Tuesday 13th May – The flies are starting to build up around the rubbish bags so we get on the road after Anna gives us a good breakfast, for the short ride up to Ingrid and Rob's in the northern burbs. A short ride for Tim at least in the vehicle... Tracy bikes the 30km or so and generally has no problems following on the bike path network. Ingrid is home when we get there and we spend a relaxing afternoon with her after dropping all the rubbish and recyclables in the bins of helpful neighbours.
Later in the afternoon Tracy joins Ingrid when she goes to feed her horses (she is an expert horsewoman) and has a short and rather nervous trot on the calmer of the beasts. Meanwhile Tim catches up with picture editing and blogging before a good meal with Ingrid, Rob and her son who is recently back in Aus after 4 years in Aberdeen.
Wednesday 14th May – Ingrid lends us her small car today, a real change after 6 weeks in a big truck. We take a ride up into the hills, past the Glasshouse mountains (a series of volcanic outcrops rising out of the coastal plain) and up to Maleny where we take a break at a winery (they can grow some white grapes here, others come from further inland in southern Queensland). Then on to Montville, an attractive a touristy little town full of small boutique shops and with fantastic views down to the coast. Unfortunately Tim forgets the camera's flash memory card so we don't have any pictures.
Thursday 15th May – After doing a bit of shopping in the morning we carry on to the coast north of the city for a look at the beaches around Redcliffe and take a pleasant stroll on the shore. En route home we pick up lots of food and tonight Tracy does the cooking and again we eat well, and get through a goodly amount of wine including some fine desert wines.
Friday 16th May – We are going to head into the hills again today and Tracy again opts to ride for a while, on the challenging mountainous Mt Mee Rd. She covers about 60km before taking a well earned rest in a pub until Tim appears. We continue on to Nanango in the South Burnett Region where we get settled into a campground on the edge of town before having a quick look at the small town in the evening.
Saturday 17th May – With the weather staying pleasant we decide to take our bikes out to look at the neighbouring town of Kingaroy, peanut capital of Australia and 25km away. We take saddlebags in the hope of buying some local produce and are not disappointed, there is a good Saturday market for veggies and honey, a stall selling peanuts where we buy up 3kg to keep us in snack food for a while and a cheese factory where we replenish supplies of cheesy comestibles.
The riding is pleasant so we take a longer route home, stopping at a lavender farm/ winery/ cafe for some sustenance for the final 10km. As evening falls we look around the typical Aussie country town of Nanango, like many Australian towns they are very fond of murals and there are many to see depicting local history and life.
Sunday 18th May – Another day dawns clear and bright so we decide to head for them thar hills, and around here that means Bunya Mountains National Park. The hills rise out of the rolling country around and feature a unique environment including Hooped pines and the unique Bunya pines that are limited to certain areas of Queensland. These mighty trees boast pine cones as big as soccer balls containing seeds prized as food by local Aboriginal tribes. The area near the Park visitor centre is perfect for spotting Wallabys as they enjoy snacking on the grass and we get our first view of a Joey with his head peering out of mum's pouch before enjoying a good forest walk that illustrated the native environment.
Returning to Kingaroy we visit a few of the local wineries (the soil and temperatures at this altitude have been found to work well for some grapes) before returning home to a chilly and windy night which makes us glad to be safely esconsed in the camper.
Monday 19th May – Despite the overnight storm the weather is again gorgeous today, but considerably colder as we head back towards the coast. Our route takes us past the pretty town of Goomeri before we drop to Gympie, where we'll overnight before getting back to the sea. It proves to be a very attractive small town built on a series of hills and we spend the afternoon strolling around and making use of the library's free internet service.
In the evening we join the local hash runners for a long trail around the edge of town. Despite the altitude being only about 90m/ 300ft there are some cold hollows en route that are distinctly frigid (at least to those of us softened by 7 months of summer weather. Then they warn us that the attractive little free camping area we are in at the edge of town is notoriously cold... and without our heater (no electrical hookup here) we are glad of having some thick bedclothes.
Tuesday 20th May – We have been recommended several times to visit the Tin Can Bay/ Rainbow Bay area so we head there today, finding a National Park campsite on the tip of the promontory projecting towards Fraser Island, the world's biggest sand island. Unsurprisingly the camping areas are very sandy too but we find an excellent site that will not allow our 2wd truck to get bogged down.
In the afternoon we walk on the sand flats facing Fraser Island at low tide and marvel at the seemingly millions of small soldier crabs that march all over the place is large groups, occasionally burying themselves en masse if they feel sufficiently threatened. It is a good place for sunsets over the mainland and Tim enjoys the evening views while Tracy goes off to buy seafood at the local fish shop.
Wednesday 21st May – We are about 12km from Rainbow Beach which makes for a pleasant bike ride in the morning. The beach is named for the multicoloured sand cliffs that tower over the shore and Tim enjoys riding past these cliffs for a closer look while Tracy relaxes under a tree before taking a leisurely ride back to camp. In the afternoon we take the short ferry ride to the Island and after an abortive attempt to ride road bikes on the rough dirt road inland we ride on the solid sand of the foreshore, a route popular with 4wd enthusiasts. The sand is a nearly ideal consistency for riding and we get a little look at this unique environment... but we'll have to come back some day to see the unusual terrain inland.
Thursday 22nd May – We are up early for once to drive around to Tin Can Bay on the west side of the promontory, where a couple of dolphins regularly come in to feed. One appears today and we join a group of 20 up to our knees in water as the dolphin gently takes fish from each of us. With the morning fun done we have a long ride ahead up to Bundaberg but we take a break at Maryborough, a very attractive city developed as a port on a navigable river where fortunes were made from gold mining inland. Here we take a stroll around and stock up with fresh produce at an excellent street market.
Heading north again we are on a flat coastal plain dominated by cane fields, especially west of the road: Bundaberg is home to the Australian sugar industry and canefields will be a regular sight all the way to Cairns, thriving in warm weather and regular rains. We check into one of the more expensive campgrounds we've encountered for two reasons, Tim needs the internet to follow Celtic's fortunes in the final game of the Scottish Football (soccer) season and the site is close to the Bundaberg Run Distillery.
The distillery is an Aussie institution and we immediately head round to book a tour for late afternoon. In contrast to the last run factory we visited (in Grenada where the technology did not appear to have changed since the early 19th century) this one is modern but we enjoy the tour and the sampling afterwards.
Friday 23rd May – Tim is up early for the game and after the right result with Celtic winning the league from their main rivals we hit the road for the beaches east of the city (which is built upriver 15km or so). The campground we pick proves to be a sound choice, right on the beach with good facilities and a relaxed ambiance so Tracy chills out for the remainder of the day while Tim explores the area (beach villages and sugar cane dominate) on the bikes. And in the evening we use Celtic's victory as an excuse for a few celebratory drinks.
Saturday 24th May – This area at the southern edge of the Great Barrier Reef boasts good shore diving so we pick up gear in town and make for a couple of recommended spots. While getting in and out is tricky on the rocky shore with some decent surf coming in we enjoy two long shallow dives with some fish and good coral, especially soft coral. Later we also take a walk to look at the surroundings before a quiet evening.
Sunday 25th May – A completely lazy day, cranking up the music in the camper and catching up with laundry, cleaning, tidying and all the other jobs we've been putting off. Once the chores are done we just chill in the fine weather.
Monday 26th May – Another long drive today up to Rockhampton, but we take the time to check out a weird tourist attraction near Bundaberg: a flat rocky area pockmarked with large holes which was uncovered in the 1960s and has puzzled geologists since. Just south of Rockhampton we cross the tropic of Capricorn... but the weather has turned anything but tropical here with dull skies and cooler temperatures.
In Rockhampton we head for a free camping area on the southern edge of town, only to find recently erected “No Camping” signs. Backtracking we noted a hotel offering free camping in the field behind and we were soon installed and enjoying a beer in the bar while getting some local information from the bar maid. The weather is a little brighter and we head to the tourist information on the edge of town before driving up Mount Archer, the highest point around, for sunset views. As it is Monday night a hash run follows, and despite threatening skies we stay dry.
Tuesday 27th May – The weather is still overcast with a few glimpses of sun as we explore the attractive city centre, another port located on a major river a few km from the coast that made its money servicing the mining industry. A small museum gives us some local history before we take a walk around the city's highlights, before hitting the internet cafe for a dose of the rest of the world.
Wednesday 28th May – The weather finally breaks completely and the rain pours down all morning. This gives us a chance for shopping and chores... a field behind a hotel has no checkout time unlike a campground. With conditions still poor we finally hitch up for the short ride to Yeppoon, a seaside town on the coast northwest of the city and find a spot right on the shore at the council owned campground. Pity the conditions are still dull.
We are going to run with the local hash group here tonight and we are offered a ride to the venue as giving us directions to a rural home would be difficult. The group is small as many are still recovering from a camping weekend and they decide food and beer will be free as they had supplies leftover from the weekend. The run is short giving us more time for food and drink!
Thursday 29th May – The day is brighter today but the forecast is poor (Brisbane and the south Queensland coast are being hit by serious flooding) as far as Mackay so we decide to just take the long drive up there and reunite with Don who is parked in the garden of his friends Kathy and Darryl while fixing a rental home he owns behind their home.
We continue to pass an endless succession of canefields with views of wooded hills further on the left until we take a detour to the right to take a look at the Hay Point coal terminal, testament to the mining boom in Queensland. There is an impressive number of ships queued offshore and plenty of brand new conveyors being installed to get the coal out of Australia and off to Asia. We arrive in Mackay late afternoon and easily find the house, and we are soon installed in a corner of the garden.
Friday 30th May – The weather continues dull and drizzly so we spend a lazy day relaxing and catching up with Don and the internet. In the evening we join Don in his quest to watch all the James Bond movie... he is early in the series at Dr No.
Saturday 31st May – It is still dull and quite stormy but we decide to take a ride out to see the beaches to the north and east of the city (which like most we've visited is upriver some way). Shoal Point at the north end of the ride is cloaked in cloud but conditions improve a little as we bike south and we spend a little time in a preserved piece of Paperbark forest before continuing to Slade Point which has good views north and south with a few bands of blue sky. We stop at a convenient pub near the beach before continuing past the Port of Mackay and in the end rack up 76.6 km.
Sunday 1st June – Another lazy day as the weather is still slow to improve and not a lot is open in Mackay on a Sunday. We do enjoy a good meal with Don, Darryl and Kathy in the evening.
Monday 2nd June – Conditions are on the mend today so Tim takes off for a long walk around town to get some pictures in sporadic sunshine. Beyond that the day consists of more relaxing before we hook up with the local hashers in the evening for what proves to be a long run.
Tuesday 3rd June – Time to leave Mackay at last but we don't rush as it is only a short ride up to Airlie Beach, a tourist centre for the beautiful Whitsundays, 74 wooded islands close to the coast. After finding a pleasant wooded campground with a huge number of birds we head out to run with their hash group in the evening, it is a short run with a small but fun collection of people.
Wednesday 4th June – The weather is back to spectacularly good and we enjoy an easy going but full day, beginning with a look around the town. Then we head east to Shute Harbour where boats leave for the islands before taking a walk north to Coral Beach in Conway National Park with fine views of the islands before the path leads through native forest. Coral Beach itself is awesome at low tide, there is a great variety of soft coral that is exposed at low water levels, and we spend some time checking out the sea life.
Thursday 5th June – Having decided to forego the dubious delights of tourist trips to the islands we continue with another short hop to Bowen, a town at the centre of mango, capsicum pepper and tomato growing. The terrain on the coast here is actually much more arid than further south but conditions on the coastal plain must be great for fruit and vegetables.
We check into an excellent campground to the south of town before driving in for a look around. First stop is a viewpoint with beautiful views south over the islands and north to the beaches that make Bowen a popular but by no means busy holiday area. From here we drive to one of the small beaches and take a walk over the headland: the terrain here consists of many beaches of varying sizes separated by rocky headlands covered in dry scrub, which makes for good walking and unobstructed views. To end the day we visit a local fish store on the harbour and stock up with local seafood.
Friday 6th June – Today we use our bikes to tour the town and ride out to a beach with good snorkeling, checking out the undersea life keeps us occupied for an hour or so and we hang out at the beach for a while longer. Then we call in on a couple of vegetable stalls selling the local produce to size up what to buy on the way out of town.
As the sun sets we take a walk on the floodplain behind the campground which seems like a good way to see some of the local birds. Only Tim finds a rather swampy section to stand on and disappears up to his thighs in thick black mud! He does manage to retrieve his sandals which stuck deep in the gloop.
Saturday 7th June – Again we use the bikes to find a snorkeling beach before stopping at a pub in town for some food and drink. A quiet day.
Sunday 8th June – Another quiet Sunday to catch up with laundry and get the camper in order. We do drop into town to look at the Sunday market but otherwise we stick to camp.
Monday 9th June – Another shortish hop north to the largest city in north Queensland, Townsville. It is a holiday today (the Queen's birthday – they are good royalists here!) and the Townsville hash are doing a bike ride in the afternoon so we ensure we are ensconced in a nearby campground in good time. We get a nice look at the city on the ride, it is basically built around a big red rock called Castle Hill which we ride around with a detour down onto the nicely developed seafront (yes, a city actually on the sea!).
We then run with the full hash group in the evening, they have a good turn out for a short run with a good party in a quiet parking lot to finish. We are impressed by their drinks wagon, a trailer with lots of space for a selection of beers and soft drinks on ice and space to take notes, a cash tray and space to pin notices. A few of the hashers join us in our camper afterwards, though having run down our stocks of drinks we are not the best hosts.
Tuesday 10th June – The day is pretty dull early but we decide to take a bike ride anyway, starting with the 280m (900ft) climb up Castle Hill for spectacular views over the city and Magnetic Island just offshore. Right on cue the skies clear and we have a good ride back down to the seafront and round to the port to find out about boats to the island. Returning through the attractive city centre (more mining money from the last century) we find they actually have a good microbrewery with tasty food before we ride back home in the evening light for an early night.
Wednesday 11th June – We are up early to bike down to the port for the ferry ride over to Magnetic Island, a swift crossing by powered catamaran. Once there we head north on the bikes and immediately discover that the island has some steep hills and narrow roads! Little traffic though.
First stop is a walk through native bush up to an old army camp from WWII, the island was an important lookout station when the Japanese threatened mainland Australia. We leave the bikes for a climb up the original road built in 1942, stopping to look at the remains of the camp (mostly concrete slabs) and for the koalas that are often seen here. We spot one koala on the way up, then climb again to the two old gun emplacements which still have their bunkers and some of the camouflage material (concrete “rocks”, chicken wire). It is also possible to see the old range finding emplacement and the Command Post. While descending we spot another Koala and are delighted to see a baby clinging to mum's front. Many pictures ensue.
We continue on the bikes taking a look at some beaches but not finding anywhere sheltered enough to be bothered snorkeling (there is quite a swell on the north and east of the island). It also takes a while to find somewhere to eat but eventually we spot a cafe and snack before returning to the port for the boat home and the short evening ride through the town. We use the evening for shopping, it'll be a while till we hit a big town again so we get stocked up with food, beer and wine.
Thursday 12h June – We decide to stay another day in Townsville and take a look at their Museum of Tropical Queensland, an excellent source of information about the history, people, geography and biology of the tropical Queensland area: well worth a look for anyone who is going to spend time around here and points north. Later in the day we walk around the historic parts of town before catching up with some final shopping in the evening.
Friday 13th June – Tracy has a massage booked in the morning so Tim catches up with some photography, banking and internet before we roll out of town on the road inland. The terrain soon becomes a succession of low hills and flat plains covered by grass, sparse eucalypt scrub and termite hills, and Charters Towers is in similar terrain, only here the hills once covered rich gold deposits and the town has many attractive buildings indicating this former affluence.
We check into a pleasant campground on the edge of town and walk into the centre on a beautiful late afternoon. The tourisgt information centre has lots of displays and audiovisual about the mining history and we plan out our day for tomorrow before looking at some of the historic sites in the town centre including the stock exchange where the world price of gold was set in the 1880s, such was the richness of the deposits here. In it's heyday the town was so self important that it was known as “The World”.
Saturday 14th June – We get on the bikes again today to tour around the area beginning at a rebuilt pit-head on the site of an old mine. From here we ride into town for another look, then a little out of town to the second of three old mining villages to see the Venus Battery (the first village was where the town developed, the second had the best water supply for processing gold and was the site of several mills while the third faded away. Gold here was trapped in quartz and had to be removed by crushing the rock, adding water and treating the slurry with mercury to release the gold.
Opened in 1891 the Venus Mill (technically the Battery is just the machine that pounds the ore, but the site is usually called Venus Battery rather than the more correct Venus Mill) was independent Big mines processed their own ore while the Venus served small mines (and charged them plenty!) and only closed in 1973, so it was not too difficult to restore much of what was left. Initially the tailings were dumped behind the mill until a process to recover gold with arsenic was developed and a processing facility grew up beside the mill. In recent years even the waste from this process was bought up and reprocessed with the latest methods, reducing the many slag heaps that dotted the town in the 1970's to one big pile near the Venus Mill.
In late afternoon we grabbed a picnic and headed for then thar hills, a lookout on the tallest of the rounded hills that dot the area (the Towers in Charters Towers) and the site of the first goldstrike. It boasts the remains of a tailings processing plant (before arsenic was used to remove gold from tailings
in a relatively cheap way, a chlorination process was used requiring a very long drop, here off the side of a hill), concrete bunkers from WWII (the US airforce had a base here), a lookout with historical storyboards and a lot of rock wallabies. After dark they project a film about the town here, completing a “golden” day.
Sunday 15th June – Today we begin a long stretch of road with not much on it, but our first day's ride is short up to a free camping area on Fletcher creek near Dalrymple National Park. The creek flows all year from a spring and quite a few people would appear to live here for long periods (the limit is theoretically 30 days), it is certainly very pleasant once we fit ourselves in near a firepit on the creek. Tracy takes it easy for the rest of the day while Tim goes running to explore the road into the Park.
Dalrymple was once a flourishing town in the 1860s with gold mining nearby, the creek supplying water and on a spot where carts could cross the large but seasonal Burdekin River. However it wsa flooded out in 1872 and never recovered as the focus of mining remained to the south with the development of Charters Towers. Now all that remains is some mine shafts and graves (there may be more in the bush but we were not going to provoke the snakes). The area is also fairly recent in Australian terms with signs of lava flows from about 10,000 years ago.
Monday 16th June – We use our bikes to explore the park as the dirt roads are fairly smooth and only sandy in a few places. The Burdekin Riverbed has some impressively worn rock patterns and debris caught high enough in trees to impress how the town might have been flooded. Now the area is home to wild pigs (we saw a large family beside what water remains of the river) and an impressive array of birds.
In late afternoon Tim explores the area round the camp and finds enough firewood to keep a good campfire going all evening. The hardwood here burns so well that one load will last far longer than those of us used to burning softwoods would even believe, and a good fire is very useful as the clear night chills right down.
Tuesday 17th June – From Fletcher Creek we get on to some more basic road with a single lane tar strip down the centre and red dirt shoulders, memories of Malawi. Normally the cars get off on theur own side well (less games of “chicken” than in Africa) but we are on a “road train” route with 50m (160ft) long semi trucks with 4 trailers and everyone gets off the road completely for them! The roads here were built in the 1960s to develop the cattle industry, replacing droving and railways with much swifter road transport to the coast. In more recent years an increase in travelers (especially grey nomads) has helped to bring money and facilities into some far flung outposts especially further west.
We stop at 40 Mile Scrub, a preserved area of dry rain forest or vine thicket, and consider camping here but controlled burning on the roadside makes for a smoky environment and we move on. A short bush walk informs us that dry rainforest is not an oxymoron, the environment has all the characteristics of rainforest (canopy limiting light, little undergrowth, heavy vine coverage) with low rainfall. The mix of vegetation is fire deterrent but also fire sensitive, in contrast to the surrounding eucalyptus scrub which is prone to fire as a natural part of the life cycle.
Another 80km (50 miles) brings us to a large free camping area at Archer Creek, here the surroundings are greener than further west as we approach to higher rainfall areas of the Atherton Tablelands. The road here was widened and rebuilt at some point and Tim makes use of the old road to run while Tracy hangs out at a campfire with a group of 8 Brits and Aussies looking to drive from Cairns to Broome (on the west coast) in a small van in 2 weeks (check out the distance on the map, rather them than us!).
Wednesday 18th June – Ravenshoe, 16km down the road and Queensland's highest town at 910m (3000ft), boasts a cheap camping area at the railway station according to our camping guide book so we decide to ride in and take a look. As we climb the 250m from Archers creek the clouds build up, one assumes this is quite normal as we transition from the dry centre of the country to the country's wettest area on the tropical coast. We stop to take a look at Millstream Falls just off the road and the sun manages to reappear just in time for pictures of this beautiful spot, formed by three separate lava flows.
The area around the falls, like many places in the area, was used as an army camp in WWII in case the soldiers had to be deployed to defend the coast and in close proximity to the rainforest for jungle training. The National Park around the falls is 100 years old and the centenary celebration Saturday will involve opening an interpretive walk to highlight what remains of the military installations, however they only have half the signs mounted today so we find out 50% of the history.
When we arrive at the nicely maintained railway station we find their restored steam engine about to take a crowd of schoolkids on the 7km ride to Tomoulin (normally it only runs Sunday) but we find the caretaker and book ourselves into a nice spot beside the station building close to water and power. The local tourist information is helpful and has informative displays about the rainforest. We are apparently only 31km from Topaz, the wettest place on the continent at over 4m (160in)/ year.
While the ride to Ravenshoe was a slog uphill into a headwind the ride home is a joy and we are quickly rolling the rig to the station. This is surely the best campsite we will have (barring a cold shower) as we have a garden right outside the door, toilets are close and a campfire is lit every night. It is also a stones throw from the quiet and attractive village which boasts all services and costs only $6. We cannot recommend it highly enough and spots near the electrical outlets are popular but there is a ton of room for those who don't need power (or have a very long power cable).
Thursday 19th June – The morning dawns cloudy but we decide to do the “waterfall circuit” anyway. The combination of high rainfall and steep hills to the east obviously make for this kind of attraction and for once we take the trucj\k as the biking would be a little challenging. First stop is the local windfarm in the dip formed by an old volcano crater, they are very proud of their 20 or so windmills here and we don't mention that they really can't compare to Palmerston North with its hillsides covered in the things.
Next stop is a lookout over the Tablelands and we are struck by how much the rolling hills and green pastures resemble New Zealand. Then we start hitting the falls: Milaa Milaa is the picture perfect high falls with deep pool, Zillie Falls is higher but difficult to get a good view, Ellinjaa Falls tumble over volcanic rocks while Mungalli Falls begins as a steep cascade before dropping a good distance. By now we are waterfalled out so we support one of the other local industries, dairy, by buying a few items at the local cheese store.
Nearly back at Ravenshoe we detour to check out Little Millstream Falls, upstream from Millstream Falls on the Millstream River and impressive themselves as they tumble over and around a succession of rocks. In the evening Tracy hangs out at the campfire with the “olds” while Tim gets in some altitude training by running.
Friday 20th June – In the morning we drive down to Tully Falls, once one of Queensland's natural wonders before a hydro power scheme robbed it of water other than in the wet season. From the road now there are just good views of a gorge and rock wall where the falls once fell, but a pleasant rainforest walk takes us down to the top of the falls where the lack of water allows us to play on the worn rocks that were once inundated. We also get a brief look at some of the power scheme upstream.
We pick up the camper after lunch (another advantage of this informal site... no check out time) to backtrack 30km to Innot Hot Springs where we'll meet the Cairns Hash House Harriers celebrating their 1650th run. The campground is perfect for us with a big open field to turn in and align the camper (5th wheels are a chore to maneuver as the pivot point makes them slow to start a turn). It also proves good when the hashers arrive as we have a big camping area well away from the rest of the campers and with a big fire pit.
The campground has a kitchen which provides an excellent fish and chip supper for us before we repair to the pub for a prearranged meeting with the early arrivals. From here we return to the campfire for a few beers as more of the group arrive. Tim has a fairly early night while Tracy burns more midnight oil.
Saturday 21st June – This morning Tracy has booked a massage so she heads for the hot pools (the camp has 6 pools of varying temperatures fed by natural hot springs) to get in the mood while Tim takes a bike ride. There are not too many paved options here so he rides back to Ravenshoe with the knowledge of the downhill return journey and relative quietness of the road.
By the time Tim is back most of the hashers are in camp and have started on beer or champagne while lunch is underway. We relax for a couple of hours before the hares (who wandered the bush for most of the morning setting a trail) point us in the right direction and we are off and running. Or not as most of the group walk, and a couple of the ladies who started a little early on the bubbly stagger. We begin by sticking to dirt roads without too many zig-zags and before long we find a drinks stop where they have some much needed water and an interesting concoction of Stones Ginger Wine and lemonade. From here things get interesting as we meander past old tin mine workings and areas where the ground has been eroded into impressive shapes before finding the road again and following it back to the pub (there is not much more in town other than campground and pub).
The evening is fun, most of the group begin by partying in the hot pools; then we collect enough fire wood for a major fire all evening, enough food to feed an army is produced and the beer shows no sign of running out. With dark but clear skies we also get some great views of the stars including the best sighting of The Plough/ Big Dipper we've seen here.
Sunday 22nd June – There is time in the morning for a communal breakfast, then while some people have to leave early we join those with less commitments for another soak in the pools. We've got an easy day ahead, we booked ourselves back at Ravenshoe Railway Station so we drive the 30km in time to check out the Sunday market that occupies the Railway grounds until 1pm. Once the stalls are dismantled we reclaim our old spot with garden and relax the rest of the day.
Monday 23rd June – Finally time to drive down to Cairns, but we make a leisurely start to the day with shopping and internet before driving to Lake Barine, a flooded volcanic crater surrounded by rain forest. The whole Tableland area was once rainforest growing on rich volcanic soils before much of it was logged for hardwoods and cleared for agriculture. This part of the Great Dividing Range has the right combination of altitude and rainfall to generate a forest with an amazing array of species and while the forest has dwindled there is still an abundance of life.
We take a walk in the forest to see a couple of Kauri pines (huge trees which we also saw in northern new Zealand) and spot our first live snake (a common black) which is not a highlight for Tracy. From here we head down the spectacular Gillies Highway that winds steeply over the last ridge of hills before descending in a series of hairpins 900m/ 3000ft down to the coast. The weather is clear so we enjoy the views as we descend through the dense rain forest.
Once on the coastal road (and back among the ever present sugar cane) we drive north and check into a convenient site on the southern edge of town. Monday night means time to reunite with the Cairns hashers and we enjoy a short run, but one featuring a good view of the low hills south of the city.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
New South Wales (part 2)
Tuesday 6th May – We get up early and enjoy some interesting views of cloud filling the valleys as we drive out of Lismore and down to the coast at Byron Bay. This journey is quick and we arrive at a campground near the town soon after 9am... to get the first knockback we've received, they have no space. Moving a few km down the coast to Broken Head does the trick though and we are soon installed in a pleasant site with sea view.
We spend the afternoon walking along the seashore, over the rocks for which the area is named and over to another beautiful beach. We avoid the urge to remove our clothes (this is a clothing optional beach) and return home for a relaxing evening in perfect weather.
Wednesday 7th May – Another day to get the bikes out, this time for the easy 7km ride into town. First we head up to the lighthouse perched on the easternmost tip of the country from here there are great views up and down the coast. A little time spent watching the sea close by allows us to see turtles, a ray and a pod of dolphins playing close to shore and surfing on the waves. All we missed out on was any whales.
Next we looked round this pleasant touristy town investigating diving options and whether there were any massage possibilities for Tracy. She couldn't find a good massage place but opts to dive the next day while Tim plans to organize us with a big shopping spree. We ride home on the beach as the tide is low getting some great sunset views as we go and enjoy another relaxed evening sitting out in the warm breeze.
Thursday 8th May – As planned the day is devoted to shopping and diving, Tracy seeing a fine range of harmless Wobbegong Sharks, Bull Rays, fish and soft coral while Tim finds us supplies for the weekend in the bush and to stock us for a while ahead. We also do some souvenir shopping to get ideas for what we might take home.
Friday 9th May – A long ride ahead of us today back into the Great Dividing Range near the border with Queensland. We drive up to Lismore, collect a few items we forgot yesterday and continue on a pretty good road northwest. After a couple of hours we reach Urbenville, from where we have detailed directions to the campground... good thing too as it is not obvious. When we arrive however it is worth the journey, we are able to pull the camper into a nice pull-through site on the river bank with the falls a few metres to the side.
Some of the Lismore hashers are already there and have set a rope up for abseiling (rappelling); Tim takes great pleasure in being able to produce his own gear from the collection of random items you can carry in a big camper on the off chance they might come in handy. After that the multi-sport theme continues with a bike ride on the National Park tracks with excellent views of the steep and impressive volcanic outcrops in the area. As the night falls we meet the rest of the group around the camp fire and enjoy a fun evening sharing a few beers with them.
Saturday 10th May – While lazing around camp is a pleasant option we also spend some more time in the morning sliding down ropes before grouping for a run in the afternoon, again over the river. Once again we get some good views of outcrops and the mostly artificially planted environment before returning to camp where Tracy and many others dared the chill of the deep pool above the falls. Tonight's pot-luck dinner is excellent and plentiful but most of the group crash early after yesterday's late night.
Sunday 11th May – Most of the camp disappear fairly early but we decide to make the most of our excellent situation for another night. Quite a few people come up for the day to look at the falls or take trail bikes and 4wd's over the river but by sundown there is only us and a couple of other campers and we enjoy a very peaceful campfire while reading in the evening.
Monday 12th May – The good news this morning is meeting a couple camping next door who have a copy of the book we've not yet managed to find that lists free and low cost camping spots around the country. With that duly noted we hit the road for a nearby dump as we volunteered to drop the rubbish from the weekend... but it is closed Monday so we have 4 bags of trash in the pickup for a couple of days.
The road over into Queensland is pretty steep and windy but with excellent views of the impressive Mt Stewart en route. At one point as we steer slowly around a hairpin we are flagged down by a delivery driver who thinks he is on the wrong road, luckily we paid attention to the street names in the village we passed through and can give him exact directions.
Once in Queensland we have a easy ride to Brisbane where we are going to park up behind the home of a couple of Northside hashers for their run tonight, the same people with the bar out back who hosted the party on the 25th April. The run is good and we return for a couple more of Peri's excellent homebrews (and a view of the local possums) before bed.
We spend the afternoon walking along the seashore, over the rocks for which the area is named and over to another beautiful beach. We avoid the urge to remove our clothes (this is a clothing optional beach) and return home for a relaxing evening in perfect weather.
Wednesday 7th May – Another day to get the bikes out, this time for the easy 7km ride into town. First we head up to the lighthouse perched on the easternmost tip of the country from here there are great views up and down the coast. A little time spent watching the sea close by allows us to see turtles, a ray and a pod of dolphins playing close to shore and surfing on the waves. All we missed out on was any whales.
Next we looked round this pleasant touristy town investigating diving options and whether there were any massage possibilities for Tracy. She couldn't find a good massage place but opts to dive the next day while Tim plans to organize us with a big shopping spree. We ride home on the beach as the tide is low getting some great sunset views as we go and enjoy another relaxed evening sitting out in the warm breeze.
Thursday 8th May – As planned the day is devoted to shopping and diving, Tracy seeing a fine range of harmless Wobbegong Sharks, Bull Rays, fish and soft coral while Tim finds us supplies for the weekend in the bush and to stock us for a while ahead. We also do some souvenir shopping to get ideas for what we might take home.
Friday 9th May – A long ride ahead of us today back into the Great Dividing Range near the border with Queensland. We drive up to Lismore, collect a few items we forgot yesterday and continue on a pretty good road northwest. After a couple of hours we reach Urbenville, from where we have detailed directions to the campground... good thing too as it is not obvious. When we arrive however it is worth the journey, we are able to pull the camper into a nice pull-through site on the river bank with the falls a few metres to the side.
Some of the Lismore hashers are already there and have set a rope up for abseiling (rappelling); Tim takes great pleasure in being able to produce his own gear from the collection of random items you can carry in a big camper on the off chance they might come in handy. After that the multi-sport theme continues with a bike ride on the National Park tracks with excellent views of the steep and impressive volcanic outcrops in the area. As the night falls we meet the rest of the group around the camp fire and enjoy a fun evening sharing a few beers with them.
Saturday 10th May – While lazing around camp is a pleasant option we also spend some more time in the morning sliding down ropes before grouping for a run in the afternoon, again over the river. Once again we get some good views of outcrops and the mostly artificially planted environment before returning to camp where Tracy and many others dared the chill of the deep pool above the falls. Tonight's pot-luck dinner is excellent and plentiful but most of the group crash early after yesterday's late night.
Sunday 11th May – Most of the camp disappear fairly early but we decide to make the most of our excellent situation for another night. Quite a few people come up for the day to look at the falls or take trail bikes and 4wd's over the river but by sundown there is only us and a couple of other campers and we enjoy a very peaceful campfire while reading in the evening.
Monday 12th May – The good news this morning is meeting a couple camping next door who have a copy of the book we've not yet managed to find that lists free and low cost camping spots around the country. With that duly noted we hit the road for a nearby dump as we volunteered to drop the rubbish from the weekend... but it is closed Monday so we have 4 bags of trash in the pickup for a couple of days.
The road over into Queensland is pretty steep and windy but with excellent views of the impressive Mt Stewart en route. At one point as we steer slowly around a hairpin we are flagged down by a delivery driver who thinks he is on the wrong road, luckily we paid attention to the street names in the village we passed through and can give him exact directions.
Once in Queensland we have a easy ride to Brisbane where we are going to park up behind the home of a couple of Northside hashers for their run tonight, the same people with the bar out back who hosted the party on the 25th April. The run is good and we return for a couple more of Peri's excellent homebrews (and a view of the local possums) before bed.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Queensland (part 1)
Tuesday 22nd April – Surfers Paradise is much more developed than anywhere else we've been on the coast with a number of high rise apartment complexes crowded close to the sea with a larger collection of lower blocks filling the gaps, all fronting an excellent beach. The shiny new highrises are impressive in the dawn sun when Tim actually makes it up in time to see the sun rise (OK, it was not quite dawn, the sun had to crest a line of cloud on the horizon): excellent weather has finally arrived (and will stick around for several more weeks... a great relief). The day is spent in checking out the tourist shops and the beach with a big dose of relaxation. In the evening we decide a seafood buffet is an appropriate way to celebrate an early birthday for Tracy.
Wednesday 23rd April – Time for Trena and Treavor to find a last few souvenirs so we check out the extensive mall in the town, rather nicely developed both in and outdoor for varying weather. Then it is time for another round of the beachside attractions before hitting the town for a few drinks and a very good Indian meal. Tracy joins Trena and Treavor for a last night on the town while Tim saves his energy for the drive tomorrow.
Thursday 24th April – A long day... Tim stirs the partyers (Tracy stayed in town at their hotel) in the early am and we hit the road for the 120km to Brisbane airport. It is a smooth enough journey with some traffic near the city and we get them there early enough for a flight with plenty of time to connect through Sydney. We then drive back down in time to pick up the camper by the witching hour of 10am (chucking out time at most campsites) and hitch up to return to Brisbane and the Newmarket park site that appears to have all we need (later we find that Don used the place regularly too). They have space for us and we sign in for a week... time to slow down after all the visitors. We can also hook up to the internet here for a reasonable rate and it's on the bus route to the city so all our needs are met.
In the evening Tracy is tired after being out last night so Tim takes himself off for a Hash run with food after at a good Thai restaurant. He also meets a hasher from Nelson, NZ who knows many of our NZ friends.
Friday 25th April – Today is ANZAC day, commemorating Austalian verterans and more specifically the disastrous 1915 Battle of Gallipoli where large numbers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps were killed and injured: a seminal event for both the then young countries. This is often observed by dawn services, allowing the rest of the day for barbecues and relaxation.
We make the most of the light holiday traffic to take a ride down through the city on our bikes, a ride enlivened by not having a map. We have attempted to remember the route but make a few mistakes... however we do make it down to the river and get a good look at some of the city centre. It is nice to get out and ride, the bikes have been gathering dust for a while now on the back of the truck. We also know that the city has a good network of bike trails for us to investigate in the days to come.
In the evening we join one of the Hash groups in town, Brisbane Northside, for their Annual General Piss Up (AGPU), an excuse to run, party and welcome in a new committee. The venue is a home wonderfully set up with a compete covered bar with excellent home brewed beer. No reason to go home... and they find a bed for us along with quite a few other party casualties.
Saturday 26th April – After the late night last night and all the recent travel today is a day for relaxing. So we do very little.
Sunday 27th April – Today we have two invites, this is the one city we actually know people. We go to lunch with Paul and Sue out west of the city. Paul is a friend Tracy met 20 years ago when he was a tour guide for the group she was taking a canoe trip with (he is also an old friend of Don, it was his inviting Don to help guide the group of Americans that led to Tracy meeting him). He met Sue a few years back and finally settled into married life. They have a great deck for entertaining and we enjoy an excellent afternoons food and drink.
Next stop is Redlands Bay south-east of the city, where friends from Wanganui, David and Di, have just moved. They are having a barbecue with more old Kiwi friends who have been in Brisbane years and we all enjoy the ability to sit out and enjoy the Queensland late autumn weather.
Monday 28th April – Another lazy day with plenty of laundry to be done and hot sun to be enjoyed. We both rejoin the Brisbane Northsiders in the evening who are conveniently running up the road, with the trail running right by the campground.
Tuesday 29th April – Time to really check out the city, and to obtain bike trail maps, this time using the excellent bus and ferry system. We bus into the city centre and immediately take a ride out east on the ferry. Returning on the ferry with good views of the riverfront we get off near the middle of the city, finding our way to the tourist information, then city hall to get the bike maps. A pleasant afternoon's walking takes us past some historic buildings, through the botanical gardens and we finally meander our way back to the South Bank to pick up a bus home. In the evening we return to the city to catch up with the Bayside hashers who are running from a park at a ferry terminal, making transport simple for us.
Wednesday 30th April – Happy 40th birthday Tracy. She decides to spend the day cooking (Tim does offer!) as we are being joined by Paul (Sue can't escape work) and Don and Ada for the late afternoon and early evening. Plenty of good food and good company ease Tracy's aging.
Thursday 1st May – Another lazy day in the fine weather. Again Tim runs in the evening with the Brisbane Thirsty Hash, again at a venue pretty close to the campsite.
Friday 2nd May – Time to make use of those bike maps and blow out some cobwebs with a good bike ride. We begin by picking our way through the northern suburbs heading northeast (the bike trail network is extensive but not all are connected so a bit of roadwork is needed in between), ending up following a canal separating us from the airport. This brings us to Nudgee Beach where we enjoy good views before continuing through the Nundah wetlands to the seaside again at Shorncliffe where a fisherman's co-operative provides lunch. Next stop is Sandgate pier before we cross the old Houghton Highway bridge which has been left for riding, walking and fishing after being superseded by a new bridge that runs parallel. At the west end we turn around for the 2km ride back over the bridge and make our way home via another selection of bike paths and linking roads. All told we ride over 80km which makes for a healthy and enjoyable day.
Saturday 3rd May – Another lazy morning before we drive out to Paul and Sue's again to meet up with Don and Ada for the afternoon. We relax on the deck with a friendly family of butcherbirds in the afternoon and go out for a great Indian meal in the evening... good combination.
Sunday 4th May – Another day another slow start. This afternoon we drive back down to Redlands Bay to meet David and Di again, this time in their real house (last week they were in hospital owned house). Before an evening barbecue we take a look at the area and take a sunset walk around Victoria Point.
Monday 5th May – Another holiday Monday and finally time to leave Brisbane! First we head a little north of the city (Tracy by bike, Tim with the truck and camper) to meet Don and Ada with their friends Ingrid and Rob. We enjoy a good late lunch barbecue with them and could have stayed longer, but we want to get down to Lismore, 3 hours away back in New South Wales. There we'll meet the local hashers who we are going to spend next weekend with.
Our journey south is smooth as all the holiday traffic is pouring back towards Brisbane, and we are pretty much on time as we take the last road that will bring us to the venue according to Google Maps. The surface does become dirt which makes us a little nervous but we can see the lights of the village ahead, unfortunately our road quickly peters out before we reach them. The problem now is in getting out, can we reverse the camper all the way back to the first turn or should we try and turn in the space available? We go for reversing but the motorbike carrier on the back of the camper grounds on an upslope while we can't move the truck forward as we are right on the edge of a deep ditch. We are stuck.
Now we have to depend on the hashers for help, but of course they are all out running. We call all the contact numbers we have and Tim decides to ride his bike up to the house we were aiming to meet them at... but doesn't get far before we get a call from Gary who drives out to check our predicament. We decide if we have some planks to lift the rear end we'll get out and Gary gets the required wood... and in minutes we are free. We pull the camper into Lismore and park up outside Gary's, camping on his floor (the only place we've slept other than the camper in over a month). Thanks Gary!
Wednesday 23rd April – Time for Trena and Treavor to find a last few souvenirs so we check out the extensive mall in the town, rather nicely developed both in and outdoor for varying weather. Then it is time for another round of the beachside attractions before hitting the town for a few drinks and a very good Indian meal. Tracy joins Trena and Treavor for a last night on the town while Tim saves his energy for the drive tomorrow.
Thursday 24th April – A long day... Tim stirs the partyers (Tracy stayed in town at their hotel) in the early am and we hit the road for the 120km to Brisbane airport. It is a smooth enough journey with some traffic near the city and we get them there early enough for a flight with plenty of time to connect through Sydney. We then drive back down in time to pick up the camper by the witching hour of 10am (chucking out time at most campsites) and hitch up to return to Brisbane and the Newmarket park site that appears to have all we need (later we find that Don used the place regularly too). They have space for us and we sign in for a week... time to slow down after all the visitors. We can also hook up to the internet here for a reasonable rate and it's on the bus route to the city so all our needs are met.
In the evening Tracy is tired after being out last night so Tim takes himself off for a Hash run with food after at a good Thai restaurant. He also meets a hasher from Nelson, NZ who knows many of our NZ friends.
Friday 25th April – Today is ANZAC day, commemorating Austalian verterans and more specifically the disastrous 1915 Battle of Gallipoli where large numbers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps were killed and injured: a seminal event for both the then young countries. This is often observed by dawn services, allowing the rest of the day for barbecues and relaxation.
We make the most of the light holiday traffic to take a ride down through the city on our bikes, a ride enlivened by not having a map. We have attempted to remember the route but make a few mistakes... however we do make it down to the river and get a good look at some of the city centre. It is nice to get out and ride, the bikes have been gathering dust for a while now on the back of the truck. We also know that the city has a good network of bike trails for us to investigate in the days to come.
In the evening we join one of the Hash groups in town, Brisbane Northside, for their Annual General Piss Up (AGPU), an excuse to run, party and welcome in a new committee. The venue is a home wonderfully set up with a compete covered bar with excellent home brewed beer. No reason to go home... and they find a bed for us along with quite a few other party casualties.
Saturday 26th April – After the late night last night and all the recent travel today is a day for relaxing. So we do very little.
Sunday 27th April – Today we have two invites, this is the one city we actually know people. We go to lunch with Paul and Sue out west of the city. Paul is a friend Tracy met 20 years ago when he was a tour guide for the group she was taking a canoe trip with (he is also an old friend of Don, it was his inviting Don to help guide the group of Americans that led to Tracy meeting him). He met Sue a few years back and finally settled into married life. They have a great deck for entertaining and we enjoy an excellent afternoons food and drink.
Next stop is Redlands Bay south-east of the city, where friends from Wanganui, David and Di, have just moved. They are having a barbecue with more old Kiwi friends who have been in Brisbane years and we all enjoy the ability to sit out and enjoy the Queensland late autumn weather.
Monday 28th April – Another lazy day with plenty of laundry to be done and hot sun to be enjoyed. We both rejoin the Brisbane Northsiders in the evening who are conveniently running up the road, with the trail running right by the campground.
Tuesday 29th April – Time to really check out the city, and to obtain bike trail maps, this time using the excellent bus and ferry system. We bus into the city centre and immediately take a ride out east on the ferry. Returning on the ferry with good views of the riverfront we get off near the middle of the city, finding our way to the tourist information, then city hall to get the bike maps. A pleasant afternoon's walking takes us past some historic buildings, through the botanical gardens and we finally meander our way back to the South Bank to pick up a bus home. In the evening we return to the city to catch up with the Bayside hashers who are running from a park at a ferry terminal, making transport simple for us.
Wednesday 30th April – Happy 40th birthday Tracy. She decides to spend the day cooking (Tim does offer!) as we are being joined by Paul (Sue can't escape work) and Don and Ada for the late afternoon and early evening. Plenty of good food and good company ease Tracy's aging.
Thursday 1st May – Another lazy day in the fine weather. Again Tim runs in the evening with the Brisbane Thirsty Hash, again at a venue pretty close to the campsite.
Friday 2nd May – Time to make use of those bike maps and blow out some cobwebs with a good bike ride. We begin by picking our way through the northern suburbs heading northeast (the bike trail network is extensive but not all are connected so a bit of roadwork is needed in between), ending up following a canal separating us from the airport. This brings us to Nudgee Beach where we enjoy good views before continuing through the Nundah wetlands to the seaside again at Shorncliffe where a fisherman's co-operative provides lunch. Next stop is Sandgate pier before we cross the old Houghton Highway bridge which has been left for riding, walking and fishing after being superseded by a new bridge that runs parallel. At the west end we turn around for the 2km ride back over the bridge and make our way home via another selection of bike paths and linking roads. All told we ride over 80km which makes for a healthy and enjoyable day.
Saturday 3rd May – Another lazy morning before we drive out to Paul and Sue's again to meet up with Don and Ada for the afternoon. We relax on the deck with a friendly family of butcherbirds in the afternoon and go out for a great Indian meal in the evening... good combination.
Sunday 4th May – Another day another slow start. This afternoon we drive back down to Redlands Bay to meet David and Di again, this time in their real house (last week they were in hospital owned house). Before an evening barbecue we take a look at the area and take a sunset walk around Victoria Point.
Monday 5th May – Another holiday Monday and finally time to leave Brisbane! First we head a little north of the city (Tracy by bike, Tim with the truck and camper) to meet Don and Ada with their friends Ingrid and Rob. We enjoy a good late lunch barbecue with them and could have stayed longer, but we want to get down to Lismore, 3 hours away back in New South Wales. There we'll meet the local hashers who we are going to spend next weekend with.
Our journey south is smooth as all the holiday traffic is pouring back towards Brisbane, and we are pretty much on time as we take the last road that will bring us to the venue according to Google Maps. The surface does become dirt which makes us a little nervous but we can see the lights of the village ahead, unfortunately our road quickly peters out before we reach them. The problem now is in getting out, can we reverse the camper all the way back to the first turn or should we try and turn in the space available? We go for reversing but the motorbike carrier on the back of the camper grounds on an upslope while we can't move the truck forward as we are right on the edge of a deep ditch. We are stuck.
Now we have to depend on the hashers for help, but of course they are all out running. We call all the contact numbers we have and Tim decides to ride his bike up to the house we were aiming to meet them at... but doesn't get far before we get a call from Gary who drives out to check our predicament. We decide if we have some planks to lift the rear end we'll get out and Gary gets the required wood... and in minutes we are free. We pull the camper into Lismore and park up outside Gary's, camping on his floor (the only place we've slept other than the camper in over a month). Thanks Gary!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Blizzard of Random Thoughts
I have finally had time to record a few random thoughts about the country, and finished the account of our travels in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. Hope to get New South Wales covered soon.
New South Wales (part 1)
Monday 14th April – Time for the long ride down to the east coast on a road Tracy is now familiar with. It isn't an exciting ride, without the ups and downs of the road in from the south but this makes for easy driving and a quick run. We are soon on the edge of Sydney and head for Granville where Don has a property where we can park the camper (it was a rental home that burned down several years ago so he maintains what remains of the house as a shed with shower and has plenty of room for his – and several others if need be- camper.
Tuesday 15th April – The weather is dull and rainy but we head for the nearby train station for the ride into the city. First stop is Circular Quay on the harbour for travel information before we walk over to the Opera House. This is Tim's first experience of Sydney Harbour and despite the overcast conditions it lives up to it's billing as one of the world's great city waterfronts. Trena, Tracy and Tim take a tour of the Opera House which gives a great insight into the amazing design, both outside (where new techniques had to be devised to match the architects vision for the sail design) and inside (which was constructed entirely separately after disputes over money caused the original architect to leave the construction). The tour also allows you to watch rehearsals on some of the many stages for productions that are more likely to feature dance, comedy, orchestra or plays than opera.
Next we take the ferry over to Manly on the coast north of the harbour before returning to Sydney so Tim and Tracy can join the local Hash House Harriers run while Trena and Treavor find an local bar.
Wednesday 16th April – Today the weather is no better but we head for the city again, this time catching the Rivercat ferry service down the Parramatta River. This s an excellent way to approach the city following the waterway that once carried goods back and forth from the port and the hinterland, affording great views as the city nears. Today Trena and Tracy want to meet up with some of Australia's famous animals and head for a wildlife sanctuary while Treavor and Tim catch the ferry out to Watson's Bay for a look at the imposing cliffs and old military installations that dominate the southern approaches to Sydney Harbour. The weather is pretty grey with a number of passing squalls but things start to clear later in the day and a walk over the bridge finally provides a few pictures of the harbour with sunlight.
After dark we take a walk around the centre of the city, visiting a couple of historic pubs before finding a Korean restaurant for a massive feast of food (more massive than anticipated when we ordered!). To walk off some of the calories we climbed back up to the bridge for a few night shots of the city.
Thursday 17th April – With no end in sight for the dull weather we decide to start putting in some mileage north, but decide en route to divert to the major wine growing region of the Hunter Valley. A pleasant afternoon ensues with Tim driving and the others partaking of the produce and stocking the “cellar” of the camper. We meet Don and Ada with their friends at one winery and end the day with a picnic at another: a pleasant way to finish but requiring us to drive in the dark and find a campground with late check in.
Seal Rocks has been recommended to us as a good stop so we haul ourselves up there as the clock ticks past nine. Luckily we choose a small beach campsite off the beaten track and this proves (like many of its ilk) to have no security gate so we can find a site and pay in the morning. There is even enough floodlighting to make putting up the camper extension (never the easiest job) a relative breeze.
Friday 18th April – In the morning we drive around to Seal Rocks, a headland with some impressively patterned rocks, excellent seaside scenery and enough rockpools with life to keep Tracy enthralled for hours. A short walk takes us up to the Sugarloaf Lighthouse for more views and a sheltered bay on the walk back gives us more pools with more marine life. Final stop for the day is in Forster-Tuncarry, the small and rather unexciting town nearby.
Saturday 19th April – Next stop on our road to Brisbane is Coffs Harbour, a town billed as the banana capital of Australia and where we hope to find a little more life. The weather is not co-operative though and after an uninspiring drive in the rain it is still pouring down as we arrive, and not really relenting overnight.
Sunday 20th April – We already knew that there are some leaks in the extension section, largely solved with a tarpaulin over the top, but this morning we discover rain is getting in the main part of the van and trickling down to soak the spare bed Trena is using.
If it is raining on the coast you may as well drive into the rainforest and after vsiting a local craft market (conveniently in a covered parking garage) we duly climb into the hills around Dorrigo where... it is raining. We end up driving further in the rainforest than anticipated but Dorrigo Falls are impressive in the wet (we are told Coffs Harbour had 15cm/ 6in rain the night preceding and day of our arrival) and the walk in the Dorrigo National Park shows the rainforset in typical misty damp conditions. We also get a glimpse of our first Rock Wallaby.
Once back in town and despite the weather we are at least able to play with the flocks of lorikeets at the campground and pay a visit to the local fish co-op to stock up on fishy snacks before we find a motel for Trena and Treavor to escape the damp end of the camper. This escape from the campground scene also allows them to find some locals to party the night away with.
Monday 21st April – A much better day with clear skies allowing a few pictures of Coffs Harbour before we head of for the Queensland border. Another long day of driving with a view to staying somewhere on the Gold Coast so we stop in Tweed Heads, a small town bisected (apparently randomly with nothing to tell the visitor whether he is in Queensland or NSW) by the state border. This does not matter much at this time of year but must be confusing in summer where NSW observes daylight saving while Queensland does not!
We can't find much about the Gold Coast in the Information Centre here, but do manage to screw up when Tim who is driving has to move on a few blocks from where he dropped the others to avoid getting in the way of traffic... with all the cell phones in the truck. Eventually he is able to round up the missing Erneys and the journey continues. We take the beachfront road to eye up likely stopping points and end up in Surfers Paradise... the hear of the Coast's party scene.
We drop the camper at a convenient site and Treavor is able to rustle up a great deal on a hotel room on the intenet so we drop them in town before rendezvousing later for Malaysian food.
Tuesday 15th April – The weather is dull and rainy but we head for the nearby train station for the ride into the city. First stop is Circular Quay on the harbour for travel information before we walk over to the Opera House. This is Tim's first experience of Sydney Harbour and despite the overcast conditions it lives up to it's billing as one of the world's great city waterfronts. Trena, Tracy and Tim take a tour of the Opera House which gives a great insight into the amazing design, both outside (where new techniques had to be devised to match the architects vision for the sail design) and inside (which was constructed entirely separately after disputes over money caused the original architect to leave the construction). The tour also allows you to watch rehearsals on some of the many stages for productions that are more likely to feature dance, comedy, orchestra or plays than opera.
Next we take the ferry over to Manly on the coast north of the harbour before returning to Sydney so Tim and Tracy can join the local Hash House Harriers run while Trena and Treavor find an local bar.
Wednesday 16th April – Today the weather is no better but we head for the city again, this time catching the Rivercat ferry service down the Parramatta River. This s an excellent way to approach the city following the waterway that once carried goods back and forth from the port and the hinterland, affording great views as the city nears. Today Trena and Tracy want to meet up with some of Australia's famous animals and head for a wildlife sanctuary while Treavor and Tim catch the ferry out to Watson's Bay for a look at the imposing cliffs and old military installations that dominate the southern approaches to Sydney Harbour. The weather is pretty grey with a number of passing squalls but things start to clear later in the day and a walk over the bridge finally provides a few pictures of the harbour with sunlight.
After dark we take a walk around the centre of the city, visiting a couple of historic pubs before finding a Korean restaurant for a massive feast of food (more massive than anticipated when we ordered!). To walk off some of the calories we climbed back up to the bridge for a few night shots of the city.
Thursday 17th April – With no end in sight for the dull weather we decide to start putting in some mileage north, but decide en route to divert to the major wine growing region of the Hunter Valley. A pleasant afternoon ensues with Tim driving and the others partaking of the produce and stocking the “cellar” of the camper. We meet Don and Ada with their friends at one winery and end the day with a picnic at another: a pleasant way to finish but requiring us to drive in the dark and find a campground with late check in.
Seal Rocks has been recommended to us as a good stop so we haul ourselves up there as the clock ticks past nine. Luckily we choose a small beach campsite off the beaten track and this proves (like many of its ilk) to have no security gate so we can find a site and pay in the morning. There is even enough floodlighting to make putting up the camper extension (never the easiest job) a relative breeze.
Friday 18th April – In the morning we drive around to Seal Rocks, a headland with some impressively patterned rocks, excellent seaside scenery and enough rockpools with life to keep Tracy enthralled for hours. A short walk takes us up to the Sugarloaf Lighthouse for more views and a sheltered bay on the walk back gives us more pools with more marine life. Final stop for the day is in Forster-Tuncarry, the small and rather unexciting town nearby.
Saturday 19th April – Next stop on our road to Brisbane is Coffs Harbour, a town billed as the banana capital of Australia and where we hope to find a little more life. The weather is not co-operative though and after an uninspiring drive in the rain it is still pouring down as we arrive, and not really relenting overnight.
Sunday 20th April – We already knew that there are some leaks in the extension section, largely solved with a tarpaulin over the top, but this morning we discover rain is getting in the main part of the van and trickling down to soak the spare bed Trena is using.
If it is raining on the coast you may as well drive into the rainforest and after vsiting a local craft market (conveniently in a covered parking garage) we duly climb into the hills around Dorrigo where... it is raining. We end up driving further in the rainforest than anticipated but Dorrigo Falls are impressive in the wet (we are told Coffs Harbour had 15cm/ 6in rain the night preceding and day of our arrival) and the walk in the Dorrigo National Park shows the rainforset in typical misty damp conditions. We also get a glimpse of our first Rock Wallaby.
Once back in town and despite the weather we are at least able to play with the flocks of lorikeets at the campground and pay a visit to the local fish co-op to stock up on fishy snacks before we find a motel for Trena and Treavor to escape the damp end of the camper. This escape from the campground scene also allows them to find some locals to party the night away with.
Monday 21st April – A much better day with clear skies allowing a few pictures of Coffs Harbour before we head of for the Queensland border. Another long day of driving with a view to staying somewhere on the Gold Coast so we stop in Tweed Heads, a small town bisected (apparently randomly with nothing to tell the visitor whether he is in Queensland or NSW) by the state border. This does not matter much at this time of year but must be confusing in summer where NSW observes daylight saving while Queensland does not!
We can't find much about the Gold Coast in the Information Centre here, but do manage to screw up when Tim who is driving has to move on a few blocks from where he dropped the others to avoid getting in the way of traffic... with all the cell phones in the truck. Eventually he is able to round up the missing Erneys and the journey continues. We take the beachfront road to eye up likely stopping points and end up in Surfers Paradise... the hear of the Coast's party scene.
We drop the camper at a convenient site and Treavor is able to rustle up a great deal on a hotel room on the intenet so we drop them in town before rendezvousing later for Malaysian food.
Australian Capital Territory
Friday 11th April - Tracy has to get up very early in the morning for the drive to Sydney to meet her brother Treavor and sister Trena who were flying in this morning, while Tim can enjoy a more relaxing start. He spends the day walking on the shores of the artificial Lake Burley-Griffin and taking in the sights of the city while scoping some of the marathon route. In the afternoon the National Museum provides an entertaining way to find out a diverse range of information about the country's history, culture, natural history and sport. The evening involves eating a lot of pasta!
Tracy manages a pretty smooth ride to Sydney and picks up the siblings. They are all staying downtown overnight so they enjoy the fine afternoon and evening weather to have a look at the city and sample a little nightlife.
Saturday 12th April – Tim has a lazy morning as the weather is dull but stirs at lunchtime to stop in at the run HQ to pick up his entry pack before heading back into town to have a look at the nation's war memorials en route back to the National Museum. Tracy meanwhile packs the sibs into the truck and makes the return drive to Canberra, luckily finding a convenient and friendly winery for lunch. In the evening Tim has an early night while Tracy joins Trena and Treavor at the campground's bar. She returns home at a reasonable hour while they meet a local by name of “Chief” who shows them some of the local party spots before they manage to find their way home in the small hours.
Sunday 13th April – Tim is up before dawn to get prepared for the run and Tracy surfaces early enough to drive him to the start. The morning is cool, still and overcast but shortly before the start the rain begins. The course runs around the Australian parliament, across the lake and out west to a turnaround and this section is pretty miserable with heavy rain and some slippery road surfaces. Back near the start things begin to improve weather wise for the second shorter loop running out to the turnaround without passing parliament and the body holds up well for the whole race. The time is better than Tim's first marathon but still a little outside the magic 3 hours at 3.02.16, good for 77th out of about 1000. The Erney family have made it out to the finish but we are all pretty tired and return to the campground: Tim to relax with a beer while everyone else sleeps.
In the later afternoon, with the weather once again clear and bright, we all summon the effort to drive up to the Black Mountain Tower, a telecom tower with great views over the Capital Territory. By this time Tim's ileo-tibial band in his right knee has seized up (Tracy can put long names to aches and pains) and everyone has a laugh at his efforts to get up and down stairs.
Tracy manages a pretty smooth ride to Sydney and picks up the siblings. They are all staying downtown overnight so they enjoy the fine afternoon and evening weather to have a look at the city and sample a little nightlife.
Saturday 12th April – Tim has a lazy morning as the weather is dull but stirs at lunchtime to stop in at the run HQ to pick up his entry pack before heading back into town to have a look at the nation's war memorials en route back to the National Museum. Tracy meanwhile packs the sibs into the truck and makes the return drive to Canberra, luckily finding a convenient and friendly winery for lunch. In the evening Tim has an early night while Tracy joins Trena and Treavor at the campground's bar. She returns home at a reasonable hour while they meet a local by name of “Chief” who shows them some of the local party spots before they manage to find their way home in the small hours.
Sunday 13th April – Tim is up before dawn to get prepared for the run and Tracy surfaces early enough to drive him to the start. The morning is cool, still and overcast but shortly before the start the rain begins. The course runs around the Australian parliament, across the lake and out west to a turnaround and this section is pretty miserable with heavy rain and some slippery road surfaces. Back near the start things begin to improve weather wise for the second shorter loop running out to the turnaround without passing parliament and the body holds up well for the whole race. The time is better than Tim's first marathon but still a little outside the magic 3 hours at 3.02.16, good for 77th out of about 1000. The Erney family have made it out to the finish but we are all pretty tired and return to the campground: Tim to relax with a beer while everyone else sleeps.
In the later afternoon, with the weather once again clear and bright, we all summon the effort to drive up to the Black Mountain Tower, a telecom tower with great views over the Capital Territory. By this time Tim's ileo-tibial band in his right knee has seized up (Tracy can put long names to aches and pains) and everyone has a laugh at his efforts to get up and down stairs.
“Going Bush”
No, not deciding to join the dwindling number of Americans who think the current president is anything but a disaster. In local parlance we are heading into the interior for the closest we'll have come to the outback. First stop will be the old mining town of Charters Towers, then we'll head north towards the rainforests at the northern end of the Great Dividing Range before descending back to the coast at Cairns, the best gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. After that we'll head swiftly west and deep into the country's “Red Centre”.
Everybody's Obsession
The gas/ petrol here in Queensland has just reached A$1.50 a litre (75p a litre in UK terms, US$6 a gallon in US). So the Brits will think it is really cheap, the Americans pretty expensive and the Kiwi's somewhere in between.
It's Winter... But Not As We Know It
The shops here are full of adverts for winter clothing, heating etc, as we arrive in winter. Only the weather now is about the same as the best Glasgow boasts (with much balmier evenings) and would be considered pretty good anywhere we've lived. Warm dry days with plenty of blue sky, warm and largely bug free nights... what is not to like. Guess the locals are too used to it...
Beer
Australia does not win too many plaudits from us for beer. Rather like the US 15 years ago decent beer is hard to come by in bars and you may need a bigger bottle store for a decent choice from smaller brewers. Tim has also noticed that each place he ends up serves the beer in smaller glasses, from the UK's 20oz (590ml) pints, through the US 16oz (475ml), the slightly smaller NZ “handle” and now the even more diminutive Aussie “schooner”. Time to upscale back to the UK I think!
From the public health point of view the strict drink driving laws here do mean that drinks are well labeled by strength and in “standard drinks” for ease of comparison.
From the public health point of view the strict drink driving laws here do mean that drinks are well labeled by strength and in “standard drinks” for ease of comparison.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Tropical Update
I am way behind in documenting our travels, mainly because there are better things to do than type on my keyboard, though I am much more up to date with pictures on www.timcooke.com. We have had very sparse internet access at campgrounds since leaving Brisbane (and even a few days staying with friends of friends mostly gave me time to file taxes!) but the current one has a good setup. So I'll comment on our arrival in tropical Queensland.
Since Bundaberg we've mainly been surrounded by sugar cane as we've followed the coastal strip, with some sizeable bush covered mountains inland. Apparently we have a lot more cane to come in the wetter areas south of Cairns but here in Bowen the surroundings are suddenly much more arid right on the coast with large rounded rock formations, while the flat land of the coastal strip is dominated by tomato plants and mango trees (the main Australian variety is the Bowen mango). To the south lie the beautiful Whitsunday Islands and the open hills here afford spectacular views. The beaches are large and uncrowded and with the Great Barrier Reef close a walk at low tide often reveals a large variety of coral. We're enjoyed some shore diving near Bundaberg and are going snorkeling tomorrow; all a prelude to plenty of diving on the Reef at Cairns.
Here in the tropics we are in the winter dry season and while the weather has been unusual (so we are told) and the weekend saw clouds and drizzle as far north as us from a big storm system which flooded areas near Brisbane, we are expecting it to be pretty settled for a while. Winter means temperatures in the mid to high 20'sC (around 80F) with water at about 25C/77F.... just about perfect for us. Accommodation has become more expensive in June (high season for those holidaying from the south) but apparently it is low season for diving as all you northern hemisphere people are enjoying your summers.
One thing we are yet to see is the saltwater crocodiles which inhabit streams and estuaries from here north. We'll not be looking too closely.
Since Bundaberg we've mainly been surrounded by sugar cane as we've followed the coastal strip, with some sizeable bush covered mountains inland. Apparently we have a lot more cane to come in the wetter areas south of Cairns but here in Bowen the surroundings are suddenly much more arid right on the coast with large rounded rock formations, while the flat land of the coastal strip is dominated by tomato plants and mango trees (the main Australian variety is the Bowen mango). To the south lie the beautiful Whitsunday Islands and the open hills here afford spectacular views. The beaches are large and uncrowded and with the Great Barrier Reef close a walk at low tide often reveals a large variety of coral. We're enjoyed some shore diving near Bundaberg and are going snorkeling tomorrow; all a prelude to plenty of diving on the Reef at Cairns.
Here in the tropics we are in the winter dry season and while the weather has been unusual (so we are told) and the weekend saw clouds and drizzle as far north as us from a big storm system which flooded areas near Brisbane, we are expecting it to be pretty settled for a while. Winter means temperatures in the mid to high 20'sC (around 80F) with water at about 25C/77F.... just about perfect for us. Accommodation has become more expensive in June (high season for those holidaying from the south) but apparently it is low season for diving as all you northern hemisphere people are enjoying your summers.
One thing we are yet to see is the saltwater crocodiles which inhabit streams and estuaries from here north. We'll not be looking too closely.
Boom Time
While the rest of the world's economies (especially our home countries US and UK) are in near recession it is boom time in parts of Australia, especially Western Australia and Queensland. This is the result of mining (coal, bauxite, uranium, diamonds... you name it and it's buried somewhere here) driven by demand from Asia and shows no sign of abating any time soon. As a consequence property prices remain sky high and the jobs are plentiful for those who can tolerate the tough conditions. Our most recent location in Mackay is the centre of coal mining and the dedicated coal port at Hay Point is working flat out with queues of ships waiting off shore. No wonder there's so much smog in China...
Of course other parts of this country are suffering some of the economic woes, especially the cost of moving food in this huge land. We are lucky to be where most of it grows right now, the centre of mango, tomato, sweetcorn, and capsicum production in Bowen, Queensland. The local fish is pretty good too though none too cheap.
Of course other parts of this country are suffering some of the economic woes, especially the cost of moving food in this huge land. We are lucky to be where most of it grows right now, the centre of mango, tomato, sweetcorn, and capsicum production in Bowen, Queensland. The local fish is pretty good too though none too cheap.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Victoria
Saturday 29th March – Carie and Tim had signed up to run in a big race in Melbourne on Sunday so the plan was to head back up to the city today with Tracy and I heading back to Sale Monday after collecting our shipped belongings at the airport, leaving Carie. We'd then return Wednesday with the camper and pick Carie up before driving southwest to the Great Ocean Road. The big Chevrolet truck we're renting from Don is ideal for hauling a 5th wheel as we'd be doing most of the trip but not for negotiating Melbourne traffic... but we made it to Industry Backpackers (well recommended) where we found suitable parking overnight. Tracy even managed to find all day parking Sunday after looking for a while the next morning. Like most cities parking is an issue, especially so in a large truck with extended bed.
Sunday 30th March – The race day dawned overcast and we were up early to walk the 2km into the centre of the city. The race was interesting, they close the inner city motorway and run the course through a tunnel , along one carriageway and over the city's major bridge before meandering back to the city park. Tim was pretty happy with his time in preparation for the Canberra Marathon in two weeks while Carie was glad to survive as an injury had hit her preparation. Tracy met up with us at the finish and we took a walk into town for a quick look and a stop in the pub before retreating to the backpackers for a well earned rest. Full of plans to do things in the afternoon we manage only to sum up the energy to visit the extensive Queen Victoria Market for a while and watch a bit of Aussie Rules Football in the evening, other than that we are beat.
Monday 31st March – So much for our plans. We are up early to drive to the airport and arrive at the shipping office soon after it opens. The receptionist can't find our shipment on the computer so she finds her manager. He tells us that it has not been processed, but a bit more investigation reveals it arrived over the weekend (despite being sent to await our arrival by several days). He suggests we go to a nearby diner for breakfast while he works on the paperwork and sure enough the documents are ready to take to customs by 11am. We drive a few km, and are processed fairly smoothly through customs... so then we move on to Quarantine. Australia is very strict on what can be brought into the country so everything needs to be checked by the quarantine people: we have already had fun coming in with our bags in Perth getting quizzed over everything from Ibuprofen to honey. The paperwork is OK but we need to have our shipment inspected... and the next appointment available is tomorrow. We are not happy but there is nothing we can do so we'll get the stuff on our return.
We drive back down to Sale at this point and begin to get everything together with the truck and 5th wheel. Don hasn't used it in a while so we need to restock but everything seems to work and Ada lends us a lot of the kitchen items we need. Next we need to get a bit of practice driving so we take a couple of spins around the country roads.
Tuesday 1st April – After our experience with Aussie bureaucracy we are nervous about our next encounter... getting the 5th wheel inspected for its re-registration certification. However this goes smoothly and we are soon able to get out and about to get our lives set up here (banking, mobile phones, RACV [local equivalent to AA/ AAA]) and shop for essentials. Looks like we might finally get this adventure on the road.
Wednesday 2nd April – We are up very early to a spectacular sunrise and never has the old saying about “red sky in the morning, sailors take warning” more true. We are still delayed in getting away and it takes a while to get gas and on the road... so we are already tight for time when the weather starts to deteriorate. The sky ahead is a very unnatural colour while the wind starts to whip around, in complete contrast to the near perfect weather we've enjoyed so far in the country.
By the time we near Melbourne the weather is awful with howling winds and we have to rush on to the airport beyond the city leaving Carie to dodge flying debris for a while longer at our appointed meeting place (we didn't dare the city streets in our new rig). Tracy drops Tim off at the shipping office just in time for the appointment while she heads back to get Carie... but no sign of the inspectors. Tim waits in the shipping warehouse amidst crashing and banging, hearing from a trucker picking up a load that it's a good thing that we are not taking the western bridge which is getting dangerous, but not seeing any inspectors. Finally he calls the inspection office and after some investigation it turns out that the inspectors have gone to the company's other warehouse. Tracy and Carie have made it back safely and go off to eat while Tim meets the inspectors who are very apologetic and more importantly allow our goods through with no fuss (despite our having spent some time cleaning bikes, boots and tent in NZ we heard many stories of inspectors sending even apparently clean items to be recleaned at a considerable fee). The shipped items are quickly stowed and our journey continues.
The weather is not improving and we drive south and west towards Geelong seeing signage being demolished and large tree branches parted from the trunk. Luckily our rig is stable and the traffic keeps moving, but conditions deteriorate further when the rain (or more accurately the falling mud) arrives. It is with great relief that we finally reach Anglesea and decide to base ourselves here in a pleasant seaside campground... by now the wind has dropped but the falling mud continues until late afternoon, finally clearing to leave a beautiful sunset.
Thursday 3rd April - Today we'll travel down the spectacular Great Ocean Road, so we are up early as it'll be slow going. The surf is still pounding the coast, yesterday's storm is now a large depression over Tasmania and still generating a surge. We begin driving west and while the road is almost carved from the rock in places it is wide and well made. A few stops for pictures before we cut inland briefly to Erskine Falls, set in beautiful eucalypt forest and impressive with the recent rain. We pass through Lorne with a brief stop in the rain and continue to Kennett River, home to an accessible Koala colony on a back road. Several bears are happy to do what they do best for us... sit sleepily in trees and munch slowly on the eucalyptus leaves.
At Apollo Bay we find a fish store to provide local produce for our dinner, and a lookout above the town provides spectacular views of a wide area of coast. By now the somewhat grey weather has become a mix of light rain showers and sunny intervals so several rainbows appear during the remainder of the day, and by the time we get back to Anglesea the evening is fine. The journey home is uneventful with a brief stop at the memorial to the road builders, but we detour in Anglesea to find the golf course where reports say a colony of kangaroos live. Sure enough, in the evening light there are hundreds feeding which gives us great opportunities for pictures.
Friday 4th April - Time to backtrack to Melbourne so Carie can fly out tomorrow. The weather is still somewhat overcast so after stopping for a walk at Point Addis featuring both scenery and an interpretive trail about Aboriginal life (a British convict escaped and lived with a local tribe for 32 years, recording his memories later after reintegration into settler society). We make our way back to a campsite located close to Melbourne airport and enjoy a relaxing evening with fish and chips.
Saturday 5th April - We get Carie safely on her plane, despite a few complications as her original flight was canceled. Little to report about the rest of the day, though Tim who is building up to the Canberra marathon by running most days has time for a long run around the local suburbs.
Sunday 6th April - The weather dawns clear at last so we decide to have another look at Melbourne. Mostly we enjoy the fine conditions to walk around but we also take Carie's suggestion to visit the old Gaol. This includes a well preserved cell block in the traditional British Victorian style (including gallows), a trial reenactment in the old court next door and a look at the old City Watch House where they pretend to book you for a night in the cells. Good fun and good value.
Monday 7th April - We have to head back to Sale to have our 5th wheel brakes looked at so decide to drive via the south coast and Wilson's Prom, the southernmost point in the country and a relatively undeveloped wildlife reserve. Much of it is accessible only by foot but you can camp deep in the park at Tidal River. It is a slow journey but we find a good spot for the camper late afternoon at the large campground and have time for an evening stroll on the beach. We also get our first sighting of a wombat and see a wide variety of birds in this heavily wooded area.
Tuesday 8th April - A gorgeous day so we get the bikes out to stretch our legs. There are not many route options for road bikes as the only sealed road is from the entrance to Tidal River. However it is pretty quiet, hilly enough for exercise and has several spur roads down to beautiful empty beaches. We ride about 12km (7 miles) back towards the park gate and then return slowly via the beaches, enjoying plenty of good scenery but no animals.
In the afternoon we continue the fitness theme by climbing the hill overlooking the campground, mainly on a well made forest road through eucalypt forest with spectacular views over much of the promontory from the bare top. When we get back to the campground near sunset the birds are out in force, especially Rosellas and a friendly Kookaburra.
Wednesday 9th April - We are up early so we can get back to Sale for the campers appointment in the garage, which lets us see several emu in the dawn light en route back to the camp gate. From here the journey becomes pretty dull, we've driven much of it before and the main tourist attractions are the huge power stations.
With the camper dropped off we head for some shopping and the laundrette (laundramat) before visiting one of Sale's attractions, the old port area with it's restored swing bridge. Then back to the garage to meet Don who is returning from Tasmania after traveling with Canadian friends there. For the evening we visit a nearby town for a good multinational meal with Don's guests, a group of other Australian friends and a Norwegian exchange student.
Thursday 10th April - With the camper brakes serviced we now have a long ride ahead of us to Canberra, a route that will take us into the Great Dividing Range for the first time. These hills run from Victoria up the whole east coast to Cairns, at times crowding close to the sea, at other times standing inland with a wide flat coastal plane. They are not as dramatic as New Zealand's mountains (this is a very old landmass with extensive weathering, the highest point is about 2200m, 7100ft) but have a very diverse climate from arid to rainforest. The road into the hills is good but the truck has to work hard with the constant ups and downs. We stop at Bombala soon after crossing from Victoria into New South Wales with the promise of a platypus reserve, and are lucky enough to see one of these unusual creatures swimming in the creek. We finally arrive in Canberra and after finding the campground take a little while to level the camper on a sloping site.
Sunday 30th March – The race day dawned overcast and we were up early to walk the 2km into the centre of the city. The race was interesting, they close the inner city motorway and run the course through a tunnel , along one carriageway and over the city's major bridge before meandering back to the city park. Tim was pretty happy with his time in preparation for the Canberra Marathon in two weeks while Carie was glad to survive as an injury had hit her preparation. Tracy met up with us at the finish and we took a walk into town for a quick look and a stop in the pub before retreating to the backpackers for a well earned rest. Full of plans to do things in the afternoon we manage only to sum up the energy to visit the extensive Queen Victoria Market for a while and watch a bit of Aussie Rules Football in the evening, other than that we are beat.
Monday 31st March – So much for our plans. We are up early to drive to the airport and arrive at the shipping office soon after it opens. The receptionist can't find our shipment on the computer so she finds her manager. He tells us that it has not been processed, but a bit more investigation reveals it arrived over the weekend (despite being sent to await our arrival by several days). He suggests we go to a nearby diner for breakfast while he works on the paperwork and sure enough the documents are ready to take to customs by 11am. We drive a few km, and are processed fairly smoothly through customs... so then we move on to Quarantine. Australia is very strict on what can be brought into the country so everything needs to be checked by the quarantine people: we have already had fun coming in with our bags in Perth getting quizzed over everything from Ibuprofen to honey. The paperwork is OK but we need to have our shipment inspected... and the next appointment available is tomorrow. We are not happy but there is nothing we can do so we'll get the stuff on our return.
We drive back down to Sale at this point and begin to get everything together with the truck and 5th wheel. Don hasn't used it in a while so we need to restock but everything seems to work and Ada lends us a lot of the kitchen items we need. Next we need to get a bit of practice driving so we take a couple of spins around the country roads.
Tuesday 1st April – After our experience with Aussie bureaucracy we are nervous about our next encounter... getting the 5th wheel inspected for its re-registration certification. However this goes smoothly and we are soon able to get out and about to get our lives set up here (banking, mobile phones, RACV [local equivalent to AA/ AAA]) and shop for essentials. Looks like we might finally get this adventure on the road.
Wednesday 2nd April – We are up very early to a spectacular sunrise and never has the old saying about “red sky in the morning, sailors take warning” more true. We are still delayed in getting away and it takes a while to get gas and on the road... so we are already tight for time when the weather starts to deteriorate. The sky ahead is a very unnatural colour while the wind starts to whip around, in complete contrast to the near perfect weather we've enjoyed so far in the country.
By the time we near Melbourne the weather is awful with howling winds and we have to rush on to the airport beyond the city leaving Carie to dodge flying debris for a while longer at our appointed meeting place (we didn't dare the city streets in our new rig). Tracy drops Tim off at the shipping office just in time for the appointment while she heads back to get Carie... but no sign of the inspectors. Tim waits in the shipping warehouse amidst crashing and banging, hearing from a trucker picking up a load that it's a good thing that we are not taking the western bridge which is getting dangerous, but not seeing any inspectors. Finally he calls the inspection office and after some investigation it turns out that the inspectors have gone to the company's other warehouse. Tracy and Carie have made it back safely and go off to eat while Tim meets the inspectors who are very apologetic and more importantly allow our goods through with no fuss (despite our having spent some time cleaning bikes, boots and tent in NZ we heard many stories of inspectors sending even apparently clean items to be recleaned at a considerable fee). The shipped items are quickly stowed and our journey continues.
The weather is not improving and we drive south and west towards Geelong seeing signage being demolished and large tree branches parted from the trunk. Luckily our rig is stable and the traffic keeps moving, but conditions deteriorate further when the rain (or more accurately the falling mud) arrives. It is with great relief that we finally reach Anglesea and decide to base ourselves here in a pleasant seaside campground... by now the wind has dropped but the falling mud continues until late afternoon, finally clearing to leave a beautiful sunset.
Thursday 3rd April - Today we'll travel down the spectacular Great Ocean Road, so we are up early as it'll be slow going. The surf is still pounding the coast, yesterday's storm is now a large depression over Tasmania and still generating a surge. We begin driving west and while the road is almost carved from the rock in places it is wide and well made. A few stops for pictures before we cut inland briefly to Erskine Falls, set in beautiful eucalypt forest and impressive with the recent rain. We pass through Lorne with a brief stop in the rain and continue to Kennett River, home to an accessible Koala colony on a back road. Several bears are happy to do what they do best for us... sit sleepily in trees and munch slowly on the eucalyptus leaves.
At Apollo Bay we find a fish store to provide local produce for our dinner, and a lookout above the town provides spectacular views of a wide area of coast. By now the somewhat grey weather has become a mix of light rain showers and sunny intervals so several rainbows appear during the remainder of the day, and by the time we get back to Anglesea the evening is fine. The journey home is uneventful with a brief stop at the memorial to the road builders, but we detour in Anglesea to find the golf course where reports say a colony of kangaroos live. Sure enough, in the evening light there are hundreds feeding which gives us great opportunities for pictures.
Friday 4th April - Time to backtrack to Melbourne so Carie can fly out tomorrow. The weather is still somewhat overcast so after stopping for a walk at Point Addis featuring both scenery and an interpretive trail about Aboriginal life (a British convict escaped and lived with a local tribe for 32 years, recording his memories later after reintegration into settler society). We make our way back to a campsite located close to Melbourne airport and enjoy a relaxing evening with fish and chips.
Saturday 5th April - We get Carie safely on her plane, despite a few complications as her original flight was canceled. Little to report about the rest of the day, though Tim who is building up to the Canberra marathon by running most days has time for a long run around the local suburbs.
Sunday 6th April - The weather dawns clear at last so we decide to have another look at Melbourne. Mostly we enjoy the fine conditions to walk around but we also take Carie's suggestion to visit the old Gaol. This includes a well preserved cell block in the traditional British Victorian style (including gallows), a trial reenactment in the old court next door and a look at the old City Watch House where they pretend to book you for a night in the cells. Good fun and good value.
Monday 7th April - We have to head back to Sale to have our 5th wheel brakes looked at so decide to drive via the south coast and Wilson's Prom, the southernmost point in the country and a relatively undeveloped wildlife reserve. Much of it is accessible only by foot but you can camp deep in the park at Tidal River. It is a slow journey but we find a good spot for the camper late afternoon at the large campground and have time for an evening stroll on the beach. We also get our first sighting of a wombat and see a wide variety of birds in this heavily wooded area.
Tuesday 8th April - A gorgeous day so we get the bikes out to stretch our legs. There are not many route options for road bikes as the only sealed road is from the entrance to Tidal River. However it is pretty quiet, hilly enough for exercise and has several spur roads down to beautiful empty beaches. We ride about 12km (7 miles) back towards the park gate and then return slowly via the beaches, enjoying plenty of good scenery but no animals.
In the afternoon we continue the fitness theme by climbing the hill overlooking the campground, mainly on a well made forest road through eucalypt forest with spectacular views over much of the promontory from the bare top. When we get back to the campground near sunset the birds are out in force, especially Rosellas and a friendly Kookaburra.
Wednesday 9th April - We are up early so we can get back to Sale for the campers appointment in the garage, which lets us see several emu in the dawn light en route back to the camp gate. From here the journey becomes pretty dull, we've driven much of it before and the main tourist attractions are the huge power stations.
With the camper dropped off we head for some shopping and the laundrette (laundramat) before visiting one of Sale's attractions, the old port area with it's restored swing bridge. Then back to the garage to meet Don who is returning from Tasmania after traveling with Canadian friends there. For the evening we visit a nearby town for a good multinational meal with Don's guests, a group of other Australian friends and a Norwegian exchange student.
Thursday 10th April - With the camper brakes serviced we now have a long ride ahead of us to Canberra, a route that will take us into the Great Dividing Range for the first time. These hills run from Victoria up the whole east coast to Cairns, at times crowding close to the sea, at other times standing inland with a wide flat coastal plane. They are not as dramatic as New Zealand's mountains (this is a very old landmass with extensive weathering, the highest point is about 2200m, 7100ft) but have a very diverse climate from arid to rainforest. The road into the hills is good but the truck has to work hard with the constant ups and downs. We stop at Bombala soon after crossing from Victoria into New South Wales with the promise of a platypus reserve, and are lucky enough to see one of these unusual creatures swimming in the creek. We finally arrive in Canberra and after finding the campground take a little while to level the camper on a sloping site.
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