Red Elephants in Townsville

We  have just spent a wonderful two days with some Canberra friends in Townsville.  We thank you for your hospitality and your laughter.

So we did not get to Townsville until school pick up time.  This worked perfectly as the kids went to pick up their friends from school while Pete and I parked Willow in the street and did a bit of tree surgery while we where at it.  Our first afternoon was spent with the boys going to soccer training and me and the girls at home with the girls playing Evil Knievel on the skateboards.  Seriously I was in fear of their lives.

HEY hey the gangs all here

Our friends have a great deck out the back with a leafy green backyard.  We enjoyed a beaut barbie on the deck prepared and cooked by Andrew, and lucky for us Paula arrived home just in time.

Barbie car

The Fort

Our next day was touch and go as rain was forecast and there was a big green blob making its way across the state on the synoptic chart.  We decided to be like the girls and be Evil Knievel's and take the chance on going to Magnetic Island.  So glad we did, we had a great day.  Mr Red Elephants stepped down from driving his 4wd and drove what we called a barbie car and it was pink too.  We drove around an explored the island at its many beaches.  On one side of the island it was blowing a gale but around the other side with the big mountains to protect it it was nice and still.  Being Red Elephants  we did the Forts Walk.  From memory i think it was 4.5 k  and of course all up mountains except for the return of course.  We saw to Koala's tucked up high in the trees.  Just how do they hang when the tree is blowing around and they are fast asleep?  The Forts was a WW2 base and look out.  So great views out over the ocean and back to Townsville.  After this walk we where a "little" hot and bothered so we returned to Horseshoe beach for a dip and paddle before returning our Barbie car and hopping on the ferry back Townsville.

View from inside the Fort

We found our way back to our friends and Andrew had pizzas on the go in the barbie and cold drinks ready to go.

We sleep well last night, I don't know if it had something to do with the Forts walk or the sound of rain on the roof.

Sleepy Koala

Bowen

First stop for the Red Elephants was the Big Mango a quick photo opportunity then into Bowen itself.  We are very spoilt and have a site right on the water and have had our evening cuppa's outside every night with the full moon looking out to sea.

Bowen's Big Mango

On arrival we heard that it was the lowest tide for the year.   Well actually this happens twice a year, so on this super low tide you are able to walk out to this island with a old lighthouse.  LETS DO IT!!  We and the rest of Bowen where taking part in what felt like a pilgrimage to this island.  It was a great atmosphere as a never ending string of people, young and old and even a few pooches where walking out ankle to knee deep in water.  We only had a limited time before the tide changed and we would have to high tail it back in.  We came across some amazing starfish that where as big as a diner plate and hard and spiky.

looking under the starfish

Grace and her Starfish

Lighthouse Island

Today we discovered the idillic Horseshoe Bay.  A beautiful little bay with beautiful sea green water.  It seems that all the walks we do involve going UP and STEPS  this was no different but boy was the view worth it.  Looking out to sea and seeing some of the northern Witsunday Islands and down to Horseshoe Bay.  We then decided to walk on to the old WWII  Radar bunker/lookout, this supposedly was 500m but seemed a lot longer and went UP and involved STAIRS and clambering over rocks.  But again  it was worth it for the view.  We explained to Grace and James how it would have been used during the war years.

We returned to Horseshoe Bay somewhat hot and thirsty.  The beach inundated with the over 60's the Red Elephants brought the average age down somewhat and turned up the volume of this quiet but popular  little haven.  Needless to say we all had a refreshing dip.

Horseshoe Bay

Today we went for a day trip to Airlie Beach, let me just say not a Grey nomad in sight.  Backpackers everywhere in little cozzies all shapley and tanned.   Pete and the kids had a swim in a man made lagoon while I went for a walk around the boardwalk to the Marina where I discovered the other inhabitants of Airlie beach the yachtie's.   I think Airlie beach is the type of place that although pretty would be go go go all the time.  It was lovely looking out to the Whitsunday Islands but we both decided give us our small towns and Grey Nomads any day.

Airlie Beach

Sarina in the Sugar Cane Fields

Sarina is a town you would normally drive through and think “Sarina” that’s a pretty name rhymes with ballerina.  But we stopped and stayed at a beach just out of Sarina called Armstrong’s Beach.

The night before we stayed at a place called BarraCrab because Pete liked the name, I think he thought he would definitely catch a Barra there.  Let me just say they should take the second b out of their name and replace it with a p.

Back to Sarina, this is sugar cane country. We went on a tour of the Sugar Shed where all things Sugar Cane was explained to us.  How they plant it to how and when it is harvested. The sugar cane is planted as a 15cm piece of cane.  You would think it is planted in a uppy down fashion.  But its not, its planted flat as in horizontal.  They have just started the harvesting season, Peter remembers as a boy the sugar cane fields being burnt but this does not happen any more.  It is harvested with the BIG harvesters I mentioned in another blog.  Here abouts the cane is then loaded onto a little Cane train and trained of to the mill.  There are train tracks everywhere.  There seems to be more train tracks than roads.  We did learn all about the milling, but that is way technical to talk about in a blog.

We then went to the Hay Point Coal Port.  We have seen long trains carting the coal.  Well they all go to this coal port where the coal is loaded onto ships.  Some of the trains are 2km long and may have 5 engines powering them along.    At the coal port there are massive mountains of the coal waiting to be shipped.  The wharf that the ships dock at is almost 2  km long.  Tugs boats are used to bring he ships in and then helicopters are used to guide them out through the reef.  Unfortunately for us there was no action when we where there but it would have been something special to see, especially for one certain little Red Elephant.

Cape Hillsborough National Park, Possums,Kangaroos, Kookaburras and Red Elephants

Cape Hillsborough National Park was just a short hour and half hop from Sarina and was just north of Mackay.  The drive in was very scenic we had the good old Sugar Cane fields next to cattle that look like Brahman.  The paddocks are deliciously green with a backdrop of majestic mountains with rocky escarpments.  Cape Hillsborough itself is a place where the rainforest does indeed come down and meet  the beach.

 We had lovely golden furred little kangaroos hopping around our site and at night ring tailed possums.  Kookaburras would be looking down at us and some of them seemed to have a good old laugh at the Red Elephants.  Could it be that the junior Red Elephants collected coconuts and drew faces on them making a family.  Some of these coconuts made their way into their bed at night.

We went on a walk up and over the headland through rainforest.  It was a very gusty day but we where  protected in the rainforest.  The walk went up and up and up climbing rock stairs, once again my ticker had a good work out.  Once at the top we had a lovely view of Wedge Island, we walked a little further to Turtle Lookout and looked and looked and yes we did see a turtle.  Back down we came and clambered over rocks to Wedge Island where we found the most amazing rock pool.

The park put on outdoor movies on the big screen so for 2 nights in a row we watched outdoor movies in our camp chairs with James and Grace wrapped up in their qwuillows.  The first night we had fish and chips cooked onsite.

Cape HIllsborough is a place you could enjoy for a week or 2, there the pool , beach and about 4 different bush walks.

 Thank you to Cape Hillsborough and the new friends we made, we enjoyed our stay.

Red Elephants Travelling Stats

Some information for anyone planning on doing what we are doing.  These stats are based on our first 4 weeks of travelling.

Kilometers Travelled  3680
$$ Diesal    1026.00
$$ Food       695.00
$$ Site Fees  1388.00
$$ Attraction  1183.00
$$ Laundry  29.00
# of Stops  10
Favourite Stops  Yamba, Rainbow Beach, Emu Park,1770
Rainy Days 1
Books Read   2
Crochet  1 ball of wool = 8 Granny Squares
Memories and fun 100%
Ate one huge box of lollies thanks  to Kingfishers

We are averaging $50.00 per night on site fees.

Seem to have got in the swing of travelling for 3 hours and staying 3 nights.

No Snakes or crocs sited as yet  but we do have bats here at Emu Park.

Red Elephants at Emu Park

We are at Emu Park and have been enjoying the hummmmm of the Singing Ship  as the sea breeze blows through this statue it produces a hum similar to a harp.

The Singing Ship

Today we went for a drive to the Byfield National Park and did the Stony Creek Walk.

On the way we stopped at Yeppoon, Grace wanted to visit Shell World.  They say they have over 20000 shells and I think they may be right.  We where told that one shell in particular was worth $40,000.  Can you imagine a wheel worth the same as a decent small car??

Lucky for me it was market day at Yeppoon the kids had a cake pop each and a lucky dip an I got a few craft ideas for when I return home.

We took a picnic lunch and enjoyed it by Stony Creek.  It was very picturesque, the is stony bottom but has clear clear water.  The walk passed through pine plantations, banksia's in flower and grevillea's

We forgot to pack our drink bottles so in true Bear Grilles style we filled up our chip packets and drunk direct from the creek.

Would you agree , its just beautiful.

The Road to Rocky (Rockhampton)

The road from 1770 to Rockhampton was not what I expected.  Actually it reminded me of home,  there was dry grassy paddocks with mountain ranges in the background.  For those back home it was like driving from Canberra to Cooma the only difference was the outside air temp was 27'c.  I must say I am a bit sad I am not getting to wear my beanies this winter.  As I sit here and type I have one very red shoulder, me thinks it will be very sore tomorrow.

Rocky - Rockhampton again was not what I expected.  I thought it would be tropical and all shiny and coastal.  But  it is was country and dusty and MAN and BEEF territory.  Although we come across a gang of Where's Wally characters in the local McDonalds including the Wizard and Wanda.

Coming into Rockhampton we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn.

The big news is we had a night out on the town.  Yes we lived it up at the Great Western Hotel, being MAN and BEEF territory we enjoyed the most delicious steak in a big MANS size serve.  While enjoying our steak we sat in a bull riding arena.  We did not sit in the ring as that would be plane silly and cranky bulls might stomp on our steak.  So we sat at trestle tables on plastic chairs with gravel under out feet.  Which was kinda handy when James spilt his drink we just wiped it strait onto the floor.  OK  back to the bull riding,  it was training night the first bull rider was a girl aged 3 who rode a fresian cow. We all clapped.  Then they ranged in age from 7 to 13 to 16 and beyond.  It was a great experience  they where dressed cowboy like with their cowboy shirts, wrangler jeans that where just a little dirty, cowboy boots with spurs and of course cowboy hats.  After the fresian we got proper bulls and boy where some of them cranky, one even eyed Grace off.  Maybe it didn't appreciate the fact we where eating steak ringside, did I tell you how good the steak was.  Normally I don't like big hunks of meat but you know when in Rome or MAN and BEEF territory one must eat steak.  The training went for about 1.5 hours and was all free to watch.

Thats me in the pink bottom rt corner

We are staying at Emu Park.    I knew it was going to be good within 5 minutes of staying our grey nomad neighbour said she would put the kettle on and make me a cuppa.  Then Grace and James came screaming back from the toilet.  "MUM, this is the worst toilet ever, there are swooping birds in the toilet and a poisonous green frog."   Its quiet nice actually , I like it. The caravan park would be circa 1960's  but we have a big grassy park at our backdoor.  A big tree with a rope to swing on,   and then theres the beach.  We spent the afternoon at the beach, the water was a little cool for me but I got wet up to my knees.  Its a long beach with rocks one end.  One thing I find interesting is that the rock pools up here seem to be devoid of all life.  Mr Red Elephant managed to knock James Red Elephants front tooth out while playing footy.  James is know missing is 2 top front teeth.  James also had his first haircut at a hairdressers today.  Normally I do it,but forgot to pack the clippers.

This afternoon we participated  in Happy Hour, imagine 40 Grey Nomads sitting in their camp chairs in a circle, menfolk one side, ladies the other all enjoying a bevy and a natter.  Pete called it the circle of knowledge I called it the ring of happiness.