Blogs from Rollingstone, Queensland, Australia, Oceania
September 16th 2011
First of all – Happy Birthday to my brother Rod - it was actually yesterday but we are a bit behind! We hope you had a lovely day. On Thursday 15th September we were moving on to one of two destinations. A return to Townsville had been the favourite in our advanced planning but we both had a sneaky feeling for a place called Rollingstone. (As we travelled we contemplated why this place had been named ‘Rollingstone’. We thought of ‘The Rolling Stones’ and were able to name quite a few of their hit records – sad or what! Later on we found out that Rollingstone had been given the name because of the large round boulders in the local creek. Anyway, it’s pronounced Rolingstun!) We had read encouraging reports about the Big 4 caravan park ... read more
Oh Yeah, Rollingstone baby...
Published: December 3rd 2010Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Rollingstone
November 19th 2010
De rainy days zijn zo mijn momenten van zwakheid. Te veel tijd om na te denken is nooit goed voor het hoofdje:) (Toegegeven, dit was ergens onder andere ook wel een van mijn redenen voor dit tripje) Ik denk dat het vrij logisch is om, als je zo'n lange tijd van huis weg bent, na te denken over hoe het zal zijn als je terug bent. Ik heb niet zo veel schrik dat iedereen en alles veranderd zal zijn (want zoooo lang zijn zeven maanden nu ook weer niet), maar de voornemens beginnen op te duiken om mijn eigen leven een ander kleurtje te geven. Geen paniek, het gaat niet bepaald om levensveranderende voornemens! Misschien heeft het er ook mee te maken dat ik binnen een paar maandjes al 25(!!!) word, en dat ik me oud ... read more
When the sun doesn't shine ...
Published: August 28th 2010Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Rollingstone
August 28th 2010
We had perfect weather the first five days here at Rollingstone so decided to extend another three ... and the weather changed. We've had three grey days and though the first day was windy, yesterday only 22 (rather than the 28 we've become used to), today is warm again. All we need is some sunshine to make swimming in the pool more enticing. Last Wednesday night, the Rollingstone Lions Club put on a great BBQ in the camp kitchen here as a fund raiser. Tables and chairs were set out, steak and sausages cooked and a long table laid with salads and such, then a selection of dessert. It was a good night and a great way for the campers to get to know one another. There was a game of trivia and some raffles and ... read more
August 25th 2010
We tried to camp at Balgal Beach which is a free stop north of Townsville but it was full. Very nice place right on the beach and it has a safe area to fish in the river. Our next option was Bushy Parker Park nice free stop shady trees and a clear water swimming hole. Lots of mozies though and our spot smelt so we only stayed one night. ... read more
August 24th 2010
The initial cloud we had the first day has gone and the days are back to blue skies and lovely heat. We extended our original five days here to eight, it's so lovely here. We've been busy doing all the Rollingstone things, sitting under the awning, swimming in the pool, sitting by the pool, walking along the beach, sitting on the beach, reading, Nana nap, watching the moon rising across the water at night - all totally exhausting! Doug's walked down to the office every couple of days to buy a pineapple grown in the plantation next door and the prawn man drives around the park twice a week. One day we'll stir ourselves to go into Townsville and maybe go to the Marine Headquarters there, or maybe we'll do it on the way back.... read more
Ready for the pool, Rollingstone
Published: August 21st 2010Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Rollingstone
August 21st 2010
We are back at Rollingstone for five nights, maybe more. We booked this site on the way up and it's great, next to the pool, about 100 metres from the beach and from every window we can see water, very special. We enjoyed our couple of days back in Cairns, had haircuts, etc. then continued south, popping in to look at little beaches on the way. We decided we'd have a night at Paranella Park which we'd visited last year on our Big Lap tour. (You can read about it in the Around Australia Trip - Sept. 11th, which is found if you click our name at the top of the page). They have an evening 'illuminations tour' around the park so we stayed in their little caravan park there and did the tour that night, ... read more
September 8th 2009
Well, only in a manner of speaking. It was great if very busy being back home, getting to see all the family and helping to celebrate all the special birthdays. Tara and the boys making the trip from New Zealand was a great bonus and we were glad we were there for Jason after his car accident. Thankfully, when it was time to leave the big city, life was almost back to normal and Jason recovering. We arrived back in Townsville at lunch time yesterday and, after picking up the motor home - all intact and waiting for us - donning shorts and t shirts and doing a food shop, we decided Rollingstone was calling us once more, so we drove the 50 klms north and here we are. We were given the very front site ... read more
Last day at Rollingstone, last post for now.
Published: August 18th 2009Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Rollingstone
August 18th 2009
We have had five wonderful days and nights at Rollingstone, walking the beach, swimming in the pool, just lazing around in the sunshine, chatting to the other campers and I've begun the big job of scrapbooking my photos of our trip. We've found birds have been prolific around the country and here is no exception. Each evening lorrikeets make a racket as they settle into the trees, yesterday there was a Brahminy Kite and a Sea Eagle flying overhead and fishing in the shallows of the ocean was a Jabiru. The female Red Tailed Black Cockatoo was in the tree next to the motor home a couple of days ago too. We leave Rollingstone tomorrow and fly out on Friday for Sydney. It will be a busy couple of weeks, special birthdays for Jason, Diane and ... read more
August 15th 2009
After we left the caravan park at Charters Towers, we drove into town to have another look around. I like it there, the old Queenslander houses with their wide bull-nosed verandahs and the solid Victorian buildings from the time Charters Towers was a very wealthy town in the gold rush days. Now, I think it's a cattle town - I certainly saw a lot of big hats and boots around town! We drove on to Townsville - such a pretty city and getting bigger every time we see it, in fact, it’s probably the biggest city we’ve been to since Perth. After a drive up and down a few streets, we parked along the Strand, the road alongside the waterfront. There are big beautiful fig trees growing in the centre of the street, their many roots ... read more
