In the 15 days since leaving Cape Hillsborough we have visited Bowen (5 nights), Burdekin Farm Stay (3), Townsville, (2) and now we are at Rollingstone Beach (5).

On the way to Bowen we almost got run off the road by 2 road trains tailgating each other. It was very scary our good car and caravan set up allowed us to brake without losing control. We had a non-powered site in Bowen’s Wangaratta Caravan Park and we thought it was the best in the park, sunny and shady areas, no close neighbours and easy walking distance to the beach. A highlight at Bowen was seeing Where the Crawdads Sing in a very small theatre that has been in operation since the 1940’s and is maintained close to original condition.

The Burdekin Farm Stay was a highlight of the trip so far. Just a few km from Ayr and about 30 km from the coast, we were surrounded by cane farms. Our site was on the bank of a creek running through the property, with green grass, mango trees covered with flowers and with just a few other campers. It was exciting to see cane burns then harvesting the burnt crops; also surprising because we didn’t realise that cane burning still happened. The Burdekin region is one of only two areas that still allow burning.

Townsville was mainly an opportunity to re-stock and do the laundry after a few days in the bush and before the short drive to Rollingstone Beach Caravan Resort.

Located on the coast just a few km off the highway Rollingstone is more of a bush caravan park than a resort. It has a nice swimming pool, a jumping pillow, a dirt bmx track, a bar/cafe that’s open four afternoons a week but it’s best feature is the park layout. There are about 150 van sites and a few cabins spread over a very large grassed area, either along the beach front or around a marina-lake. Many of the sites are quite large. The beach is not particularly nice but the sound of waves is relaxing. Generally, it’s a good place to stay for a few days.

Today has been busy. It’s our last day at Rollingstone so we treated ourselves to a hamburger for lunch and will have pizza for dinner, with cocktails and wine. We had intended going north to Mission Beach tomorrow but there is rain expected for the next week so we will go inland to Charters Towers instead. We did go there about 10 years ago and are quite looking forward to returning.

As usual, we hope everyone keeps safe and well. Bye from North QLD.

What a life! This morning we are sitting in the sunshine with the temperature at 23 degrees, following an overnight minimum of 15 deg. Sorry to brag about it, for those stuck in the southern states.

After a nice few days with friends in Airlie Beach we backtracked for 160 km southward to Mackay, to see more friends there. It was fun to catch up with them again. The kids are 7, 5 and 4 years old and to watch them playing soccer and golf at that age was great. We are lucky to have had such generous hosts in both Airlie Beach and Mackay.

Sixty km inland (west) of Mackay is the nice little town of Finch Hatton, big enough to have a pub, a general store and a Showground that doubles as a caravan park. With power, water, green grass and heaps of space, it’s a really nice place to stay for a few nights. During the day we visited the nearby Eungella National Park and at night chatted with fellow travellers around our campfire. The National Park is mountainous, with rain forests and fast flowing creeks that are occupied by platypuses (yes, that’s how to say the plural of platypus). It’s beautiful, although at 4 degrees, the nights were cold.

From Finch Hatton to Cape Hillsborough was only 80 km, at first through cane fields then through pretty, hilly, farm land and forest. We stayed here last year and enjoyed it so came back again. The caravan park within the national park is the only developed facility for several kms so the beach and bush walks are not very busy. It is very relaxing. Wallabies, kangaroos and kookaburras are at home amongst the caravans and motor homes.

Tonight, being Friday, is pizza night so we will enjoy a social evening with neighbours before heading north to Bowen tomorrow morning.

We hope everyone keeps happy and well. From Ted and Jo.

Eleven days later after leaving Cobar we are in Airlie Beach. The weather has been pleasant, with cold nights (between 2 and 9 degrees) and fine days (between 22 and 25 degrees). The roads have varied between very bumpy and quite good, mostly bumpy. With light southerly breezes or no wind at all, travelling has been easy and fuel consumption quite good. The new vehicle has performed very well.

A lot of rain fell over a large area of outback Queensland last week and we just missed it by 2 days. All the way from Bourke to Barcaldine there has been water everywhere in the roadside ditches and paddocks, as far as the eye can see. Creeks and rivers have been swollen and it’s good to think that some of the water will reach South Australia. In places where we would normally be able to pull off the road to have lunch or collect firewood, this year we couldn’t . Although we haven’t been directly affected by the rain we have seen and heard about places where people have had to be towed out of muddy conditions.

Along the way we spent 2 nights in Cunnamulla, at one of our favourite caravan parks, one night at Wyandra, one at Augathella, three at Lara Station wetlands, one at Theresa Creek Dam and one at a roadside rest area before arriving at Airlie Beach.

We have been at Airlie Beach for a couple of days, enjoying time with friends who live here. Nights are 14 deg and today has been 27 deg. – very comfortable and good for swimming. Airlie is beautiful, with blue water, green hills, sandy beaches, modern buildings, and of course lots of tourists.

We will leave here in a couple of days, heading for Mackay to spend a few days with friends. It’s a great life.

Hope everyone keep safe and well. Ted and Jo