I am Geocacher, Trighunter and Weather Enthusiast. I enjoy dabbling with gadgetry and computers. I enjoy learning about local history. I like to play the XBox on rainy days and enjoy games with a good story and some historical content. I live in the Northern Rivers of NSW and winter is the best season. I like to read but prefer non-fiction. I've got 10 acres that fill the rest of my time and love spending time in my garden - but most of all I love exploring the bush by foot or by 4x4 and finding things that the world has forgotten about. Firetowers and waterfalls are my weakness.

I don’t get a chance to get away much. Most of us cant have our cake and eat it. We’re either work to afford a house but forfeit taking trips away as much as we’d like, or we travel freely to our hearts content - living of baked beans and no preparedness for the financial challenges the future can throw at us. I admire those that can travel and keep themselves financially happy, but for most of us - that’s not an option.

So I like to take expeditions. Little trips away - not too far, but far enough to find new things, and be home for tea. They are cheap and can still allow time for other things in a busy week. Don’t get me wrong, I love holidays and longer trips, but I cant do them often enough as I'd like - so expeditions fit the bill.

I used to make paper notes on places I’d like to go, and things to do when I get there - but they were getting scrappy and I was finding it increasingly difficult to remember them, or to find one at short notice. So now they’re online. I’m putting them out for all to see.

Expeditions are often as simple as visiting a potential trig station site, to see if it’s still there - or a simple geocache, but could also involve a series of things to find and do. Generally, they’ll be achievable in a day, or at most overnight.

I’ve added a spot for notes under each expedition so if you, weary traveller, have done one of them or just have something to say about them - feel free to post a comment/photo. If you’re interested in joining me on an expedition or want more information on one that I’ve completed, please get in touch. I’ve also added some resources - GPX files, trig sketch or anything else that can help someone else have the same experience.

Anyway, check out my Expeditions page by clicking here. It's a work in progress and is pretty rough around the egdes. I'm adding expeditions and converting hand written stuff into webpages when time allows, so more and more content should pop up on this page over coming months.

Have you heard of geocaching? Essentially, it a hobby involving GPS technology and using it to find hidden boxes out in the bush. These boxes can be of all different sizes, but the best ones are solid metal, and contain goodies that can be swapped with goodies that the finder is carrying. There’s a logbook inside the box, and the finder scribbles their name and date into it to add their name to the list of other geocachers who have found the box previously. The best geocaches will take you to a nice place, or for a good walk and leave you glad that you are a geocacher - else how would you have found this beautiful place you’d be led to.

A GPS device is used to navigate your position to the box, and is often given to the cacher - but occasionally the co-ordinates will be obscured, and the solving of a puzzle will be required to get the information required to find the cache. Geocaching Australia is the online site that hosts the Aussie wide treasure hunt.

In the old days, maps were created from known physical points on the earth. The features of the map were drawn in relation to the position of these ‘trig points’, but using trigonometry. These points were often marked with a stone cairn, blazed tree or a wood post. As time progressed, most were upgraded to something more permanent - a concrete pillar, or metal structure. They were often placed in a position that there was line of site between one trig point and it’s neighbours.

Today, GPS technology has made them redundant. Ground stations (CORS sites) and GPS satellites are used instead.

Trigppointing is a hobby where one tried to physically locate as many as these points as they can. They are often on top of hills or mountains which adds a challenge in trying to access them. Some are on private property, but there are many still found in State Forests or National Parks.

Geocaching Australia has a database of Trigpoints, waiting to be found. You can also read the logs of previous finders to see just what sort of journey you are in for!

Each state government has their own GIS software that they keep track of trigpoint locations. In NSW, the office of Spacial Services has their Spacial Information Exchange database that can be accessed by the public.

I have compiled a Google Map of all NSW Trig Points listed on SIX. Some of these will have been destroyed though. I’ve also downloaded the original sketches and notes about each trig point, so they are easily accessible in one location.

I’ve got an interest in weather, meteorology and storm chasing so naturally I had to install a weather station and a weather camera. Both are published live on the internet. The current weather conditions are posted to CWOP, Wunderground, My own web site, Windy & AWEKAS

The cam images and time-lapse videos are hosted on this very website, then replicated to webcam.io and Youtube. "When clouds appear like rocks and towers, the Earth’s refreshed with frequent showers." I’ve also downloaded some of the radar images that illustrate the rainfall pattern that caused the two 2022 Lismore Floods. Once in February, and again in March.

The Far North Coast of NSW is home to some beautiful bushland - from the rainforests of the Tweed Valley to the dry hills west of Grafton. So many nice places to visit, but so many hidden away. While most visitors decide that a trip to the Northern Rivers involves a motel in Byron Bay for a week with the most adventurous day being a trip to the lighthouse, there’s so much more to see.

So much in fact that we’ll need another page to list some of my favourite Northern Rivers walks and adventure spots, but here are a few that will lift and energise your spirit. Like all photos on this website, simply click to enlarge the photo and display in full colour, or click anywhere that’s underlined to see a more relevant web page.

Sometimes it nice just to go outside and play in the garden. Luckily, I’ve got a few to keep me busy at The Channon. I don’t worry too much about growing edibles. Usually once every animal in the local area has had their share, there nothing left for me. So its flowers and exotic plants. I like natives, but I like a challenge in growing cold climate plants here in the subtropics.

Oh, and roses. Who doesn’t love roses. I love have a few planted. I'd like to get a couple more standard roses this winter.

It’s nice to cross the border into South East QLD and head out for adventure up there. The Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan areas have plenty to see and do.

Since my kids live there, they often tag along on some of the outings, but prefer not to have to walk too far, and mobile phone service is appreciated. There are some fantastic mountains and camping areas west of Beaudesert. In particular, Mount Barney, Mount French and the many dams in the area.

One place that that are usually remote, and have some of the best views in a local area is at a spot where a fire lookout tower has been built. They are used to spot fires before they get out of control. Someone climbs the tower and scans the horizon for smoke. There are a few around, but aren’t used as much anymore as drones and satellite imagery are cheaper and more mobile. Still, these tall structures in the bush are always a delight to find.

There’s a comprehensive online database of Aussie Fire Towers that will help you locate one close to you.

Newest addition to the folk at the Channon is Peep (or Lexie - depending on who you ask). Peep is a Green Cheek Conure that lives here with us now and provides plenty of entertainment. She’s curious and destructive, but has a soft side too that loves cuddles and head rubs. She spends a lot of time out of her cage and usually not far (or on) anyone that’s home.

I often wonder if she’s really a green cheek conure. She can quack like a duck, cluck like a chicken, and act like a goose while making a complete galah of herself.

I like collecting perfumes and here’s a list of my current top 10. Number 1 gets worn to work nearly every day, because at times it’s hardly noticeable - then for no reason can start packing a punch when you least expect it.

1. Another 13 - Le Labo
2. Oceania - Roja Parfums
3. Enigma Parfum Cologne - Roja Parfums
4. Fleur de Peau - Diptyque
5. Blue Cyprus - Goldfield and Banks
6. Bal d’Afrique - Byredo
7. Virgin Island Water - Creed
8. Eau Sans Pareil - Penhaligons
9. Gypsy Water - Byredo
10. L’homme A La Rose - MFK
11. Burning Barbershop - D.S. & Durga
12. Silky Woods - Goldfield and Banks