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Published: July 26th 2015
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Notch Point
Sunset on Marion Creek beside our campsite Hi Folks,
Moving northward, we drove the coast road with a night at Palm Beach for a long hot shower and charging the batteries, visited Terry at Tallebudgera, Jan, Bob and Ryan at Eagleby, Phyllis, Andrew and Zeke at Bethania, a day in Brisbane to visit the Art Gallery on the best public transport system. NSW should be looking seriously at how it could be implemented on the Northern Beaches. Sadly, the news south of the border of the 2011 Queensland/Brisbane floods didn't reveal the extent of the devastation to the south bank of the Brisbane River, it is still under reconstruction. Another day onward, we arrived at Noosa Heads, I keyed in Jocelyn's address to find she was more than 50 km behind us, oh no, you couldn't get Doug to backtrack for love nor money. We had a great day with Kay and Tony, dinner together with Mandy, Shane and Brock, next morning a visit from Tim, we were absolutely elated to see everyone and thank you all for your hospitality. Sorry Jocelyn, will catch up next time !!!
Leaving Noosa we saw a koala descending a tree but it disappeared into the bush before we could
Notch Point
Fast flowing incoming tide on Marion Creek get the camera organised, a rare moment missed.
Nothing exciting moving north, a night at Chatsworth Park, north of Gympie, no internet or mobile reception, there was a permanent "Fisho" nearby, bought 5kg of prawns for $60, how good was that? Next night at Wallum Reserve, no comment, the long drop toilets were vile!!! Driving on the Old Bruce Highway into Calliope River campsite, we saw this Ned Kelly letter box, very impressive? We have stayed there before, however this was still school holidays and packed to the gunnels, found a spot but so much garbage, next major town I bought myself a trash pick-up thing with a handle, too old to bend over picking up rubbish.
Further on we found a campsite at Notch Point on Marion Creek, the most peaceful, relaxing campsite in the middle of nowhere, not planned but we stayed two days, absolutely no facilities and just one other caravan couple for company, no fish but a million sandflies. There is a massive prawn farm being established which extends for miles, it will be interesting to revisit in a couple of years. Time for some housekeeping, long showers and hair colour, we stopped at
Toomalla Beach
Beachcombers house a caravan park in Mackay, thankfully a beautiful day for laundry. Cleaned up and tidy, on to Guthalungra Park, once again full to capacity, then Toomulla Beach rest area, where we got bogged in the middle of the camp ground, thankfully, it too was packed, so lots of assistance digging and pushing the motor home out of the sand, we weren't the first for the day nor as we found out later the last. Early evening around a campfire, it would have been nice to stay longer but the toilet and waste water needed attention we moved on to Balgal Beach next morning, perfect location and views, unfortunately the campsite was also full, used the facilities then found Fishermans Landing at the end if the car park, we had the best fish and chips, wrapped in butchers paper which served as a tablecloth, absolutely delicious and at $15 for the two of us a bargain even without the oversize glass of wine at $4.00. No space for us there, so on to Bushy Parker Park at Rollingstone, also packed to capacity but with a big "No Camping" area adjoining, already half full (the campsite, not us) and late, we stayed.
Cardwell Jetty
Beautiful female mud crab - returned to the water On our way to Dunk Island View Caravan Park at Wongaling Beach, near Mission Beach, we spent hours walking the beach watching the islands become more distinct the further we walked, so peaceful and relaxing. On the drive in we happened upon a wild Cassowary, rare sight as there are more warning signs than birds. Moved on through Babinda to The Boulders, a very pretty swimming hole but a little downstream, "do not enter water signs", the change in the elevation caused steep fast flowing rapids, and I hope one photo will show the swing rope suspended from a tree obviously used by the local kids to propel themselves into deep water, we just shuddered. The campsite was small but our bay had been previously occupied by a rugby league tragic after the final State of Origin game. As I was walking to the toilet block, a little boy, 2 - 3 years old, showed me a moth high up on the concrete block wall, OMG, I have never seen a moth so large, half the size of the concrete block, he also told me it would still be there when I finished using the toilet, however his wording of
Wongaling Beach
Looking towards Dunk Island the function(s) were slightly more descriptive. The common name of the moth is "Hercules" and you can well understand why. The butterflies were also spectacular, but for the moment I can't remember their species??? Moved on next day, checked out Bramston Beach, half of which is still missing from the last cyclone.
Then on to Palm Cove Caravan Park north of Cairns, the most expensive caravan park we have ever stayed at, however, when you need water and facilities and with no competition, no free camps, you have no choice. The Trade Winds were howling which is normal for this time of the year and made walking the beach unpleasant. We called to see Margaret Parker before heading north to Cooktown. No alternative for the motor home but to take the Mulligan Highway, we spent the night at Rifle Creek, a really pleasant camp site until the resident rooster started crowing at 4:15am, not a peep out of him when the whole campsite was awake by 7am. Salivating to revisit "that great little bistro in Cooktown", the Endeavour Inn which we last dined at 19 years ago and a couple of times before that, had sadly closed then burnt
Cooktown
Crocodile woodcaving down, now just a vacant block of land, I could have cried. Well, as one door closes, another opens which is The Italian Restaurant "da Wog", beautiful. There were no free camps according to the books, info etc., until we went the Tourist Information Centre, oh yes, you can stay between the designated signs in Adelaide Street, dump point available, which wasn't working and no drinkable water. Planning on walking the town in the morning, I stepped down into a swarm of sand flies. they were waiting, holy hell, did they massacre me. Doug had been in and out the door during the night and early morning, no bites. Returned to Cairns next morning via Rifle Creek with the 4:15am rooster where we met up with a couple who helped push us out of the sand at Toomulla Beach en-route to Cooktown, we gave them the heads up on free camping and the sandflies.
No trip to Cooktown would be complete without a visit to the Lions Den Hotel, built in 1875 on the banks of the Little Annan River near Black Mountain, an imposing mountain made up of granite boulders some the size of houses, the signs say
Cooktown
Memorial not to enter or climb the rocks, aboriginal warnings say there are gasses emitted from the mountain which virtually knock you out and many people have perished without trace over the years.
By the time we arrived at Margaret and John's Friday evening I was completely distressed with the sandfly bites to my feet, legs, wrists and hands, thankfully they suggested anti-histamine tablets as I had tried almost every remedy on the internet without success. We enjoyed a beautiful dinner with them, relaxing on their verandah with a cup of tea next morning, when we had a black snake and a drop tail lizard visit over the concrete, thank god Margaret saw the snake out of the corner of her eye!!! Time to leave: to be continued.
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Judy
non-member comment
Good time.
So glad you are having a great time.xoxo