Tamworth (Boxing Day)

I wasn't expecting to get one more review in before the end of the year, but I did. I received a phone call and an invite a few weeks ago from my brother to visit his family, who is well-entrenched in the country city of Tamworth, my home for nearly a quarter of a century. I don't often get the chance to get up there, and when one presents itself well, I generally take it.
I also got an opportunity to catch up with a mate from my old gaming group in town, as well as to get a good look at the city on two lengthy drives around it, surprised as to how much it has grown in certain areas, whilst others haven't changed at all. Back in 2012, when my brother's family had moved to their new home in the outlying suburb of Moore Creek, there were very few houses in the area. Now there's not just one, but three established estates there, with more established in other fringe areas of the town.

The local council's goal is for a population of 100,000 by 2040. The way and speed with which the city is expanding it's quite possible to achieve that, though there are sceptics. One thing I noticed that was missing from the expanded areas were bus stops – a necessity if you're aiming for a six-figure population. Then there's water supply, which is vital for an area which is regularly plagued by droughts, with water restrictions still enforced ahead of the annual Country Music Festival in January. Finally – shopping centres. Not all of the suburbs have one close to their locale – Moore Creek residents are still waiting for theirs to be built so they have lengthy drives into town to fetch supplies.
So, on Boxing Day, with the temperature in the mid-20s, I got to have lunch with my fellow gamer at Burger Bulls, a cosy burger joint in the centre of town on Kable Avenue, which faces Bicentennial Park. The building it occupies was previously different ethnicities of restaurants which had come and gone, but whilst I was living there 25 years ago it was an accountants. The park itself, with its large duck pond and being quite close to the Peel River that divides the city, could be used to walk off your meal or as a location to dine.

BB's menu is quite expansive, which even caters for those keen on having plant and vegetarian options. We arrived just as the place was opening up and grabbed a spot near the window, hardly having to wait for our meals which were delivered to our table. I went for something different and opted for a meat, cheese and bacon burger, which, for an extra $7.90, could be turned into meal with chips and a drink. With that addition you're looking at a burger meal ranging between $20 and $31.
I'm pleased to say though that they haven't skimped on the size of the burgers like a lot of other places I've dined at have. The juicy beefy offering was on par with the best burger I've eaten all year at Pearl Beach. I struggled to get it all down and was regrettably unable to finish the crispy fries. I honestly hope that the owners realize their goal of creating a chain across regional NSW so I don't have as far to go for a quality burger. I really don't want to wait another year before I have one like that again. lol
I must say, finishing the trip with such a quality burger capped off my short holiday rather nicely.

Pictures taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2017.

Links correct at time of posting.

Taree (April 4)

Earlier this year I took a little trip up to Taree, a lovely town on the Manning River 16km inland which I've visited on several occasions, mainly to catch up with an old high school chum that works and lives there, and the parents of a second friend whom I've known for a year longer. Needless to say, I've always got a bed, a couch or floor space to sleep on any time that I visit. It's very convenient. I can hop on the train at Gosford and be there in 4.5 hours. If you're not in a hurry, one can take a thrice daily service for a 9-hour trip up to Brisbane.

If you want a good walk, I recommend going by the riverside all the way out to the botanical gardens which are pretty easy to find. In fact, the town is quite easy to walk around, though you'll need wheeled transport if you want to go further out, like to Club Taree (which was my choice for this trip) or to any number of the little hamlets and beaches nearby, including Forster which gets an entry as well.
The club is a combined services and golf club, with the course bordered by the Sydney-Brisbane rail-line on one side. It is very modern and very pleasant inside and seeing it was bucketing down outside I didn't want to be anywhere else. If you're not interested in a meal one can have a coffee or a drink and take it easy. The staff are quite friendly and chatty once you get to know them.
This was my farewell lunch, seeing I was travelling back home the next day. I couldn't help myself and selected the parmigiana, though opting for a smaller serve rather than the larger one. Just as well – I struggled to finish it. Though the crust was a little burnt it was still rather nice, though it lost a point for having the ham and melted cheese on top of it. (It's rare to find a place that actually has the cheese and ham inside the crust. I think I've only come across one since I've been on the coast.) The salad was adequate, the chips crunchy and I washed it all down this time with a large glass of pineapple juice. Needless to say, I didn't really need dinner that night, but I did have desert.
Taree might feature often enough here seeing there are plenty of places to dine within a stone's throw of the river and I try to get up there once a year. You might get a bit bored of all the shots of the Manning River though. lol

Link correct at time of posting.

Picture taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2023.

Forster (April 1)

On the coast roughly a 20-30 minute drive southeast of Taree, you'll find this half of the twin towns straddling Wallis Lake. When I visited there on a day trip back in April, I was immediately reminded of The Entrance, with all the tall (dated) apartment blocks near the waterfront. Driving around, I noticed channels and islands which also reminded me of Woy Woy and Tacoma, a small riverside suburb near Wyong. Seeing I've been on the Central Coast so long I generally compare every coastal area I visit to where I live.

One Mile Beach was rather nice (though I suspect considerably short of the old distance measurement), accessible via the Head Street bridge (a rather odd construction) if you're travelling down from Taree. There's an elevated walkway along the carpark off Beach and North Streets, which allows one to admire the view, with a couple of cafes nearby though we didn't stop to try them out.
My hosts had other places to visit, namely a couple of the local op shops and later Stockland Forster Shopping Centre where their preference of cafe was located. I wasn't in a particular hurry seeing it was a particularly nice day, so I saw the sights, thinking it was just like any other large coastal town.
The shopping centre, one level and mostly in a straight line, reminding me of Stockland Bay Village at Bateau Bay. Temptations gourmet takeaway is a rather cozy little affair (next door to the My House store), and my mate's parents had obviously visited here a few times and knew the staff quite well. With a chicken burger on the menu, I was quite satisfied, and the simplistic fare was tasty and adequate enough to fill the hole in my stomach until dinner time. Of course, if that isn't your thing, I'm sure you'll find something else at the centre to tempt your taste buds. 

Link correct at the time of posting.

Picture taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2023.