Sunday 12th August:
The past week has been spent doing a final shop before packing the van and filling water tanks for our trip. We are setting off for about nine weeks between family commitments. Our original plan was to head west to the Corner Country and Western Queensland. But with temperatures at night still registering in the minuses, we have now decided to head north for some warmth before returning home via the Corner.
Once again, we are stopping at the Yelgun rest area, which is situated 50 kilometres north of Ballina. It's several hours’ drive from our home in Sawtell and really is the only decent stop before tackling the madness of the Gold and Sunshine Coast motorways. Today's distance: 260 km.
The past week has been spent doing a final shop before packing the van and filling water tanks for our trip. We are setting off for about nine weeks between family commitments. Our original plan was to head west to the Corner Country and Western Queensland. But with temperatures at night still registering in the minuses, we have now decided to head north for some warmth before returning home via the Corner.
Once again, we are stopping at the Yelgun rest area, which is situated 50 kilometres north of Ballina. It's several hours’ drive from our home in Sawtell and really is the only decent stop before tackling the madness of the Gold and Sunshine Coast motorways. Today's distance: 260 km.
Monday, Tuesday 13/14 August:
It never ceases to amaze us just how busy the motorway from Tweed Heads to the Sunshine Coast is. We have travelled it on numerous occasions at different times of the day, yet it's always packed with cars and trucks. For the next few nights, we are camped at the Maryborough Showgrounds. Lovely spot with wide-open spaces and few campers, and for $15 a night, it includes power, water, showers, and toilets.
It never ceases to amaze us just how busy the motorway from Tweed Heads to the Sunshine Coast is. We have travelled it on numerous occasions at different times of the day, yet it's always packed with cars and trucks. For the next few nights, we are camped at the Maryborough Showgrounds. Lovely spot with wide-open spaces and few campers, and for $15 a night, it includes power, water, showers, and toilets.
Maryborough's population is just over 20,000, and the town became a port and a major centre in its early days, which led to the construction of a series of beautiful Victorian buildings. We visited Brennan and Geraghty's Store, which traded from 1871 to 1972. It is now a museum. Upon reaching retirement, the younger of the brothers who ran the store closed up the shop and left all stock and goods on the shelves. The family was known as hoarders, and not a single item was thrown away. There are rolls of toilet paper from the 1920s.
The following photo shows the flood levels recorded on the side of the building. You can just glimpse the Mary River in the background.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 15/16/17 August:
Our drive today initially takes us through Childers. The main street features turn-of-the-century buildings, most of which have been classified as heritage sites by the National Trust. Then we head to Gin Gin and Miriam Vale before stopping on the south side of the Calliope River, which is seven kilometres north of the Calliope town turnoff. We spent three lovely days camping here. On two of these days, we travelled into Gladstone to shop and sightsee. We met a lovely couple, Frank and Heather, in their early eighties, who are still travelling and enjoying what Australia has to offer. Distance 430 km. Total distance 1542 km.
Our drive today initially takes us through Childers. The main street features turn-of-the-century buildings, most of which have been classified as heritage sites by the National Trust. Then we head to Gin Gin and Miriam Vale before stopping on the south side of the Calliope River, which is seven kilometres north of the Calliope town turnoff. We spent three lovely days camping here. On two of these days, we travelled into Gladstone to shop and sightsee. We met a lovely couple, Frank and Heather, in their early eighties, who are still travelling and enjoying what Australia has to offer. Distance 430 km. Total distance 1542 km.
Saturday 18 August:
Passing through the township of Calliope, we headed west towards Biloela before turning north to camp at Dululu. The town has a population of just thirty people and one pub. We stayed at the free camp just outside town. Low and behold, Frank and Heather have also turned up. Distance today 185 km. Total distance 1727 km.
Passing through the township of Calliope, we headed west towards Biloela before turning north to camp at Dululu. The town has a population of just thirty people and one pub. We stayed at the free camp just outside town. Low and behold, Frank and Heather have also turned up. Distance today 185 km. Total distance 1727 km.
Sunday, Monday 19/20 August: Left Dululu, heading north, then turned west onto the Capricorn Highway and stopped at Duaringa to fill our water tanks. The town has a nice rest stop on the eastern side and is listed in the Camps 6 book with a tick. We passed through Dingo before reaching Blackwater, which is billed as the coal capital of Queensland. The town is surrounded by coal mines and has a large facility for loading coal onto trains heading east to the coast. Just west of town, we headed north for twenty-seven kilometres to Bedford Weir. Camping here is for a maximum of seven days, which is free, but you can make a donation if you wish. It's a popular spot for boating, camping, and fishing on the Mackenzie River. The weir has been stocked with various fish including barramundi, saratoga, and yellowbelly. There is also a chance of catching red and blue claw, but with the cooler temperatures currently, there isn’t much on offer. Once again, we have the pleasure of camping near Frank and Heather. Distance today 194 km. Total distance 1921 km.
So far, the Oz-Pig has served us well for both cooking and heating.
Tuesday 21 August:
We left Bedford Weir at 08:00 before fueling up at Blackwater. We retraced our steps to Dingo, where we turned north onto the Fitzroy Development Road. After three hundred and thirty kilometres, we arrived at Nebo and stopped for lunch. We continued further east before turning north at Eaton, and we are now camped at the showgrounds at Finch Hatton, about thirty kilometres west of Mackay and close to Eungella National Park. The showgrounds sit beside the Pioneer River and are surrounded by cane farms. Eungella (pronounced young-gulla) is in the Clarke Range, which at its highest point rises to 1280m. Today's distance 457 km. Total distance 2,378 km.
We left Bedford Weir at 08:00 before fueling up at Blackwater. We retraced our steps to Dingo, where we turned north onto the Fitzroy Development Road. After three hundred and thirty kilometres, we arrived at Nebo and stopped for lunch. We continued further east before turning north at Eaton, and we are now camped at the showgrounds at Finch Hatton, about thirty kilometres west of Mackay and close to Eungella National Park. The showgrounds sit beside the Pioneer River and are surrounded by cane farms. Eungella (pronounced young-gulla) is in the Clarke Range, which at its highest point rises to 1280m. Today's distance 457 km. Total distance 2,378 km.
Wednesday 22 August: We woke up this morning to find that it had rained overnight. It must have been the red wines last night. The cloud cover did not lift until 13:00, so we then decided to drive the twenty-odd kilometres to Eungella, where we stopped at the chalet for lunch. This view shows the chalet with the jump-off point for hang gliders, which is 680m above sea level.
Even though we were early for the suggested times to see Platypuses, we decided to take our chances. After standing quietly and remaining still for about ten minutes, we were fortunate enough to see two of these creatures in the wild. They were quite small, which made photographing them difficult. The one we managed to photograph was constantly followed by a Cormorant, and whenever the Platypus dived, so did the bird. Today's distance: 52 km. Total distance: 2,430 km.
Thursday 23 August:
A lazy start for us this morning with low cloud cover again. The cloud lifted around 11:00, so we set off to visit Finch Hatton Gorge. It's nine kilometres into the gorge from just south of the township of Finch Hatton. We took the 1.6 km walk into Araluen Falls. Distance today 30 km. Total distance 2,460 km.
A lazy start for us this morning with low cloud cover again. The cloud lifted around 11:00, so we set off to visit Finch Hatton Gorge. It's nine kilometres into the gorge from just south of the township of Finch Hatton. We took the 1.6 km walk into Araluen Falls. Distance today 30 km. Total distance 2,460 km.
Friday 24th August:
We left at 8:00 this morning to visit my sister and her partner, who live on Hervey's Range, forty kilometres west of Townsville. They have a thirty-acre property where we will stay for the next five days.
Distance today 455Km. Total distance 2915Km.
Hi Folks, were not to far behind you :-)
ReplyDeleteWe are presently at Burnett Heads but moving on towards Mackay on Monday, planning on staying at Eungella Dam for a few days, did you go there? I believe it's a steep climb, we will have the BT in tow, it will be a test for the Toyota :-)
Lovely Photo's
Mick,
ReplyDeleteJust back in range at Georgetown and heading west. Would not fancy towing the BT to the top. Very steep. Let me know how you go!!!
Hi Ross, it wasn't a problem though both vehicles had to use 1st gear on a couple of the tight corners, we are now at Fletcher Creek where i see you have been also recently..
ReplyDelete