1770 its Sensational

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=picasacid


1770 one and half hours north of Bundaberg.  What a sensational place.  Many people had recommended we come here.  Driving in Pete said not to expect much.  He was expecting the caravan park to be pretty basic and paddock like.  We where pleasantly surprised.  It is right on the water, well maintained and shady trees all about.  The sites are pretty sandy and I am sweeping the van every 5 minutes.  Grace and James could build a sandcastle city in their bed.

Last night we where treated to a beautiful sunset over the water.  All the campers where lined up along the beach in their camp chairs with a bevy enjoying the sunset as where we.   Tonight as we watched the sunset we could hear a boom boom boom and realised a dragon boat was going past.  It was just magic.  You could feel the temperature drop with the sun.

1770 is located out on a "spit" of land I guess you could say and is surrounded by water.  Over the water we can see land that is national park and a lighthouse blinking in the distance.  On this trip I have taken a shine to lighthouses and had decided to collect photos of lighthouses at all our stops.  Unfortunately this lighthouse can only be accessed by boat.

1770's claim to fame is that Lieutenant James Cook ( yes that's right, not a Captain yet) landed here in 1770 to look for freshwater.  He had his two mates Joseph Banks a botanist and Dr Solander with him. I am not sure who or what Dr Solander was.



We had two special moment here today.  The first was priceless and I'm sure you will get a real laugh out of it.  Mr Red Elephant was joined by a new fishing mate a Pelican.  Well Mr Pelican swam next to Pete while he was fishing.  As soon as Pete would wind the reel in Mr Pelican would get all excited and  start honking, chasing Pete up the beach trying to get his fish.  Meanwhile due to Grace and James experience with the Pelicans at Yamba they hide behind me squealing and shouting.  Unfortunately due to a technical hitch I cannot share the movie tonight but will as soon as I can.

After lunch we went for a bush walk up the round hill creek trail and to Bustard bay lookout.  On the way we walked through a gully that was home to 1000's of beautiful blue butterflies.  We where right in amongst them  it was such a magical experience.  The butterflies where feeding on the nectar of the Black Boys.  We would a shake a branch and they would rise and all flutter all around us.    Needless to say Grace and James got busy with their fishing nets and are now sleeping in a butterfly sanctuary.  I do not think words or pictures could convey how special this experience was.  Money could not buy the past 24 hours we have had in 1770.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Grey Nomad Species under Observations

Grey Nomads are the species who have grey hair and like to frequent caravan parks in the northern regions of Australia over the winter months.  I have been studying this species and have made a few observations.

The lady of the species are on the move early dressed in fluffy button up dressing gowns.
When studying the species early morning you may spy a spare pair of teeth in a see through toilet bag.
Whilst the male of the species is industriously sitting in the sun studying the newspaper.

They seem to prefer the larger caravans that have two wheels.

They like to partake in a morning cuppa tables always have tablecloths the morning brew is drunken from a china cup  and you will find a pretty china sugar bowl and matching milk jug on the table and if you look closely you may see a plate of biscuits.

The front of their caravans can be adorned with any of the following, walking sticks, pot plants, bowls shirts, portable clotheslines,crockpots, birds in cages, small hound dogs and the must have is a Television aerial.

The male of the species can be very fastidious cleaning and polishing his vehicle, cleaning windows, checking tiedown ropes on caravans and polishing golf shoes.

The Grey Nomads like to spend their afternoons in following pursuits, scrabble, reading, crosswords, word searches, knitting, crochet, tapestry and finishing the study of newspapers all of these pursuits is usually carried out sitting in a camp chair outside in the sun.

They like to end the day with happy hour where they gather in groups, talking at  length and can be heard laughing.

The grey nomads do like a good chat and are a great source of information on all things caravanning, travelling and fishing.

We do like the Grey Nomads.

Mr and Mrs Red Elephant look forward to joining the Grey Nomads Species in 20 years time.

Bundy - Bundaberg Region

Well here we are at Elliot Heads just 15 minutes south of Bundaberg.  Elliot Heads is a VERY quiet little beachside community with the added bonus of having a river.  We arrived the day before last driving through flat country and being surrounded by fields of sugar cane.

Since being here we have enjoyed the beach and Pete has gotten in a bit of fishing.  The rocks either end of the beach are dark grey and more like bolders.  It was explained to me by a local that this is due to the volcanic activity in the area many millennium ago.

We have visited the Bundy Barrel where Bundaberg Ginger Beer is made.  We went through the "museum" that was really interactive and was great for the kids.  At the end we had a tasting and tasted 10/12 of their different flavour soft drinks.  The kids thought this was great as they only have soft drink once in a blue moon.  We then purchased some of our favourites and Pete stocked up on his Sarsparilla.

Bundaberg Barrell

We could have visited the Bundaberg Rum distillery, but did not think it appropriate with kids in tow.  Besides we don't drink the stuff.

On our way out and about today we came across a big sugar cane harvester that was cutting the cane, a tractor with a big basket followed and caught the cane and transferred it to a little train.  We stopped to watch, the harvester was big and noisy and kicking up a lot of dust with bits of sugar cane flying everywhere.  To Grace and James and myself it was like a great big scary monster after us.  It is amazing seeing fields of tall sugar cane next to paddocks of red red earth.

Sugar Can Bales

Sugar Cane Harvester

We called in at Mon Repos.  From November to March the turtles come into this beach to lay their eggs and a few months later the little turtles hatch and make their way down the beach to make their way in the world.  I would love to see this and be part of it.  Unfortunatly I don't think my Canberra body could cope with the heat and humidy at that time of the year up here.  We did meet a nice local who told us all about the turtles and the little hatchlings.  When the turtles hatch they get all the kids to line up from the hatching site down to the shore.  The kids then make a tunnel with their legs to guide the hatchlings back to the ocean.

We also visited the Botanic Gardens and had a ride around the gardens in a little coal fed sugar cane train.

On the way home we bought a 500gr punnnet of strawberries from a local farmer.  It was a 3km trip back to the park and all the strawberries where eaten before we hit the park.  They where luscious.

Red Elephants and Mary Poppins

Today we drove through the quaint town of Maryborough  we had not planned to stop but James spied out the car window a statue of Mary Poppins.  Well we just had to stop and find out what Marry Poppins was doing in Maryborough.  It turns out the writer of Mary Poppins was born in Maryborough her name was Pamela Lyndon Travers.  Her father was the bank manager and Pamela was born in a upstairs room of the bank in 1899.

Lovely day with Mary

Sample of old building

There where lots of beautiful old buildings and a lovely garden park that was very well maintained.  I just wanted to share with you some of the photos from Maryborough and the gems you discover when you make a spontaneous stop.

We called this one James

Chalk Street Art

Chalk Street Art

Chalk Street Art

Refreshing Fraser Island

Today the Red Elephants toured Fraser Island in style in a big Truck come Bus.  We decided to hang the cost and play it safe by doing a tour.  Leading up to this mega trip of ours we have had a lot of car trouble and spent a lot of money on our Brindi.  Pete is not a confident 4wd driver and did not want to risk any further issues and costs to Brindi our Toyota Prado.

The Troopie

 We where picked up out the front of the park bright and early.  This is the first time in 3 weeks we have had to meet a specific time frame.  We where being picked up at 7.40  I was helping James with his shoes  when Grace tells us its 7.38. LETS GO!!!!

As we went down the beach to embark the barge to cross to the island we decided that if we where driving there was no way we would have made it to the barge.  The beach was soft with deep ruts and tracks left by other Troop Carriers and 4wd's.

Any way lets get to Fraser Island.  Fraser Island is heritage listed and the worlds only fully sand Island. The sand is pure white and so fine it reminded me of caster sugar.  As the trope dropped us of at Lake Mckenzie our guide suggested we give ourselves a beauty treatment and rub the sand over our skin  to gain soft skin.  James  immediately sat in the sand and rubbed it all over his legs, they are lovely and soft now.  He then insisted we all do it, so all the Red Elephants have lovely skin all over thanks to lake McKenzie natures beauty parlour.  Lake Mckenzie is a beautiful freshwater lake that is crystal clear.  The roads up where rough and sandy in fact all roads on Fraser Island are defiantly sandy and rough we bumpily bumped along all day in the troopie.

SS Maheno

Fireman Pole Tees

We then drove through sub tropical rainforest with these huge tall trees that reached for the sky.  The trunks where as straight as a fireman's pole James said.  It was amazing to see the these big trees growing so tall with nothing to anchor them but sand.  We where introduced to the Satinay tree it is a Fraser Island specialty and in Fraser Islands hey day of logging these trees where used to rebuild the Suez Canal and build the wharves around our own Circular Quey.  In the middle of this rainforest is Central Station,no trains, but it was the old logging base.  We walked through the giant trees along Wanggoolba Creek.  It may sound strange but the creek was so clear Pete and I thought it had a layer of  algae on the top, but on closer inspection the water was as clear as a freshly cleaned window.

Lake McKenzie

We where then driven along 75 mile Beach at a great rate to  the Pinacles, Eli Creek and the SS Meheno ship wreck.  This ship was a hospital ship before she decided to stay permanently on 75 Mile Beach Fraser Island.

Now I must say that I was at odds with Fraser Island a world Heritage listed "wilderness" area.  I like to enjoy my wilderness in its natural state not with busloads of tourists.  Every where we stopped there was at least three other troopies full of tourists.  On the pristine 75 Mile beach there where other troopies , 4wd's  hurtling up and down the beach.  There where even 2 little planes doing tourist flights from the beach.  It just did not seem right.  But there was I on a tourist trope being part of the wrongness.

SS Maheno Shipwreck

This is the SS Maheno ship wreck it used to be used as a hospital ship before  it ran aground.

Lake McKenzie

 Lake Mckenzie a beautiful Crystal clear freshwater lake up a mountain and sand mountain I guess.  The water was 20'C but still a little chilly for us.  It was beautiful to walk around and the sand was white white and as fine as caster sugar.  The road up was very rugged through bush land and tea tree.

Red Elephant Excitement at Rainbow Beach

Today we just travelled up the road to Rainbow Beach.  Rainbow beach is a far way in off the highway.  Driving  in we passed vast tracts of pine forests something that I did not expect to see up this way.  There was also a great plume of smoke in the distance, could it be the sugar cane burning perhaps?

We arrived at Rainbow Beach to much excitement.  All the grey nomads popped out of their  van to see the newcomer and how on earth we where going to get our "Willow" in such a small site in an awkward location.  There was all sorts of advice and after Pete nearly took out the fully loaded washing  line.  I was sent to get the man with the tractor who would get our van on the site no worries.  Well the man gave me the keys to the tractor then thought better of it.  He had Willow in position in no time at all and we quickly set up to the sound of our rumbling tummies.

After a bit more chatting with our new neighbours we set of a walk of Rainbow Beach.  It is a lovely little village with a main street that leads straight to the beach.  On the beach was a 4wd Police car on patrol.  The local Surf Life Club has a bistro that overlooks the beach.  We also discovered some great playgrounds that Grace and James tested out.  We then went on an explore looking for the Sand Blow that our neighbours at the park had told us about.  This ended up being a massive sand dune.  Grace and James immediately climbed up the "sand blow" and then ran back down with James building up speed and doing a big face plant at the end.  Pete caught Grace before she went plummeting over the edge.  The kids then convinced me to climb the sand blow and run down because it was so much fun.  Let me tell you it was no fun going up, but a great view at the top,  much more fun going down.

what is Mr Red Elephant pointing to?

Rainbow Cliffs of Rainbow Beach

Tomorrow we will go to Tin Can Bay to see the wild dolphins being fed and the return to the park to hang out and the kids might end up getting wet either at the beach or in the pool.

I am really liking Rainbow Beach it has a nice feel about it the park is nice and clean and looks nearly book out with grey nomads and I have detected some international voices.

Oh and the great plume of smoke that looked like it was getting closer and scarier was QLD national parks doing some back burning.  After a light shower of rain it all but disappeared

We then need to make a big decision "do we go to Fraser Island on a tour or do we try and drive it ourselves?"  Watch this space

Australia Zoo

Thanks to our sponsor ( Nicola)  we have just spent a wonderful day at Australia Zoo.  If you have read  Pete's ramblings you will know that we got there before the gates opened at 9 am and where one of the final families to leave at 5.30pm.

We spent some one on one time with the Red Panda's.  We feed them fruit salad and patted their lovely thick fur.  They are so cute and adorable we wanted to take them home with us.

Australia Zoo is so BIG  with so many animals to see.  You might remember our friend the bush turkey from Dorrigo well he has followed us up the highway and was there throughout the Zoo.  I did not know but he scratches up great piles of dirt, bark and leaves to make a mountain of a nest to impress the lady turkey's.  I was impressed and wanted to curl up in the turkey nest after following James into a cave and whacking my head on the roof.  I have had a sore head all day.

We watched the Crocodile show in the Crocoseum.  This was brilliant and you might be surprised to learn that I enjoyed the birds that participated much more than the crocs.  We saw Toucans, Macaws, Wedge Tailed Eagles,   a big bird of prey that I cannot remember but may have been a vulture or a Preregin Falcon.

We also watched the keepers at play with two 10 month old Tiger cubs.  This was brilliant they where so playful.  The Tigers jumped into a pool and swam about, there was a window under the pool so you could see their whole body swimming under the water.  I did not think Tigers liked water being part of the cat family but there you go.

All day long Grace and I where on the watch for Bindi but unfortunately we did not spot any of the Irwin family.   Grace would like to go back on thursday when there are big celebrations at the zoo for Bindi's 16th Birthday.  Grace was very disappointed she did not get to see Bindi.  James was full of questions about Bindi's dad and how they got to have a zoo.

We finished the day by a visit to the Wildlife  Hospital that is attached to the zoo.  We watched through the window as a wallaby was operated on and had his leg bandaged up.  We also saw a lizard that had been brought in that was being weighed.  The hospital was built by Steve in memory of his mother.

What a wonderful bloke Steve Irwin was and what a legacy he has left behind.  We should all strive to leave the world in a better place in our own way.

Thank you again to our friend Nicola for a great day.

Red Elephants do Underwater World @ Mooloolaba

I like the word Mooloolaba.  Its fun!  How many o's in Mooloolaba  2 for the M and 2 for the L thats plenty for you  now count the a's 1 for the la and 1 for ba   now sing la ba na na na la ba na na na.  Does that not make you feel happy.

We had a happy time today at Underwater World.  The brochure  recommended 2 hours, we where there for four.  And basically did 3 laps.  The kids loved it!  We started with touching and feeling starfish and a sea cucumbers.  Did you now that some starfish can grow as big as a metre?  We then moved onto the  seahorses arnt they funny looking creatures?  Apparently the dad seahorse carries up to 200 eggs in his pouch.  Around the corner was all the nasty fish that bite and sting and have sharp bits.  We then dashed upstairs to watch the seal show.  The seals at underwater world are very cheeky.  One seal they have rescued was known to have stolen from peoples picnic baskets and eskie's.  He reminded me of Yogi Bear.   We then went back downstairs for  walk through the underwater tunnel.  This was amazing having fish such as stingrays, Sea Groper, 6 different types of Sharks, Manta Rays, Trevally, Swordshark, Turtles, and other pretty colourful fish, swimming over your head and all around you.  It was like being in another world.

Upstairs we go to see the Crocodile and Barramundi.  I could not get Pete away from the Barramundi , I think he was imagining catching one.  There was also all sorts of Frogs we had to hunt for in their enclosures.  We watched the cute little Otters and where told stories of how they had staged escapes.  Clever little critters that they are.

My favourite was the Jellyfish.  The Jellyfish where in vertical tubes that where lit up with various changing colours.  Just think of a floor to ceiling live lava lamp with the jellyfish being the lava.

We left thinking that it was well worth the ticket fee to get in.

I was also craving fresh air and sun.  So we went for a stroll around the Mooloolaba foreshore.  Very nice indeed.

So tomorrow we are all very excited to be going to Australia Zoo.  Especially Grace who is hoping to see Bindi.

Ponderings on the Road

Laundry fees for washing and Dryers is $4 to $5 per load possible wash and dry costing $10 per load!
Have come across one dryer who did not want to be helpful.

Childrens voices seem louder in confined spaces.  I have a new mantra "small space , small voice."

Servo's up this way also sell Fruit and Veg

Mr Red Elephant has fished every other day and we still have not had fish for dinner.

Mr Red Elephant has asked me to re write that he has caught fish but has generously returned them to the sea.

Children do not need a room full of toys they are happy with a big tree to climb, beach to run on and dig in, space to play ball.

Keeping to the list when grocery shopping is near impossible with husband and children in toe.

Keeping to a healthy diet is also near impossible for the same reasons

We will indeed all return looking like Elephants.

Caravan Park toilet blocks seem to like to play music from the golden oldies genre.  think Neil Diamond, Slim Dusty, John Denver, Tom Jones.

All our parks so far seem to have some type of noise pollution we have had, highway noise, trains, spooky rustling in bushes at night, planes and lawnmower men appear as soon we sit down to enjoy a cuppa!

Byron Bay at it's Best

Today we had a beautiful warm sunny day in Byron Bay.  It was extra warm after I heard on the Caravan Park grapevine that it was 8'c at home and snowfall down to 600 metres.  Byron had a hip and happening vibe about it.  Lots of young people and a few older hippie types where spotted out the car window.  Our object for the day was to see the Lighthouse and go to the most easterly point in Oz.  The road up to the lighthouse was long and narrow and windy and not far from the town centre.  There was not much parking up there and the parking was pay parking.  In fact most of Byron seems to be pay parking.  So we ended up walking up to the lighthouse from way down the mountain.    This time we walked 3.7 km  much more manageable but all up hill, except of course the return journey.  But it was very steep and lots of steps.  I was surprised to see many young yummy mummies pushing their prams up some even would have the second baby in a pouch at their front.  I even spotted a man climbing the steps with prosthetic leg. awesome!

I can tell you my ticker got a good work out today not to mention my legs that felt like jelly once I got to the top.

But I must say the view along the way was nothing short of spectacular.  We spotted 5 whales spouting through their blowholes and waving their tales at us.  A pod of dolphins that must of counted 15.  Clear sparkling waters with groups of sea kayakers out getting their morning exercise.   The sky was blue the sun was shining and the air was warm.  The lighthouse was tempting us upwards like a beacon.

Once up the top and I got my breath back and my ticker settled down and my legs stopped being jelly we where lucky enough to on a tour up the lighthouse.  This was Grace and James first time in a lighthouse and it was their job to count the steps up.  They counted 70 going up and found an extra one coming down 71.  There are no more lighthouse keepers and Grace and James decided they would not like to be lighthouse keeper kids, to boring, apparently.  Personally I thought it would be great.

I do not want to be disloyal to our beaches on the south coast of Australia but the sand up here seems to be finer and more softer.  And the water was warm enough to put my toes in.

I can see why Byron Bay attracts so many people from all parts of the world.  It is just beautiful in a cafe latte coastal beachey type of way.

Red Elephants are in Yamba

Red Elephants are in Yamba!!  We where heading for Ballina when we saw the turn of for Yamba.  Our good friends from Canberra where visiting their family in Yamba and had told us to call in.  So we did!!  The kids have just had a lovely time together.  The adults have had 2 hot beverages and an alcoholic one some nibbles, dinner and a chat.  What could be better.  Thank you to our friends and their family for sharing their house and feeding us this afternoon.  You know we think the world of you.

So we have decided to break the itinerary and stay in Yamba for 2 nights.  Tomorrow will be a day of rest and hanging out and I guess I better do a load of washing.

Since our last post we visited the Butterfly House just south of Coffs Harbour.  What lovely people and what beautiful butterflies they have.  Did you know that butterflies like warm humid conditions.  The temperature inside their house was 35'c.  Being Canberran's straight from our winter this was quiet a shock.  We quickly stripped of our jackets and jumpers but where still HOT.  Pete embraced his inner butterfly while the kids an I escaped the hot humid conditions and checked out the bug house and then got lost in the maze.  Some of us that are small enough to fit under maze fences got to the centre of the maze before their mother who does not believe in the drop and roll under the fence method of getting to the Maze centre.

We then decided we would get some hot chips for lunch and sit and eat them by the beach at Urunga.  My advice to you is.  Do not go looking for hot chips on a sunday at 1.30pm in a small coastal town as you maybe disappointed and you may have to wait 45 minutes for the chips to be cooked.  By witch time everyone is starving and over it.

The Bears where very excited to be visiting the Honey Place.  They promised the man at the front desk that they would be on their best behaviour and would not dip their paws in any honey pots.  They did get to see bees in  beehive and see and have a spin of the honey spinner thingy.  We all had a taste of the different honeys and agreed that the Coffs Flora Honey tasted the best.

So we packed up and said good bye to Bellinger River this morning only to discover that our back blinker was on the blink.  Not to worry  two lovely caravan park gentlemen came to our rescue one with his little wooden toolbox with a rope pull lid that looked somewhat like the pencil boxes you make in woodwork in high school and the other gentle man came to the rescue with a butter knife!    You will be pleased to know that Pete now knows how to fix a blinker on the blink all by himself now.

The BIG BANANA  what visit to Coffs is not complete without going to the Big Banana.  The kids now know what a Banana tree looks like how they are harvested and packed and that frozen banana's covered in chocolate is very yum.  My question to you is why is a place where they grow apples and oranges called an orchard and place where banana's are grown called a plantation?

I prefer chocolate but the rest of the red elephants like any thing sweet and especially lollies.  They where in heaven today when we visited the Lolly shop at the Big Banana and they saw how Rock Lollies are made and how the patterns are put in the lollies.

So  all in all we have gone banana's and have had a very sweet 48 hours.

Wonga Walk at Dorrigo National Park

Today we set of on a day trip from our park through the pretty town of Bellingen and up the mountain to Dorrigo National Park.  Driving up we where glad that we left Willow behind as the road was very tight and windy and really not caravan friendly.  Of course as soon as we got there the kids where hungry so we had morning tea at some picnic tables and where soon joined by a bush turkey.  What a strange looking bird, a bit bigger than a chicken, black feathered, red head and and wearing a wrinkly yellow necklace.   We where scared he was going to help himself to our morning tea.

We spoke to a nice lady in the visitors centre who recommended we do the Skywalk followed by the, wait for it, "Wonga Walk."  The skywalk was about 100 meters above the rainforest canopy with a view of the National Park and surrounding mountains.  Very nice.  We then set of on the Wonga Walk full of enthusiasm and taking lots of photos.  Not surprising it was very dark and little chilly walking through the forest.  It was very impressive walking through the old trees some ageing 300 years old.  A lot of the trees had vines growing all over that I later found out are called Strangler Figs.  These made all sorts shapes and patterns.  We came to the Tristania Falls ,water cascading over shiny black rock.  A quick photo session then we moved on and kept going.  Just keep walking ,just keep walking still going downhill.  To the Crystal Shower Falls , beautiful sparkly falls doing the long fall with a cave behind.  This is where we sat to have our packed lunch vegemite and peanut butter rolls to the side of the cave we a view of the falls and the suspension bridge we where about to cross.  Revived we set of on the upwards return to the carpark.  By this time we had tied kids with tied legs lucky it was Bush Turkey Territory and we attempted a Bush Turkey Stakeout. ***** NEWS FLASH the 8.23pm train has just crossed the Bellinger River Bridge*****.  While on stake out we could hear the whip bird calling out to his mate.  For bird lovers there was a side walk  called "walk with the Birds boardwalk."  We only managed to see our friend the Bush Turkey and some other fat bird sitting way up high on a branch.  The whole walk was 6.6 km and took us just over 3 hours.

View from Skywalk

Bush Turkey

Tristiana Falls

Crystal Falls

Crystal Falls from Cave

We then headed through the Dorrigo township to the Dangar Falls and walked the 10 steps to the viewing platform.  These falls are fairly wide an fall straight down into what looks like a big deep pool. No rainforest here.  We had a bit of a father/daughter /swing/ sore leg/ incident so it was only Pete and James who made the 10 minute walk down to the bottom of the Dangar falls

The lesson learnt from todays expedition was pack even more snacks  and maybe a walk of 4.5 to 5 km is our limit.  Kids went to sleep no problems tonight.  I wonder why that is??

Head over to Petes Ramblings for his fishing update