G'day all!
I've been living, studying and working in Newcastle for about 3 months now and have been taking walks on the beach everyday, it being so close to my apartment...yes...feel jealous. On my walks along Nobby's Break-wall, I look North to see beautiful sand dunes right across the bay. One day, our trusty tour organizer and friend Aslak, told us about a company called Sand Dune Adventures who conduct quad bike tours on the sand dunes. Not only does this fabulous adventure exist on the hauntingly beautiful sand dunes, but he found a way for us to do them for a discounted price! We were sold! We all decided to take the Sand Dune Adventures in Stockton by storm.
Sand Dune Adventures is a non-profit organization owned and operated by the Worimi clan of New South Wales. All the proceeds from their tours and adventures goes back into the community. They also have big plans for more tours that will be even more adventurous than ever! They have a bush-tucker tour that allows you to explore the area and learn about the flora and fauna and how they are used by the indigenous people for food and medicine. As part of my PhD, it is vital that I return... plus it'll be fun!
Our day began with a 30 minute drive out to the cultural centre. Thanks to our dedicated chauffeur and friend Edwin, we all made it on time after a couple of car trips back and forth into the city. We explored around the cultural centre for a while, taking in the indigenous heritage of the Worimi people, when we were called outside to be taken by van out to the sand dunes, where our quad bikes were awaiting us.
The indigenous instructors gave us a quick and informative run down on how to drive the quad bike and how to not get hurt and die in the process. Apparently, you only use your thumb for accelerating and braking, which took some getting used to, but once we had the hang of it we were off!
Luckily, we all survived and managed no not only have fun bounding over the sand dunes, but enjoyed the beautiful views of the ocean as well.
After our thrilling 1 hour adventure, we returned to Newcastle for some beer, wings, and walks on the beach - looking out onto the sand dunes with even more longing than before to return to Stockton and the Worimi tours. What a ride!! Woo hoo!!!
