The outlook
When you arrive at Christmas Cove Caravan Park near dark, as we did, it’s not an inspiring sight. It looks rough, with several dead caravans littering the landscape. I feel it’s seen better days. Likewise, June Opie Cottage, with broken tiles in the bathroom, a slightly stale smell and a very 1970s feel about it, is nothing to write home about. But to only see these things is to miss the real beauty of the place. June Opie Cottage has a setting that is really quite lovely in daylight. From the verandah, you look out at a scene of remarkable tranquility. I envied the lone fisherman out in his small punt, on a perfect early morning, maybe 500 meters from shore.
When you look closely at the access setup in June Opie Cottage, it’s actually pretty clever. For a place clearly designed 40 years ago, there are some nice touches. Open shelves and recessed kick boards in the kitchen for a start. And nice ideas like putting the tap at the front of the sink, where I can reach it!
The hallways and doors (all sliding) are wide, allowing easy circulation and turning, even in my big powerchair.
The bathroom isn’t much to look at but it works. The bars are in the right places and there’s (just) enough room to get around. You can tell someone using a chair lived here long term. This is a practical setup, not an architect’s design.
I went for a big wheel around the grounds and it’s all pretty good. You share the road with cars but it’s very quiet. There are more residents here than visitors, I suspect, at least mid-week, when we were here. Aside from some deep gutters and high speed humps, the roads are easily usable by a wheelchair, as are some of the walking paths.
Now, it’s time to pack up and head for Byron Bay.