Bilyana to Tannum Sands

Port Hinchinbrook on a calm day

 


 Thursday 9/8 - I drove to Cardwell Information Centre this morning, walked to the beach and the jetty then went to Port Hinchinbrook where I had watched on the TV when Cyclone Yasi had done so much damage to the boats moored there.  It was a beautiful sunny day and hard to imagine the destruction, though it has been evident in so many places where the trees have been stripped bare of branches and leaves.  Had a short stop at Ingham then camped at Frances Creek the night, had the same neighbours as last night so Joanne, Gerda & I played cards till the cold chased us all inside. 
Friday I was the last to be leaving so did a clean up of the area, such a shame when people can't even use bins provided.  I saw a sign to Jourama Falls, it was 5klm of dirt road, then a 1 1/2 hour walk to to Lookout  

My swim at Jourama Falls


and back to the picnic area, but well worth it then I had a swim Brrrrrrrrrrr.  The water was crystal clear and I could see the fish all around me.  Drove to Balgal Beach, on the way I had stopped at 'Frosty Mango'where I bought the most delicious Mango Smoothie, there were no camping spots left so I went on to Bluewater.  The Community Centre nearby were putting on a BBQ dinner and a local Country Music Club privided the entertainment, can I just say it was very entertaining!!!!
Drove into Townsville and had M'tea with my friend Cecily then met some others after lunch.  I made camp at Home Hill which has great facilities but is the noisiest night I have had in all my travels.
Sunday I drove back to Ayr for Church and was given a warm welcome and some points of interest to see.  I stopped at the Burdekin Bridge and the Diarama showing the many changes in Ayr and surrounds  

WW2 Site on Charlie's Hill

since early settlement, then drove up Charlie's Hill to see the WW2 Site, they had clear views in all directions.  My stop was at Guthalungra tonight (nothing there except a 24hour garage and the camp area that is being developed, dare I say it I was chased indoors by the cold again.




Monday 13/8 I arrived in Bowen today a really pretty place ,Flagstaff Hill has a wonderful lookout and the water was an amazing colour blue.  There had been some whales sighted in the previous few days but none were about when I was looking,   

View from Flagstaff Hill Lookout

drove through Proserpine then stopped for lunch at Bloomsbury.  Took a detour to see the Eungla National Park, visited Melba House at Marian which was 
 once the residence of Dame Nellie Melba and now a Museum and the Information Centre.  Stayed at the Finch Hatton Showgrounds tonight so I could get up early to drive to Finch Hatton Gorge and do a walk.





Finch Hatton Gorge



Tuesday I attempted the Wheel of Fire walk (so named because of the trees growing in the area)  the path  had been washed away over one creek crossing and in my attempt to take photos and not get wet I dropped the camera, it got very wet though I stayed dry, thank goodness for mobile phones with cameras.  I turned back and went to the Casscades Lookout, had a picnic on the rocks and was thrilled when I saw another Ulysses butterfly.  I called in at Judi's daughter at Eimeo, drove  

 to the beach then to Dolphin Point on my way through Mackay on my way to  

Clairview for the night,  a great spot with amazing ocean views and good company. 







Sunset at Clearview

 Wednesday I watched the sunrise over the incoming tide, had a walk along the beach and chatted to other campers.  There was a community shop WAGS (the local Womens Action Group) which had a small op shop and lots of local produce.   
Checked out the rest area being revamped at Waverley Creek, drove through Marlborough for a look, then another stop at Yaamba before arriving in Rockhampton about 4pm.  Met up with a friend and camped out front of her place for the night.


Early morning at Yeppen Lagoon

Thursday 16/8 Margie told me about a lovely walk along a path beside Yeppen Lagoon, which I enjoyed before driving to Gladstone.  I called in to see Helen at work then had M'tea with my sister Ruth & husband Ray before driving to Tannum Sands which will be home for the next 3 months.  This is at a Conference Centre which my niece Jenny & husband David caretake, it is in a bush setting near the beach, there was a Clergy Retreat in that Jenny was catering for and I enjoyed a delicious dinner with them.
 Friday I spoke to one of the campers who I knew from 30 years ago when we were both GFS Leaders, the Bishop pronounced me Vicar General of Tanyalla Ha Ha.  Did some cleaning after they all left then we went walking along the beach.  Jenny taught me how to do some of the bookwork on computer, then spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing.
Saturday Jenny & David left for a few days, it is strange being in a house again.  I did some serious spring cleaning in the Van in the morning and checked out Jenny's vast assortment of craft magazines in the afternoon.  There is lots of wild life and most are really tame with the regular influx of people here. 

Sunday my first challenge, I locked myself out but thankfully remembered where the spare key is from when I stayed for a few days last year.  Rode my bike to Church and had to walk up a few hills, hope to up my fitness levels while I am here. 

My lawnmowers!!

Monday20/8 it seems quite strange living in a house again, a young lass comes to help with cleaning of the rooms and kitchen areas after there has been a camp which is a great help.  I cooked a Quiche for dinner and Jen & David arrived back mid afternoon.  Bible Study Home Group is here on Monday evenings so I look forward to joining that.

Tuesday is Craft Morning at the Church with about 10 other ladies another plus of being in one place for a while.  Today was Tim's birthday (Jen & David's son-in-law) he and Kylie came for a BBQ dinner followed by cup cakes with chocolate ganache and strawberries on top.
Wednesday I drove to Gladstone this morning, spent a few hours with friends, went to Telstra about my rogue phone and the biggest problem has been me, the very patient young lady spent 1/2 hour explaining how it should be used, what a shame that didn't happen when I bought it.  David lit a fire in the Fire Pit and we had dinner by the fire under the stars.  We could hear a Barking Owl in the trees amongst other things.

Atherton to Bilyana

As promised, here are the next two weeks of my travels.















Rocky Creek



 Thursday 26th July, I had stayed at Rocky Creek campground last night, along with another hundred or so many of whom were making their way to Mareeba for the Christmas in July, Motorhome Rally.  I was set up in time for M/tea where a lot of friendships were renewed, some from my home chapter of Wide Bay Wanderers, then off to a Line dancing session till lunch time.  After lunch Judi & I rode our bikes into town, going on what looked like a short cut but wasn't really.  Collected my mail, got some bargain shirts at Rivers and found a red dress at the Op Shop for Saturday night's dinner!!  Afternoon tea turned into a music session with one on Ukulele, another Harmonica and others with various percussion instruments, lots of fun but had to get ready for the official opening and evening entertainment.

Friday I went to a craft session all morning, there was unplugged music under the Fig tree at 4pm and this was great impromptu entertainment, after dinner we had the Hillbilly Goats band playing and we were dancing on the grass.
Saturday I went to Coffee Works with 3 other ladies, now I don't like coffee much but found that with a dash of chocolate liquour followed by all the chocolate in about 14 different flavours that you could eat it wasn't bad.  There is a really interesting museum of coffee and tea memorabilia and a lovely gift shop.  Spent the afternoon decorating my van in Christmas finery, then went to the unplugged music again and this time 

Dancing up a storm

 got up the courage to play one song on my Ukulele with another lady (my first public appearance and maybe my last).  All our tables were decorated for the Christmas Dinner tonight and most dressed for the occasion.  What an effort to cater for 400 of us out in the open a lovely roast dinner and all came out hot.  This was followed by a tasty trifle. 
Sunday one of the local Churches conducted a service under the Marquis, there is a local market held here regularly so it was a chance to get local F & V, then check out lots of motorhome accessories.  Lot's of socialising today, with A/tea with lots of Solos to celebrate a few birthdays then it was time for the Closing ceremony.  Weather had turned cold so no one stayed out to late tonight.
Monday 30th, said our goodbyes and spent the morning on the ususal filling of gas, petrol, water, food, doing washing etc.  Leo, Judi & I met at the Information Centre to drive to Kairi and were joined by Ivan & Gloria.  Judi had been given a bottle of Asti-Ricadonna so opened it to celebrate our last night together with a few glasses!!
Tuesday I drove back to Atherton, and looked through the Crystal Caves then the Patchwork shop before returning to Bob & Gloria's for a few days.  We shared stories of our weekends, my Rally and her family get together with 22 visitors!!  Gloria had sewn all her quilt blocks together but needed another fabric for the border so we drove to Atherton Wednesday for that then went up to the Lookout, it is really beautiful countryside.  We then spent the afternoon sewing, I cooked dinner tonight of Kangaroo rissoles.



at Mt Hypipamie

Thursday morning Bob left early to go gold prospecting on a friends property, in the hope of striking it lucky.  Gloria was explaining how to get to Mt Hypipamie National Park with the Crater and Dinner Falls, then said lets go and drove me there, we had a lovely walk and M/tea of orange and mandarin from her trees.  Back home for lunch before I left to drive to Herberton, where I walked around the old mine shaft areas then sat watching a beautiful sunset.

Friday 3th August I visited the Museum at the Information Centre, then did a guided tour of the famous Spy Camera Museum which was fascinating, he talked to me for over an hour.  Then the drive to Irvinebank, most of it gravel road but not to bad, just that my little van lets lots of dust in.  Every year the little town of 200 swells to at least double that number for a Country Music Weekend, with lots of the motorhomers from Mareeba making their way there.
Saturday they block of the street, there are market stalls, a truck pulling competition, bush poetry, vintage 


the Truck Pulling comp.

 

car and bike display and more with the Hillbilly Goat band playing throughout the day.  I rode my bike to the Museum and around the lake.  There was a country dance with the traditional cup of tea and sandwiches for supper.  Sunday had a quiet morning, the band were playing at the Pub for the recovery breakfast session, and it was nice to just hear it in the background.  I left at midday to drive to camp spot at Liverpool Creek stopping on the way at McHugh Lookout at Milla Milla then went to the Falls, checked out the Henrietta Creek camp spot in National Park.  Stopped to watch a cane fire with Walter Hill Range in the distance, asrriving about 5.30 to meet Judi again.

 Monday we were going to Paronella Park but Judi had to call RACQ, so we played Jenga while we waited.  Another green tree snake in a nearby tree kept us amused for a while but was hard to photograph.  We drove to Mena Creek in time for lunch then did a tour of Paronella Park, what an amazing story of a man well ahead of his time to design and build a castle in such a place.  We also did the night tour and it was spectacular when lit up.  Next morning we walked across the swing bridge to look at the Falls from another  

Judi & I at Etty Bay

angel before we left to drive to Etty Bay.  I had heard so much about this place, it was a pretty little beach, we enjoyed fish and chips for lunch and walked along the beach but didn't see the Cassowary which Etty Bay is renowned for.  Camped at ElArish tonight and it was one very large and one unusual looking spider in the tree we were looking at today. Wednesday it was cold and windy, before leaving I had Hot Chocolate for M/tea with some other campers at the Food Van that comes at 6.30 each day.  We drove to the Murdering Point Winery (the name intrigued me) which is at Kuramine Beach and did some tasting, left with a few bottles of liquour then to Tully and as Judi had lived here a year ago she showed me around, then we had lunch and said goodbye again.  I drove to Bilyana and 10 mins after I arrived a Cassowary came out of the bush right in front of me, lots of cameras clicking but all with a wary eye on the big bird who can be quite vicious. 



 

To be continued - Louise :-)

Paper daisies at Herberton

 





From Rainforest to Tablelands

As it has been a month since my last Blog, I am writing it in 2 parts.


Barron Falls

 After collecting the Van from the mechanic, I camped at Freshwater to be ready to catch the train to Kuranda in the morning.  Used Leo's generator as it is still raining, hopeful that it would clear tomorrow.  The morning began clear but alas my sight of the Mighty Barron Falls was covered in low cloud. I walked through the shops at Kuranda before having a tour of the Wildlife Park, which included a drive through the rainforest in an Army Dukw (an amphibious vehicle, pronounced duck), watching aboriginal dancers and trying my hand at throwing a boomerang.  I returned to Freshwater by Skyrail, this time getting a great view of the Falls from the air as well as from the 3 lookouts where you get out half way down.  Spent the next day in Cairns, I had received an email from Judi looking for travel companions to Cape Tribulation and Cooktown, Thursday morning Judi, Margaret & I set out.  It was a beautiful drive along the Cook H'way  we stopped at Rex Lookout then drove into Mossman Gorge.  A Tourist Centre opened here 3 weeks ago and take visitors by bus to the Gorge, a good idea on seeing the narrow road.  We had a picnic lunch in Mossman, then over the Ferry Margaret led the way to Waluwurrigga/Alexander Range Lookout.  Then to a camp spot at Lync Haven in Diwan for Judi & I, Margaret was booked into Noah's Beach.  We played Triominos, then it was bedtime after a long day with the rain gently falling on the roof.
Friday 13th
Our host Scott did an early morning tour of the park, saw my first Cassowary and a chic, learned about

 

Doris

Boris the crocodile who they rescued from a pet shop and later found it should be Doris.  I drove the 3 of us to the end of the bitumen, we walked along the beach then up to the lookout.  The sand was fascinating it stuck to your skin and left a silver glitter on everything.  After lunch walked along Noah's beach and the sand was soft, white and squeaky so different.  We walked along the Marrdja boardwalk the mangroves looked like something from prehistoric times.  Saturday we were in no hurry to leave it was a lovely spot.  Stopped to take photos of Tea plantations, got F & V at the markets in Mossman and I drove us to see Port Douglas, we had lunch and the water looked so inviting I decided to have a quick dip, Judi watched but after a while she came in clothes and all!!  Drove to Mt. Molloy to camp and met up with Leo and lots of others on their way to Christmas in July in Mareeba.  Sunday had a quiet morning, then some Uke practice trying to learn to strum.  Judi and I walked into the little town after lunch along the road then found the bush track on the way back.
Mon 16th


Yummy

Had a long drive today to Helenvale where we camped behind the Lion's Den Hotel built in 1875.  Tried skipping stones across Little Annan River on our walk.  Shared a giant Pizza for dinner at the Pub and still had leftovers.  My challenge today was to open a coconut that had rolled under my van yesterday.  I did it using the small axe come hammer that was my dads, we enjoyed the milk and fibre, Judi took photos and video which is pretty funny.  Tuesday it was on to Cooktown, stopping at Black Mountain lookout on the way, we were told this is actually white granite with a lichen growth on it?  Met Judi's pen friend of 20 years (this was through the Grass Roots magazine) at the Pub and he drove us to his place 30klm from town on a gravel road.  A tin and bamboo A frame 2 storey shack with dirt floor and no doors, there was a resident carpet snake in the rafters, Jack is 80 and Paul his nearest neighbour is 5klm away.  We stopped and met Paul on our way back to town, he offered us A/tea of freshly baked fruit pizza, and fresh orange & passionfruit cordial.  They both sent us off with enough citrus to eat for weeks.  We booked into the Cooktown Van Park (no free camping here).  We did all the tourist things for the next few days, Lighthouse, sat on the Queens steps (made for her visit in 1970), Art Gallery with a fabulous exhibition of botanical  
drawings by Sydney Parkinson, Botanical Gardens and had fish and chips on the Wharf near James Cook's statue and monument.

Thur 19th



A great camp spot

Visited the Cooktown Museum for 2 1/2 hours and could have spent longer, the building started out as a Convent in 1889, had lunch on the lawn before leaving and Judi had a snake drop from the tree onto her, it was harmless and scared me more than her.  A quick look through the Cemetry before leaving Cooktown to drive back to Mt. Molloy arriving at 5.30 both very tired.  Friday drove to Mareeba and is my usual habit visit the Information Centre on arrival.  Well  the local history display was so good we spent over an hour went out and had lunch and went back for another hour.  Camped at Rocky Creek War Memorial Park, this was an enormous war time tent hospital with over 3,000 beds.  Some fellow travellers were just waiting for another couple of card players so we played Bush Rummy till dark and cold.  Walked around the park the next morning really rugged up from the wind so it was into my van for more cards till lunch time.  I left to drive to Malanda stopping at the 'Curtain Fig Tree' near Yungaburra on the way.  Arrived at my friends Gloria and Bob at about 4, and Gloria spent the next few days being the best tour guide I could have had.  After dinner she drove to Hasties Swamp to watch the birds at dusk from a viewing hyde.



Looking over the Atherton Tablelands

Sunday 22nd
Had an early rise to watch the birds leaving Bloomfield Swamp sitting on our chairs with rugs a cup of tea and binoculars, saw some Brolgas but most were sheltered from the cold somewhere else.  We walked around Lake Eacham before going home for breakfast.  I went to the Baptist Church just along the road, Gloria had to go to work so I spent the afternoon working out how to put her lovely candlewicking into a quilt. Great excitement mid afternoon as Bob called out, a tree kangaroo had plopped out of the Black Bean tree in their back yard he had climbed back up by the time I got there but could be seen with the binoculars.

Monday Gloria & I drove to Atherton for some material and stopped at Gallo Dairyland - Cheese & Chocolate for Devonshire tea on the way home.  Spent the afternoon sewing, thank goodness for Bob doing the cooking.

Tues 24th

Up at 6am to find Platypus at Peterson Creek at Yungaburra and we did WOW!  A drive to Tinaroo Dam then a 5klm walk around Lake Barrine followed by lunch on the deck.  We met Bill & Neidra from Sydney  

Tranquility at the Lake

an amazing couple in their 70's who have walked over 30,000klm in most countries in the world.  They have given me info on walks to do in and around Sydney.  Wednesday an animal we didn't want to see, I heard Bartleby (the dog) growl and looked out to see a dingo, it already had one of their chooks.  Time to leave this beautiful part of the county but will be back next week, and that is another story.

Bye for now

  Louise :-)