Townsville and surrounds

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Lazy Acre Plantation, about 20 minutes south of Townsville, is a working mango farm and our camping area for the next 3 nights. Unfortunately it is not mango season so we were not able to buy fresh fruit, but we did purchase from our host a couple packs of very sweet tasting dried mango cheeks as well as some freshly laid eggs. It appears that the front orchard of the farm has been let go a little - apparently the trees are old and not bearing fruit these days but it makes for a very tranquil area for vans to set up in under their canopy. The farm nestles in the shadow of some rather tall mountains, which appear to be typical of the area.



On a neighbouring property I spotted a glorious white peacock – even with a timber fence blocking our view he looked stunning as he proudly “rattled out his train” or tail feathers.



After setting ourselves up we drove into the city. Townsville is considered to be the capital of North Queensland and is the gateway to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef. It is a very large sprawling city that is sheltered by a “horseshoe” of mountain ranges. They rise steeply, sharply and are a most prominent feature of the landscape.



We went for a walk along The Strand with trendy hotels and bars on one side and the ocean and MagneticIslandon the other. Down by the marina we purchased some seafood and fresh fish – oysters, prawns, red emperor and coral trout.

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