http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/tmben/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from tmben en-us Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:51:10 +0000 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:51:10 +0000 Our time spent in Batemans Bay was pretty cold and wet but did not deter us from having a good time there.From there we set off to visit friends in Victoria at Eagle Point which is near Paynesville at Lakes Entrance. On the way we stopped for lunch at Tilba Tilba a delightful little village that feels like time forgot. Not an easy place to take a caravan but we found our way OK and wandered ro http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Lakes-Entrance/blog-459038.html In my last blog I mentioned that we were going to see Craig Stewart at the Kempsey Heights Bowling Club and I must apologize for spelling his name wrong. Jeremy and Michelle introduced us to him when they gave us a CD they had bought at the Tamworth Country Music Festival when they first heard him. We have been singing away to his songs ever since and could not believe our luck when we heard he http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Batemans-Bay/blog-454731.html For those of you who are faithful blog readers you have probably been wondering where on earth we have got to. For the others you are probably grateful that we have gone silent.The reason there has been no word from us is that we have been travelling a route that we travelled on our last trip and it would have been repeating myself. But a quick overview ....Like last time we spent a couple of w http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Nambour/blog-447967.html At the end of my last blog I put in a photo of Merry Sue and Brian but somehow did not include an explanation. When we had our kennels in Busselton we had the great pleasure of having Lyn working for us and since we left the kennels we have kept in contact with Lyn and her husband Barry. A couple of years ago we were in Albany and met up with Lyn and Barry and had lunch with them and Lyn's sist http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Bowen/blog-435555.html Our alarm was set for 3.30 am and we set off for Cairns Airport at 4.00 am to meet Nigel and Michele off their 5.00 am flight. Still dark the mountain road down from Mossman to Cairns is quite hazardous but very little traffic was coming through at that time of the morning. Their flight was on time so we set off back to Mossman where they were booked in to a cabin on our caravan park. We stoppe http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Mossman/blog-433112.html OK here we go again.The drive from Mt. Isa up to Cloncurry was very spectacular scenerywise. Hilly and green after lots of dry countryside. We stayed overnight just north of Burke and Wills Roadhouse in a free campsite and met up some friends we have met many times along the way Bruce and Joan from Busselton plus another lovely couple. The folk you meet along the way are just so friendly an http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Normanton/blog-427576.html When I published my last blog I thought I would not be chatting to you again until we reached far North Queensland but the places we have visited and the things we have done really do warrant a mention.After leaving Katherine and the beautiful hot springs we travelled on down to Mataranka. This is a small country town with very few amenities but they have two of the most wonderful hot springs yo http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Mataranka/blog-419929.html DARWIN AND KATHERINE.Darwin was one of the places we were most looking forward to visiting as we had never been this far north in Australia.We had already booked Tumbling Waters Caravan Park ahead and when we arrived we found it nestled deep in the tropical bush about 65 km from the center of Darwin. Standing at the office we could see a crocodile enclosure nearby with at least 8 fresh water croc http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/blog-415007.html KUNUNURRA.Moving on from Broome we traveled over 900km heading towards Kununurra. We once again referred to our trusty travel companion the Camps 5 book. All free overnight camping areas are listed in this book and there are details of the facilities provided on each site. Our main concern is that we can take our dogs there and that the camp site is away from the main road as the huge 4 sect http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/Kununurra/blog-412722.html We are celebrating 30 years living in Australia this December and we have lost count of the number of times family and friends have told us we just must visit Broome. Well at long last we have made it on our round Australia trip almost 3000km from Busselton and it is everything we were told about it and more.For the past few years Broome has been dog unfriendly with none of the many caravan p http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/blog-408044.html The long awaited day arrived for us all to start our much planned trip all around Australia but we could not leave until we had taken part in the Million Paws Walk an RSPCA appeal very close to our hearts.Our first stop was GinGin where we parked beside a lovely park with birds of every breed making sure we did not sleep in. At a petrol stop in Geraldton we managed to damage our awning on a bows http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/Karratha/blog-403156.html Still at Port Lincoln in the break between Christmas and New Year and we get the good news that JeremyMichelle and Lucy will be coming direct to our campsite for 24 hours on their way to the Tamworth Country Music Festival so we were able to see the New Year in with part of our family also Michelle's mum and dad Bill and Rita and Michelle's Grandma Zidra. We sat in our chairs under the stars lo http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/South-Australia/Port-Lincoln/blog-236625.html Moving on from GolGol Mildura we had a long days drive. We stopped in Berri and bought fruit juice at the famous factory had lunch in Waikery watching the ferry crossing the Murray River taking cars and trucks across. Trevor joked that he would tie Bazil up and leave him there but he got a bit of his own medicine. We were heading for the outskirts of Adelaide but did not think it necessary to b http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/South-Australia/Barossa-Valley/blog-230372.html As we are both avid Country and Western music fans we found Tamworth fascinating. We visited the BIG GOLDEN GUITAR museum and they had the recordCD shop to die for if you are a C W fan just about every artiste you could mention both Australian English and in my opinion the best American. The wax works was fun and I suppose it is the only time we will ever get near the singers. Trevor is http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Echuca/blog-226026.html Our next stop was Ballina where we stayed on a caravan park which can only be reached by ferry all very quaint but in exiting the ramp we managed to shere off the little caps which cover the stabilizing legs of the caravan. Oh well back to square one where we used wooden blocks to do the same function.From this area we ventured out to visit Byron Bay on a cold misty day Lennox Head Mullumbim http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Ballina/blog-221398.html Our next stop was Yandina which is very near Maroochydore and Maloolabar both very pretty places with pristine beaches. Trevor has relations living in Nambour and we spent a very enjoyable day catching up with Joyce Nev Ivy and Colin. Trevor has always spun a tale about being related to royalty being from the wrong side of the blanket. Imagine those claims to fame appear to be true. Oth http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Australia-Zoo/blog-215223.html Well now we are the east coast and heading down there is so much to see and do I don't really know where to start.From Rockhampton we went to Lake Monduran and Trevor enjoyed a day fishing on the huge lake with a fellow camper we met he was fishing for Barramundi but sadly it was sausages for tea that night again Next we made our base at Hervey Bay and travelled out from there. We had an in http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Bundaberg/blog-215150.html Rockhampton Mt. Morgan Yeppoon We decided to stay in Gracemere just outside Rockhampton for 10 days as our travelling companion John has three children living in the area so it was the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with them.Rockhampton is an attractive City sitting on the wide tidal Fitzroy River. It has some facinating old buildings very well restored. Rockhampton is http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Rockhampton/blog-212660.html Blackall to Rockhampton via Longreach.We left Blackall with regret as it was a lovely country town and we were going to miss those leisurely afternoon swims however this is a trip and would not be if we stayed in one place for 3 months then went home Heading for Longreach we passed through Isisford as we had been told it was well worth visiting do not agree unless they had hidden the nic http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/blog-208936.html Last night was a real dream compared to the night before. We stopped at a little place called Cunnamulla about 200 km over the border into Queensland. Very clean grass even Can't remember when we last saw grass. All our washing and ironing up to date and we even found time to wander around town. For those country music fans there is a statue of the Cunnamulla Fella imortalised in a song http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Blackall/blog-207646.html