Bundaberg to Rockhampton in Five and a Half Hours

---

We left Bundaberg before 10 am and headed straight out towards Gin-Gin to pick up the Bruce Highway. The first leg was into wind and so hard going but it all went quite easily from there. We passed through a small community, we think it was Bullyard, that had a local market on and Barry stopped. There weren’t many stalls but most had local produce, which was good. I wish I hadn’t paid top dollar for the vegetables in IGA yesterday! I bought some tomatoes, about 5 good sized ones, for $2; close to a kilo of baby Desiree potatoes, $1.20; a large Lebanese cucumber for 50c and some Tomato Relish for $2.50.

They also had a few craft stalls and trash and treasure ones (mostly trash). One of the stalls had the most amazing woodwork clocks and tables, which had been highly lacquered and polished. One was enormous and would have weighed tonnes. I don’t know how he got it there. He also had a large half a hollow log suspended from a small crane, which could be a feature in a garden. Not sure how anyone else would show it off – I don’t think he’s selling the crane with it!

Soon after the market Barry found the Dump Point near Gin Gin and then continued on along the Bruce Highway. Not long after, I saw a light coloured dog standing frozen in the middle of a field. It was almost the same colour as the dry grass and was quite skinny. I’m fairly sure it was a dingo, although it looked like a cross breed, not pure dingo buy what they call a wild dog.

We stopped briefly for a picnic lunch at Miriam Vale and then kept going. It was a 5 ½ hour journey overall and we arrived at the Parkhurst Motel and Van Park in North Rockhampton at about 4.30pm. We had to back into the site but managed OK, although we were rather worried while cranking down the legs as the batteries seemed to be struggling. Barry will check them out tomorrow when there is more light.

They pack us in a bit at this park and we have some very close neighbours but it seems clean and has lovely trees around and, as they are flowering, lots of resident Rainbow Lorikeets, a few Cockatoos and some Currawongs. We also heard some Kookaburras. Down at the end of the park is a paddock where there was a kangaroo grazing carefully, watching out for people.

One Currawong decided to roost in the tree right next to our door. I could hear him calling while I made Barry dinner of BBQ pork ribs and noodles with vegetables. We then had one of the small pineapples that I got in Cooroy, cut into slices. It was delicious and very sweet. We’ve still got 2 more. Yum!

I had a migraine so I then slept while Barry watched a couple of movies using headphones so as not to disturb me.

---

Photos

Amazing Wood Furniture at the Bullyard Market
The enormous highly polished table and the suspended hollow log must have weighed tonnes. I don't know how a buyer would get them home!

Sugar Cane with Seed Heads
It's when you see sugar cane like this that you remember that it is really a type of grass! This was along the Bruce Highway on the road to Childers.

The Little Market at Bullyard
It had a couple of nice vegetable stalls that I bought from and a few trash and treasure stalls (2nd hand/white elephant stalls for the Poms).

Parkhurst Caravan Park, Nth Rockhampton
We have some flowering eucalyptus trees right next to us, which attracts heaps of birds, incuding Rainbow Lorikeets.