October 11, 2013

It was a long weekend here in NSW last weekend and the end of school holidays so we did what we do on most October long weekends and we took the 2 hour drive up the north coast to our family holiday house.

This trip was a little different though as after 20 years of visiting our lovely house on the Bay it would be our last.  We have some wonderful memories of summer holidays, long weekends and winter escapes but sadly it was time to say good bye.

My mum and dad built the house 20 years ago in a beautiful spot on Salamander Bay.  We had been visiting the area for family holidays since I was a young girl and dad had always wanted a place of his own so he could visit whenever he wanted.  Mum and dad had planned to retire up there one day but when we lost dad to cancer 10 and a half years ago things changed and mum knew she would never make the move.

I certainly had a tear in my eye as we drove off on Monday saying goodbye for the last time – no more sitting on the balcony watching the sunset; no more walks on the beach with the kids collecting crabs – the October long weekend had long been special as it was always dads birthday weekend – he would have been 69 last week.   in a way it was our final connection to somewhere my dad had built so it does feel a little bitter sweet to say good bye.

Here are a few pictures from our weekend in the Bay – thanks for the memories Port Stephens, we hope to be back one day.

5 thoughts on “Farewell to our Bay

  1. Such beautiful pictures Leanne. I felt you were writing my own story here after also losing my dad to cancer, spending all my childhood holidays in Salamander Bay at the Resort my dad had built and waving goodbye that last time! I have since introduced my kids to “The Bay” and we try to make a point of getting up there once a year… it is a comforting place to while away the holidays : )

    1. Hi Georgie
      It is so lovely to have wonderful memories of these special places isn’t it!
      Hope you continue to enjoy your time in “the bay”
      Leanne

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