Sunday, December 30 Mallacoota to rest area near Canberra

     On Sunday we were back to the normal routine of driving to get to our next destination.  We did get in a few good stops.

Visiting a WWII communications bunker near the coast.  Except for Darwin on the
north coast of Australia, the country suffered very little direct damage from
Japanese forces during the war.  But in the days after the quick fall of Singapore
and the nearly complete destruction of British Asian forces, the country
was convinced that they would be the next target for invasion.  Concrete bunkers
can be found scattered along most of the coastline from Queensland to South Australia.

I put the LC into 4WD, probably for the last time, to drive up a steep
gravel road to visit these old church ruins.

A picnic at the small coastal town of Eden

A small town off the beaten path in rural New South Wales

Away from the tourist areas you see a lot of rusty corrugated roofs

       We found a pleasant roadside rest for a night of free camping.  We got in early enough to play a game that Ryan had made up during the ride.  A week or so earlier he had invented the Outback Farmer game, which entailed raising wheat or sheep and fighting off marauding dingoes or bush fires or drought.  Now it was a post apocalyptic Outback zombie game.  Much like Dungeons and Dragons, it requires a game master and dice rolling. Ryan has been inventing games like this for our road trips since he was 8.  I'm glad some things don't change.