2017 Nelson trip

Our Annual trip with friends from Victoria was to Nelson, just over the SA border and about 30 km from Mt Gambier.  This year we were down on numbers as work commitments etc prevented Luke & family and also David & family from coming away with us.  Here are some photos of our holiiday.


A very foggy start to the trip



At Coonalpyn we stopped for photos of the painted silos



Kywong Caravan Park


Enjoying the wildlife at the caravan park


Our van site

Faiiry wrens visited us every day


Nelson


Donovans Landing - boat sheds similar to my grandfather's


Some rustic scenery

Hobby sail boats on the Glenelg River



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Nature walk


Full moon emerginng from the clouds











2016 Queensland Trip - Beaudesert, Warwick, Walgett, Bourke

Friday - Day 20
We set off this morning to visit our friends Helen & Max and their son and his family at Yarrabilba.  It was a lovely drive there but we did manage to get a bit lost so rang our friends and as they were close by, we followed them to Cam's house which was not far.  We had a lovely morning with them and Cam & Sonny showed us around their lovely new home and then we all went for lunch at the Wendora Hotel. 

Saturday - Day 21
Another beautiful morning and we set off for Ruby Gardens at Eagleby where Helen & Max showed us around the huge retirement village where they have a lovely home.  We then had lunch with them and their other son, Phil, and his wife and little boy Nathan.  A very relaxing afternoon spent with friends.  We hadn't seen them for some time, but we felt as if it was only a few weeks.
Back at the caravan park, Ron was able to catch up with Rod again and had a good look at all the BSA club bikes.


 

BSA club at Beaudesert

BSA club, Beaudesert
 


Remains of a van burnt out at Beaudesert Caravan Park



 

Sunday - Day 22
We packed our van this morning, raining a bit, but still warm, and on the road by 9 am.
We stopped at Warwick for a coffee then saw a sign to Leslie Dam, so detoure
d a few kms and had a look around this pretty area.

Leslie Dam, Warwick

Our first stop was at a little place called Gore as they were advertising "Home Made Pies", so we thought that would be our lunch, but they only had 1 left - steak & kidney - well, that was mine as Ron doesn't like them.  We parked nearby and I had my pie while Ron had a sandwich.  It was disapppointing that we both couldn't have a pie but that was the way it was, and as it turned out it wasn't the best pie anyway but it was the first on this trip.
We continued driving and stopped for the night at a rest area about 40 km south of Goondiwindi, North Star Rd Rest Area.  This was a good spot for overnight and a few other vans as well.
North Star rest area

Monday - Day 23
It was quite cold overnight, we're now in NSW not Qld and the temperatures are definitely lower.
First stop at Moree, found a parking area for the caravan and had a walk around, found a supermarket, and a Pie Shop, so Ron got his pie.  Fuel 121.9 cpl.  We continued on to Collabarabri, but decided to go on to Walgett.  We arrived iin Walgett and found the Alex Trevallion Park where we have stayed before.  Its a good area for an overnight stop with areas marked out for vans, so we set up and then had a walk around the park area.  There was one other van in the park and later a John Deere machinery transport pulled in as they had to get some repairs done.

Alex Trevallion Park, Walgett

 

Alex Trevallion rest area, Walgett

Walgett rest area
Tuesday - Day 24
Barwon River, Walgett
We left our overnight stop at Walgett and headed for Brewarrina.  A lovely sunny day but heaps of flies so happy we are driving and not sitting around.





 Arrived at Brewarrina at 10.45 am and drove around to have a look at the Aboriginal fish traps which we had seen before on another trip through here, but this time the river is flooded and we couldn't see them, so we headed to Bourke.





Brewarrina near fish traps

Darling River, Bourke
Darling River, Bourke

2016 Queensland Trip - Hurdle Gully Lookout

Day 17 Tuesday

We left our lovely caravan site at 1770 and headed for Gladstone where we wanted to find a Chemist to get some scripts filled.  This exercise proved more difficult but we again got our Navman onto the job and arrived at the Stockland Shopping Centre, but then of course had to find a park suitable for the van.  We did eventually find a park down the road from the shopping centre so left the van there and got some exercise by walking the few hundred metres to the centre, lucky it was a nice day and the walk was good for us.  I had a quick look around the shops while Ron got the scripts filled and then, guess what,  we had a nice cold milkshake at a cafe before heading back to the caravan.



On the road to Gladstone, Queensland
We headed off  to Calliope, fuel $129.9/ltr.  We then set off again and started to look for an overnight spot to camp for the night.  We found a good rest area called Hurdle Gully, it wasn't the one we had been looking for in our Camps Book, but we didn't want to keep going so decided to stay at Hurdle Gully.  When we first pulled in I was happy to find a couple of other vans there so that made me feel much better as I don't like camping in isolated areas if nobody else is there, I guess it's safety in numbers, but it doesn't worry Ron, just me!! He is happy to keep going if I don't want to stay.


Hurdle Gully Lookout
Day 18 - Wednesday

Overnight stop at Hurdle Gully

We left our overnight stop and headed into Monto but we were a bit early and no shops were open so we continued on to Eidsvold and fuelled up again at $1.259 cpl.  We then drove on to Mundubbera, another nice little town so we stopped for another milkshake, I'm trying to keep up my calcium levels!  Its quite hot now, around 30C, so hot coffee isn't so appealing.
We drove around this little town as a friend used to live here as a child so we tried to find the church his father preached at, and at last we found it but it was being used as a community craft centre.  We continued on and just out of Gayndah a stone flew up and chipped our windscreen but we were able to keep going as its only a small chip at this stage.  The next town was Wondai and we noticed a huge Second Hand store right in the middle of town so decided to stop as Ron is always interested in finding blacksmith's tools, but his luck was out, although we had a good chat to the owner who said that blacksmith tools were getting hard to find. 
Our next stop was Kingaroy so we stopped to do some grocery shopping and then found the camping ground at the Showgrounds for $25 per night which was good and very quiet with quite a few other caravans.
Kingaroy Showgrounds camping area

The Big Bucket at Nanengo

Day 19 - Thursday
We had a good night's sleep in the Kingaroy Showground camping area & we  headed off after driving around the town to find some of the famous Kingaroy peanuts, but unfortunately peanuts are now not grown much in the area, but we did find a Peanut Van so purchased a few packets.  Just out of Kingaroy was the little town of Nanango where we stopped to look at the Big Bucket, there was another Peanut Van there so we bought a few more packets for snacks on the way.
 Ron sent a message to his youngest brother who was apparently heading to Beaudesert for a motorbike rally. Our friends who live on the Gold Coast had recommended that we stay in the caravan park at Beaudesert so we were hoping we might catch up with Rod & Alison.
Our next stop was at the little town of Toogoolawah where we bought some meat at the Butcher, its always good to get country meat, then of course we found a coffee shop, then headed off to Beaudesert.  We arrived at the caravan park just as Rod was booking in at the office so once we were all booked in we caught up with them and had a few drinks.

Mundubbera

2016 Queensland Trip - Tin Can Bay to 1770


Yesterday we drove from Eumundi to Tin Can Bay.  On the way to Tin Can Bay we stopped at Gympie to look at the free camping area which looked very good, but there were already a few vans there and it would have been a tight squeeze to fit our van in, so we decided to keep going.
We arrived at Tin Can Bay and drove around to see what was there, we were surprised to find a couple of caravan parks but they weren't right on the beach as we had hoped.  Anyway, we settled for a small park with all the facilities we needed for a few days and at $30/night we were happy.  We got set up after a quick walk around the park and settled on an end site which gave us a bit more room but it was near the road but it was not a busy road and Tin Can Bay is a sleepy little place tucked away from the main highway.  We had the Marina opposite us and at the front of the caravan park and over the road was the ocean, so we could do a great little walk to both areas.


Tin Can Bay
DAY 12 - THURSDAY
We headed off to see some of the beaches around Tin Can Bay.  Our first stop was at Rainbow Beach, a lovely little touristy place, a few beachwear shops, souvenirs and cafes, something for everyone!  We had a walk around  and then headed to Inskip Point where the Car Ferry leaves for Fraser Island.  The Ferry was just arriving as we walked onto the beach so we stayed and watched the 4wd's coming off aas well as a caravan which managed to get bogged in the sand!  Some drivers just shouldn't tow caravans!  Someone eventually came along and got him mobile again.


Inskip Point

Inskip Point

Car Ferry at Inskip Point

Unloading the vehicles at Inskip Point

Beautiful beach at Inskip Point

DAY 13 FRIDAY
We woke to a rainy morning and decided to pack up and head further north.  We never plan ahead too much and make our minds up as we go, depending on the weather and also how we feel but we are always keen to get on the road and see some new places.
We left beautiful Tin Can Bay and headed towards Maryorough and then on to Childers where we stopped to buy a few groceries.  On the walk back from the supermarket we came across a tiny little ice cream shop and couldn't resist trying them.  What a surprise, the icecreams were huge and so delicious, probaably the best we have ever had, and we do love ice cream.




Ice cream shop at Childers



Woodgate Beach opposite our caravan park

Woodgate Beach

Woodgate Beach
DAY 14 - SATURDAY
We left Serenity Bay caravan park at Woodgate Beach and headed off again.  Our stay at Woodgate Beach was only for a night and in hindsight we should have stayed longer but the site we were allocated was right beside a refrigeration unit which went on and off all night which was not good for sleeping.  The other parts of the caravan park were lovely with shady trees and grassed areas but it was full and we hadn't booked ahead so we have to take what is available, that is the downside of not planning ahead!  We did enjoy a couple of walks along the beach and the caraavan park had a nice coffee shop with lovely views of the beach so we were happy with our stay there, so on the road again to another little beachside town called Seventen Seventy.  The town of 1770 is the older part and the new area is called Agnes Waters.  We drove through Bundaberg, well not through it as our Navman took us through the back roads and finally out of the main part of town and onto the highway to 1770.  We arrived at Agnes Waters around 12 noon, found the Info Centre and then had a look at the many caravan parks both in Agnes Waers and 17770.  Some were very full and others were a long way out of town, so we decided to settle for Captain Cook Village CP at 1770.   This one was a short drive from the beach from the caravan park on a track only available to the caravan park.
Our site was on the edge of the forest and we loved the spot withl ots of shade as well as a cement slab for the awning.

The town of 1770 was built on the site of the second landing of Capt. James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour.

1770

1770
A late afternoon walk on the beach
DAY 15 & 16

Sunday had a lazy day, enjoying sitting around and relaxing.  On Monday we decided we would stay another day, so booked that and then drove to the Paper Bark Forest and went for a nice walk, bought some supplies from the supermarket and a couple of souvenirs for the grandchildren.



1770 was the site of the second landing of Capt. James Cook in 1770.

Coastline at 1770


1770