To avoid the Easter rush at the coast we headed in land to visit the national parks in the New England Tableland, and to experience some bush camping. Lots of the national parks have camp grounds you can stay on in the middle of the park. There aren't really any facilities, maybe just a compost toilet and sometimes fire pits. So we did 4 nights in various national parks. All were absolutely fantastic, very beautiful and extemely dark! We visited the Dorrigo rainforest national park which was great, except for snake number 3 a carpet python. we then went onto Cathedral rock national park and climbed up the rock which was really hair raising. The climb wasn't far but it was an actual hands and feet climb which finished with hoisting yourself up a near vertical rock holding onto a chain. I thought I was being pretty brave until a load of young adults descended around me in their flip flops and jumping from rock to rock! The view from the top were spectacular. We saw a brown snake on the way down and a black snake back up the track to the camping ground. Snake count so far 5!!! We then head to boonoo boonoo national park but that entailed a 12km drive down a very bumpy unsealed road, eekkk! The site was nice though next to a creek. Final stop was Bald Rock national park. we walked up bald rock which is the second largest monolith after Ayers Rock. This was really fantastic, amazing rock formation. The camp ground here was the best, we got a great spot with a fire pit and it was really quiet. Had a fab fire next to the camper.
