Cairns

Day 50

Heading home, Sally and Colin planned to stop just south of Townsville at a local fish wholesaler where our friends in Cairns regularly purchase fish and scallops and they had offered to bring some fresh coral trout and scallops back to Cairns.  Walking around the warehouse they struggled to find the entrance.  Eventually, they found a small blackboard next to a locked door stating.  Closed on Wednesdays.  Cunning plan foiled.

They then called in to Maccas in Townsville hoping for some egg and bacon muffins but again the rug pulled out as the power was out at maccas and they were turning away customers.
Continuing north, they passed the Spirit of Queensland heading the opposite direction.

Spirit of Queensland

Many more cane fields and the obligatory wait for a fully laden cane train.

Cane Fields

Cane Train Crossing

Calling into Innisvale, they finally got their muffins then the familiar drive back to Cairns.

Outside Longden St. Cairns

Now to complete this blog, Colin just has to work on all the travel stats.  Watch this space………

Alva Beach

Day 48 & 49

After yesterday’s confusion, Sally spent last night in a search for somewhere midway for them to spend the next couple of nights.  Both enjoy fishing and although Col wanted to go to a national park Sally suggested Alva Beach a small seaside holiday town just east of Ayr and about 100km south of Townsville.
It wasn’t long after hitting the Bruce they knew they were on the final leg home after passing a cane train

FNQ Cane Train

The cane crushing season is well on its way in thousands of acres of sugar cane in flour.

FNQ Cane Fields

Driving past the town of Bowen around lunch time, Sal and Col couldn’t resist calling into one of Sal’s most favourite fish and chip shops in Australia.

Bird's Fish Bar, Bowen

They smashed a serve of coral trout and chips this time Col measured his order and only ordered minimum chips.  Unlike last time where he ordered a full basket not knowing they meant a complete deep fry basket full of chips.

Col Chows Down on Coral Trout and Chips

After lunch they continued north as Sally got a little excited when she noticed that the ambient temperature outside the car had exceeded 27 degrees for the first in weeks.

27 degrees

Alva Beach caravan park had received some excellent reviews online and not having been there before found the park wall to wall caravans, boats and ATV’s.  Obviously a popular fishing location.  Because they hadn’t had a working car fridge since Bundaberg, a powered site was not required and the manager offered us several options and they opted for this one in a secluded corner of the park.

Alva Beach Tourist Park Camp

The following day, Sal and Col unpacked their rods and headed to the beach.   The beach was amazing.

Alva Beach

With all this water and a perfect creak mouth, you’d think the fishing would be easy, however, Sally fished for hours before landing this monster whiting.

Sally’s Whiting

Not to be outdone, Colin soon hocked this monster cod.

Colin’s Cod

Needless to say, they ate pasta that night.  They considered staying a third night but the day was windy on the beach and the forecast for tomorrow being worse, they decided to wrap up their trip and head back to Cairns the following day.  

Carmila

Day 47

Mike and Jan and Sal and Col spilt up to make their own ways back to Cairns.  Mike and Jan plan to spend a couple of weeks meandering up the coast spending time in Townsville and Mission Beach.  Sally is due in England in a couple of weeks so she and Col fast track to Cairns in four days.

Sal and Col intended to spend their first night on the Bruce Hwy at a free camp in a place called Yaamba where the local hotel has received good raps for their hamburgers. 

They set off along the Lowmead Road eventually entering the Bruce Hwy at Miriam Vale.

Bruce Highway Turnoff

The Bruce Highway is one of Col’s least liked thoroughfares.   It wasn’t long before he remembered why.

The Bruce Highway Roadworks

Passing through Rockhampton from there it was only a short distance to reach Yaamba.

The Fitzroy River Rockhampton

Unfortunately, when they arrived they found the camp adjacent to the highway and their canvas walled camper provided zero acoustic insulation so they pushed on checking out places as they travelled.  They arrived late at Carmila but checked out the beach camping anyway.  The dunes were soft and Col decided it was too late in the day to fight with sand and tyre pressure so they returned to Carmila where they opted for a cabin for the night. 

Carmila Caravan Park

Picking up some burgers for the Puma Servo next door.  They retire for the night to watch Queensland get smashed by New South Wales in the second game of the series.  The burgers weren’t half bad.

State of Origin on the Big Screen

 

Bundaberg

Day 45 & 46

Today we’re off to visit our old friends Nikki and Tracey in Bundaberg.  It’s been a couple of years since we caught up so we are all looking forward to it.  We started down the Burnett Hwy out of the highlands and towards the coast.

Burnett Hwy

Turning east onto the Monto Gin Gin Rd, entering Bundy via the Cedars Rd Bridge over the Burnett River.

Cedars Rd Bridge

The Burnett River

That evening, Nik and Trace had invited the neighbours for a BBQ. 

Marshmallows

Sally and Colin

Saturday, Nikki, Tracey, Sal and Col relived the Shonky Tavern Days with a game of pool but not before Tracey took Col for some blockies in his VW buggy.

Tracey and Colin Buggy Bound

That evening Nikki, Tracey, Jack, Sam, Mike, Jan, Sally and Col all hopped on board the bus and headed to the Red Chilli Thai Bargara chow down on some excellent Thai Cuisine.

Pool Comp in Full Swing

Red Chilli Thai Bargara

Cania Gorge National Park

Day 42, 43 & 44

From Lake Maraboon, we picked up the Gregory Hwy and headed south through Springsure then east onto the Dawson Hwy to Biloela.  As today was all blacktop, we split up making our own ways to Cania Gorge.

The Dawson Hwy

At Biloela it was south east along the Burnett Hwy climbing steadily up The Great Dividing Range.  It wasn't very far along the Burnett where we came across this cattle drive.  Sally and Colin were only too keen to lend a hand.

Burnett Hwy Cattle Drive

It’s About Now We Wish We Had A Cattle Dog

Our nights in Emerald were extremely cold and the forecast for Cania Gorge was even bleaker.  Mike and Jan opted for the luxury of an electric heater at a powered caravan site were as Sal and Col choose the old fashioned open camp fire solution as they had no such heater.

Cania Gorge Tourist Retreat Camp

The following morning, Col rose to make the morning coffee.  His fridge thermometer read the ambient temperature 2.3 degrees and his fridge temperature at 2.4 degrees.  Officially warmer inside the fridge.

In=Outside  Out=Temp Inside Fridge

During the morning we were visited by some inquisitive kookaburras.

Cania Gorge Kookaburras

Later, Sally and Colin drove up to the Lake Cania.  The lake was created back in 1982 upon the completion of the Cania Dam.  The old mining township of Cania still sit somewhere on the bottom of the lake.

Lake Cania

Cania Gorge Wallabies

After this, they visited the old workings of the Shamrock Gold Mine abandoned back in the 50’s or 60’s.

Shamrock Gold Mine Workings and Shaft

After returning to camp, Colin set off of the 6k walk around the Fern Tree Pool track.

Col Sets Off To The Fern Tree Pool

Clocked this familiar face lurking in the bushes.

Bush Turkey

At the Fern Pool, he sits down for a durrie and takes in the bird life around the pool.  These little beauties he believes are Red Headed Honey Eaters.

The Fern Tree Pool

Colin At The Fern Tree Pool

 Red Headed Honey Eater

On the return from the pool, the path climbed steeply to the top of the escarpment towards the giant’s seat lookout.  From there you can look out across Cania Gorge.

The Track To Giants Seat Lookout

Colin On The Giants Seat

The View Across The Gorge

This as Mike an Jan’s last night as they were running into Bundy in the morning to get their car seen to so it’s was a campfire cook followed by one last game of five hundred.   Followed by a ceremonious burning of the deck of cards.

Mike and Jan and Sal and Col’s Last Campfire For Together For The Trip

Saying goodbye to Mike and Jan, Col prepares bacon and tomato for Sal.

Farewell Sally and Col.

These pesky buggers reappeared.  This time one of them stole the bacon off the top of the sandwich Col was preparing.  Little S61ts.

Cania Gorge Kookaburras

Anyway, after the fare wells, Col and Sal took a trip to the Dragon and Bloodwood Caves.  A short 3k walk from the Cania Gorge day park off we went.  Our first stop was the Dragon Cave.

The Dragon Cave

Sally outside The Dragon Cave

A little further down the path appeared the Bloodwood Cave.  This one could house a small family or a large one in a pinch.

The Bloodwood Cave Mouth

Walking back we passed back over Three Moon Creek and headed back to camp for a Jaffle Iron dinner then off to bed.

Sally On The Track Back From Dragon Cave

Three Moon Creek

Col had a slight hiccup with our camp fire.  Deciding to dump the heat beads we had bought with us from Cairns, he through the remainders on the camp fire.  What was supposed to be beads had turned into dust on all the corrugated roads which more or less, smothered what fire we had.  A little more cardboard and twigs from around the camp, they breathed life back into fire and ate well.

Day Three Camp Fire