Yes, there is such a creature and we decided to pursue it on a weekend jaunt. The Ozpig is actually an ingenious camp stove and heater that we saw at a camping show in Lismore (about 45 minutes away) and thought highly of but didn't buy at the time. We subsequently kicked ourselves and determined we would hunt one down and get it for our epic travels across Oz.
So, after a simple web search, we found that the fabled Ozpig would be appearing at the Mid-Coast Camping and Boat show down by Port Macquarie, NSW. As the weather was going to be good for the next few days, we packed up Em, the SUV, and strapped "Snappa" our new tent on the roof rack and set off on our hunt.
Port Macquarie is a good six hour drive away and we knew that we'd be camping the night and then take our time coming back to Suffolk Park, so we took it relatively leisurely. Good thing as there were numerous road-works and the delays were extensive. Eventually, were arrived at the camping show and paid our entrance, even though the gate attendant told us the show closed at five and it was already three. Although armed with a map of the showgrounds, it was so confusing that we simply strolled, keeping an eye out for the elusive Ozpig. We cornered one in a booth (okay, there were about twenty of them) and as we had driven so far, the vendor (who created the concept in the first place) threw in an extra stove pipe section. He had on hand the very first Ozpig and told us the story of how he was looking for a easily packable stove that could cook on his camping excursions and give off heat in the cool desert nights but didn't find what he was looking for. So he took an old propane gas tank for the grill, cut out holes for the firebox and top heating plate and welded on leg piece holders and a chimney flue port. I think he said his daughter said it looked like a pig and voila the Ozpig was born. Since then he enameled it in bright pink and brought it around to a few camping shows and with such positive response he decided to build a business out of the Ozpig.
After capturing our own Ozpig, we drove into downtown Port Macquarie to where we planned to camp for the night. We found the campground after simply walking the city's boardwalk and were happily impressed with the cleanliness and layout. I cannot imagine a substantial American city having a campground right in the center of the city on the best piece of land, but that's what we found here. Paying our $27 for an unpowered camp site, we unloaded Snappa and set it up in just a few minutes. Snappa is an Oztent with an internal frame that allows you to set it up with no poles or guy ropes in a matter of seconds. Since this was our first use of Snappa, it took up a bit longer to get everything right, but we managed quite well. When we bought the cots (or stretchers as they call them here), we opted for the longest they had, and they are quite nice and comfortable. However, they are unwieldy and honestly a bit too large. We got them in Snappa fine, but getting around was difficult and we couldn't put them together as they have cross-pieces that prevent this. Thus we couldn't share our duvet cover and I ended up a bit cold. Lessons learned and all that. Still, we had a great first experience camping in Snappa and definitely prefer cots to the hard and lumpy and cold ground.
Dawn was magical and while Allie could watch from her warm nest in Snappa, I walked all of 100 meters to the jetty at the end of the campground and spent an hour photographing it. Then, after a quick and cold breakfast (it was 7 degrees centigrade - 44 F), we packed up and headed on our next leg. We had decided the night before to drive up the "Waterfall Way" and see some of the region's natural attractions. This meant an hour or so of back-tracking up the coast, and then a turn inland to the mountains. From Urunga to Bellingen was simple and scenic but from Bellingen to Dorrigo was anything but. Switchback roads with a vengeance, along with recently washed out places made for some white-knuckle driving that I was thankful to have been driving here for three and a half months and sort of 'used to.' However, Allie did manage to enjoy some sights and we arrived in Dorrigo in one piece and made for our first waterfall, Dangar Falls. Not much, but it was uncrowded and simple, much like the town itself.
From there we continued to Ebor and the much more impressive Ebor Falls, which are actually two sets of falls, one right after the other. Although the light wasn't optimal for photos, the falls are definitely worth seeing. We then drove on to Point Lookout in the New England National Park and were treated to both magnificent vistas and a remnant of a prehistoric beech tree forest, each worth the trek themselves. As the day was passing, and we had a ways to go, we sped off for our final falls of the day before retiring for the night. The last, Wollomombi Falls is one of Australia's highest falls at nearly 300 meters in length. Unfortunately, there is no way to demonstrate the awe inspiring scale of these falls. Just imagine a waterfall from the Empire State Building and you've got it close.
Lastly, we drove up to our favorite New England tablelands city of Armidale for a well earned rest and warmth. The forecast temps were going to be -4 (26 F) and we aren't set up for this type of camping (our sleeping bags are for the other three seasons) so we splurged and had a wonderful time. The next morning I laughed because the innkeeper asked if I wanted some hot water in a bucket to defrost the windshield in a tone of voice that a frosty morning was one of the worst things in the world. I declined and scraped the windshield myself with no problems. After a long day of driving back through Ebor and nearly to Dorrigo, we veered off toward Grafton and eventually home. This route was suggested by a guy who knows scenery and we gave it a go. It was certainly pretty, but once was enough as we hit a rather long (20 km) stretch of very, very curvy roads and I was a bit tired of them. Lastly we got home in time and last night the heavens opened up and it has been raining hard off and on all night and through today.
And the Ozpig is happy here.
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