We left Hervey Bay with drizzle(10/06/06) after our fantastic visit to Fraser and headed north. On the way we deverted to Barrum Heads for their Saturday markets, they were packing everything up due to the weather. Well it rained and continued to rain. We stopped for lunch at Bunderburg, we had to dash from the car to verandah then shop front to shop front to try and keep dry. We had thoughts of visiting the Bunderburg Distillery but those plans were washed away in the down pour. We continued to head north through rain we rand ahead to book into Agnes Water. They had not as yet recieved any rain. We arrived in Agnes Water at it was.......RAINNING!!! Monsoon style. To put up the camper we dressed in anything that was waterproof and handy. We got drench, it was not cold so we laughed it off. Over the afternoon and evening 10 inches of rain fell. We caught alot of water and filled our jerries up.
We spent Sunday cruising around Agnes Water and 1770(an extremely mixed up community) there was no border point of one town and the other. As for the last wave on the North East Coast of Australia. It would have been rideable if there was less of a crowd. Obviously when the surf is up everyone is out on the water.
On Monday 12th we left heading north. We were told to visit Gladstone!!!! We couldn't find the CBD and ended up heading out of town through the industrial estate low on fuel. Luckily we made it to a town called Mount Larcom. While filling up this machine pulled in.
Straight out of the dumb and dumber film. The car also cocked it's leg and peed!!!!! Aparently the opwners are carpet layers.
We stopped in Rockhampton. Staying at Gracemere Caravan Park (CP). The owners were great and we enjoyed the State of Origin Match 2 and BBQ they threw on Wed 14th. Pitty with the result being a BLUE'S supporter. Barn's booked in and got his Blue Card.
While we were there we heard many CP stories of finding Saphires out at Rubyvale.
On Monday19th we left for Rubyvale. We past through Blackwater and Emerald Minnig communities. Rumour has it that it can cost up to $500 for a room to live in Emerald due to the shortage in mining accomodation.
Rubyvale CP was small and we just fit the camper in a site, no room for the troopy. We wandered the streets in the afternoon. On Tuesday we decided to try our luck at finding riches. We purchased a fossicking licence and headed out to the fossicking area, Retreat. We dug from wash pile to wash pile and found lots of good looking rocks, no saphires. In despiration I went and asked another couple doing the same thing as us, what we were supposed to be looking for!!!
With her infomation we decided to move and bingo, we found two saphires and lots of other rocks. One is a normal saphire the larger is a star and cuttable!!!!!
We were so excited we actually found something. Tess could understand our excitment over a piece of rock. She could understand us digginf through rocks either.
We left Rubyvale. We headed north-west, destination Mackay.
The day was filled with many sites: Emu's in the sugar cane crop, a huge flock of brolgas, sorry no photos as we had just passed slow traffic and we weren't stopping for anything.
We passes The Peaks NP and I guess this is one of it's peaks.
We stayed in Mackay for two nights. We werte lucky to get into the CP as the Mackay show was on and everything was booked out. The show was the biggest rural show i have ever seen. More side shows than Geelong, closely resembled a Melbourne Show.
On Friday 23rd we decided to head north. As we began to gain momentum out of the Mackay CP Barn's decided to pull in and check out this new camper trailer. It had everything that open and closes, kichen and sink, lights, power and battery back up. They wanted too much so we continued our drive to Airlie Beach. Thinking of the possiblities of having a camper like that one.
Well Airlie Beach is a real tourist town. Backpackers everywhere!!!!! Nightclubs open 7 days a week open till 5am. We stayed at Mountain Valley CP in Cannonvale 5km out of Airlie. On Sunday25th we ventured to Dingo Beach with another two couples and spent the afternoon drinking and eating seafood. QLD school holidays had just began, and we thought it time to do some work. On tuesday we went job hunting I was called in to work at a cafe, Barn's started plumbing on the Wednesday. No shortage of work if you want to work!!!!
These are the two main job sites Barn's worked on for our six week stay. I worked in a Cafe and before leaving helped them update their menu's.
We meet some great people at the CP. One couple we spent many evenings with were Justin Lisa. They were looking for work on one of the islands. Brampton Island became their destination, so the night of them finding out they had jobs we went out to celebrate. Barn's and I celebrated the fact that we had sold our camper. Well yes, you know that camper we saw in Mackay.... well we put in an offer and we got it. Sorry Harro!!!!
I will add photo's of our dinner out and of the camper in my next posting this computer is taking too bloody long!!!!!
RAINBOW BEACH
Barn and Tess on Rainbow Beach(eastern end) near Double Island Point.
The Land Cruiser behind the Troopy belongs to Steve & Jennifer and Murphy. We went together through the Cooloola Section of the National Park. Enjoyed a day of fishing, drinking and 4WDing.
This is the site of the first decent caught fish- Silver Brim. Steve and I caught one size fish each for the day. Jen caught the most fish for the evening, none size. Barn's just fished!!!!
A couple of nasty reminders of how dangerous the tides can be up here. This did not happen to us.
Barney and Tess at the 'Cherry Venture' wreck on Cooloola Beach (Great Sandy (Cooloola Section) National Park. The wreck has been eroded away by the elements.
INSKIP POINT - Great Camping, $4 per/person. Awesome for the family, Cam. Fishing, Swimming, Beach Games, Drinking, Nights by the Camp fire --> What more could you want?? Maybe catching a feed of fish would have topped things off.
This was our view in the early morning. 20 meters to the waters edge. Squeeky blonde sand between the toes. Heaps of bush turkeys to run away with anything thats not heavy or packed away. Tess kept them at bay(yes dogs are allowed too).
The Campsite during the day. This place is a definite revisit. Big site areas. Best sites are on first basis, but there's no shortage.
FRASER ISLAND
The sand tracks were awesome. The views were spectacular. We loved the 4WD experience, covering most tourist tracks and other tracks on our 2 day trek through the centeral and southern areas of the island.
Eli Creek, fresh,crystal clear water & very cold! Some tour groups swim here. I say "Brrrr" to that idea. We wore jumpers most the time we were on Fraser.
The car parks have priceless waterfront views. Basically you just pull up where ever and check out the sites.
The Maheno Wreck on the Eastern coastline of Fraser. As we were here one plane flew in and another flew out, using the beach as a runway. I captured a plane in one of the photos of the wreck.
Lake Mackenzie, this is one of many of the lakes we visited. The water was an a-mazing blue. Blue like the stunning eyes of Mackenzie Saunders. Hi Gus, Kylie and Mackenzie.
Barney spent most of the first day in search of a dingo siting. On the second day just as we were packing up lunch. This dingo wandered into the picnic area.
While Barn got his wish to see a wild dingo I didn't see any Brumby's (maybe they have been removed from the island). On our adventure up a sand track we came upon this fellow crossing the road. It wasn't in a rush so we got some great close up photos. It's length would have spanded the cars width easily.
Our last glimpse of Fraser as we were returing to the mainland on a ferry.
Frasers a must for everyone to see.
NSW TO QUEENSLAND
Crowdy Beach!! Well if you have read some previous posts. This is the memorable beach of our BOG!!!! This is when the going was smooth and easy.
The first point you can see is Goolawah Beach where we stayed for 4 days. Tess loved this beach, no lead needed. We got a few surfs in between the two points. The water was quite warm.
We had no luck with the fishing here either. We managed to collect lots of weed though.
Cape Byron. I found my "Mal Heaven" at The Pass in Byron. There were crowds out there every day. Barn's got some great waves at Tallow's Beach. We got a surf in morning and night.
Throughout Northern NSW there was lots of road works (I think we managed to catch every red light or stop sign) and sugar cane fields began to become more frequent.
We made it to the border. Well we actually drove over the border several times and having several surfs inQueensland waters before we got out of the car to investigate this monument - The Border Line!!!! We satyed in Tweed Heads and drove to Dunbah Beach a Southern Caloundra Beach.
So you think AFL is big in Victoria?? Bowls is "the sport" to be in, every town has a huge bowls club and take a look Tweed Heads Club rooms. This one had two resturants, several gaming rooms, several bars, and child care just to name some of the facilities. Ohh plus immaculate greens. Barns and I dined in their family resturant, great value meals.
In Harrigton NSW, their bowling club had waterfront views.
We now have photo's. Thanks to Alistar we'll be able to share the images we take as well.
The Rig!! This is us leaving Birregurra. It looks a bit different now with tinted windows.
Barn's first waves for the trip at Gerringong, North of Nowra.
After this we went to the surf shop and bought the new board for me!!! I will get a photo for all to see.
Nelson Bay's Marina was home to some BIG boats. Anyone got a spare million?
Everywhere we went in NSW there were bridges. Even if there was a small water course they had built a massive bridge over, maybe when it floods it FLOODS!
Keep checking as there is a bank of photos to come.
Sorry to all for the lack of images. At present Bogger seeems to be having probs. So as soon as thats ironed out we'll be able to share our adventure with you. Keep real!!!!
We are in Yamba, N.S.W.!! We will stay two nights. We plan to take the ferry across to Iluka tomorrow and try and fit a surf in, in the early morning hours. We have been on the road since leaving Sydney on Monday . We have spent most of our time traveling up the surf coast. Ducking in and out of sites. Tess is loving the trip so far and has accepted the fact that she no longer has her own yard.
Funny story: Getting BOGGED at Crowdy Head. Well should you trust a fisherman for correct directions???? We'll we gave it a go!! We got BOGGED about 3 kms along, we got out with the tricks we learned off the DVD cam got us. Thanks Cam!
We couldn't find the connecting track 4km up the beach ( that's if there is one) so we continued on, straight into BOGGY SAND. BOGGED almost to axle. After disconnecting the trailer the troopy ate the sand with ease, we turned around and back tracked. Our lesson that day was to only travel on the beach trailer-less and be wairy of local directions. Ohh! Next time I will take photos.
Fishing Tips:
- Don't go where we have cause there's none there!!!!
- Buy every bait available
- Bring lots of sinkers cause the big fish(rocks) must eat them!
- Take lots of beer.
Places we have visited are:
Nelson Bay: 2 nights - Marina was awesome, big massive boats.
Shoal Bay
Fingal Bay - great fishing apparently
Harrington: 1 night
Crowdy Heads - sinking sands
Port Macquarie - good sports store, the "Big Oyster Barn" is a little shed
Goolawah Beach: 2 nights, awesome beach, Tess loved the no leash beach, that was all of it.
South West Rocks: 2 nights
Coffs Harbour: "The Big Banana" is as big as Russ's boat!
Photo's will be in our next Post
We left Rubyvale. We headed north-west, destination Mackay.
These are the two main job sites Barn's worked on for our six week stay. I worked in a Cafe and before leaving helped them update their menu's.
