From Tuesday 21st to Sunday 26th June

 

 Tuesday- Travelled from Sarina to Wintons Road, Wagoora 4798, our new home for next
 4+ months. Was all unpacked and set up by lunch time. Basic camp with power, water, toilets and showers. People very friendly!

View from front door looking down over fields of sugar cane. Is really lovely to sit and listen to the breeze rustling through the cane!

Looking from top of hill, down towards Alligator Creek , sugar cane goes for miles either side of road. This road is our walking track, just have to be careful of sugar cane trucks and their drivers!

Alligator Creek, no crocodiles or fish.

Our camp after a bit of a clean-up, Robyn and Fiona got rid of barrows full of long dry grass and rubbish from around the grounds.

The old barbecue area which we filled with dry sticks, small branches, pine cones and needles.
The table is the mens morning tea/lunch bench, used at 9a.m and 12 noon everyday.

Lake Proserpine and the Peter Faust Dam, very windy and overcast.

Proserpine Sugar Mill, one of four working sugar mills in the region.

Airlie Beach,Qld a really nice place for fish'n'chips. Was very windy, but a lovely place to visit.

Shingley Beach Marina, west of Airlie Beach.
 A very pretty haven for lots of expensive boats.

Saturday 18th, Sunday 19th, Monday 20th June

Free camp site St Lawrence

Saturday-Up and on road early again, travelled about 300km, took about 4 hours. Set up by lunch time. Quick trip up the highway for diesel and an ice-cream. Did some bookwork/banking and ready for footie and beer o'clock!

Roadside flowers at St Lawrence

  Went for walk around wetlands near the campsite, lots of birds of many different kinds. A very nice entrance to the town of St. Lawrence.

Sarina Palms Caravan park

Sunday/Monday- Spent 2 days at this superb caravan park at Sarina. Owners very friendly and make the extra effort so people enjoy their stay. Had a couple of enjoyable walks in the beautiful sunny weather. A bbq tea with a few other guests and a chance to meet some new people, very nice. Did the boring jobs of washing and grocery shopping, restocked pantry and freezer ready for our journey to our new home for the next four/five months.

Wednesday 15th, Thursday 16th, Friday 17th June

Look who we found in Hervey Bay. 1 Miss Alisha Butterworth!

Wednesday-Cool overnight! Short trip into Hervey Bay.A nice stroll along the Esplanade next to the water for about an hour. Had arranged to meet Alisha and her friend Angela for a bite to eat at 2nd Kitchen. Lovely chicken wraps for lunch. Was lovely to catch up with a familiar face! Re-hitched the van and headed towards Bundaberg to find a place to stay the night.

Free camp site south of Bundaberg, Wallum Reserve.

  Now camped at Wallum Reserve, a Rest Area
    24 km north of Childers.

Elliott Heads

Free camp site west of Bundaberg Sharon Nature Reserve

Free camp site along side Boyne river

Thursday- After travelling to Sharon Nature  Reserve de-hitched again to visit Bundaberg and Elliott Heads. Bundaberg is a city about the size of Launceston and busy! No luck finding work there, but succeeded in finding work through web-site near Mackay.






Friday- Travelled to Boyne River Rest Area,de-hitched again set up early for night. Visted Boyne Island and Tannum Sands, had a much needed haircut each and posted/faxed some important letters and forms. An early tea then off back in to Tannum Sands  to visit Nick, Zoe and Dannika. Was nice to enjoy a few beers and a chat!

Thursday 9th - Tuesday 14th June




Ian & Lindah in the Brisbane Mall

 Thursday-Continued our journey arriving at the Newmarket Garden Caravan Park in Brisbane  about lunch time. Nerve-racking journey in peak hour traffic to collect Ian from airport Thursday evening.
Friday- Relaxing tea with a couple of beers/wine at the van.


Us in the Mall in Brisbane




Saturday-Caught bus then train to the Brisbane Showground and spent a long day checking out the vans and accessories. Another train and bus ride back home. Spent a very amusing evening with Ivan and Cindy, the 6 of us enjoyed dinner, drinks and a game of cribbage. A bundle of laughs!!!

Us on the one of the bridges over the Brisbane River

Sunday-  Quick visit back to Caravan Show for Ian & Lindah while we found a Bunnings for some minor plumbing gear. Job well done! Lunch in Brisbane City and we checked out some local attractions. Tea with Lindah's sister Tania at Cafe 63, Ascot. Lovely meal, nice company!

Van at Newmarket Gardens Caravan Park


Monday- Stress levels were high, no planes flying today to Tassie! Spent the morning catching up on washing and fixing one air mattress that somehow?? had sprung a leak. Spent a couple of hours finding and exploring Ikea, a massive home furnishing store.
Cindy and Ivan joined us at the van for tea and drinks, another wonderful, enjoyable evening was had by all!
Tuesday- Packed up and departed Brisbane, dropping Ian & Lindah off at Ascot as we passed through. Lunch at Golden Beach, travelled up the Sunshine Coast to Gympie. No room there to stay so continued on to Tiaro and parked on a grass verge opposite Rest Area for some much needed sleep!


 

Monday 6th, Tuesday 7th & Wednesday 8th June

Monday-On the road by 9.15a.m. heading towards the coast. Detoured via Beerwah and spent a few hours at Australia Zoo. Was very neat, beautiful setting and gardens. Also visited the Wildlife Hospital, not many patients being seen, just a turtle, pink galah and a koala. Had a little trouble finding the showground, found it by accident. Was meant to be closed for June/July but the caretaker was kind enough to let us stay for three nights anyway.

Tuesday-Overcast but quite warm. Went for about a bike ride along the bike track that winds its way around the waterfront. Beautiful setting, a swimming pool with wheelchair access, amazing! Had a nice coffee and cake at a cafe then headed home. Quick lunch, packed the fishing gear, spent an hour at Woods Point, no luck! Changed direction  and went north to Scarborough, had lots of bites, Bruce caught a whiting but he escaped! Had a very enjoyable day!

Wednesday- Overcast again but cooler as well. Redcliffe Botanical Gardens first, not very exciting and nearly got pooped on by flying foxes. Yuk! Next Redcliffe Museum, well worth the visit! Quick lunch then off to Scarborough fishing again. We caught 1 Garfish, 1 Bream and 1 Whiting, not enough for a feed so we threw them all back. Was cold sitting on rock wall, so back to home for a nice warm coffee!

Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th June 2011

Sun set at Somerset Dam

Friday-About a 50km trip further north to the Somerset Dam. Staying at the Lake Somerset Holiday Park. A very nice spot, very popular. Set our Red Claw traps again. Bruce did a little fishing, lots of bites but still no fish. Fiona had a nap and did some reading. No TV reception at all so Dvd or cards tonight. Early night, very tired!




View from the van

  Saturday- Beautiful day! 27 degrees, sun , no wind truly splendid! Strolled around park and chatted with other campers. Coffee then sat back in the sun and relaxed, was very hard work. Lunch then another walk, Bruce did some more fishing and Fiona more reading. Enjoyed a beer/cruiser. Another dvd then bed again!


View along the board walk on the eastern side.

Sunday- Cooler start to the day, better luck with the Red Claw, managed to catch a couple of larger ones, their on the menu for lunch. A game of mini golf, which Bruce was an easy winner. Lunch, reading, another walk around the entire campground. Very empty after the weekend exodus!