The sun is back! After those moody alpine clouds, it felt amazing to have the sky clear up as I began the push up the coast toward Sydney. I kicked things off with a stop at Genoa Falls in Croajingolong National Park before crossing into Beowa National Park.
If you’re driving out to the Green Cape Lighthouse, make sure you have your camera ready—the view over Disaster Bay from the road is absolutely breathtaking. The lighthouse itself is a bit of a pioneer; built in 1883, it’s the southernmost light in New South Wales and was actually the first in the country to be constructed from concrete.
Just a short hop from the lighthouse lies one of the most fascinating (and slightly eerie) historical sites I’ve visited yet: the Davidson Whaling Station. For three generations, the Davidson family ran this land-based station, but the real “wow” factor is the story of their helpers. They had the voluntary assistance of a pod of Orcas (Killer Whales) who would actually help herd the whales toward the station. It’s the only known place in Australia where humans and orcas worked together on an industrial scale like this.
Nature has slowly reclaimed the site over the years, and river flooding has washed a lot of it away, but you can still explore the original family house and see the massive old try-pots and storage tanks used for processing. It’s a hauntingly beautiful place to wander.
To cap off a big day of exploring, I’ve pulled into Mystery Bay for the night. I found a perfect little natural campsite perched directly above the beach. There’s nothing like falling asleep to the sound of the Pacific Ocean right outside the door of the camper.
Next stop: Continuing north—Sydney is getting closer!
