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Coastal Queensland

 The Drier Outlook On A Grand Tableland

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Visiting Atherton, it was understandable why the tableland was named after such a town.  For a rather remote area Atherton was large but still held the features of a quaint country town.  Staying the night opposite the pub of Kiera we continued our free camping.  The next day had a few points of interest in store including an apparent impressive tree (not knowing how amazing this could actually be!)

We were awe struck at the sight of this ancient tree.  It just appeared so unreal as it towered over us as we strolled around the board walk with an upward stare.  Having seen nothing like it before we were keen to read the information boards.  Quickly discovering this fig had been a tiny seed dropped on a branch of its host tree, it slowly took charge from here.  Over many years it patiently grew and dropped roots to the ground for extra nourishment.  Once a substantial size the host tree had become a mere skeleton and gave way.  The Curtain Fig was strong enough to support itself by this stage and the host slowly decayed into the ground. 

Departing from the Curtain Fig we stopped to pay our respect at Yungaburra Avenue of Honour, a tribute for people who had passed away in the wars against terror over the last decade.

The next point of interest along the stretch was Lake Barrine.  Formed over thousands of years due to eruptions from a now dorment volcano, it is now home to a variety of wildlife and a quaint but well situated Tea House.  We smashed out another rainforest walk of 5km around the lake and in doing so stumbled upon some more Great Kauri Trees.  How enormous they were standing strong around the lake (compared to their chopped up cousins at Milla Milla).  We decided to treat ourselves with a well earnt devonshire tea once we had returned to the Tea House which had a magical view of the lake in all its glory.

Still fairly shocked at how fairytale-like a tree could possibly grow, we were excited to take a path to another impressive Fig.  With its devine and towering appearance, it was easy to see how it obtained its name as the Cathedral Fig.  A similar growing story to that of the Curtain Fig, the host of this particular tree withstood the parasite a little longer so it towers high instead of draping along a line.  Back toward the car we reminisced over how these marvels belonged in the movie, Fern Gully.

Being in the northern section of the Atherton Tablelands we found a great spot at School Point Campground, one of many around Lake Tinaroo.  As the skies still tried to rain on our parade, we took the liberty to have a tin or two overlooking the lake.  Unfortunately, we struggled to get a fire going as the wood was saturated from the previous few days of rain.  Once a fire was finally established, we were quick to use the heat to dry our dripping clothes as much as possible.

As we emerged from the tent the sun was cranking!  We made our way down to the lake side and sat in the sun eating our breakfast.  It was so peaceful with the sun glistening on the water and the birds resting on the bank.  Occasionally the odd fish would jump out in front of us too! The vast quantity of sights to see around this area seemed like we had only touched the sides with many hidden tracks darting off the main drag.  On our itinerary for the day was a visit to The Chimneys (two grand chimneys remaining from an old homestead), the Mobo Creek Crater (not an actual crater but created by erosion from cooled lava tubes thousands of years ago) and Lake Euramoo (formed by two volcanoes around 23,000 years ago).  

This road then lead us to Goldsborough.  Only a 30 minute trip off the main track, it was well worth it.  Having to book our camp before entering we claimed site #12 and upon arrivial discovered it was a non drive-in site.  With a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude (not wanting an hour return trip to find reception), we slipped into site #2.  An early retirement to the tent lead us to hiding away at 8:30pm as 4 cars were astonished to see someone set up in their camp (it was us)!  We cheekily watched from the tent as they undoubtably cursed and disappeared to sites #6-7. Bloody booking system!

Through our journey in the Atherton Tablelands, we found a variety of places to suit everyones camping desires.  Even though we were washed out in the southern section it was still a fantastic area to explore.  We hadn’t even seen the coastal side yet!  Having to adhere to our time schedule we thought we’d save the region for a future adventure as our sights were set on Cairns.  We had more visitors arriving who were escaping the cold winter freeze of Melbourne…

Coastal Queensland

A Wet Expedition Through Atherton Tablelands

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As we continued our crawl along the Cassowary Coast we decided to stop off at a couple of beautiful beaches for a days rest.  One in particular, Etty Bay, was a quiet tucked away cove with an extremely low population.  Lucky for us as we lounged in the sun a cassowary emerged from the shrubbery to have a suss of what we were up to.  Not intimidated at all, he slowly  strolled only 1 metre from us!  After these peaceful relaxing beach stops it was time for us to make our way towards the Atherton Tablelands.

Starting down the southern end of the tablelands we set up camp at Henrietta Creek Camping Area.  Here we were able to set up right in amoungst the rainforest, what a living room!  From this area there were also fantastic walking trails to a variety of waterfalls nearby.  All were on our to do list.

Arriving late afternoon we took full oppurtunity while the sun was still out to go for a swim in the brown yet flowing “Bush Pool”.  Even though it was murky compared to our other freshwater holes, it was still great for a swim.  As the sun slipped away over the horizon, we thought we were in for a treat with beautiful clear days to explore the area.  Oh how we were wrong.

We woke to the continuous sound of a seriously heavy downpoor of rain, our activities for the day were delayed.  Hiding in the tent all morning lead us to almost losing sanity as the dry season seemed awfully wet!  Lacing up our boots, we put our rain jackets on and set off into the miserable flood-like rain.  Aiming to complete a 6.6km loop to Nandroya Falls, we had a positive mindset that at least the falls will be cranking with all this rain!

Initially doubting our small expedition, the path was saturated and river crossings were already starting to look flooded!  After a short navigation through puddles and an overgrown walkway, we made it to Silver Falls with the entire rock wall powerfully flowing from the extra rain.  Slowly we were becoming more and more saturated.

Another half hour in, we had made it to the main attraction, Nandroya Falls.  The rain did not disappoint, demonstrating the crushing impact these falls had to offer.  Below were smaller overflows of water which with quick realisation would not be cascading if it weren’t for the rain.  Continuing around the loop the rain didn’t ease off. Being the optional longer circuit, we gathered it was less traversed as there was more shrub and fern attempting to take over the track.

Soaked to the bone, we soldiered on over waterways.  Regular leech checks lead to peeling an odd one off the leg as we walked until Nay felt something on her back.  Mark checked it out to discover a blood sucking parasite mid way up Nay’s back!  Fun times!!  As we arrived back at the first river crossing of the circuit, we were gobsmacked that it was no longer a rock crossing but an unbroken torrent of water.  From the torrential rain our past crossing had been engulfed by the river.  Left with only one option, we staggered  shin deep through the swell.  Upon conducting our now regular leech check, we discovered we had acquired over a dozen leeching friends, soon to be swatted like flies!

Back at camp, we dried off and laughed at what we had just been through.  It was already late arvo at this stage but the rain had not let off.  Cowering back in the tent with a cuppa, we threw a movie on until it was time for bed. 

Waking up the next day to our astonishment, the rain was just as heavy!  Having to cross off a couple of the smaller walking trails off our list we departed for the hope of drier pastures.  While still drizzling, we made our way to the Milla Milla Waterfall Circuit (a small 15km loop).  Home of Ellinjaa Falls, Zillie Falls and of coarse, Milla Milla Falls.  These all entailed a short walk in to see each cascade and as with previous waterfalls, each had their small differences that made them amazing in their own way.  Some even included small waterholes for a swim which may have of been appealing if we weren’t already so wet!

Back in town they had a display of a fallen Giant Kauri Pine Tree which had fallen only 20km from Milla Milla due to the root system no longer being able to sustain the tree.  This mammoth tree was approximately 870 years old, with a 2.7m diameter and an 8.5m circumference.  1m of the trunk was equal to 4 tonnes of timber – impressive!!  This would not be the last of these beasts we were to see.  As the weather was clearing, we cruised further around to discover what else the Atherton Tablelands had to offer…

Coastal Queensland

The Thunderous White Water Rapids Of Tully

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Arriving at the pub, we met the shuttle bus to take us to the top of the Tully River. We were lucky enough to be upgraded from the standard to the extreme adventure tour as we filled the final two spots that morning!  Teaming up with three Irish blokes who seemed ready for a challenge, we were introduced to our fearless leader Calum, to take us down the powerful waterway.

Going through some basic instructions, it wasn’t long before we adventured through the first of the fierce rapids.  Being grade 3-4 we were being smashed around the boat and Mark almost toppled out after only the second rapid (what a spud)!  Clinging onto the side of the raft, he was quickly pulled back in.  As we approached the next section of turbulant water, with a simple command of ‘Get down! Lean back!’ we were thrown deliberately straight into a rock in order to bounce off, complete a 180 and continue down the rapid backwards!  The thrills had only just began.

First Expedition on Foot

After racing down the first of the rapids we came ashore and jumped out of the rafts.  Here we had the opportunity to climb up a rocky cliff and go jumping off a 4m+ ledge back into the river!  After a few jumps we were roaring back down through the thick of it where we arrived at a smaller rapid section.  Again we pulled up and climbed out of the rafts.  This time we were to float down these smaller rapids and toward the end we were warned “It may be a drowning sensation as you hold your breath you’ll get smashed by some waves.  Just as you go for another breath, you will crash into another wave and probably inhale some water!  You’ll be right though!”.  Starting to jump into the Tully to face these rapids, Calum yells “Watch out for dildo rock!”.  By the time everyone experienced this rush of drowning, we all admitted that such a rock did attack everyone at least once.

Just before arriving at the lunch stop, we found ourselves on a calmer section of river.  Taking full opportunity Calum taught us how to deliberately flip the raft.  As you can see we all ended up in the drink besides our crafty leader who flung himself around the side as it flipped.  This was only one of the many times we flipped over as the trip continued.  All back on the upside down vessel we rowed under a crushing ice cold waterfall before pulling up anchor to grab some burgers.

Second Expedition on Foot

After lunch we tackled a few more tricky rapids which greatly tested our teamwork.  Departing the raft yet another time we found ourselves above a rapid slide.  One at a time we jumped in feet first and shot down this 3m fall after the leaders had explained “You may be sucked underwater for 2-6 seconds, everyone is different!”  Wanting more, we jumped back in the raft at the bottom and paddled to the base of the slide to climb for a second run.  Only this time was different.  We were instructed to go head first which was exhilirating as we shot through the raging water and resurfaced at the bottom.

Now with adrenaline pumping, we climbed up again for a third slide!  Trying another variation, with only 7 people daring to go again, we linked up one behind another grasping a hold of their life jacket.  That’s right, we made a choo choo train as we all delved into the slide together, losing control as we shot down the rapid.  Nay being in front had her legs shooting up in the air as six blokes pulled down from the back of the train, plunging deep into the water for a solid 15 seconds.  All heads slowly emerged and there were cheers as we had made it without breaking the chain.

Third Expidition on Foot

Pulling up to one last extreme activity we were at the ‘Devil’s Loo’.  Having a raft jammed between two rocks just behind a rapid, we launched ourselves in front of the raft and shot down in the water feet first.  Being flushed out behind the rapid, dodging boulders in the river, we staggered back up onto the rocks to go again!  Mark even flew through this one head first with a few other takers.

With everyone back in their rafts we ventured down the last leg of the river.  After a total of 10km through the day we had a couple of cliff jumps, many raft flips (even one where Nay flung herself on top as the boys ended in the drink!) and not to forget the raging thunder of the rapids.  Totally exhausted we were back on the bus to the pub where we had beers with the crew while banter was had about the days events…

Coastal Queensland

A Mission To A Great Beach

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Slowly waking to the mighty rumbling of Murray Falls, we had a relaxing morning.  For a little fitness we decided on another magical rainforest walk that lead to the source of the noise we had slept with.  Overlooking the mighty falls we quickly discovered each majestic cascade we visited was special in its own way.  Returning down the track we had a short 300m walk to the pools at the base of the falls.  A freshwater bath in these waterholes gave us a great cleanse and even a small slide to muck around on!

Further up the road we stopped by Tully to have a suss of the “Golden Gumboot” which was the height of the town’s rainfall recorded in 1950, a whopping 7.9m!  After marveling at this construction we left Tully with the knowledge of a return trip later on as our adventure continued.  A little further along the track we were suprised at how enticing a hidden sand waterhole by the name of “Alligators Nest” was. A beautiful place to stop for the afternoon without any crocs!

That evening we had arrived at Mission Beach in which a handful of people had highly recommended on our travels.  Upon arrival, sun was shining and a restful beach session was in order.  We quickly understood why people would love this section of Australia (the Cassowary Coast).  Back at camp we unknowingly at the time camped near a gigantic Green Ant nest.  Unlike your standard ants these little fellas are capable of folding leaves over to create nests in trees.  Our neighbour was clearly the home of the green ant queen and her workers!

Road Trip Fun Fact!

If you lick the bums of these Weaver Ants (Green Ants) there is a distinctive taste of zesty lime which even leaves a slight burning sensation.

Sadly waking the next day, we encountered the first serious rain that put a dampener on our time at Mission Beach.  Going into town and exploring the nearby beaches had a gloomy resolve.  Everything was quiet, the beach was grey and the ocean was choppy and brown, very different to the day before.  During our time here we even planned a trip to Dunk Island (a short 45min boat taxi ride) but due to weather conditions we stayed restless around the caravan park.  We did visit the giant cassowary nonetheless!  As our depature day came, a glimmer of hope arrived as the sun came out!  We jumped on a bus and headed back to Tully…

Coastal Queensland

A Trek Through Fresh Waterholes

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This next stage of our adventure is where we spent the better part of a week hopping from waterhole to waterfall.  The fresh water journey started with a rocky playground.

Stop 1 – The Paradise Waterhole & Rock Slides

Just out from Townsville we made it to Paluma Range National Park early in the morning to enjoy breakfast with nature.  We thought it would be more relaxing than the roadside stop we’d slept at the night before.  A 100m walk to the ‘Paradise Waterhole’ and we had to catch our breath as we plunged into the clearest, freshest (coldest) water.  Now fully awake, we ventured a little further down the road where we found a sign marked ‘Rock Slides’.  Waterslides of all varieties were scattered in this natural water park.  We mucked around on a series of slides while some onlookers laughed with us as we slid.  Making our way further down we stumbled across a small waterfall and a smaller slide.  It wasn’t long until we stacked rocks over a floodway to create a new slide which was longer and faster!!

Stop 2 – Some Fresh Fruit & Jourama Falls

Back on the road we stumbled across a farm fresh fruit stall where the farmer had just restocked!  She was the dearest person passionately explaining the unique tropical fruits to us as we loaded some up for an absolute steal (an enormous cucumber for 40c!)  Once the big bag of fruit and veg was loaded in the car we made our way to Jourama Falls.  On the way to the lookout we had a steep climb before opening up to a view overlooking the falls.  The water flowed from one cascade to another over a vast distance. Quite spectacular!  Enjoying the sights and taking silly selfies on the return trip, we bumped into another snake (becoming quite common now) which thankfully slithered into the bush!

Stop 3 – The Longest Pier & The Highest Waterfall

The next stop was from an extreme length to an incredible height.  First, was the longest pier in the southern hemisphere that was constructed in Lucinda.  At a total length of 6km, this was one monster of a pier.  Unfortunately walking on the pier is prohibited as its purpose is to allow cane trains to travel out to load giant freighters.  Standing on the beach it seemed to just disappear into the horizon.

Going from the longest, we then found ourselves in front of the highest single drop waterfall in Australia, Wallaman Falls (cascading a massive 268m).  Awe struck to say the least, we stood gazing at the sight before us on the lookout platform.  Not enough, we decided to take the plunge to the base of the falls which was an incredible test of fitness.  From an open forest into the depths of a rainforest the temperature dropped and the air became thicker.  The steep decent down had paid off, we found ourselves at the base of this mammoth waterfall.  As the sun crept out from behind the clouds, a rainbow (even a double rainbow at one point!) appeared before our eyes as the mist caused the light to refract.  Absolutely stunning!  With clouds creeping back over, the show was done and we struggled back up the 1.6km stairway to our car.

Stop 4 – Cruising the Cardwell Forest Drive

The next small beach town of Cardwell had a Forest Drive all of its own.  Veering off the Bruce Highway was a small loop that had a variety of pleasant swimming holes.  The first we found was Attie Creek.  700m up the track was a deep swimming hole with a complimentary rope swing and great ledges for cliff jumping! Already occupied by some backpackers we joined in the fun and jumped off the rocks.  All the water through this area was a stunning blue that seemed out of this world.

Back on the circuit we skipped the next stop, Dead Horse Creek, as we were running out of time and shot through to see the famous “Spa Pool”.  Created in combination of semi natural conditions and a man made idea, there was a small spa-like pool that had water flowing in from the creek.  We wished it only had a little more water flowing as the ‘jets’ weren’t too powerful!  This spa also flowed into a beautiful fresh water swimming pool which made for a very relaxing afternoon.

Back on the Bruce we continued north where we tucked into the Girramay National Park which was home to the Murray Falls.  Arriving late it was already getting dark so we just had enough time to set up and cook some grub.  Attempting a fire was too difficult as the wet rainforest didn’t provide any dry wood.  Instead we found ourselves in bed going to sleep to the calming rumble of the waterfalls only 300m away…

Coastal Queensland

The Magical Magnetic Island

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Arriving late onto Magnetic Island we drove off the Fantasea Ferry and made our way along a dark windy road until reaching the Bungalow Bay Koala Village.  As the sun slowly came up over the horizon, we were up and out of the camper with the excitement of seeing this new area.  Being here for a few days away from the mainland made this short stint on the island feel like a holiday from the holiday!  We made our way over to Picnic Bay (on the south end) and went for a stroll along the jetty to found ourselves with a magnificant view of tropical fish without even having to snorkel.  The water was an amazing torquoise and crystal clear!  We then stumbled across a rough walking track on the way back.  Along this, we had great views of Picnic Bay and a steep decent lead to a small hidden cove.

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That afternoon we ventured down a bumpy 4×4 road that lead to more secluded beaches.  A small walking track and boom!  Trees opened up to the stunning Florence Bay with no more than 20 people.  We had a late lunch here and even snuck in some cheeky beers ( a little crab mate was keen to get in on the action too!)  Once properly nourished, we threw the snorkels on and went for a paddle off the beach to a small reef.  As we entered the water, we realised there was no escaping home as Nay bumped into a work colleage from a school in Ringwood as he had just finished snorkelling!  As the afternoon slipped away from us we just lazed in the sun after being mesmerized by the tropical fish we’d seen and took the opportunity to continue the hard work on Brook.

We freshened up back at camp and went for a leisurely stroll with some travellers to watch the sunset over Horshoe Bay.  With our mat set up, we watched the world pass as small boats came in and out from their yachts and drunken locals provided entertainment.  One pretended to be a pirate and walked around yelling “Arrrrggghh!” to everyone and in doing so a classy elderly lady calmly replied “Are.”

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The next day we thought some exercise was in order and went to have a look at The Forts which had a major role in World War 2 for this area.  A 4.2km walk took us through the camps where signs were scattered along the path with detailed descriptions on each building.  Arriving at the actual Forts section, these buildings were very much intact and great to walk around.  The Command Centre and Telecomms Post were at the highest points which had plenty of information and all very accessible with fantastic 300 degree views of the ocean.  Just down the hill from these buildings were the gun emplacements.  These guns, each weighing over 10 tonnes, were hauled up the mountain by a tractor from Horseshoe Bay back in 1942.  The fascinating fact is that these two giant guns somehow disappeared without a trace once the war was over.

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The rest of our time here we spent repeating several of our favourite past activities.  We went snorkelling again at Arthur Bay and this time, to our luck, we saw a sea turtle who calming went swimming around us!  Travelling over to the west side of the island we discovered another beautiful beach to watch the sunset over the ocean.  This lead to our final day of clearing out of the Koala Village and having a browse at the local market at Horseshoe Bay.  With a why not attitude, we took the walk over to Balding Bay (a nude beach) for some giggles and spent the arvo here being very free!  The inevitable moment had arrived and the ferry back to townsville was sadly calling us.

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Overall, we had one of the best few days on Maggie and felt very rejuvinated after the busy loop.  It had places for everyone, great beaches for snorkelling, peaceful beaches for swimming and even a couple for the keen fisherman.  The next week was going to be a different chapter again as the ocean disappeared and fresh waterholes and falls were on the horizon…

Coastal Queensland

The Rounding Up Of The Loop

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Slightly disheartened as there was no surf, we continued north and found ourselves at the great entrance of The Capricorn Caves.  Just above Rockhampton, these dry caves were renown for their beauty and hospitality to a variety of bat species.  From back in the 1980’s to the present day, they are also host weddings in a magnificant cathedral ‘room’ in the heart of the cave system.  With a creative light show, it was easy to feel how special and unique it would be to wed here.  Whilst in this room our tour guide turned off all of the lights so we could experience true pitch black!  The song “Music of the Night” was played and it was easy to slip away into another world as the acoustics of the cave engulfed us.

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Other points of interest along the way were creative shapes in the rock formation that were lit up.  Some of these were obviously seen (the rhino rock) and others you really had to stretch your imagination!  Trees above the Capricorn Caves had also sent root systems down to find water and over the years some had grown to a solid 2 inches thick and over 20m long!  In fact, they tracked down one of the longer sets of roots to a tree above that ended up only being a couple of meters high.  On a bouncy escape over a series of suspension bridges, Nay whispered to Mark that she had heard the old bloke in front of her step on some “frogs” as we squeezed through the zig zag tunnel (a tight ‘zig zag’ passage used as the exit).

The next day lead to an early rise as we had learnt about the opportunity to take an iconic Australian photo.  Upon sunrise, at a tucked away spot in Cape Hillborough, Kangaroos congregate on the beach for a morning feed.  The sight was picturesque but had a toll as the early morning rise lead us to sleeping on the beach until lunch.  As the afternoon arrived, we went for a 2.4km journey through the rainforest which was home to a bright blue winged butterfly (it felt like we were in the butterfly enclosure at the zoo!).  We even stumbled across a harmless tree snake slithering along the path! The return track of this journey was the way we came or a swim around the rocks as high tide had absorbed our sandy track that completed the loop.  With shoes off and valuables safe, we jumped in waste deep water and took the short cut!

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As the high tide dropped later in the arvo, a causeway had opened up and we took the opportunity for a walk out to Wedge Island.  Said to have good snorkling we tried our luck but it clearly wasn’t our day as we just ended up cutting our feet open on the rocks!  By the time we were back at the car, our hunger pains were cranking up, so we took off to find a spot to cook some grub. In our search we discovered a perfect spot behind a golf course with beach front views.

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Our next and final spot that completed the loop was the Eungella National Park.  With a steep 10km windy climb into the mountain range, we pulled up at the Broken River campground.  With a small 50m walk leading us to a fantastic viewing platform, we watched for the first time in the wild, the shyest native animal, the platypus!  After observing one splash around for a while, we decided to pulled out our mat with some more delicious goon and spend the evening by the river.  Here we continued to watch a few platypuses swim a mere 10m away from us.  It was such a spectacular experience.

Waking to a frosty 2 degrees (which was a total shock to our system!), we climbed back down the mountain to a walking trail that lead to The Wheel of Fire Waterfalls at Finch Hatton Gorge.  This was an overall 4.4km return walk, involving a steep climb with a section requiring us to hop scotch across stones as the path seemed to have washed away in the river.  At the end, we came face to face with our own private swimming hole and fresh water flowing in from the falls.  It was just unlucky that it was so bloody cold, we didn’t swim!   

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After visiting these calming waterfalls in the morning, we had a solid 5 hour drive that same day to make it to Townsville.  This section took us back past Airlie, where memories of great times with the Johnsies (only 2 weeks prior) flashed back and were discussed about in the car.  Making it to the Townsville Marina by 6:05, we were right on time to catch the barge to take us out onto Magnetic Island…

Coastal Queensland

The Bundaberg Loop

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The goal of this section of the adventure was to complete the east coast of Australia.  Our last major trip we had only made it as far north as Fraser Island.  Therefore to close the gap, we were heading to Bundaberg to see how they made their rum!  As we headed south we dropped into Yeppoon and Rosslyn Bay.  We found a hidden walking track by the name of Bluff Point that took us on a 2.3km circuit around the cliff tops which looked over The Great Keppel Islands.  The breathtaking views also included the township, harbour and dotted in the ocean were boats cruising between each island.  It was a sight to see!  On the way down we were also lucky enough to spot turtles popping up for air around the cliff edges.  As the crocs weren’t residing in these areas we spent the arvo at the beach cooling off and Mark, like a big kid, played in the water park… by himself.

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That night we slipped into Rockhampton for a rediculously cheap $5 steak with sides for only $1 each!  What a win!  Considering we were at the beef capital of Australia and after our recent experiences at The Brook, we thought it would be interesting to take the opportunity to visit the cattle Sale Yards.  As we wandered through the cattle yards we must of stood out like buggery.  It only took seconds before an old local farmer came up and had a good yarn to us explaining what everyone was yelling about at auction.  Basically, the farmers rely heavily on their experience and knowledge of cattle, as they guess the weight of the cows that they bid on ($/kg) and only after they win, do the cows get weighed.  You could easily see how a rookie could get lost in the game.

After delving further south we ended up overshooting Bundaberg for another family catchup on Mark’s side.  Aunty Kathy, uncle David and cousins Emma and Edie were also escaping the Melbourne winter and were in a peaceful, charming town by the name of Woodgate.  We spent the afternoon catching up and swapping stories over some beverages and then later enjoyed a meal at the bowls club.  With only a short but sweet visit, we were off in the morning after a delcious bacon and egg breakie.  Driving away toward Bundy it was still hard to realise where we were in this great country as snippets of family visits seem to disorientate the bearings.

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Making it to Bundy, we were at the home of Bundaberg Rum!  Being here we couldn’t miss the distillary tour.  Even though distilling rum seems like a simple process, we found it was the small tricks along the way that made it incredibly interesting.  One of these, were the huge barrels that stored the rum.  They were built from oak and all hand made with no nails or glue.  The shape was created from timber and large steal rods were bent around the outside to stop it falling apart.  To hold the rum with no leaks, water was added and this allowed the timber to swell and clog any holes.  With only a two hour turn around, once there were no leaks, the water was replaced with rum and left to age for a minimum of two years.  The final and most rewarding section of the tour was the taste testings.  With only two samples each we took advantage and tasted top shelf rums with the most expensive being $140 per bottle!   Ensuring we were right to drive, we booted off to Agnes Water where the surfboards could finally come off the roofracks!

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Arriving at Agnes Water late afternoon we struggled to find a site at the bush camp to take us, as school holidays were still in fine force.  We ended up grabbing a carpark at Cool Bananas (a local hostel) and enjoyed our delicious goon red with some fellow campers around the fire.  Before we knew it, it was 1:30am (this was damn late for us!)  Struggling out of the tent the next morning we made our way up to 1770, the point where Captain Cook had first landed in Australia.  Here we went on some slow strolls and made it to a lookout, where we marveled at some whales jumping out of the water nearby!  On our way back to Agnes, we popped into some markets and ended up back at the bush camp.  Luckily a caravan had just left!  We had a lazy afternoon from here, booking a few events for the weeks to come and taking out Brook to continue the work.  The bush turkeys loved the juicy fatty pieces!  We went for a swim as the sun set over the mainland and found some more courage to enjoy some more goon. 

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Waking the next morning highlighted the depressing fact that the surf was non existent during our stay.  For the journey thus far, the boards were finding themselves still strapped to the roof!  This was sadly all the time we had at Agnes Water as we had to keep moving north to finish the loop and arrive in Townsville for a boat…

Coastal Queensland

Turning Over To A New Chapter – Airlie Beach

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Being back on the road did feel a little unusual again after being stationary at The Brook for the past month.  The sensation of being so free and roaming Australia was far from being dull.  We were excited for the next week to come as Nay’s family had decided to come up for a break in Melbourne’s winter to see us!!  Allowing ourselves three days to travel to Airlie, we made the most of a full sunny day and pulled the cow hide out (officially named “Brook”) to allow her to dry out.  It was a great opportunity to catch up on ourselves and prepare for wild week with the Johnsies!  Unknown to us, the day we had decided to burn across to Airlie came with a great thunder storm. The rain pelted down for a solid 24 hours just to make the trip interesting and created flash flooding in some areas.  We did however, still manage to stumble past the “Big Mango”. The beautiful Airlie everyone had talked about didn’t quite look the same, with ferocious looking clouds casting a dark and gloomy shadow over the town.

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Needless to say, waking up the next day, there was not a cloud in sight and blue skies welcomed the arrival of Dave, Maj, Tez, Charls, Livs AND Mark’s bday!!!  As Gobs was busy at work he joined in on the shenanigans halfway through the week.  The day was full of celebrations – beginning with breakfast, we went out for the first time on the trip to The Fat Frog.  Then followed a lazy day on the beach until we made our way to the Big 4 Caravan Park to meet up with the others.  We continued the celebrations late into the night with espresso martinis!

This entire week at Airlie Beach with the Johnsies seemed to fly by in a blink of an eye!  We had many activities to keep us all busy including copious amounts of swimming, smashing each other at tennis and seeing who can get the most hole in ones at mini golf!  We’d spent some time at the lagoon in town and went for a stroll and stumbled across a sand sculpture which was very creative.  There was also many a froffies and great discussions had on the deck.  We had made the most of being in the one spot for a long period of time and let the hide out to dry on the roof of the condo (the process continues!).

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As quick as the excitement hit us for their arrival, we were finding ourselves a week later saying goodbye to our visitors after having such an amazing week.  Finding ourselves back on the road seemed a little from the norm.  From being at the station, then a week at Airlie we were now back on the road with no idea where were to stay that night.  After a little research we found ourselves beside the croc inhabited Constant Creek, a little south of Airlie, which we were more than happy to be sleeping in the roof top tent!  After this quick stay over we found ourselves in a magical little oasis by the name of Notch Point.  It’s salty ocean waters also made home for crocs but the breathtaking views were well worth not being able to swim.

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We had decided to bunk a couple of nights along the foreshore to muster up a plan of attack in what we were going to do over the next few weeks.  The world was our oyster once again and the freeways down south looked welcoming…

Queensland

The Brook – The Final Weeks

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After the past massive week we had just accomplished, we were ready to have a lazy weekend around the homestead.  The farmer had advised us of a waterhole only a stones throw away which could be a nice day trip.  Packing a small lunch we went exploring.  After an hour of walking we came across the creek and what we had thought the waterhole was (later finding out the actual “waterhole” was still 1km past where we had gone).  Along side this beautiful place was the Basalt Wall which had been created by a local volcano.  We were careful not to venture too deep, as one could easily lose their bearings on an overcast day with the surroundings looking ever so similar.  It was indeed an amazing piece of The Brook.

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Back to our working reality, Monday-itis was slowly kicking in. The final two weeks seemed to fly by as fast as the holiday had so far.  We found ourselves in the house more regularily completing the jobs we were originally hired for.  We were still never up for a boring day, doing such a great variety of work.  From cleaning, mowing with a ride on, looking after the kids or just general handy work around the station, we were away from our standard 9 – 5 jobs and loving it!  They quickly discovered that we were seasoned painters as well and soon enough we were outside giving the school a make over with a fresh coat of paint.  We did however, only just hold back the urges of painting each other!

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As the next weekend rolled in, we were given details about the Cattlemen’s Ball in Greenvale (still over 2 hours away).  Deciding it could be fun, we packed our best flannies and went for a night out!  Totally different from what we had expected, it was still good fun.  As soon as we walked in, it seemed all eyes were on us as we were obviously not from the area.  Needless to say we made friends with some local youngsters who knew of The Brook station and with that, we partied the night away.  We also ended up being the only ones who actually camped behind the pub (making us stand out even more as tourists) as we were expecting a few swags from what was mentioned in the brochure.

Coming into the final week of work, we had really felt the last three had slipped by far too quickly.  Slowly running out of meat, the farmer was in need of a kill.  Mind you the meat before this seemed endless with delicious beef coming in all ways (even gigantic T-bone steaks!)  Lucky for us we were able to head along with the farmhand for this fascinating process.  He lead us through the complicated steps from when the cow was simply shot in the field, to the detailed process of making sure he didn’t taint the meat with any unwanted flavours.  To our suprise, he even let us skin it!  After enjoying a well earnt beer from this life changing process, we queried the farmhand in making a rug from the hide.  His response was simply “It’s very easy!  I’ll show you how to peg it out, salt it, rub it with a coarse stone and in time it will be beautiful!”  This was definitely going to be one project to remember.

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With the week wrapping up we finished the variety of small jobs around the house by playing more games with the kids and the odd handyman fix up.  By this stage we had also gained quite a loyal companion by the name of Lucky who was their farm dog that spent far more time with us than at the homestead.  Mark was even able to live another life long dream of mowing the airstrip in an old school tractor!!  The final day we were in the yard Nay was able to drive the Bacho over to the far yards (took a solid 45 mins) but sadly we both just missed a calf being born.  We watched in awe as the calf was standing and drinking milk from its mother in under an hour from birth.

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As the final day arrived there were emotions flying around from both parties.  Excitement was buzzing as we were onto the next stage of our adventure.  It was a strange feeling knowing we would probably never return or hear much from these amazing people who had let us into their homestead.  Even though we were there to work, we had gained such life experiences we could never have imagined.  So jumping in the car (with Brook the cow hide strapped to the roof rack), we were heading away from the property and had our sights on Airlie Beach where the first of our visitors were coming to see us…