It’s been an interesting week...

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After doing not much in Baralaba, we headed for the big smoke in Rockhampton. Marg picked a caravan park in North (and when I say North I mean far North) Rockhampton. It was called the country club (the lack of capitals is deliberate), and it had certainly faded from its former glory. That was not of great concern as it was cheap, had ablutions, power and water which is all we wanted here. We have spent some time in Rocky before and it was quite familiar to us, which helped in searching for shops and services. Marg had picked up a slow leak in the near side rear tyre of the car and it was resolved to get it fixed. It was Saturday afternoon and when we called into the local Bob Jane Tyre service they were going like one armed paper hangers in a wind storm. As the leak was only slow we agreed to come back on Monday.

As some would know, Marg has had a birthday in the week prior so we resolved to go to a restaurant of her choice in town. Booking made we headed in to town and after some fairly severe disciplinary action with the GPS lady we found the restaurant high up on the banks of the river. It is never a good sign when they advertise as Asian/Chinese/Thai and all the staff appear to be Indian (or from that part of the world). The meal was passable, but as we were finishing there was a commotion down on the bank under the restaurant. The waiter/owner looked down at it from a couple of tables away and reported that “he is just lying on the ground being pummelled – no defence”. He had a phone in his hand, but it was difficult to tell if he had contacted the police. “Ah”, he says, “it is terrible the Police do nothing except ask us a lot of questions”. Apparently brawls between drunken aboriginals are common along the river bank – pity. We paid our bill and despite being told not to go down to the injured man, Geoff felt that he could not just leave him, so down he went (the perpetrators had long gone). The man was making gurgling sounds when he breathed and was covered in blood from several lacerations. “Are you OK?” Geoff asked; why you ask a question like that I do not know, but it was all I could think of at the time. The guy looked up and tried to get up which was not easy due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed and the beating he had sustained. Geoff was very unsure of what was going through this chaps head, and did not want to find out so beat a retreat to the top of the embankment where he rang for an ambulance. We had no desire to read in the paper the following morning that someone had been found dead in that location! The emergency services asked a lot of stupid questions – especially as I was now 50 mts from ‘the patient’, and then proceed to tell me to reassure ‘the patient’ that everything was alright and help was on its way. I was also to ensure that ‘the patient’ did not have anything to eat or drink. Right oh, I think I will just shout all that from my position 50 mts away. Fortunately the ambulance turned up whilst I was getting my instructions so there was no need for any further advice from the guy on the phone. We could see that the ambulance guys were not thrilled with the job as it was only too common for them. We left, but must say that our admiration for the ambo’s went up immeasurably.

Sunday came and we went down to reccy a series of free camps around a little town called Byfield just north of Yeppoon. It is mostly State forest, but there is also a section of National Park adjoining one section. Beware – rant coming... We went into a place called Water Park Creek which is in the State Park. The road in was very good and bituminised where the camping/picnic area was, and we continued down the road to see if there was something better. It was good gravel and fairly easy to maintain 80kph.... until we got to the sign that said Byfield National Park. The road turned instantly into a 4x4 test ground with washouts, humps and depressions that you could lose a bus in, flooded areas and eventually to a “Turn Left” sign that took us, for no apparent reason, in a great circle. Nearing the end of the circle there was a sign on a track that said “high clearance 4 wheel drive only past this point”. We understand that the track goes to the coast and a great camp spot at a place called Nine Mile Beach. Sadly we will never know. It seems that the National Parks people do not want any of the public to experience the wonder of these parks. The clear message is “Piss off, you are not welcome here” (I can say ‘piss off’ as it is a phrase used by the leader of the National Party in public). If it is not the (poor excuse for roads) then it is the hellish cost imposed for camping; one way or another this is the case when we try a National Park and every time it is impossible to escape the message. That’s it – rant over. Be thankful you only hear this occasionally as Marg hears it often!

We did however find a lovely spot at a campground called Red Rock in the State Forest and booked in for 2 nights - $5.75 p.p/n ($11.50). It was a great spot, and was almost deserted by Sunday night as the locals beat a retreat for the working week. There was bitumen main access within the camp area, concrete pads for the caravan to park on, individual fire-places as either round pits on the ground or elevated bbq’s and a toilet block with running water. What more could you ask for. We spent three nights there and met a lovely couple Bob and Thea. On the back of their van was a sign “An Outback Nurse”. While having a social drink around the campfire we discovered that she had gone out to Wave Hill cattle station which was in WA and the NT as a young graduate nurse and left 20 years later with a husband and four children. Wave Hill was owned by Lord Vesty and was absolutely enormous. Marg downloaded her book and it is well worth a read. She is a fascinating woman who has lived a very full life. Now in her late 70s, (Marg’s estimate) she is touring with her new partner and promoting the book. He was a lovely gent who had been on the land most of his life and travelled around Australia in a caravan and did all sorts of work. We had drinks with them both nights. As you may recall there was a late season cyclone, called Marcia, which hit the Byfield/Yeppoon/GKI area as a Cat. 5 in late March. The area had been decimated and we were amazed to see pine trees at 45 degree angles from the ground or totally blown over and other more substantial trees that had lost all their leaves and were slowly regenerating. The park had been cleared and there was a lot of woodchip covering the area and making for a sound base to walk on.

Then Marg had an idea. (Another very good one). She had picked up a booklet at one of the info centres and in it was a great offer to stay at Great Keppel Island (GKI). She booked us in for 2 nights. Unfortunately for her, on the night before we were to head for GKI she pinched a nerve in her back and by morning could barely walk AND WAS IN EXTREME PAIN – did you get that? EXTREME PAIN! Undeterred we set off, (leaving the van with a wheel clamp and locked up) and parking the car in the secure car parking and down to the fast catamaran/ferry for the journey. Marg was clearly barely able to walk and the staff from the ferry commandeered an office chair and wheeled her backwards onto the boat! Otherwise she would have delayed the departure by 10 minutes. So far so good, and at the other end she was able to get a lift up the beach to the resort in their 4x4 used to transfer the luggage. The staff at the resort were wonderful, and clearly concerned for her welfare. Great Keppel Hideaway resort is rather down on its knees at the moment and the cyclone hasn’t helped, but if you want to go to a really beautiful island without glitz or glamour – just pure beauty and warm friendly staff it is certainly the place to go. No TVs in the cabins , but a state of Origin Rugby match was on and the bistro (open air with only a roof) had a large screen and almost everyone (except the Ritchies) turned up to watch it. Heaps of beautiful bays with blue clear water lapping on fine white sand. The sunset was amazing and many photos were taken.

Geoff amused himself with a self guided hike across the island (the short route) and ended up on a beach called Long Beach. The tracks on the island are difficult to traverse due to the number of trees that have fallen across them during Cyclone Marcia. Geoff is not quite sure how he got to Long Beach, but was very reassured by the sign at the end of the track that announced his arrival. It was just paradise with a wide beach, clear aqua water and gentle waves falling onto the shore. He had an urge to discard his clothing and plunge in, but thought that might ruin the moment. After finding another path off that beach, he ended up on Monkey Beach where there were a number of day trippers packing up to turn to the ferry. He followed them, only to be asked where the track was –“I don’t know, I was following you!” The track was located and it went nearly straight up, somewhat of a challenge for the old boy, but he did get there and eventually ended up back at the resort by beer o’clock. Marg struggled to dinner and back again with the aid of the resort golf buggy with a very jerky trigger driven by some rough diamond staff. Fortunately, by morning she was showing signs of recovery. Geoff was invited to join another couple to go snorkelling over the coral and marg took advantage of the time to rest her back. By mid morning Marg was able to go down to the sea and have a plunge in the sea. Later that afternoon she went down again and Geoff joined her after he had walked to the lookout and surveyed the surrounds. It was a bit of a climb and he was keen to have a refreshing swim. It took him 10 minutes to get in with much shouting and arm waving and declaring the sea to be “freezing”. Wimp!

The next morning we had time for a few swims, then lunch and back to Yeppoon on the 1pm ferry. We got back to Byfield State Park and were relieved to see out van still at the site and none the worse for wear.

We are now on the next leg of the adventure but you will have to wait until next time for that.

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Photos

Cyclone Marcia damage
Unfortunately there were few places to get a good shot of the damage.

Great Keppel Island day 1
Just another day in Paradise

GKI day 2
Lack of cloud did not really impair the sunsets.

Naughty Marcia, GKI day 3
The cyclone did quite a lot of damage with beach erosion being the worst in many years.