trip was only flagged as a couple of hours, we know from experience that detours, lookouts and nature breaks come thick and fast. And we’d already spent a couple of hours detoring to the ‘bungles.

There were so many national parks within striking distance, but we had to move on and from what we have seen so far, you would need a couple of years to take all this in. So even though we have eight weeks, it makes you realise that in some ways, it is no time at all.

National Parks that we skipped on the way to Tamworth included Pillaga, Warabah and Tinkrameanah. So it should have been no surprise to us just what a scenic drive this turned out to be. Taking the B56 Oxley Highway, we climbed up into the mountains, which seemed to be a common theme of our trip so far. When we finally dropped out of the mountains the views continued. There are some dodgy phone-pics attached (trying to find some proper camera pics).

We had one quick lunch stop at Mullaley, where we parked alongside the local park, before completing the journey and reaching Tamworth.

When we finally arrived in Tamworth, we checked in to the Paradise Caravan Park.

The kids attempted to brave the unheated pool, me and Bindi grabbed a well-earned cuppa and we managed to sneak in the Oxley lookout. This was pretty spectacular, looking back over Tamworth to the mountain ranges that we had passed on the way in.

So that just about sums up Day 17 which was another spectacular, B-road belter of a day.

I will add better photo’s when I find them, but for now, hopefully you can enjoy this post.

More to follow soon.