Tag nature

SmartASSam Adventures on YouTube

seancarslake Leave a comment

If travel videos are your thing – especially if you are interested in taking a road trip around Australia – then look no further than these two amazing playlists on the SmartASSam YouTube channel.

These incredible adventures are brought to us by Sam Newman and Sue Stanley, who take their audience to some truly fascinating places – and pretty much do all the filming, presenting and editing themselves. For those who are not acquainted with the hosts; Sam is a well-known Aussie Rules Football pundit and former player who rose to fame as a co-host on ‘The Footy Show’ for many years, whilst Sue is a former world aerobics champion, Olympian and public figure in her own right.

Last year, Sam and Sue embarked on two back-to-back trips around Australia in their Essential Highlander Caravan and uploaded daily videos from both journeys to YouTube. These amazing adventures are presented in such a down-to-earth and relatable fashion by our hosts, and with some spectacular scenery and quirky tourist attractions as their backdrop, it becomes an addictive experience – for once you start watching these episodes it is impossible to stop!

So, let’s break down both of these awe-inspiring trips, starting with Van Life East.

Van Life East starts in Melbourne, Victoria and winds its way north all the way to Cape York – the Northernmost point of the Australian mainland. It takes Sue and Sam twenty days to reach the top of Australia, with the entire round trip taking just shy of seventy days to complete, as they travel through outback NSW and Central Queensland, whilst skirting along the tropical coasts and taking the final legs of their journey through the Snowy Mountains.

Here are some highlights below.

But if you think that Van Life East was an impressive feat, then wait until you see what Sam and Sue embarked upon with Van Life West. Ninety days on the road through some of harshest and most isolated terrain on Earth, with every step of their travels recorded and shared to YouTube for their audience to enjoy. An incredible effort!

The screenshots below say it all…

Van Life West takes Sam and Sue on a route through Australia’s Red Centre, and then across the Northern Territory and onto the coast of Western Australia which they follow as far south as possible, before braving the desolate Nullarbor on their way back to Victoria.

Honestly, these are some of the best travel videos going around, and a lot of it has to do with the on-screen charisma of both Sue and Sam – whose original takes on both van life and the amazing places they come across make this essential viewing. These playlists have a broad appeal as well, and would be enjoyed by people of all ages – but to be fair are mostly aimed toward older Australians planning to explore the length and breadth of their country at their own pace.

I should also point out that Sam is pushing eighty years of age during these road trips, yet his rigour and showmanship in front of the camera plays a large role in the appeal of these travel episodes. Sue is a little younger, and her athletic background is clear for all to see – as she remains a bundle of energy throughout the trips. Frankly, I find them both inspirational – and chances are you will too!

You can find both Van Life East and Van Life West as playlists on the SmartASSam YouTube channel – and there are other travel adventures to be found there too, such as Sue and Sam’s voyages on their boat ‘Angst’, as well as their brilliant European Trip which is still ongoing at the moment. I will write a review of these playlists at a later date, perhaps once their Euro holiday has concluded.

It’s difficult to put into words just how much enjoyment, excitement and wonder I have found watching Sam and Sue’s videos, and I highly recommend anyone wishing to learn more about Australia to give this YouTube channel a go. Just click on the playlist and start at the very first episode – and I assure you there’s no turning back because it’s that damn good!

There are links to the SmartASSam YouTube Channel below…

https://www.youtube.com/@OriginalSmartASSam

https://www.youtube.com/@OriginalSmartASSam/playlists

All screenshots and graphics are courtesy of SmartASSam on YouTube.

Maps courtesy of National Geographic

The North Parramatta to North Rocks bushwalk

seancarslake Leave a comment

Combining an exciting mix of leafy suburban streets with the grit of an Aussie bushwalk, the 4km course from North Parramatta to North Rocks Shopping Centre – via Lake Parramatta – is a satisfying challenge that isn’t too hard to conquer.

Beginning at the Iron Street shops at North Parramatta, the first part of the journey is a slightly uphill ten-minute walk to the lake reserve, as seen on the map below.

Taking the bush tracks around the eastern side of the lake, this next section of the walk is by far the most picturesque, but can be a little rough underfoot at times. The path becomes more rugged once you pass the northern end of the reserve as it winds its way through part of The King’s School grounds until eventually re-entering suburbia at Tallwood Drive, North Rocks.

There is an interesting marker at around the halfway point of the walk, and that is a unique spiral staircase belonging to one of the houses near North Rocks Road. The lengthy stairs wind their way down from the rear patio of the home to the creek bed at the base of a cliff, yet one could easily walk by without noticing it.

The last part of the bushwalk is an uphill hike through The King’s School property and onto Seville Reserve at North Rocks. I should point out that the route is not entirely clear here, and it’s best to use the map on your phone to guide you in the right direction, and locate where the path crosses the creek (see photo below). From here, it’s a simple matter of hiking up to where the trail ends at Tallwood Drive: – but watch out for the hidden cameras!

Alas, the Fun Police strike again: – but these rules won’t affect you if you are simply walking through. That being said, if I earned a dollar for every mountain bike that rocketed past me whilst enjoying this peaceful walk…

Anyway, once back among the suburban streets, the final stretch of the journey is a mostly flat walk along North Rocks Road, all the way to the shopping centre.

It all ends at North Rocks, and if you’ve kept up a decent pace – even allowing a few breaks to enjoy the scenery – the adventure should have taken just over an hour to complete.

Back at the starting point, there is plenty of available parking (not ticketed) around the streets near the Lake Reserve at North Parramatta, so it’s possible to perform a round trip to North Rocks and back within three hours. The return walk would be mostly downhill, and you can always grab a bite to eat or something to drink at the shopping centre while you are there.

Again, make sure you use the map on your phone to navigate through some of the trickier sections; remembering that there are many paths that will take you safely out of the bushland and back to suburbia if you happen to lose your way.