Floods of Op Shops

We resumed our trip southwards along the winding Mount Lindesay highway, an eye-opener for Jan as she had never been that way before.  The mountain did not disappoint (it never does).

There is an op shop drought between Beaudesert and Kyogle, so by the time we arrived there we were hungry, in more ways than one.  After lunch, we headed for the Anglicare Op Shop and Vinnies.  Not a lot on offer, but once again, we had managed to clothe ourselves for the next day.  It was nice to see that some of the trees in town had been yarn-bombed.

Our stop for the night was Lismore, where my parents met and where I spent many happy holidays as a child.  Sadly, it is not the town it once was. I think the 2017 flood was one flood too many.  Lots of shops in the downtown area are empty, and there is a feeling of despair hanging over that part of town.

Anyway, we headed for the Wilson Motel (even classier than the Analee) and broke with tradition by having dinner at the Asian directly over the road, which was a lot closer than the nearest pub.
We were a little nervous to discover we were sharing the motel with a team of teenage footballers, but they were as quiet as mice come bedtime, and were gone early in the morning.

We started next morning at Lifeline South Lismore. Now that is a good one. After the clothes, I always head for the books. They had so many children's books that they were broken up into categories, eg Enid Blyton Books, Horse Stories. Impressive.


There are lots of op shops in Lismore. I can't remember them all, but I do recall the Animal Rights and Rescue Group one, and the big Salvos, newly refurbished after the flood.  There was a piano on the mezzanine level, and while we were there, a young man wandered in, and sat down to play. He made beautiful music while we shopped.

We had lunch at the old Mecca Cafe, where the pictures on the walls are hinged, so they can be raised above flood height, then headed uphill to the happier suburbs of Lismore Heights and Goonellabah, via the nice little Seventh Day Adventist shop right almost next door to the Base Hospital. Another good one. We found the Anglican one in Rous Road, and by then were feeling pleased with our efforts, but we weren't finished yet.

Alstonville has a beauty. Next to the beautiful St Bartholemew's Anglican Church, there is a big op shop in the timber hall, with more goodies in a second building out the back.  They even had local bananas for sale (cheap). 

I have just realised that there seem to be a lot of churches on this trip, and the Anglicans are winning.