Bucasia Beach

Friday 10^th August

We filled up with water and headed north towards Mackay.

We called into Carmila Beach (86) on the way as it was recommended by a few people as a top spot. They were right, it was lovely, right on the beach but it was full. It is only tiny and has lots of very soft sand which limits access even more. I’m so glad we were not relying on it as a definite stop.

When we arrived, the tide was out, and I mean out. It would have been at least 400 to 500 metres.

Yes, that black speck is in fact two people!!!!!

We drove through to Mackay and shopped at Cane Land Shopping Centre. I rang two caravan parks and was told they were booked out.  There had been a dreadful accident on the highway north and it was closed from 8.30 that morning and not expected to reopen till 10.30 that night.

On the off chance, we tried Bucasia Beach just outside Mackay and they had had a cancellation.

We met another lovely couple, Michelle and George from Tweed Heads. They were visiting their son who lives here and were travelling with a friend who had been moved from our site to accommodate the people who had cancelled. All was forgiven and we went over for Sun Downers. We had a great time chatting and they told us a few more ‘must do’ sites.

Ronnie cooked up steak for dinner – our first one since we left home!!!!!!!

Yummo!

Boulder Creek

Saturday 11^th August

We drove out to Finch Hatton Gorge (another on our ‘must do’ list).

We couldn’t fit into (73) Platypus Bushcamp (small vehicles only) so we went for a walk up to The Cascades Lookout which was about three and a half kilometres through the rainforest. It was a lovely walk, not too steep, and the vegetation was very thick. There were lots of other people about and one lady coming the other way said ‘I love your colours’ and I said ‘Thank you’ when a very indignant Ron piped up with ‘She was talking to me!!!’

On the way out Indie got his feet wet!!!!

We set off then, in search of a freebie nearby and found (60) Boulder Creek.

You can see why they call it that.

Later I built another of my famous camp fires so we could have jaffles for dinner only to discover that the jaffle iron was broken. Quelle horreur!!!!

Ronnie improvised and we had toasted sangers.

Sunday 12^th August

Ronnie and I went in search of more fire wood this morning and came back with half a dead forest.

After watching Ronnie in action, I’m thinking of entering him in the Wood Chopping event at the Ekka.

(And if they have a wood yelling at and swearing at event, he would be in with a very good chance for Gold!)

Anyway, after all that chopping, Ronnie had his eye in so it was my turn to go under the clippers.

Later we were joined for Sun Downers by Avril, a lady who has been travelling by herself for three years. Ronnie had seen her earlier and said she looked my type by the bright clothes she was wearing. It turned out she was also interested in photography and crafts as well.

Boulder to Bowen and Beyond

Monday 13^th August

After breakfast, I decided

there was no way I was leaving without having a go on the swing.

We drove on to St Helens Beach and stopped and made a cuppa.

From there, we drove through to Proserpine. ‘Move on, nothing to see here’. So we drove on to Airlie Beach. We found a parking spot and walked along the foreshore. The water was beautiful but the beach itself left a bit to be desired

Then we decided to drive on to Bowen. There are no free camps anywhere around here so we headed for Horseshoe Bay Resort (as recommended by Michelle and George). The caravan park itself is very old and tired but Horseshoe Bay Beach…..

Tuesday 14^th August

This morning we drove up to Flagstaff Hill and had the most wonderful 360 degree view over Bowen. We bought coffee at the Café there and headed off.

We then drove on to Guthalungra Rest Area (52) just north of Bowen. I had declared this my day of rest and took out my knitting, settled in the sun and set to work. No sooner had my bum hit the chair when I was joined by Chris who has been on the road for five years and Sandie who has been travelling full time for five years as well. We had a good time chatting.

 Ron fled to inside Indie and settled down with a good book for most of the day.
The rest stop was fairly small and quite crowded but they have put in toilets and you could get a hot shower at the Servo across the road.

Funny Dunny Park

Wednesday15th August

Well, you couldn’t possibly not call into a campsite called (49) Funny Dunny Park could you?

 It is along 15 kilometres of dirt and costs $5.00 per family per night and it really does have a funny dunny!!!   

It also has a lovely beach just 50 metres away. After lunch we went for a walk.

There were heaps of tiny blue crabs about the size of 20 cent pieces (if you included their legs).

As we were walking through the water, Ron found a shell with a hermit crab inside.

Thursday 16^th August

Another day in paradise…except for the biting nasties.  We are both covered in bites.

The man came this morning to pump out the funny dunny and he advised we go for a quick walk because the pong would not be very funny; in fact he suggested that ‘it would be a bit ordinary’.

We walked up to the beach and the tide was in….wow, what a difference…..

Tide in

Tide out

Later we met our neighbour, Jonothan and he invited us to share his campfire.

Heading to Home Hill

Friday 17^th August

As we were packing up, I moved my chair which had been folded up overnight and found I had a little visitor.

We drove back over our 15 kilometres of dirt through Farmer Brown’s paddock and past his cows.

We arrived at Home Hill about 10.30 and decided to stay at (48) Home Hill Caravan Park. It is very small, old but the amenities are immaculate and it has grass!!!! Best of all, it is only $26.00 per night.

Today is grocery buying, washing and general housekeeping day. The advantage being we have air conditioning today. The humidity is just starting to kick in.