Log 23-11 Home

The dog is causing us some problems as there is very few freedom stops on the coast & those that are there are usually on the highway so not great places to stay.

We know that national parks prohibit pets but we are surprised at the number of caravan parks that prohibit pets.

After Iluka we stopped at a dog friendly park at Moonee Beach just 5k’s North of Coffs Harbour, we didn’t want to stay in town & it turned out that this tiny place was delightful. The park was situated just behind the beach on top of a small hill & it was a 100m walk down to the water. A large shallow creek ran behind the beach & swung around & across the beach at one end, it was a great place for Lulu as well as us all of us could go for a swim without being in the surf. The weather has continued the same with storms every night.

After 4 days we moved on & picked a spot at North Haven but when we arrived we were disappointed with the park so we pushed on to Forster to a park recommended to us called Lanis Island. Before we had even set up we were inundated by mosquitoes so we moved once again to Tuncurry & finally found a nice, dog friendly, park on the waterfront. We stopped there 3 days  & reacquainted ourselves with the area visiting the local beaches & tourist spots. Weather still stormy in the evening.

Our final stop before home is to some friends at Moorland, 22K North of Taree, they have a 25 acre spread that looks like a park & they keep it immaculate, we spent a couple of days with them & met up with a couple of old boating buddies that they had invited for the weekend. Then, reluctantly, we headed for home &, as they always say, be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home (except the grass is about a foot tall).

We only have a few photos, most of Max & Carol's property.

Until our next adventure ……

Moonee Beach high tide

Moonee Beach low tide

Log 13-11 Iluka

Just a short drive to Brisbane to catch up with Zamira’s in laws, they live in a new suburb & the street is not on the GPS so after driving round in circles for a while we rang them, Errol turned up on this huge motorbike & we did a double take. After catching up with the gossip on Tuesday we went into Brisbane city by train on Wednesday, strolled through the Queen St. mall, checked out the Wednesday markets & on to Southbank, we were able to have a good look around the bank as, being a weekday, it was fairly deserted. We took a ride on the ferris wheel & it gave us a good look around the city.

Our next stop was Surfers Paradise where we dropped in on one of Liz’s old workmates, it was good to see her again as se was a good friend when she lived on the Central Coast. We stayed in a van park that night at an exorbitant cost before pushing on to Iluka.

We stayed at an holiday park adjacent the Clarence River, although the days were hot & sunny the wind gusted from every direction & we were reluctant to launch our little boat. We stayed 3 days & there was a tropical storm each night, torrential downpours, more winds, thunder & lightning & then, after around 2 hours, it was all gone. Weather aside it’s a great place to visit, there are so few little fishing villages left that we love coming here. In the 6 years since I first visited the area (Liz used to holiday here with her family when she was young, they even bought a holiday house there) the place has grown dramatically, population is up to 2,500 & there is now a shopping centre complete with a large supermarket. (prev just a general store, a pub & a service station) But still, the only things to do (apart from the pub) is surfing & fishing, oh, & there is also a golf course now.

Views from Cols farm

as above

Cols dog Jack, he was scared of thunder & slept in the van with us

At Queen St markets

Brisbane from the top of the ferris wheel

The ferris wheel

Iluka harbour

Iluka harbour

At the end of the training wall Iluka

04-11 Noosa

“We’re on the road again”

Having packed up the van the last night of the rally, we were ready to leave 7:00 AM on Monday before the exodus from the grounds. We had set our sights on Texas, Queensland for the days destination. Our first stop was at Sawn Rocks on the road to Bingara. These are more of the same rocks that we saw at Battery Rocks but they stood about 15 mts high. Travelling on we next stopped at Warialda for morning tea & a much needed rest. After an hours break we set off for Texas (the town is in Q’land but the rest stop is in NSW) arriving around 1:30. It’s just a large grassed area but we enjoy coming here, it is a very friendly town with a shower block in the middle of the main street.

Being on Q’land time we made an early start next morning, thank goodness, as around 8:00 the winds started picking up. We drove till 9:30, unable to exceed 65KPH without being blown off the road as the area we were travelling in was composed of vast plains from horizon to horizon (why are these winds never blowing in the direction we’re travelling?) by that time we were at the Cecil Plains  rest stop. Finding a nice area on the bank of the Condamine River we stopped for the day & experienced gale force winds & storms for the rest of the day. We read books, watched telly & slept, very relaxing.

The next morning the weather was kind to us & we set off for Nanango. Stopping at Kingaroy we detached the Suzy & went sightseeing, not a lot to see, went to the lookout, saw the peanuts growing, checked out the silos’ & lastly the town, had morning tea & continued on. Nanango was a nice little town & our internet friends place was easy to find. They had 450 acres, a few cows, a horse & 2 dogs, Lulu kept her distance from the larger animals. We found the people even nicer in the flesh & we had a great day with them, staying overnight.

Only 225K’s to Noosa now & we arrived at Liz’s brothers before before lunch. Detaching Suzy we went into town, Noosa is such a vibrant place, busy, things happening, attractive to see. It was great to see the ocean again & drive alongside the river, unfortunately on the way home we got lost as we always seem to do. We call it the city of roundabouts, most of which seem to have 5 or even 6 entries & we can never remember the way we went in, anyway we eventually found the right way & arrived a bit flustered but happy to be there.

Peter & Chris were as always, the perfect hosts & the 2 years since we have seen them disappeared in a minute. We are staying 5 days so we have plenty of time to look around, there is a triathlon on Sunday & the population has exploded to 40,000. The place is crowded, almost impossible to park & having a coffee is an experience. We ate out on Saturday evening at a place Pete had booked & you could feel the pulse of life in the city. Monday we caught up with an X Central Coast friend after 8 years.

Sawn Rocks

Condamine River

Condamine River

Peanut silos' at Kingaroy

Eumundi pub

Main street, Noosa

Noosa chanels

Log 27-10 Narrabri

Sally rang to say that there was a great parking spot by Narrabri Creek so we drove the 80K’s arriving Saturday morning. There was a huge number of RV’s there but we found a shady spot under a tree to stay. Walking by the vans we met up with several people from previous rallies, it was good to catch up. There are still the three of us together so we made sure of happy hour. Next day a committee member came round to say we could go into the rally a day early if we wanted, almost everyone left except Liz & I as we had heard that the showground was a dustbowl. We had another pleasant night by the creek & then ventured in. We joined the long morning queue & ended up getting a spot around 10:30, it was fortunate in a way as all of the powered spots were taken& they made some extra sites for we latecomers which was adjacent to the entertainment marquee. Only 810 RV’s turned up, probably because it was going to be hot (& it was). Several people cut the rally short because of the 35º days & 20º nights. What a week, seminars, workshops, craft lessons went on all day & then fabulous entertainment every night for the whole week.  Friday night was the ball & the theme was a gangster night, some people go to great lengths with their outfits.

We had happy hour every afternoon & dinner from the food stalls a couple of nights. We met more great people with stories to tell & information to share. We can’t believe the growing number of people that are selling up & making the motorhome their principal residence.

On Sunday, the last day of the rally we went sightseeing around Narrabri in the Suzuki. We first went to Mount Kaputar  (pron capitar) National Park & drove to the peak of this extinct volcano, on the way were several walks, all with tremendous views over the surrounding farmland. The road up was partly gravel, narrow, steep & very twisty but well worth the drive & the walk at the to the top. Back into town & then out to the Australian telescope, actually an array of 6, 22mt dishes, 5 movable dishes on rails & the 6^th set up in a permanent spot 5km’s away to make a very large radio telescope. From there we went to Yarrie Lake, this 3Km saucer shaped, perfectly circular lake on the edge of the Piliga scrub is thought to have been formed by a meteor several thousand years ago. It being nearly happy hour by then we made tracks back to the showground.

Sorry photos' all mixed up, spent ages trying to sort them!

At the Gangsters Ball

Euglah Rock

Summit

Australia Telescope

Portion of Yarrie Lake

View from Governor Lookout

Some of our table