16 Mar: Surfers Paradise
We left the campsite in the mountains, direction the coast,
stopping
off to
admire
Minyon
Falls on
the way.
We then
stopped
off
in the
small town
of
Pottsville
to buy
some
bread,
rissoles
from
the
butchers
and we
also
picked up
some more
tasty
locally
grown
bananas
from
a front
garden stand.
Afterwards
we headed
a few more
kilometres
up the
coast to
Cabarita
Beach,
where we
spent the
rest
of
the
morning
at
the
beach.
Picturesque
lava flows
mark both
extremities
of the
beach, the
sand is
golden and
scattered
with
shells
and
rock
pools
and
the
water
lovely
and
warm
and clear;
a
really
beautiful
beach.
We
ate
lunch
in
the
picnic
area
behind the
beach and
the
girls
played on
the
playground
whilst we
had a
quite hour
or so
reading
and
updating
our web
pages.
Next stop was Surfers Paradise further up the coast. On the way
we crossed
over the
border
from New
South
Wales to
Queenstown.
We
were
surprised
at and
disappointed by
the size
of the
town, with
its big
tower
blocks. We
were
expecting
something
similar to
the
lovely
Byron Bay,
but this
surfer's
paradise
is on
another
scale. We
managed
to
park on
the sea
front and
had a
quick
wander up
the main
touristy
street,
Cavill
Mall,
before
going to
the beach.
An
enormous grey
storm
cloud came
over only
minutes
later, the
temperature
dropped by
a good 10
degrees
and the
wind
picked up.
We
ran
for
cover
before the
heavens
opened! We
drove a
couple
of
kilometres
further
north to a
smaller
and
quieter
area where
we
spotted
a
nice
boat
launching
area to
spend the
night before
heading to
a seafood
restaurant
for
dinner. We
fed the
kids pasta
beforehand,
so that we
could,
hopefully,
enjoy a
pleasant
meal... We
ate bugs
and
prawns,
washed
down with
a local
chardonnay!
The bugs
are in
fact
Moreton
Bay bugs,
similar to
lobster. The
meal was
absolutely
delicious
and
the
girls
were
well
behaved
with their
drawing
books and
Nintendo
DS.
 |
 |
| Impressive
storm
cloud
hits
Surfers
Paradise! |
Ominous sky
over
Surfers
Paradise |
17 Mar: Brisbane
Today's destination is Brisbane. We were surprised by the amount
of traffic
on the
roads
around the
city, but
we managed
to
park
the
campervan
in the
town
centre and
headed to
the city
hall,
with
the
objective
of doing
the Lonely
Planet's
city
walking
tour.
The
city
hall,
built in
1920, has
a clock
tower
accessible
by a lift
which
opens at
10am. As
we had
arrived at
10:40am we
were
perplexed
to
see it
not
open.
That's
when we
discovered
that
there's an
hours
difference
between
New South
Wales and
Queenstown!
We'd been
an hour
ahead
since
yesterday
afternoon!
We were
actually
up at 6am
this
morning
and we
actually
walked
into the
restaurant
yesterday
evening
at
18:15!!!
We picnicked on the lovely lawns of St. Stephens Cathedral and
Chapel.
The chapel
was the
first
church to
be built
in
Queensland
in
1850.
We
stopped
off at the
Commissariat
Stores
Building,
a building
built by
convicts,
now a
museum
providing
insight
into
Brisbane's
gruesome
penal
history.
We crossed
the river
on a fast
passenger
ferry
and
the
girls
enjoyed
a
dip in
the
pools
at
Streets
Beach; a
beautiful
oasis of
beaches
and pools
in the
city
centre.
We got caught in a big tailback on the motorway leaving Brisbane
and
struggled
to find a
camping
spot for
the night;
the two
indicated
in our
guide were
closed...
We
thankfully managed
to
find a
quiet spot
before it
was pitch
dark at
18:30...
 |
 |
| Brisbane |
Saint Stephens
Chapel
in
Brisbane |
18 Mar: Australia Zoo
Our first stop of the day was at the Glass House Mountains
lookout to
see the
spectacular
volcanic
cone
mountains.
Unfortunately
the
weather
wasn't at
it's best;
there were
big grey
clouds
looming
ominously
over us.
Next stop,
Australia
Zoo. We
saw
the
Crocoseum
show at
11am, to
see
the zoo's
famous
crocodiles and
were very
disappointed
by the
American
style
presentation
-
completely
over the
top...
Fortunately
the
smaller
afternoon
shows were
much less
cheesy. We
really
enjoyed
the
original
tiger
show: The
keepers
played
with the
big cats
as if they
were
kittens
and jumped
into a
pool with
the
tigers,
who dived
and
swam
quite
happily
in
the
water
much
to
our
amazement.
There were
a
couple
of
kangaroo
and
wallaby
enclosures
which we
could
walk through
in order
to stroke
and feed
the
marsupials.
We
were
able
to
pat a
koala
too.
We
also
saw
crocodiles
being
feed,
active
wombats,
echidnas,
emus, cassowaries
(huge
black
birds like
emus, with
a
colourful
neck), a K
omodo
lizard
(the
world's
largest
lizard
up
to 3
meters!)
and lots
of exotic
birds.
Sophie
even went
on
a short
donkey
ride. It
was a fun
day for
all the
family.
That morning we had booked a 4WD day tour of Fraser Island for
the next
day,
so we
had
a 2
hour
drive
to
get to
Rainbow
Beach, the
departure
point
before
sunset. We
arrived as
it was
getting
dark,
barbequed
some
marinated
chicken by
the beach
and ate in
the
campervan.
A council
employee
came to
check that
it wasn't
our
intention
to spend
the
night
there and
informed
us of a
roadside
area
opposite
the
backpackers
where
overnight
campervans
are
tolerated.
The down
side
was
that a
group of
backpackers
had
decided to
spend an
hour or so
on a
bench
next
to
our
campervan,
drinking,
playing
rugby and
generally
making
a
lot of
noise
until 1:30
am...
 |
 |
 |
| Glass House
Mountains |
Family shot
with
a
western
grey
kangaroo |
Patting a
koala
named
Chloé |
19 Mar: Fraser Island
We were all up at 6am, the sun rises early in Queensland... We
boarded
our 4WD
coach for
the day at
7:45; an
impressive
piece of
machinery
with 600
horsepower,
quite a
beast!
After
a ten
minute
drive to
Inskip
Point, we
boarded a
barge to
take us
over to
Fraser
Island.
Fraser
Island is
a World
Heritage
Site, a
unique
sand
island
covered
in
rainforest
and fresh
water
lakes and
creeks. It
was a pity
that
the
weather
wasn't
better, it
was
overcast
and
showers
were
forecast...
The drive
along the
southern
end of
the
island,
along seventy
five mile
beach's
water
edge was
impressive.
It's
amazing
how
fast
the
coach
speeded
over the
sands. A
bonus, we
stopped
off to see
a
venomous
sea snake
on the
way. After
morning
tea and
muffins,
we
headed
further up
the island
over rocks
in some
areas, to
a couple
of
aeroplanes
waiting on
the sands.
Air Fraser
was
proposing
15 min
scenic
flights
over the
island. We
didn't
need much
persuasion
as
the
price
was
very
reasonable. The
pilot took
us up to
about
150
metres
in
his
small
7-seater
over the
rain
forest,
inland
sand
dunes,
3
of the
island's
lakes,
over Eli
Creek, a
ship wreak
on
the
beach
and
the
Pinnacles.
A
spectacular
flight and
worth
every
minute
of
it to
get
a
bird's
eye
view
of
this
beautiful
and
diverse
island.
We
landed
back on
the sands,
next to
the Maheno
shipwreck,
a
130m
luxury
1900's
cruise
ship that
used to
sail
between
Auckland
and
Sydney.
Next stop Eli Creek for a paddle up and down a beautifully clear,
sand-lined
stream. If
the sun
had
been
out
we'd
have
probably
gone right
in and
swum it.
We saw a
fresh
water eel
on the
way. After
a buffet
lunch we
headed
through
the
rainforest
on a
really
narrow
sandy
track to
Central
Station
and
a
short
rainforest
walk
(hands up
too our
driver!).
We saw
huge stag
head
ferns
growing
on
the
trunks
of
trees,
a
rare fern
growing
in Wanggoolba
Creek's
bed
dating
back
to
prehistoric
times and
funnel
spider's
nests
(lethal
spiders...). Then
a further
10kms
drive
inland
to
Lake
McKenzie,
rated
by some
to be the
most
idyllic
bathing
spot on
the
planet.
The sands
are white,
97% silica
and ideal
for a
beauty
session.
The waters
are a
stunning
light blue
in the
shallows
and
a
beautiful
deep blue
further
in. We
spent
almost an
hour
bathing
in
the
waters,
regrettably
under a
drizzle,
but it was
fun
all
the
same!
Then
a
long
bumpy
drive passing
2 dingoes,
back
to
the
barge
and
Rainbow
Beach
for
a
second
night,
but
thankfully
quieter
night, in
front of
the
backpackers.
We
discovered
there was
a free
WIFI
connection
available
from the
van so we
Skyped our
respective
parents,
who were
luckily in
at the
time.
 |
 |
 |
| A venomous sea
snake |
The 4WD
coach |
A view of
Fraser
Island
from
the
air |
 |
 |
 |
| The 7-seater
for
our
scenic
flight
-
François
and
the
girls
with
our
pilot |
Wadding up
Eli
Creek |
Idyllic Lake
Mc
Kenzie |
20 Mar: Tin Can Bay
This morning we headed around the bay from Rainbow Beach to Tin
Can Bay to
try to see
and feed
wild
dolphins
there.
There are
rare, in
fact
endangered,
freshwater dolphins
that live
in the
estuary
and come
to
Barnacle's
Café most
mornings
since four
dolphin
generations (since
the
1950's)
for daily
feeding
sessions.
We
arrived
just in
time, for
the 8 am
feeding
session to
commence.
There were
two
dolphins
present.
We were
knee-deep
in the
water
with
the
dolphins
swimming
patiently
around our
legs for
their
fish.
It
was
amazing to
see them
so close,
although
we were
not
allowed
to
touch
them, they
were
swimming
just
centimetres
from us.
Each
dolphin is
rationed
to 3kgs of
fish a
day, so we
bought the
girls a
fish each.
The
dolphins
gently ate
the fish
out of
their
hands.
Super!
Volunteers
manage the
feeding
sessions
and look
after
the
well
being
of
the
dolphins.
It's great
to have
such an
activity
for
free,
we
hope it
lasts!
We drove nearly 400 kms further north, with a quick stop off in
Maryborough
to see the
birth
place of
the author
of Mary
Poppins
and
a
pause at
Gladstone
to view
the
shipping
town from
a lookout.
We
spent
the
night
on a
lovely
large free
riverside
campsite
near
Calliope
and we all
watched
the
beginning
of the
film Mary
Poppins on the
Archos
before
bedtime!
 |
 |
| Gaelle feeding
a
dolphin |
Sophie's
turn |
21 Mar: Roslyn Bay
It's Saturday and wash day, so today we headed to a campsite! We
chose one
on the
coast just
south of
Rosyln
Bay. We
arrived at
11
am,
after
a 3
hour
drive.
We're now
officially
in the
tropics as
we crossed
the Tropic
of
Capricon
today! We
spent a
lazy day,
reading
whilst
the
kids
splashed
around in
the
swimming
pool with
other
children.
The
campsite
was
infested
with
mosquitoes,
apparently
a result
of the
recent
cyclone in
the area,
and
despite
special
Australian
tropical repellent
we all got
bitten...
Late
afternoon
we went on
a long
walk along
the beach,
collecting
shells. We
saw signs
on the
beach for
the first
time
warning
of
marine
stingers
and we had
been
informed
that the
river
nearby
had
crocodiles
in it.
We're
beginning
to wonder
whether
we'll
enjoy the
north with
all its nasty
creepy
crawlies
and
deadly
animals...!
We didn't
fancy
being food
for the
mossies in
the
evening,
so we went
to the
marina for
a drink
and a
dinner.
22 Mar: Finch Hatton Gorge and Eungella National Park
We hit the road at 8 am, direction Finch Hatton Gorge in Eungella
National
Park to
the west
of MacKay.
Estimated
drive time
5-6 hours.
We stopped
off for a
BBQ lunch
on the way
and a
tourist
information
office to
stock up
on local
leaflets
and tips.
We decided
to stay at
a basic
campsite,
Platypus
Bush Camp,
in Finch
Hatton
Gorge and
arrived
around
3pm. The 1
km dirt
track is
quite
adventurous with a couple
of stream
crossings
and lots
of pot
holes! At
the bush camp there's a
nice river
swimming
hole there
and
inner
tubes to
raft down
the small
rapids.
The girls
had great fun!
We then
drove up a
steep windy
road to
Broken
River just
before
sunset to
try and
spot the
shy
platypus
at a national park
viewing
platform.
We waited
for almost
10 minutes
before the
first
platypus
made
itself
seen,
followed
by 5 or 6
others in the next
half an
hour.
They're
surprisingly
small,
only 40-50
cm long, but it
was great
to see
these
strange
animals
for the
first time!
 |
 |
| Crossing a
river
in
the
campervan! |
Sophie and
Gaelle
rafting
on
inner
tubes |
 |
 |
| François and
the
girls
rafting |
A platypus in
the
wild
at
Broken
River |
BACK
| 
