Yaamba to Mackay

Sunday 7th June
Last night decided that as this was a long weekend (Queens birthday Monday) we should book ahead and reserve a spot for our stay for the next few days. Took pot luck and called the Seawind Caravan park on Blacks Beach. It sounded good.
It’s all quite easy now. After waking up quite late at 8am, we had our breakfast and pulled out of the Yaamba road side stop just after 9am. As we headed north the country side, was hills, covered with eucalypts trees and then with areas cleared for cattle grazing mainly consisting of white Brahmas with their big humps on their backs, otherwise not much about. The road kill was quite prolific just north of Marlborough with dead wild life scattered everywhere attracting the birds that scattered as we approached. 160 klms north of Rockhampton we stopped at a driver revival outpost for our free cups of coffee and a biscuit. Met up with fellow grey nomads some of whom we had met up with in Childers. We swapped stories, where we had been and where we were all heading. All very friendly. These stop and survive outposts are a life saving godsend as it gets drivers to stop and rest for a short while and are manned by volunteers nonstop day and night over the long weekends and public holidays. This stretch of the road there aren’t many petrol stations around and with our petrol getting low I was becoming a little bit anxious. In future we have to ensure that we only leave the major towns with a full tank. Thankfully we were able to fill up at the Kalarka Roadhouse at a premium price. Obviously taking advantage of those that hadn’t planned too well. They were quite remote as when we asked what was around here they replied nothing much mate, there’s a beach down there and a few cattle about and not much people. We asked if he had any Sunday papers and he replied by the time they got them they were three days old!
Just north of Carmila the sugar cane fields were either side of the road. Very hot today for travelling at nearly 30deg so decided to run the a/c which is better than having the windows open as it causes too much drag. We pulled over at a Sarina rest stop to have our lunch and sat under a mandarin tree for our crackers of ham cheese and tomatoes. This Serenity coast journey that we are on between St Lawrence and Mackay stretches 160 klms and has a range of landscapes from vast unspoilt beaches and rocky headlands to fantastic views along the coast. We pressed on for Mackay and the Seawind Caravan Park on Blacks Beach, the city’s longest stretch of beach (about 6 Klms) that’s lined with with tropical gardens. Thank goodness for Mr Tom Tom as he directed us through the main part of Mackay and up to the northern beaches. I don’t think we would have found it so easily without his help. How lucky we were in our choice. We met Cheryl in the office whom I had had spoken to few times and she gave us a great site near the beach end. The test was on as we had to reverse park adjacent to the concrete slab. They were all there sitting around having their afternoon tea waiting to see how we made out. I hopped out of the car and our new next door neighbour dressed in his sarong asked if I needed any help, or maybe, as he was the best backer in the world he would do it for me. I declined and with some help we were successful after a bit of two and throwing. Bazza across the dirt road from us gave a hand clap and said well ‘done mate!’
Little did I know at the time, but Paul (the best backer) had along with his girlfriend had already consumed half a bottle of Bourbon when he had offered his assistance. Later that evening we had the pleasure of hearing all about he and his girlfriend and watch them finish the rest of the Bourbon. They had quite a story and were real characters. They came into our van and asked if the Elton John music they were playing was too loud and with that as an excuse brought with them ,their bottle and their next door neighbour, a mother of three travelling alone up to Cooktown where she was going to meet up with the rest of her family. Very entertaining and we stayed up late chatting, laughing and drinking. No time to write up the blog so has had to catch up for three days.