Saturday 6th June 2009
Leaving 1770 and travelling up the Discovery Coast to Mackay.
Thankfully no rain so we were able to pack up the trailer without the canvas being wet. However having camped under a fern tree for the last few days we were covered in twigs and firs which we had to thoroughly clean off before closing the roof down. Getting much better at the whole procedure now and we had it all fixed up in no time. Said goodbye to our new friends and drove out of the park just after 9am. A beautiful day at 22deg and clear blue skies. We headed out to Miriam Vale and joined the A1 north. The roads are continually being worked on though as this is Saturday we weren’t stopped by the man with the stop go/sign or the traffic signals. Still had to follow the speed zones though. Quite a few highway police patrols out so speed had to be monitored. The car cruises well at 90 and seems to be handling the towing ok. I’m beginning to perfect the hand wave now when other caravans pass by. It’s just a nonchalant lift of the hand from the wheel or just a lifted finger to acknowledge your fellow traveller. It is only those pulling vans that wave as the motor homes and tent trailers somehow don’t seem to wave. We have found that everyone is very chatty and are only too willing to help with the caravan backing in or out, hitching up etc if you look as though you need it. Most of them are permanently on the road and are able to give all sorts of help and advice as to where to stop off over night or stay for a few days. The main name of the game is to stay at the freebie spots which are quite numerous so we will try and use them ourselves when we can.
Looking for somewhere to stop we found a driver/survive offering free coffee and a cold drink for a small donation at the Historical Village on the Calliope River just beside the Bruce Highway 26 Klms south of Gladstone. We were happy to pull in and found a young French girl travelling with her boyfriend and another couple who are permanently travelling. Had a good chat and found that the older couple (!), who were under 64 had been on the road for years and wouldn’t want to do it any differently and intend to just keep driving and doing the odd work around the country. The young French girl whose partner was asleep in their combie van had been here for just under seven months and was heading down to Sydney as they had to be back home in a few months time. Needless to say they have been having a great time and say that the Australians are a very friendly lot and are mostly keen to chat to you.
We pressed on for Yeppoon via Emu Park where we stopped for lunch by the whistling ship which was erected to mark the landing of Captain Cook on 26th May 1770. They call this the discovery coast. It had all changed of course since we last visited over 30 years ago with the girls when we went over to the Great Keppel Island for a few days stay. These islands at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef have some of the most pristine beaches and unspoilt habitat that the reef has to offer. Leaving Yeppoon we rejoined the Bruce highway heading for Yaamba where we wanted to stop overnight. This was an off road location by a stop and survive location and only provided the basic public toilet facilities etc.
http://www.exploroz.com/Places/34555/QLD/Yaamba.aspx
We pulled in and set up just behind the pub where one other caravan had already set. Stuck my head into the pub at paid our $10 for the night which covered the cost of the power and then set up for the night. Decided to put the heavier covers out over the canvas as I had been advised that it was probably going to rain. This wisdom came from a traveller who had just set his tent up by the side of the road near us and was travelling with three birds that were sitting on their cage and hopping around the place. He says he never goes anywhere without them as they were his pals. I suppose at least they don’t answer him back or nag him. He says he chucks a cover over them when he wants some peace and quiet. I left Beatrice reading in the camper and went over to the pub to watch Australia play the Barbarians. Only a few people sitting up at the bar however in no time I had my ear bent by a local wearing a beat up straw hat and his little finger missing. A long story, his misses had just taken his three kids and he had just come back from his brothers in laws place where they had been welding the back gate of his ute which had been kicked out by this calf that was giving birth it went on and on................................................... I heard it all. The people you meet when you get out and about and away from the everyday life you are use to. I decided that the game was won by Australia so I hoped that it was all going to work for my farmer friend and that he would get his kids back. Sophie 13, Rose 2 and young Murphy who was just one. He says he is really missing them.
I’m writing too much, but it’s all so interesting.
Leaving 1770 and travelling up the Discovery Coast to Mackay.
Thankfully no rain so we were able to pack up the trailer without the canvas being wet. However having camped under a fern tree for the last few days we were covered in twigs and firs which we had to thoroughly clean off before closing the roof down. Getting much better at the whole procedure now and we had it all fixed up in no time. Said goodbye to our new friends and drove out of the park just after 9am. A beautiful day at 22deg and clear blue skies. We headed out to Miriam Vale and joined the A1 north. The roads are continually being worked on though as this is Saturday we weren’t stopped by the man with the stop go/sign or the traffic signals. Still had to follow the speed zones though. Quite a few highway police patrols out so speed had to be monitored. The car cruises well at 90 and seems to be handling the towing ok. I’m beginning to perfect the hand wave now when other caravans pass by. It’s just a nonchalant lift of the hand from the wheel or just a lifted finger to acknowledge your fellow traveller. It is only those pulling vans that wave as the motor homes and tent trailers somehow don’t seem to wave. We have found that everyone is very chatty and are only too willing to help with the caravan backing in or out, hitching up etc if you look as though you need it. Most of them are permanently on the road and are able to give all sorts of help and advice as to where to stop off over night or stay for a few days. The main name of the game is to stay at the freebie spots which are quite numerous so we will try and use them ourselves when we can.
Looking for somewhere to stop we found a driver/survive offering free coffee and a cold drink for a small donation at the Historical Village on the Calliope River just beside the Bruce Highway 26 Klms south of Gladstone. We were happy to pull in and found a young French girl travelling with her boyfriend and another couple who are permanently travelling. Had a good chat and found that the older couple (!), who were under 64 had been on the road for years and wouldn’t want to do it any differently and intend to just keep driving and doing the odd work around the country. The young French girl whose partner was asleep in their combie van had been here for just under seven months and was heading down to Sydney as they had to be back home in a few months time. Needless to say they have been having a great time and say that the Australians are a very friendly lot and are mostly keen to chat to you.
We pressed on for Yeppoon via Emu Park where we stopped for lunch by the whistling ship which was erected to mark the landing of Captain Cook on 26th May 1770. They call this the discovery coast. It had all changed of course since we last visited over 30 years ago with the girls when we went over to the Great Keppel Island for a few days stay. These islands at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef have some of the most pristine beaches and unspoilt habitat that the reef has to offer. Leaving Yeppoon we rejoined the Bruce highway heading for Yaamba where we wanted to stop overnight. This was an off road location by a stop and survive location and only provided the basic public toilet facilities etc.
http://www.exploroz.com/Places/34555/QLD/Yaamba.aspx
We pulled in and set up just behind the pub where one other caravan had already set. Stuck my head into the pub at paid our $10 for the night which covered the cost of the power and then set up for the night. Decided to put the heavier covers out over the canvas as I had been advised that it was probably going to rain. This wisdom came from a traveller who had just set his tent up by the side of the road near us and was travelling with three birds that were sitting on their cage and hopping around the place. He says he never goes anywhere without them as they were his pals. I suppose at least they don’t answer him back or nag him. He says he chucks a cover over them when he wants some peace and quiet. I left Beatrice reading in the camper and went over to the pub to watch Australia play the Barbarians. Only a few people sitting up at the bar however in no time I had my ear bent by a local wearing a beat up straw hat and his little finger missing. A long story, his misses had just taken his three kids and he had just come back from his brothers in laws place where they had been welding the back gate of his ute which had been kicked out by this calf that was giving birth it went on and on................................................... I heard it all. The people you meet when you get out and about and away from the everyday life you are use to. I decided that the game was won by Australia so I hoped that it was all going to work for my farmer friend and that he would get his kids back. Sophie 13, Rose 2 and young Murphy who was just one. He says he is really missing them.
I’m writing too much, but it’s all so interesting.
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