Narooma

We learned from our son, Dan, that there was a Branch President in Narooma, a small town in NSW by the name of Craig Oldroyd. We decided to investigate. Jay called the Sydney South Mission Office and learned that the branch met in Bateman's Bay, about an hour from Narooma but they did not know the meeting times. Our plan was to show up at their meetings unannounced. However, that would not work so he called Craig's home and talked with his wife, Juliet. She was excited to know about us, although they knew that a Dr. Oldroyd was serving as the Medical Advisor in Sydney. Craig was not at home. They have a business in Darwin and he commutes there during the week. Jay told her that we were planning to come to Narooma the weekend of the 11th of April. She invited us to stay with them but we already had motel reservations. She then invited us to "tea" on Saturday night.
We drove from Sydney on Saturday, a 5 hour drive, arriving late in the afternoon. We settled into our Beachfront Apartment, a home that has been converted into 4 apartments of various sizes that overlooks the Southern Pacific Ocean. We had the smallest studio apartment that had a bedroom, bath, small kitchen area and a living room. It opened onto a patio with a grassy area where there was a bird feeder and steps that led down to the road, and a short walk to the ocean.
We changed out of our traveling clothes, then went to meet the Oldroyd relatives. We ate dinner with them and learned that the branch was meeting in Bateman's Bay at 9:30 in the morning. We looked at their geneology and concluded that we must be related somewhere further back than either of us have records because both families come from Yorkshire, England.
We attended the branch meeting the next day and the pot luck lunch following. We decided to spend an extra night in the area and return home on Monday because of the long drive.

View from Kianga a suburb of Narooma where we stayed.

View from our beachfront apartment.

Our apartment in Narooma.

View of the ocean from our apartment.

Our apartment in Narooma. Beachfront Apartments.

Galahs outside our apartment.

Galah at the bird feeder.

Red parrots feeding.

A VISIT WITH THE CRAIG OLDROYDS.

View from deck at the Oldroyd's home.

Juliet and Craig Oldroyd

The four Oldroyds

WILD SOUTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF NSW.

BOARDWALK NAROOMA

Boardwalk

Boardwalk

AUSTRALIA ROCK NAROOMA

View of Australia Rock and bay from parking lot.

Shape of Australia is fashioned in opening in Australia Rock on the coast in Narooma.

Australia Rock.

Australia Rock and the Southern Pacific ocean.

Elizabeth at opening of Australia Rock.

Jay near Australia Rock.

Stormy skies and rainbow over Narooma.

Wild seas behind Jay at Australia Rock.

Lighthouse Visitors Center - Narooma

Light inside Lighthouse Visitors Center - Narooma.

Lisa and Michelle's Visit. March 8 to March 16, 2009

The long awaited day has arrived. Michelle and Lisa came for a week's long visit. It was wonderful having them here. We packed a lot into those 8 days. On the day of their arrival we took them to Bondi Beach on the way home from the airport. Then after getting them settled in their flat across the hall from us we ate dinner and the drove to the Sea Cliff Bridge south of Sydney on the ocean. The weather was not that great. On Monday we drove 2 hours to Port Stephens on the northern coast of NSW. The day started out rainy but cleared up when we reached Port Stephens. We took a dolphin watching cruise on the bay, then ate dinner at the golf course and saw a kangaroo coming for his nightly feed.
On Tuesday we went to the Australian Reptile Park. That night we had tickets to see The Magic Flute at the Opera House. We rode the train in to Circular Quay.
On Wednesday we spent the day in Katoomba while Jay worked at the office. It was another rainy, foggy, overcast day. On Thursday the three girls spent the day at Manly Beach, downtown Sydney, the Sydney Tower and Paddy's Market - shopping, shopping and more shopping. We walked the bridge at night. It was beautiful.
Friday Jay joined us again and we went out to Alan Watson's house where they met his wife, Edna, who is an Aboriginal. Then we went to Koala Park. After Koala Park we took the ferry downtown to Darling Harbor and visited the Sydney Aquarium. That night we ate dinner at Canterbury Club, a unique gaming club in Las Vegas style.
On Saturday the girls went back to Sydney on the ferry to shop at The Rocks outdoor market and Paddy's. It was Peazza Joe's Pizza for dinner.
On Sunday we took them to church with us, then we drove the Sydney temple and our office. We then came home and ate dinner and went back into the city via the ferry visit and take pictures around Darling Harbor. Then it was back to the flats to pack the suitcases and make sure all the treasure fit.
Monday they left for home. We were very sad to see them go. We had a great time.

SUNDAY ARRIVAL BONDI BEACH, SEA CLIFF BRIDGE.
Lisa and Michelle on the day of their arrival on Bondi Beach.

Bondi Beach

Wild seas at the Sea Cliff Bridge.

Lisa at the Sea Cliff Bridge.

Michelle, Elizabeth, Lisa at the Sea Cliff Bridge.

Sea Cliff Bridge.

Elizabeth and Jay below the Sea Cliff Bridge.

View from highway towards the Sea Cliff Bridge.

MONDAY PORT STEPHENS, DOLPHIN CRUISE, DINNER AT GOLF COURSE.

Beautiful bay at Port Stephens.

Jay and Elizabeth on the boat.

Port Stephens harbor.

Girls boarding the boat for the dolphin cruise.

Lisa ready for the cruise in her new Aussie hat.

Michelle waiting for the dolphin cruise in Port Stephens.

DINNER ON THE GOLF COURSE.
div> Eating at the golf club at Port Stephens.

Sharing Sticky Date Pudding - a favorite dessert.

Kangaroo on the golf course at Port Stephens.

Kangaroo

Jay and his girls on the golf course at Port Stephens.

Kookaburra up close.

TUESDAY AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PARK AND SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE. Entrance to Australian Reptile Park.

Giant turtle up close and personal.

Watch out for that croc.

Picture with the koalas.

Unique koala feet.

Mother koala and baby.

Elizabeth feeding the kangaroo.

Tasmanian devil at the Australian Reptile Park.

Michelle and Lisa and the Frilly Lizard.

Jay feeding the kangaroo at the Reptile Park.

Michelle was not sure about that kangaroo.

Lisa feeding the kangaroo.

Australian Reptile Park

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA.

Jay and Michelle on the train going to the Opera.

Lisa and Elizabeth on the train going to the Opera.

Lisa and Michelle and the Sydney Harbor Bridge the night of the Opera.

Michelle and Lisa at Circular Quay the night of the Opera.

WEDNESDAY KATOOMBA

Katoomba Sky Ride.

Katoomba Sky Ride

Michelle and Elizabeth in the rain forest.

Michelle and her friend.

Lisa found a friend in Katoomba.

Blue Mountains.

Michelle and Lisa at Scenic World in Katoomba.

THURSDAY MANLY BEACH, DOWNTOWN SYDNEY, SHOPPING, SYDNEY TOWER, WALKING THE BRIDGE AT NIGHT.
Riding the Ferry.

Lisa on the ferry with city in the background.

Michelle on the ferry.

Lisa and Michelle with the bridge in the background.

Lisa on Manly Beach.

Tanning the legs on the Manly ferry.

Manly Beach.

Lisa and Michelle on Manly Beach.

Sydney Tower.

One of many views from Sydney Tower.

Opera House from the bridge at night.

Sydney skyline from the bridge at nigh

Calling Jay from the phone booth at The Rocks.

FRIDAY ALAN WATSONS, KOALA PARK, SYDNEY AQUARIUM, CANTERBURY CLUB
KOALA PARK

WATSONS

Lisa and Edna Watson, an Aborigianl artist.

KOALA PARK

A favorite.

Michelle with a koala.

At Koala Park.

Feeding the kangaroo.

SYDNEY AQUARIUM

Penguins at the Aquarium.

Beautiful fish.

"Mermaids" at the Aquarium.

Dunong - The original mermaid.

SATURDAY RIDING THE FERRY AGAIN TO THE CITY, CIRCULAR QUAY, THE ROCKS, MORE SHOPPING
Michelle and Lisa riding the ferry to Sydney from Rydalmere.

Circular Quay and the Didge player.

The Rocks.

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SHOPPING AT THE ROCKS.
They did a lot of shopping.

Lisa and her bags at the ferry.

At Canterbury for dinner.

SUNDAY CHURCH, TEMPLE FOR PICTURES, BACK TO THE CITY, DARLING HARBOR, QUEEN VICTORIA BUILDING
Elder and Sister Oldroyd at their office.

Lisa and Michelle at the Sydney temple.

Elder and Sister Oldroyd a the entrance to the temple.

In their car.
BACK TO THE CITY

Michelle and Lisa found a stray at the Sydney Wildlife World.

DARLING HARBOR

Michelle and Lisa at Darling Harbor.

Darling Harbor.

Boardwalk at Darling Harbor

Fountain and bird sculptures at Darling Harbor.

Ibis.

Jay and Elizabeth on the Monorail.

QUEEN VICTORIA BUILDING
Queen Victoria Building.