Cassowary Coast - Far North Queensland - Home

 Wed 30 June – It rained all night and I packed up from Mission Beach in a downpour. Dried off and shopped for LPG and groceries including some face masks, as Townsville is in lockdown, (not us
fortunately) before a very short drive up the coast to Kurramine Beach. Torrential rain the whole way! Set up in more rain and raced down for very quick look at the beach between downpours.

Thurs 1 July – It stopped raining in the night, and we had breakfast outside. We went for a long walk along the beach and back to “Andy” for more rain around lunchtime. We went for another walk on the beach in the opposite direction before drinks outside. We are getting a bit sick of this unseasonal rain. It is still very hot and humid, and everything is feeling a bit damp.

Fri 2 July – A lovely fine day! Another short drive to Innisfail and out to the coast at Flying Fish Point. We have a great site in a garden setting. There is a small beach at the mouth of the Johnstone River. Because of the rain the rivers are in flood the sea is brown and the stingers may arrive early. We dried our towels etc, and Val did laundry. Good to be in the sun again. We had a couple of great swims in the camp pool. Hopefully, this may be the end of the rain.

Sat 3 July – We biked along the waterfront and around the corner to the Johnstone River. This river is wide and goes up to Innisfail. It would have been a busy port years ago. In the afternoon we went back to the camp pool. We seem to be the only ones using it!

Sun 4 July – Another mostly cloudy day. We rode in the opposite direction to Ella Bay. Very isolated on a gravel road. We were hoping to see a Cassowary, common in this area, but none seen.  In the afternoon we walked along the waterfront. The sea is still very muddy coloured. I removed the extra spare tyre we have had strapped to the bike rack since we crossed the Nullarbor to Western Australia but not needed on the east coast.

Mon 5 July – We left Flying Fish Point and dropped off the spare, spare tyre, drove 90kms up the Bruce Highway to a camp in Cairns.  A swim in the pool after a late lunch.

Tues 6 July – After much debating we decided to drive “Andy” closer to the centre of Cairns for a bike ride. The ride was great along 6kms of the Esplanade with the sea on one side and the shops, restaurants, and apartments on the other. Unfortunately, Cairns is very tidal, and the seaward side is mud flats 90% of the time. We now must get a pre-flight covid check before flying home. Val spent some time getting our heads around what this entails.

Wed 7 July – Raining this morning! This is meant to be the dry season! We shopped in Cairns and then a short drive on the Coral Coast Highway to Palm Cove. This is one of the tourist destinations north of Cairns. Our expensive site in the only camp is not the greatest, but beggars cannot be choosers. The rain stopped in the afternoon, so we walked along the beach front with all the shops, restaurants, and apartments. Lots of people swimming the sea. We took our chairs over the road to the beach, for a sit and a read in a little bit of sun. Rain set in at night. Val was back on the case for our return trip (old flights have been rescheduled). She was on hold at 9:00pm for over an hour! But we have now got it sorted at this stage. A private covid test no longer than 72 hours before departure that take 48 hours to process leaves a very fine window for flights. We will now be hopefully coming home on 5 August.

Thurs 8 July – Woke to rain again this morning. We had breakfast outside in a break and tried to go for a walk but scampered back in more rain. In the early afternoon we managed a walk, in drizzle, around the town. More private homes than we had expected. An ice-cream at the beach on the way back. Sick of this rain in what is meant to be the dry season!

Fri 9 July – A beautiful morning with no rain. Down to the beach with our chairs for a read in the sun. Back after lunch for swims and more sun. This is a great beach on the Coral Sea as the swimming is good regardless of the tides. We walked down to the town in the evening, with its many restaurants for dinner. A great ending to our Palm Cove visit.

Sat 10 July – We left Palm Cove and drove north on the Captain Cook Highway towards Port Douglas. This is a beautiful drive along the coast, a bit like around Kaikoura but 20 degrees warmer! We turned inland just before Mossman and climbed the steep road up Mt Malloy over the Great Divide to the Atherton Tablelands. We turned right up the Cape York Peninsula towards Cooktown 200kms north. It was a lovely drive on a road that was only sealed 20 odd years ago. The country was lush outback bush, Gum and Wattle trees, on rolling country with a few banana plantations on the flat ground. 

We stopped for the night at the Palmer River Roadhouse on a plateau overlooking the Palmer River. In the evening we walked over to the beer garden and sat with a couple from NSW swapping stories of our travels. Lots of off-road campers in, as most of the roads from Cooktown north are dirt.

Sun 11 July – A beautiful morning. We watched the red dusted off-road campers depart and we drove on for another 100kms to Cooktown where we joined about 40 other caravans at the racecourse for two days of cheap camping. We rode our bikes into the small village and along the waterfront. Cooktown is situated at the mouth of the Endeavour River. Captain Cook brought the Endeavour here when it was holed on the Great Barrier Reef. He stayed here for 48 days making repairs. Co-incidentally, we were at his only other landing place in Aussie 3 years ago to the day.

Mon 12 July - In the morning we walked around the racecourse. In the afternoon, we went back into Cooktown to visit the museum. It was in an old convent but, surprisingly, had very little regarding Captain Cook. 

We walked up a steep hill with a lighthouse at the top for a great view of the river mouth and the town.
At the botanical gardens we had an ice-cream and walked around the tropical plantings.

Tues 13 July – We left the racecourse and Cooktown and drove south back along the Mulligan Highway for 200kms to a little farm camp we spied on the way up. It was in a great setting on the Mary Creek in beautiful gum trees and palms. A very cool restful place.

Wed 14 July – It was a short drive off the Tablelands down into Mossman. As soon as we got near the coast a thick drizzle set in. We shopped and drove 7kms out to the coast and to a small beach camp at Newell Beach. Unfortunately, the camp had no dump station, so we had to go back to Mossman to dump. Back to the camp where we had a nice site under the tropical trees. The clouds lifted and we walked down to the lovely beach which we will not be able to swim in as there are crocodiles around. The camp had a nice small swimming pool which we made good use of.

Thurs 15 July – A beautiful morning. We walked the beach for 3kms until we came to a river. We are north of Port Douglas, which we can see across the bay. In the afternoon we cooled off in the pool and read. At drinks time we joined some of the campers for happy hour. Most of them are from Victoria and NSW up here for the winter months.

Fri 16 July – Another sunny day. We walked the beach in the opposite direction until we came to the Mossman River. These rivers have many crocs in them thus the no ocean swimming. We took our chairs down to a shady spot on the beach and had a read. After cutting Val’s hair, we went back to our loungers by the pool for swims and a read. We seem to be the only campers that use the loungers, just as well is there is only two! Most people just have a quick dip.

Sat 17 July – We have been becoming increasingly concerned with the spreading covid situation over here and decided to move our flights forward two weeks and come home on 22 July in case the travel bubble is halted between Queensland and NZ. We got up early and Val spent 1 ½ hours waiting to get the changes done with Air NZ. Eventually, all sorted with quite an increase in fares! We have booked our Covid test for Monday in Cairns and will drive down to Townsville, store “Andy” and fly home to Christchurch via Brisbane. Spent some time at Newell Beach in the shade and swam in the pool in the afternoon.

Sun 18 July - We left the lovely Newell Beach and drove out to Mossman for a small shop then on to Port Douglas where we were going to spend 5 nights. We will only stay 1 night, however. Unexpectedly the camp refunded us! Before checking into the camp, we parked at 4 Mile Beach, walked along the beach and into the main street. We came here for about 4 years and stayed in apartments. The beach now has hired loungers all over it. The town was chocker and we really did not enjoy our walk thru the shopping area with people crowding around. Not the Port Douglas we remembered.

 In the afternoon we walked to the Marina with its bars and restaurants flat out. Back to the camp for a swim and a cool off. It was overcast, humid and warm (29C). We had pre-dinner drinks with the couple from next door.

Mon 19 July – Our covid test in Cairns was at 12:45 so we left the camp and spent some time back at 4 Mile Beach before driving the great Captain Cook Highway to Cairns. We found a carpark outside the Pathology Lab for our test which was OK. Back out of Cairns for the 400 km drive to Townsville. We stopped for the night at a CMCA club park at Innisfail.

Tues 20 July – We drove south out of Innisfail on the Bruce Highway for 190 kms to a camp we stayed in on our way north, at Crystal Creek. In the afternoon we did most of the jobs required when we store “Andy”, mainly cleaning. We are now only 50kms from our storage place, slightly north of Townsville. This will be our last blog unless we run into travel problems! Our covid tests both came back negative. Tomorrow we will store “Andy” before catching an Uber to a cheap hotel in Townsville for the night. Our flight to Brisbane leaves at 5:55am on Thursday and we arrive in Christchurch at 5:50pm all going well. We had intended to explore the Atherton Tableland before changing our travel plans. Oh well, we will just have to do that on another trip. It has been a great trip, despite some wet weather, but we still have lots more to see in Australia.

 

 

Mackay to Mission Beach

 

Mon 14 June – We left the Caves Showgrounds and drove north on the A1 (Pacific Highway) for 180kms. A fire truck speed passed us and we came to a big semi-trailer which had rolled with a huge bridge beam as its load. We must have just got thru before they closed the road. We camped at Clairview Beach, the first time we had been at the coast for some time. We got a non-powered site looking out onto the beach. It was very humid and had a tropical Fiji feel. We sat under the awning in the rain until it eventually stopped, and we walked the beach until a clap of thunder sent us back to “Andy”. The storm set in and it rained hard in the night.

Tues 15 June – A cloudy steamy morning and we continued on to Mackay driving thru the centre of the town, over the Pioneer River, and on to our camp. We had a great swim and a sit in the sun at the camp pool. First swim this trip! Val’s togs were deemed to be less than adequate! A warm evening.

Wed 16 June – We rode the bikes along a cycleway back across the river and into the CBD. There was a large mall where we bought new togs for Val, new bath towels (old ones are slogged out), and Val got a hair cut at Just Cuts. Back for a late lunch and the rain settled in again. Watched people setting up awnings in the rain.

Thurs 17 June – Heavy rain in the night and drizzling for our 150km drive to the Whitsundays. We shopped at Proserpine before heading to the coast at Airlie Beach where we had booked a camp for 4 nights. The camp was set in lush tropical gardens and palm trees. Our site was small. This camp is the closest to the centre of Airlie Beach about 3 kms further on. We set up in the rain, but it soon cleared, and we walked along a pathway towards the town. We will be able to bike all he way on a path/cycleway. This camp has a great swimming pool where we tested out Val’s new togs. Very good! Drinks outside.

Fri 18 June – The camp is full as it is a public holiday here. A beautiful warm (26C) morning so we biked all around Airlie Beach. We stayed here with Lynne and Gary about 19 years ago. The place has changed completely, and we could not even work out where we stayed then. Back for lunch and spent the afternoon around and in the pool.

Sat 19 June – Much cooler in the night and a cool wind blowing in the morning. In the afternoon we walked away from Airlie Beach to Cannonvale beach. Back to our pool for a couple of swims and a read. Very uncomfortable loungers! Jerseys on and inside by 5:15pm. This cool weather is forecast for tomorrow also.

Sun 20 June – Back on our bikes and a ride into Airlie Beach town. We walked the main street with its many touristy shops, bars and restaurants. We eventually settled on an Italian restaurant where we sat outside and had a beautiful pizza and a glass on rose. Back to our camp pool for our last swim.

Mon 21 June – We left Airlie Beach and drove thru sugar cane farms 70 kms to our next camp at Bowen. This camp is separated from the beach by a golf course. A lot of the campers are up from the south for the winter, many of them golfers. A nice camp! We walked across the fairway with our chairs and sat in the sun on Queens Beach. The tide was out but the water felt warm.

Tues 22 June – We rode into the town which is smaller and older than we thought it would be. It was also very quiet. Back at our camp the neighbours informed us it was show day here and a holiday. We seem to be following the shows north! We decided a dip in the camp pool[VM1]  would be good but it was also shut. (chemical imbalance). We were assured that there were no crocs in the sea at this beach so we went for a very quick dip. No one else seems to swim here. The water was warm, however. There were fireworks at the show at night which woke up all the birds in the trees.

Wed 23 June  - We left the camp and shopped before driving to Horseshoe Bay. This is the swimming and snorkelling beach at Bowen evidently, with many in the water. We had a great swim. There is a camp at the beach, possibly a better choice for us in future. Back on the Pacific Highway for a 100km drive towards Townsville. We stopped for the night at the Home Hill Showgrounds where there were a large number of caravans and RVs.

Thurs 24 June – It rained in the night. We left the Showgrounds and it started to rain again as we bypassed Townsville and headed north again on the Pacific Highway. Our camp for the night was at Crystal Creek. A very quiet camp in garden settings. We had a swim in the pool and in the evening, we booked our flight home from Townsville on 3 August. (Jacinda willing!!)

Fri 25 June – We drove north thru Cardwell and Tully before turning off to Mission Beach, where we will stay for 5 nights at a nice camp just over the road from the beach. In the afternoon we took our chairs down to the beach for a swim in the sea and a read. The tide was low, but the water is warm. We watched sky drivers landing on the beach. Back to the camp for a swim in the pool. All great! The camp is filling up as school holidays have started.

Sat 26 June – Walked down to the small village with its shops, bars, and restaurants. Quite unsophisticated. It had a Pacific Island/Bali feel. The weather forecast is not great for the next few days. It was still warm however, and we had a swim in the sea and back to the pool and a read.

Sun 27 June – It is now very hot at night. Sheets only! We changed sites as our old site faced south where the rain will come from. Not hard to do with a camper! There was a big market in the park over the road. We wandered around but markets here are the same as in NZ. Some nice craft stuff (not selling), cheap plastic shit, (selling well) and food (selling well). We bought a pawpaw. In the afternoon we walked along the beach for about 3kms and ended up back in the pool. In the evening everyone, mostly wearing maroon shirts cleared out to the pubs to watch the State of Origin NRL.

Mon 28 June – A beautiful day (so much for the forecast!) Back to the beach for a swim but, as the sea was rough, we opted for the pool. Nice to be back in the sun. We went to a restaurant for a pizza but they had run out, so went to the Mission Beach Tavern for a burger and steak sandwich which was very nice.

Tues 29 June – The promised rain set in in the evening and it has rained most of the day. We used this time inside to publish this blog.   

 

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 [VM1]p

Brisbane to Rockhampton

 Thurs 3 June = We left Nobby’s Beach on the Gold Coast and shopped and bought LPG before driving to the M1 at Nerang and followed this to Beenleigh where we turned inland thru Logan Village to a free camping area at Tully Memorial Park. It had started to rain, and we spent the afternoon inside.

Fri 4 June – A beautiful morning for a very short drive to Carolyn and Gary Carruthers home where we parked up on their front lawn. In the early evening we all (Carolyn,Gary, Jess, Hannah and us) piled into Carolyn’s 7 seater car and drove down to  the north side of the Brisbane River to an area called ‘Eat Street’. It turned out to be a huge street food market with hundreds of stalls selling food from around the world. The stalls form alleyways where there were many stages with acts and music. The whole thing was covered, beautifully lit and decorated. We meet Gary’s brother Sean (Auckland) and his sister Nicola and her two adult children there and enjoyed a great night eating (dumplings and paella) and drinking. The wine came in huge buckets!! A great night!

Sat 5 June – A full day planned! Hannah drove Gary and us down the Beaudesert Rd to her riding school where we dropped her off and Gary took us on a tiki tour of the new rural suburbs that are springing up, before returning to the riding school to watch Hannah jump her horse around an arena.

Back home for a quick lunch and change, then after dropping Gary off in town, it was on to Kangaroo Point to watch Jess play premier reserve football. A nil all draw.

We were then to meet up with Gary, Nicola, Sean and some neighbours (Kelli and Mark) who had gone into town earlier and made a head start on a pub crawl around South Bank area. It was to celebrate Sean’s last day before heading home to Auckland. We had some parking issues but eventually we all met up at a Mexican Restaurant for drinks and an early dinner.

 Our next stop was a roof top bar with fantastic views of the city lights. We were going to bus home, but Val offered to drive 7 of us home in Carolyn’s car. A great effort considering the slightly confusing directions coming from all angles!!

Sun 6 June – Gary delivered croissants to “Andy” for our breakfast. We left the Carruthers and drove across Brisbane, via the Gateway Bridge, and headed north on the M1 stopping for lunch before arriving at Judy and Frank McAlister’s home in West Caloundra. It was great to catch up with them and see their new camper van. We decided to stay at home for the night and had good old fish and chips with a few wines and liqueurs.

Mon 7 June – We had breakfast outside on their patio and sat and chatted before saying goodbye and driving a short distance to Jill and Bob Rice’s home. We had a great catch up and reminisced on old camping trips. All our old friends over here are looking great! We drove the short distance to Alexandra Heads where we had booked a camp for two nights. It was a short walk down to the beach.

Tues 8 June – My birthday! We had to shift sites which turned into a bit of a shit, fight as the site we were meant to go to was still occupied until 11:00am. Val spent some time booking camps up north. There are lots of old folks (not us of course!) on the road all heading to the warm north and camps are filling fast. We managed to get sites in all the areas we wanted. We have noticed that the prices have gone up a lot since we were last on the east coast. In the afternoon we biked from Alexandra Heads south along the cycleways to the Mooloolaba Spit. A great ride. On the way back Val shouted me an ice-cream for my birthday! We decided that we had been out all weekend so will go out for a meal later on.

Wed 9 June – We woke to rain on the roof, and it rained and drizzled most of our drive north thru Noosa and around Lake Cootharaba to Boreen Point where we camped in a council camp on the shores of the lake. Another two-day booking. In the afternoon, the sun came out, but it is much colder, around 16C. They are even forecasting snow on the Queensland southern mountains. There is a small holiday town here and we walked most of it.

Thurs 10 June – Chilly last night and the heater on this morning again. We took our chairs down to the lakeside and sat in the sun reading. Walked up to the historical old pub for a beautiful lunch and a couple of glasses of wine. I had mullet and Val had a pumpkin and pork pie. We shared a fantastic sticky date pudding. Classy food in a beautiful setting.

Fri 11 June – Drove out to the M1, thru Gympie where we shopped, and headed inland via some dodgy roads including a couple of sections of “blacktop” (single lane asphalt with gravel either side) to the Burnett Highway. The term highway here is any asphalt road going for some distance. Some of the trip was fairly rough! We will follow this road to Rockhampton about 480kms. We have spent some time on the coast between Gympie and Rockhampton so this road was all new country. A nice drive thru rolling cattle country with crops in the irrigated valleys. Our overnight stop was at a heritage railway camp site in in Gayndah. No power and it was chilly in the night.

Sat 12 June – Up for an 8:30am guided tour of two railway carriages (a club car and a dining car) that used to run on the Brisbane to Cairns trip. To say the guide was long winded would be an understatement!! Back on the Burnett Highway for a 245km run to Biloela where we stayed at a Historical Museum. It was a great camp surprisingly full. Our $15 camp fee included entry to the museum with many old items including cars, tractors, household items, and electronics. Sad as they were mostly from our youth. Must really be getting old!!! We had drinks outside watching a beautiful sunset.

Sun 13 June – Another 150kms on the Burnett Highway before joining the A1 and skirting around Rockhampton. We have spent some time in “Rocky” on a previous trip. The next bit of the A1 is all new to us, however. We stopped for the night at a showground about 25kms north of Rocky, a great spot under gum trees and wattles. We gave “Andy” a good internal clean.