Day 64 - Coffs Harbour

A sad but uplifting morning as we spent 2 hours with Sandra Bannerman in a private hospital in Coffs.

For those who are not aware we have been friends with Sandra for over 50 years and she has incurable cancer & she had a Celebration of Life service in May which we were honoured to attend.

After that we went for a little drive to Sawtell & went to the headland…

Had lunch at Sawtell RSL Club.

Back to the van by 3.30 for a rest after giving Izzy a big drink for the run home.

Yes - will be home tomorrow on day 65.

For those interested in stats:  No of days 65. Avge cost for camps etc $13.47 per day.

Total km by time we get home : 8,111 km

Avge fuel usage 13.39 litres per 100km

Avge cost for diesel : $1.95 per litre

Thank you to those who have travelled with us - trust we haven’t bombarded you with too many photos.  

One reason we do the blog is it becomes our travel diary & each year we get it printed into a book.

Until next time…..

Day 63 - Coffs Harbour

Left Braemar Forest at 10am and first stop was alongside the Clarence River at Lawrence for morning tea.

Then onto Grafton & straight through to Coffs Harbour…

Arrived here for lunch and after a rest had a look around the waterfront and a walk along the breakwater.

The cook was on strike tonight so Pizza it was for dinner.

Here for 2 nights & seeing Sandra tomorrow.

Day 62 - Braemar Park, Summerland Way near Rappville

Left Legume around 9.30 with the first stop at Woodenbong for morning tea at the Pit Stop Cafe. Much of todays travel was through the Border Ranges area so was slow going for a lot  of the time.

Then to the Summerland Way through to Kyogle where we stopped for a walk & to buy lunch.

Then via Casino to tonights camp along the Summerland Way.

Tomorrow to Coffs Harbour for 2 nights. Not sure if this post will go tonight as reception is very marginal.

 

Day 61 - Legume NSW…

Well - back in NSW - just. We are at Legume about 5km over the border and staying at the local hall with power for $5.

Left Cooyar around 10am and came to Oakey for morning tea and then to Allora for lunch after swinging around Toowoomba.

The 2nd photo above is a small part of a huge solar farm & 3rd & 4th is Warwick.

Then across to Killarney…

And a further 12km to Legume. There are 3 campers behind the hall.

Tomorrow the plan is between Casino & Grafton and we may not have mobile reception. On Tuesday we will be at Coffs Harbour.

Day 60 - Cooyar

Left our bush camp this morning around 9.30am with first stop in Kilkivan for some domestics. 

Next was to Goomeri for some shopping (the larder was getting very sparse). And of course there was a nearby bakery (check Faye out!) - sorry you cannot see Ken’s…

Goomeri have an annual pumpkin festival and one of the events is where you roll pumpkins down a steep street.

Then as we travelled south to Yarraman which is the northern start of the New England Highway so it seemed we were getting closer to home.

Then a further 27 km to Cooyar where we are staying at a free camp in Swinging Bridge Park.

The water above is the Belke Petersen dam.

Of course we had to cross the swinging bridge!

A few birds around…

Tomorrow we are heading to Warwick & then heading east to somewhere past Killarney which should put us in NSW!!

Day 59 - Kilkivan

A nice quiet camp in the bush (with power & water).

We read in the park info about an old copper smelter chimney at Mount Clara which was only another 8kms on from the camp - so had to check it out. Nice drive to get there…

In pretty good condition for over 150 years old!

The rest of the day sitting around checking the birds or sleeping…

Tomorrow our plan is to Cooyar.

Day 58 - Kilkivan

Only 120 kms today. We were going to have a look around Maryborough this morning but there was absolutely nowhere to park with a caravan - so kept driving out of town and then had morning tea at a service centre just south of the town.

Maryborough is on the Mary River which bends its way around the CBD.

Staying for 2 nights at the Kilkivan Bush Camping & c/Park which is 8km from town. When we booked we were not aware that there was no mobile service so you wont get this blog (or tomorrows) until Saturday. This was planned as a rest day before the run home.

They have music weekends here but not this weekend as the Gympie Music Muster is on & the owners of the park are doing catering at the muster.

We are coming inland this way to avoid the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane & the Gold Coast. From here we go back around Toowoomba to Warwick then down to Casino & then via Grafton to Coffs Harbour.

Day 57 - Maryborough

Had a slow morning so before we left Miriam Vale had a walk up the street and had morning tea at the BLD Cafe and got some more photos…

We were camped right next to the rail line and quite a few trains during the night. The loudest was the Cairns Spirit of Queensland but fortunately that was earlier in the night. It stopped at the station & we are sure the driver went crazy on the horn as it was leaving!

The fig tree is on the Australian Heritage Places register. Was planted in the late 1800’s by gangers building the rail line. Also a couple of “big things” in town.

Fuelled up at Gin Gin and then came through to Maryborough for the night.

Tomorrow we are going to Kilkivan Bush Camping for 2 nights. The plan is to be at Coffs Harbour on Tuesday to see our friend Sandra & home on Thursday next week.

Day 56 - Miriam Vale

Left Kinka Beach around 9.30 & had morning tea at Rockhampton.

Only about 230 km today & we arrived here at Miriam Vale at 2.30pm.

Most of today was on the Bruce Highway & trucks everywhere! Generally they do NOT like caravanners but we did pull over to let 2 B Doubles pass & one got on the UHF to say “Thank You” so some are OK.

Not much in the way of photos today….

We did have donuts for some lunch! Pulled in a rest area that had a mobile van - by the time we parked it closed - but did have some donuts left so 6 for $5 cash!

We are camped in a carpark in the main street - free for overnight. Walked up the street & Faye was able to get a haircut.

Tomorrow the plan is Maryborough.

Day 55 - Kinka Beach

Back to Yeppoon today without the weekend crowds. On the way had a look at Kinka Causeway Lake…

On the way to Yeppoon some art! Almost every toilet has art…

First stop was coffee at “The Alley” - 6th photo below.

Then a look at some shops (& Faye did buy a dress) and then along the waterfront.

Yeppoon has a “lagoon” which is staffed & there were 3 lifeguards today.



Next stop was to Rockhampton & the road climb to Mount Archer National Park which overlooks the town and back to the coast.

A 600m loop walk including a tree top walk.

Then into town to Stockland for lunch. 

Faye did want a haircut & Just Cuts were closed today for staff development!

We were back at camp by 3pm & another walk on the beach.

Leaving here tomorrow to travel down the Bruce Highway to most likely Miriam Vale.

Day 54 - Kinka Beach

A slow start to the day - being Sunday it was pancake breakfast day.

Then we watched our Church service from home before heading to Emu Park…

It was markets day so hard to get a park. Into the markets to find a coffee!

There are emu statues everywhere!

Then went to Emu Park Memorial Walk which is said to be one of the best in the country.

At one end is the main beach & some more emus!.

At the other end is the Singing Ship which sings/whistles in the wind. It is a memorial to the visit of Captain James Cook who named the bay Keppel Bay in 1770.

Then headed to a very busy restaurant for lunch and then a drive around & gave Izzy big drink.

Late this afternoon went for a walk along the beach…

There are 8 peacocks around the park & head into the trees for the night.

Day 53 - Kinka Beach

An exercise day today - lots of ups & down with lots & lots of steps. Think Faye is worn out!!

First up we did the Bluff Point circuit walk of 2.3 km which involved some steep ups & downs. Some photos…

You can gauge from the photos the climb we did. One of the lookouts was “Turtle Lookout’ - did see a couple but too hard to get a photo. Ended up at Pebble Beach.

Then we went to Double Head to Fan Rock lookout. Still a climb but not as high…

Then went to Yeppoon Central shopping centre for lunch and on the way back to the park checked out Wreck Point lookout.

Yeppoon was very busy today so we will come back on Monday to check out the beach & esplanade. No where to park today!

Will check out Emu Park tomorrow.

Day 52 - Kinka Beach

Left Duaringa around 9.30am & 60km to Westwood Hotel for morning tea at Swaggies…

Then onto Rockhampton…

Our camp for the next 4 nights is Kinka Beach which is between Emu Park & Yeppoon. It is across the road from Kinka Beach and was the only park we could get a site.

After settling in Faye did the washing & then a short walk to the beach…

The big island is Great Keppel.

Day 51 - Duaringa

Not a big travel day as we stopped earlier than we intended. Left our camp with a quick hop to Comet…

And then to Blackwater with morning tea at Maccas. The town is based on coal mining…

We got to Duaringa for lunch and we decided to stay here at the free camp at Mackenzie Park. Faye wasn’t feeling very well & as this was a nice stop.

Lots of coal trains around & Bluff is a major interchange for trains on the way to Gladstone.

Tomorrow to the coast at Kinka Beach past Rockhampton.