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Published: August 28th 2010
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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 then the MC, who was a lot of fun, brought out his guitar and had us all singing rock and roll and country ( 'we're all members of the outback club' ).
Our first grey day we decided to go into Townsville as there was mail to be picked up .. thanks again Jason and Jules .. and shopping to be done. Once
we'd completed these jobs, we drove around Townsville and the waterfront beyond the Strand .. the old part of town. There are some nice buildings there, a marine museum as well as the Reef HQ and another type of museum. We didn't go inside any of them but enjoyed driving around the different streets looking.
Yesterday we went into Paluma National Park, into the mountains west of Rollingstone. We first visited Crystal Creek, quite pretty with big boulders. There were quite a few gates which shows it must flood and they close the road in the wet. Then we made our way up the steep ... so steep! ... narrow ... so narrow! ... road up to Paluma. We'd breath in as we'd pass another vehicle coming down towards us .. would there be room to pass? All a bit of a thrill! Finally we got to Paluma .. 22 klms and it took us three quarters of an hour! and to McLellands Lookout. Though a lot of bush has grown around, we could still see a lot of islands out to sea and beaches and canefields below. We drove around the small town of Paluma, had our lunch,
Reef HQ
supposedly a very good aquarium .. we've still to go inside then headed back down the mountain.
The road down was another adventure .. being a passenger, I had the joy of seeing there was about a foot between us and the deep gorge below. I was glad when we were finally on terra flatta. The road was built by hand, beginning in the depression - it took 9 years, from 1930 till 1939 - and what a project it must have been.
We finished the day calling into Balgal Beach, the beach on from Rollingstone, quite a good beach there, and into the little towns of Rollingstone and Mystic Sands. I don't think we'll be swimming today unless the cloud burns off. Still, it's always nice to walk along the sand and talk to the neighbours. We might even ride our bikes.
Tomorrow we head further south.
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