Week 28

Townsville to Rockhampton – 8^th July to the 14^th July.

Monday We left Mission Beach and headed for Townsville. We stayed at the top tourist park south of the town.

Tuesday, we visited Ayr and let the kids play whilst we had morning tea.

 We then had lunch further south at Queens beach in Bowen, we had a van tyre repaired.

 

 We left at 4:30pm, drove on for 2 hours further south and arrived at Seaforth (just north Mackay) in the dark and set up camp on the foreshore reserve for the night.

 

On Wednesday , we drove into Mackay and looked around the Northern beaches area. Then drove on to Flaggy Rock and stayed there for the night. The kids enjoy the open grass space of the once local school. $5 a night, no power. The kids found a new family member that they wanted to adopt.

Thursday came around quickly and we drove to Yeppoon. We stayed at the van park out of town at Causeway Lake. What a great spot for the kids they had boats, motorised and paddle for hire.

We left on Saturday to drive to Gladstone. A picnic lunch on the foreshore was a great break from the travelling. We had a look at the lookout then we stayed at a free camp spot halfway between Gladstone and Gin Gin. When we left we came across a truck roll over just 2 k’s down the road…

Sunday,  Bundaberg -  RUM RUM RUM! We had a look at Bundaberg distillery and the Ginger beer factory.

We stayed at the Bargara beach caravan park down the road. The kids loved playing at the Turtle playground and Nielson Park.

Nielson Park.

Week 27

Mission Beach 1st July – 8th July

 

We ended up staying in Mission Beach.  Our van was parked 10 metres from the beach and all for $110 for the week.

 

 

The kids had a ball playing at the beach each day.

 

 

Zach enjoyed his work out!!

The visitor centre has a tropical fruit tasting session once a week. We all gave it a go. Our taste buds got a work out from sweet, bitter, and sour. Then we had textures  from smooth, creamy, slimy  to crunch. Then there were the odours  and if you went from that, there were fruits you wouldn't even try. Over all, it was a great experience and the best way to try fruit that you have never heard of. It was only a cost of $20 for a family.

 

We did a visit to Tully and had to watch out for the wildlife.

 

 

And that’s about it. Just a nice relaxing week watching the waves roll in… the sunsets and rises…oh yeah…and  the crazy people jumping out of planes and landing on the beach in front of us… Rach was thinking about doing it…..

 

 

Week 26

Palm Cove and Cairns 24th June – 1st July

We stayed at the Palm Cove foreshore Caravan Park. It was undergoing an upgrade. The amenities were finished and they were building the new office.

It was such a great holiday destination we decided to have a holiday from our holiday! $192 for a week on a no powered site, at one of Australia’s top 10 beach destinations!.

The plan was to stay at the award winning Coconut cove resort but glad we didn’t. It was right next to the freeway out of town. So we based ourselves here for our Cairns leg of our adventure.



On Tuesday we ate Pizza for lunch at the foreshore water park. There were a lot of back packers having a bath (and drinking…). In the arvo we checked out the city shopping centre and look at the night markets in the evening.

We spent Wednesday relaxing most of the day apart for a short exploring drive around the local area like Yorkeys Knob.

 It was fun to watch the silly buggers doing bungy jumping at the AJ Hackett site. (sorry no photo’s)

 On Thursday, we visited the Crystal Cascades for picnic.

In the arvo , Rach and the kids played at the Cairns harbour tree house whilst Guy minded Curtis sleeping in the car.

 

On Friday, we spent the day doing the main attraction of the Scenic railway, followed by lunch at the Kuranda markets and then rode the Skyrail back down the mountain.

 

 

The Cairns esplanade markets was on Saturday morning so we headed into town to check them out. We also heard about the “Tank markets” next to the botanical gardens. It was on Sunday.

In the afternoon we found the  Muddy foreshore Playgrounds. A free play area with lots of cool activities for the kids. They didn’t want to leave.

On  our last full day we found the botanical gardens and also looked at the Tank market. It would be the best one we think to visit when here.  We also checked out the rusty market in the CBD. Good for fruit and vegies.

 

We left on Monday and headed south. We stopped at Josephine falls for lunch. There were a few tourists braving the cold water to have a go at sliding down the waterfall.

 

 

 

In the afternoon we visited the Paronella Park, something that Rachel just wanted to see.

We drove on further with plans to stay at Bingil Bay, just north of picture perfect Mission beach.

Well, it was a small place and we didn’t fit. Bugger…. What to do….

Week 25

Mt surprise to the Daintree Rainforests

June 19th

Surprise we are here…. and in the occasion of surprise we decided to have a Mt Surprise party for a little bit of fun. The kids enjoyed decorating their own biscuits, making rum balls, and making their own sherbet…. Ok sugar high maybe wasn’t that great of an idea but a lot of fun.

 

It’s a very peaceful place and the camp spot is quiet, grassy and shady so a lovely way to spend the afternoon outside under a tree with a gentle breeze with the temp of 28 deg PERFECT.  The kids spent the arvo playing games and kicking the footy around. The owner just happened to be a Snake handler and had a collection he liked to bring out to show the campers. Curtis was invited to touch the snake… Curtis trying to grab the snake’s head with both hands wasn’t what the handler or us expected him to do! He almost gave poor mummy a heart attack… I’m sure people down the road could here Rach scream in horror.

 

 

We went for a stroll 20 metre down the road to the Gem place to find out about fossicking for tomorrow. They hire out the equipment for the day at $25. And you can get your fossicking permit here too only 9.50 for a family. So we set off tomorrow morning for a day of fossicking for topaz…. Let hope we find a good size one that can be cut into a nice piece.

 

ATHERTON TABLELANDS

June 20^th

We packed up and headed off to the Atherton tablelands. On the way, we were interested in a walk through the Undara lava tubes. We were shocked at the over $200 fee just to do the walk and left. We stopped at the Milstream falls for lunch.

 

Ravenshoe, at 902m above sea level, it’s QLD highest town! We stayed at the railway precinct. Only $8.00 for an unpowered site. We recommend that you stop here for a night or more, the kids had the skate park 10 metres away from the van. Laundromat, fresh water shops…they have everything.

 

We spent a day driving around the local area. We recommend the Misty Mountains scenic drive from Ravenshoe through the dairy farms passing the wind farm. We visited the Millaa Millaa falls.

 

 Then we drove on to Malanda. We went to the local bakery then moved on to Naranda Tea centre.

 

Then we drove on to the Curtain Fig Tree. How spectacular this is. It reminded Guy and Zach of scenes from Star wars, the bit with  Ewoks?

We went to look at lake Tinaroo, but it was closed as they were having a memorial day opening (Opening by Julia Gillard (funny now writing this knowing she’s been given the arse!)).

Went through Herberton and was hoping to look at the old mining village, but the price was a bit steep $65 for a family.

June 22^nd

We stopped at the Big peanut, sampling the butterscotch and caramel peanuts and the sweet and sour. Then I was in need of coffee so we stopped at coffee works in Mareeba, I went here with Jake leaving Guy and the kids in the van, having a nappy of a time…lol Zach has no idea I have put this photo of him…..ooopps love ya Zach Jake was in need of mummy time, he enjoyed a choc milk and an endless supply of chocolate samples while I had an endless supply of coffee and tea….

 

We based ourselves at the  Mount Molloy free camp spot all they ask is for a cold coin donation per vehicle, to help maintain the site. From here, it was only a short 200km round trip to visit the rainforests further north.

 

June 23^rd

Daintree  / Cape tribulation.

We have decided this would be as high up Cape York we would go. The drive was scenic and the ride on the barge across the Daintree river got the kids excited.

 

 

June 24^th

^{We left Mt Molloy and visited Port Douglas.}

^{We made our way down the coast to find or next destination.}