The weather is pretty good, hope people can find a way to make it out as early as possible. Seeing was excellent last night, good transparency until roughly 2am when the dew finally settled in. From then on, intermittent periods of haze and then fog around 3:30am.
Agreed Kevin.
But as Robert has not been back on site since posting, I sent him an email thanking him and suggesting the same (marker on map).
I also asked if some of our other sites (like Pony Club) may also qualify for inclusion in his site analysis.
Hope it was not out of line.
Updates to Cloud Free Night:
Bretti has been added to the New South Wales forecast map.
Chaffey Dam, Glen Riddle Reserve and Mangrove Mountain have been added as forecast meteogram locations.
The Dew is barely dry from the March trip to Bretti, and some may still be straggling back. A good turn out this month with some new faces. Tired, sore, sunburnt, after six days and five nights, but it was nice to see everyone again.
Now turning to April, I had previously suggested it could be affected by NSW School Holidays, this might be avoided if people were to go before the New Moon, say in the period from the 4th-7th of April. The New Moon is on the 7th. NSW School Holidays begins at school closure on the 8th (Friday). The Easter Holiday long weekend is the 25th-28th of March, so the kids will have to be in school again from then through to the 8th of April.
The lead up days before the New Moon give good long nights with the remaining waning moon rising later and later from 2:08am EST on the 4th - thus not presenting a problem for most people.
Obviously Bretti can (and will) be affected by School Holiday campers, with some arriving perhaps prior to the 'official' start on afternoon Friday the 8th. Some Newcastle groups are known to move in on mass on the Friday to secure their favoured location. However, other locations are an option for April: Glen Riddle is one likely to be less popular due to the low water level in the lake, but is fine for astro campers.
I am sure we can squeeze in a trip in early April.
Today, the 12th of March, is the big Aldi camping gear specials sale. I was there early today to pickup the nice boxed tent peg sets with puller, and could not resist the Onezee sleeping bag - which is a good winter dark site idea.
Just back from Bretti today.
Had some really good nights, only one real white-out (Thursday).
The swimming hole was popular, and refreshing.
Sorry cant make April.
Jo has managed to get some time off so we are planning to go away somewhere country NSW. (Even though, I did suggest Barraba might be nice to visit).
Chatting to some of the friendly campers at Bretti last we, one advised me of a Free Camping Site that they thought would suit us. (ie FREE; DARK; Clear sky views)
Swans Crossing, up towards Port Macquarie.
Geoff (the Wise Owl) is often at Port so maybe can check it out for us?
This is a link to an info site that mentions it: Swans Crossing
20. Merge onto Pacific Motorway/M1
63.3 km
21. At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto John Renshaw Dr/A1 heading to
Newcastle/Taree/Brisbane/Pacific Hwy/Airport
1.7 km
22. Slight right onto New England Hwy/A1/A43
3.6 km
23. Take the Pacific Highway ramp to State Route 111/Raymond Terrace/Airport/Taree/Brisbane
400 m
24. Continue onto Pacific Hwy/A1
7.0 km
25. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on Pacific Hwy/A1 heading to National Route 1/Taree
187 km
26. Slight left onto Nancy Bird Walton Dr
1.6 km
27. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Laurieton-Comboyne Rd
2.0 km
28. Laurieton-Comboyne Rd turns slightly right and becomes Graham St
1.1 km
29. Graham St turns slightly right and becomes Lorne Rd
3.7 km
30. Turn right onto Black Creek Rd
270 m
31. Turn left onto Upsalls Creek Rd
11.3 km
B Swans Crossing Campground
I will be staying home in April too. My days of being able to go month after month are probably over. I will be focusing on getting the narrowband camera working.
so on thursday last week i took a detour to swans creek crossing on my way to coffs
the 10k of dirt road took 17 min to navigate - scopes will need to be well padded to avoid re-collimation
nice flat area for up to 15 campsites i would think
large area in middle reserved for recreation activities
two sets of drop toilets better than bretti
about 3 water tanks ( non drinkable i would think )
no rubbish bins ( take rubbish home with you )
didn`t get to check creek out, but it is close to camp area
forgot to check phone coverage, but there was some signal in places on the way out
was 5 campers at the time we were there
tall trees might be a problem with the amount of solar panel exposure time
Thanks for the recon Geoff, the horizon does look abit high there due to the trees.
Just looking at the New Moon for May, its on Saturday the 7th. Good lead up week to the New Moon, with no school holidays or long weekends to impact attendance. Of course Mother's Day is on Sunday the 8th and that will kill off the weekend for many. Still four to five days from Tuesday to Saturday the 7th could be attractive.
Re location I am open but I suspect some find Bretti their limit, based on recent conversations. Weather as always determines everything - unless your far inland, especially in winter.