Sunday 29th June - Mooloolaba

We are staying at the Mooloolaba Caravan Park for 3 nights.  Our back window looks out towards the beach and except for the dense shrubbery we would be able to see the water, just a few glimpses which is better than nothing.  Yesterday we called into the Sunshine Plaza shopping centre at Maroochydore across the road for Rivers where we picked up a heap of bargains.  The Plaza is built over the Cornmeal River and is very unusual as well as very pleasant sitting having a coffee looking out over the water. We then went for a drive up to Maleny and Montville for a look around.  They are little boutique towns situated in the Hinterland and the scenery getting there and back is quite spectacular.  A pizza for lunch at Maleny and then onto Montville where we were going to have a nice long walk around the shops except that it started to rain a little heavier so off home it was.  Saturday night it was up to the Vietnamese Restaurant (Vinh) for dinner with Max and Carol for our second last meal, after dinner it was over to the Surf Club to try our luck at the pokies....played for 15 minutes and ended up square,  Max was the only winner for the night.  Home into bed and it poured, very very heavy rain during the night. Luckily it is a beautiful sunny day today so all good. Today we are going for a drive up to Noosa, Barry & I have never been there so looking forward to seeing what it is like, we are actually looking for a nice caravan park where we can base ourselves for 3 or 4 weeks which is right on the beach and the weather is nice, so far the Sunshine Coast looks like ticking the boxes, all we need to do is find the right park...... Can't believe that our Kununurra holiday is nearly over and I am sitting here planning the next one....!!.  Sunday night will be our farewell dinner which we plan to have at a Thai Restaurant at The Wharf right across the road from the caravan park. Tomorrow morning we bid Max & Carol a fond farewell before we hit the road free camping for 2 nights on our way down to Sydney and Lane Cove National Park.

A wonderful dinner at the Thai Wharf on The Wharf at Mooloolaba tonight.  Tomorrow morning the Victorians head south and Max & Carol head home to The Gold Coast.  The girls had a bit of a mess around as we left the restaurant.  There was a group of kids rides against the wall so we all decided to have our photo taken on them. Gave us all a good laugh.

A drive up to Noosa today and we found a Shell Shop at Tewantin.  Lovely shells and managed to buy a few.

Friday 20th June Marlborough Hotel - Elliott Heads

Woke up to a very pleasant morning, although apparently it did rain during the night (I didn't hear it!!!) 410kms down to Elliott Heads where we are booked in for 4 nights but I am thinking that after checking out the weather forecast we will be staying for 7 nights. 25 degrees right up until Friday. We have decided that we have to come back and have a good look at Rockhampton.  There were some beautiful gardens on the left hand side as we went through the town.  Kershaw Gardens, with huge rock formations that had waterfalls coming down them.  They really did look quite spectacular. There is so much to see and there is limited time to actually get to do it all. All we can do is fit as much in as we possibly can and hope that one day we will be back to see the things we missed...Lunch stop at Bororen before getting off the Bruce Highway at Marion Vale and going down the back way to Elliott Heads.  Bruce Highway is the absolute "pits" there are so many roadwork stops and lots & lots of trucks wanting to get past you all the time. Much prefer to be on the B roads where you can amble along and actually smell the countryside and take in the views without some idiot trying to pass on a section of road that is just not safe to do so. Not leaving Elliott Heads until Friday 27th when we head down to Mooloolaba for 3 nights, then 3 nights free camping to get down to Sydney for 2 nights before heading home. The holiday is quickly coming to an end.......planning the next one already.

Would love this bit of driftwood in my front garden. Noticed it 2 years ago when we were here and it is still in the same place, even though the whole beach has changed where the river goes into the sea. Barry thinks it is a little big to get home on the roof of the Patrol - I'm sure it could be done...... where there's a will there's a way..

 Tide out at Elliott Heads

Thursday 19th June Bowen - Marlborough Hotel

Weather has improved again as we head off towards our next free camp. Think I am suffering a Migraine at the moment, very light headed and giddy and feel much better with my eyes closed. It was a very early night last night for me, and do feel a little better than yesterday..... Just coming into Mackay and have passed about 6 or more prime movers with HUGE speed boats on them. I am assuming they are headed to Bowen for the boat races that are happening next weekend. Pity we don't have the time now to hang around and watch them, I think it would have been pretty special. Pulling into Camilla Beach to have a look and stay for lunch. Max & Barry are hoping for a pie but I don't think that is about to happen. Camilla Beach is a nice free camp right on the beach, very sandy in places but there was room for one caravan to pull in and have great views of the beach out the back window.....unfortunately no room for 3 vans so it was back on the "shitty Bruce Highway" to try and find somewhere nice for tonight. We have managed to find a great spot for the night behind The Marlborough Hotel with nice mowed lawns and a hot shower, if you wanted one, for $5 each. We all decided after a 450km day to have a counter tea in the pub.  Chicken Snitzel....yummo. Haven't had a counter tea since I don't know when so it was really nice, there was also a few pokie machines to lose our $5 in.  There were a few coal ans container trains that went through the town during the night and I heard non of them.  The others thought they may have been trying to come through the Caravans!!!! I don't think so.

Wednesday 18th June - Bowen

Have had a couple of very ordinary days whilst here at Bowen.  Weather has been rainy and yesterday stayed in the Caravan for most of the day, although we did manage to go and have a coffee with Maree & Paul at the local bakery.  This morning we woke to a much nicer day, so Barry and I headed off to try our hand at Geocaching. First time effort and bingo I found the Geocache.  The name was "Flashing Barrier" so wasn't too hard to find it hidden in the barrier just below the train signals. Signed the book and left a shell after taking the Kangaroo toy that was one of the little "treasures" hidden in there.  There hasn't been anyone discover this treasure since May 2013 so we were feeling pretty pleased with ourselves.  We then decided to head off to Rose Bay to try to find a second one.  I believe that we found the hiding place but there was nothing in it.  These were the only 2 Geocaches around Bowen so I am thinking we will try our luck further down the track. Quite a nice day now so Barry & Paul have gone down to Rose Bay to try their hand at some fishing....good luck with that!!!!

 Geocache

 Hiding Place

Rose Bay Geocache, right sized hole and in the right place but no Geocache was there.


Barry & I have also been for a walk up to the Rotary Lookout at Horseshoe Bay, great walk and spectacular 360 degree views when you get to the top.

Scenery from Horseshoe Bay and Rose Bay

Friday 13th June - Toomulla Beach - Bowen

 TODAY WE HAVE BEEN IN OUR HOME AT PAYNESVILLE FOR 2 YEARS......Wow!!!

Friday 13th and we are driving down to Bowen to stay for 6 nights at Queens Beach Tourist Village. Tonight we are going to the local fish & chip shop for our dinner and tomorrow I will be armed with the camera to get lots of nice photos.  So far the weather is very nice.  Maree & Barry have been for a swim in the pool so that can't be all bad.

Following a train full of cattle across the Burdekin River

 Sugar Cane trains

(Saturday 14th June)  Unfortunately spoke too soon.  Woke up to a drizzly morning and currently raining, so the washing has been dried in the dryer and not on the line. Weather is not expected to improve in the short term but we all have our fingers crossed.  Tomorrow (Sunday 15th June) there is a market on the foreshore so am hoping that the weather improves for that.  Bowen is a beautiful spot but looks dreary when it is raining. Today we went for a drive down to Horseshoe Bay to have a hot chocolate and cake right beside the water, beautiful spot and will get photos when it is sunny.......  

Wednesday 11th June Cairns - Toomulla Beach

Rain, Rain, Rain, miserable and wet weather and squishy and muddy all around the caravan for packing up this morning.  We haven't decided exactly where we will finish up tonight, it is a fair bit weather dependant.  Stopped at Babinda for morning tea at the local Bakery and managed to have a very nice pie and then on to have a look at Kurrimine Beach.  A cup of tea at Kurrimine and then we forged further down the road to Toomulla Beach.  Weather has cleared and it is now nice and warm at our free camp under the nice trees.  The boys have decided to go fishing and the girls have decided to go collecting shells.  Last year when Carol and I were here we got heaps on shells and was doing quite a bit of "Showing off" to Maree.  Unfortunately the shells were slim pickings this year although we all did manage to get a few nice ones.  Barry caught a small whiting which is in the freezer waiting for another to make up a meal. Ended up staying for 2 nights as it was very nice except for the Midgees......bites all over me.

Tuesday 10th June - Cairns

Weather in Cairns has not been all that terrific.  Quite a lot of rain overnight while we have been here but today for a while it was clear so we headed up to Copperlode Dam, Lake Morris, which was a spectacular 10kms of very steep windy road to get to the top, well worth it when you arrive. Stopped at the Cafe, which was unmaned, to get a coffee from a machine and have a look at the great views across the lake.  Needed to stay in Cairns an extra day so Maree & Paul could get their car serviced and hopefully when we leave and head further south we may bump into some nicer weather.