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Published: September 30th 2009
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Meanwhile... back in Bowen, Brett was going a bit stir crazy on his crutches, trying to run the job from the couch, with his leg up. At least the skatepark is almost done and he is actually doing really well. He even snuck out in the truck a few times while I was away...
The day I flew back in from Canada, our friend Tarra (a.k.a. TP), flew up from Melbourne for her 2 week school holiday. We haven't seen her as much as we did the first year we were here so will be good to catch up, plus then Brett will have 2 ladies to look after him. He is the envy of alot of people at the pub in Bowen, when we are both getting him a beer and driving him around!
The first Sunday TP was with us we spent the morning at the Bowen market as we usually do. Grabbing a flat white, an omo (omlette), and fresh fruit and veggie for the week, and people watching. We then hit the beach at Horseshoe Bay for some swimming (for the girls).
The next day we went to Airlie Beach as Brett had to
pick up his xrays, so we had a little look around there. On the way back we took a drive into Dingo Beach and Hydeaway Bay, which we have been meaning to do the whole time we have been up this way. They are both in Cape Gloucester with nearby Gloucester Island in the bay and it was about 35 km's in, but what a find! It was such a cool little kick back town (if you could even call it that). Dingo Beach had an amazing long beach, with some beach shacks and some really nice big houses, and lots of people out fishing. And of course a pub on the beach. What Aussie town doesn't??? No grocery store, or petrol station, but of course a pub! Gotta love it!
Hydeaway Bay was an amazing little spot as well. We stumbled upon a dirt road that probably went 10-15 km's, that winded up and down hugging the coast and we came out at a parking lot for a place called Monte's Resort. It wasn't very flash looking, but we decided to step out and have a look at the beach, and it was a little slice of paradise!
It was so secluded and quiet, with calm waters, hammocks in the trees, it looked like it could of been in some of the quieter spots in Mexico we have been with the dry landscape and palm trees. So of course we decided to have a drink and a snack at the pub/restaurant at the resort. You can rent 2 bedroom self contained bungalows at the resort for not to bad of a price. We were all wishing we could stay there for a few days, but we were back to Bowen and then off to Magnetic Island the next day, but definitley a place to keep on the list.
We made our way up to Townsville the next morning, which is 200km's norht of Bowen and where you catch the ferry over to Maggie as Magnetic Island is known. This is as far up as we have made it so far on the east coast, and we had plans to go up further to Cairns and the Daintree Rainforest, but with timing and Brett's leg, that will have to happen another time. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast and is adjacent to the
central section of the Great Barrier Reef. It has a really beautiful waterfront area of shops, restaurants, parks, free bbq areas and swimming lagoons that is known as The Strand.
Magnetic Island is a short ferry ride from Townsville, and we ended up taking our truck over as they were all out of rental cars, or Mokes as they are known on the island since it was school holidays. Magnetic Island is a 52km mountainous island with lots of bays and beaches, walking trails and 27km of National Park. There about 2500 people that live on the island, along with alarge resident koala population (which we didn't see any of), rock wallabies, possums and tonnes of different birds.
Apparently the name of the island came about because of the "magnetic" effect it had on Captain Cook's compass as he passed the island when sailing up the east coast of Australia in 1770. Although since then people have tried to test that and figure out what may have caused the effect that Cook reported, but nothing has been discovered. Must have been a long night at one of those Aussie Pubs!
We spent 2 days on Magnetic Island,
and it was great. The beaches were so calm, and the water was 26 degrees, and it was perfect timing with it not quite yet being stinger season (which is Novemeber-April), so we didn't have to wear those attractive lycra stinger suits. We also found a great Mexican restaurant for dinner, that was really delicious, although not the fastest service, but we weren't really in a hurry... we were on island time.
But probably the best part of the trip had to be on the ferry ride over, when TP got out of the truck in her new skirt (or "everyday skirt" as we call them), and had a little incident... her new skirt that had only been worn for the first time that morning decided to do a split right up the front, and I mean right up, see attached photo. Now this wouldn't have been that bad had she packed anything other than her pj's for the trip to Maggie. But she didn't. So first stop upon arriving on Maggie, was a search for a store that sold anything but a sarong!Tough find on Magnetic, but she managed to do it! Plus makes for a good story.
(There are 2 pages of photos if you want to check them out, keep scrolling down or click on any image to make them larger.)
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