Sunday 27th November - Dragons and lunch at Hanniigans.

Sunday 27th November
Thank goodness, the day dawned bright and clear. After taking  breakfast we went for a ride on the quad bike. Janet drove with Ollie on her lap, I sat on the edge of the trailer and Will sat in it. We found a large terrapin in the grass and transported him to a nearby dam watching until he disappeared into the depths. Janet drove slowly through the long grass looking for "ground birds" which, she said, she often encountered. But first, she disturbed a huge goana, a monitor lizard. This specimen was about five to six feet long. It climbed a tree to avoid Janet's dogs and we drove on coming across another goana nearby, not quite as big as the first. Down at the main dam we came across a pair of swamp hens and also the two cormorants that were here yesterday. One was a little pied, the other a little black. Near the house, in the garden in fact, we finally flushed a pair of Janet's "ground birds". Stubby bodied with long rounded wings, these little chestnut coloured birds were brown quails, a new bird for me. We left the quad bike at Janet's house and drove the Ute back where the girls had packed ready for us to leave.
When Janet was ready she joined us and we all drove our separate vehicles down the Hunter to Broke where we had lunch at a large Irish themed pub called "Hannigan's". I had salt and pepper squid which was delicious but the proximity of an amplified salsa band banging out all the Hispanic cliches like Guantanamera, Tequila, The Girl from Iponema etc, spoilt the atmosphere. They were good but far far too loud.  Luckily they took their break for most of our time there. It was one of those places where you went to the till to order and pay and were given a numbered stand which you took back to your table where the waitresses would eventually bring you your meal.  The quality of the food was excellent and we all had a lovely meal during which Janet presented us with a book of Australian poetry.    
After the meal we decided to move to a quieter location for dessert and coffee so we all drove down the road to The Hunter Valley Gardens where we found a pleasant cafe and sat and drank coffee and ate ice cream.  Unfortunately, then it was time to part and Janet drove home whilst we continued on down to the freeway and back to the Central Coast.  The weather, as predicted, remained good today.