Everyone up early this morning. Marion went and picked up Abbey (grandaughter), who is the the same age as Harry and Ellie (she is 11 days older), I showed her photos of Harry and Ellie on facebook, ellie's hair is getting so long. Abbey helped Marion make pancakes for breakfast, they weer so light and fluffy. Colin checked the oils in the Landrover and all ok, checked on ebay for UHF radios and found a company in Sydney selling just what we want for $222 including the antenna saving nearly $200, rang the company and paid over the phone, and they promised express delivery. Went into pool with Abbey for about an hour,temperature was just right. After lunch Marion went through some photos with me, whilst Abbey played quietly. Read her a bedtime story later (she is a delightful child), Colin and Laurie sat down to watch a reality programme called Keeping Up With The Joneses, about a family from Catherine in the Northern Territories, there are some very colourful characters in the show, it was funny.
18 November Friday
Colin up early, Laurie rang work and parcel has arrived so off they went to collect, it was the CB radio, very impressive. Bit overcast and cooler today, after Marion took Abbey to Kindy we set off to Surfers Paradise with Laurie and Marion, went down the road next to the beach this time and it is lovely and seems to go on for ever.
Some of the schools are beaking up and surfers is getting ready for the invasion of the Schoolies, they fence off part of the resort for them, they drink and party a bit hard. Did have a wander round and saw some good statues and trees decorated with xmas presents which seems strange to us in the sunshine.
The further south you go the less commercial it is and the hig rise buildings start to disappear. Marion and Laurie were telling us about how the sand had disappeared in some parts due to a big wave surge and they've had to bring sand in. Looking for light long sleeved blouses for the evenings but found 2 dresses instead.
Drove onto Collungatta to the Pie Shop for lunch, they are the best pies ever I had chicken and avocado and Colin had a Ned Kelly, the town is small and friendly a place to return to. we were all tired so went home for a bit of a kip before going out tonight. Went to Ron and Wendy's for a BBQ, Ron used to drive the road trains regularly and was able to give Colin lots of useful information, it was lovely relaxed evening but a late one for all of us.
19 November Saturday
Much cooler night, didn't use the fan. Mat came over this morning to work on his car so Marion took Abbey to a party, I had a nice mooch around KMart and othe shops, on our return Colin and Laurie had been on a booze run and got talking to a bloke who drove up in a series landrover, he invited us to a club meeting at his house just round the corner from Laurie's. Tim popped in and it was good to meet another member of the family. Colin and I went off to the club meet at 4pm, he was with the men and I was upstairs with the women. One of the ladies Caroline knew Bren and Barbara (from overland workshop in York) as they had stayed with her when they came out to Oz. the club is called SLOW series landrover owners, we were made very welcome and the time went very quickly. I was told some hotels will let you camp in their gardens. Back at base Ron and wendy arrived for dinner, another good evening, colin killed a flying cockroach this evening.
20 November Sunday
Colin and Laurie up really early to go to a car swap meet at Rocklea, couldn't get back to sleep. Colin had been so enthralled with the cars he forgot to take photos-in the end he got one of a moggie van.
We went back to sleep for about an hour, then sorted clothes and repacked ready to go off tomorrow for a couple of days. Had a dip in the pool this arvo, what a hard life we lead. Checked the map as to where we will be going in next few days, whilst dinner being cooked rang Emma to arrange Skyping later. just as dinner on table computer rang. It ws brilliant talking to Harry and Ellie they even talked to Marion and Laurie which was great, told them Marion wanted snow for Christmas they said they will send her snowballs. the kids were telling jokes and pulling faces, it was so nice to see them all, they are off to see Natalie later today. We will try to speak with the others soon. It has been a quieter day which is what was needed.
21 November Monday
Forecast today of 32 degrees, up and away about 10ish to miss rush hour, followed the road to Ipswich on the A7 then M7, it is hot, we turned off before Ipswich towards of Boonah where we stopped to get our fresh shopping, it seems a nice little town. Decided to head towards Warwick on the Cunningham Highway. On the highway up to the Gap, Colin noticed motor was starting to get hot, by this time we were in the roadworks and stuck in traffic, (the road is a long hard climb) eventually managed to pull off to the side of the road. The fan has stopped working, whilst Colin checking the electrics made lunch (pink job) a bloke from roadcrew turned up to see if he could help, Colin found it was a bad earth, easily fixed, the workman had a lot of water with him which he used to fill the rad for us, it seems trucks regularly overheat on the hill, he then got onto the walkie talkie to make sure we had a clear run through the rest of the roadworks, so kind. We missed the track we planned to drive so went onto Goomburra Valley Campground- it was closed.
On the same road we found the Janowen Hills 4 Wheel Drive Park, it has different levels of difficulty of off road tracks along with a campground with hot showers, only cost $15, we have it all to ourselves. the owner said it can get chilly at night as 800m above sea level. There are a lot of Gallahs around (birds)
and we are in the middle of nowhere by a small creek, only downside flies and we've had to put jumpers on as a slight chill , the sky is full of stars, no mossies.
22 November Tuesday
Very windy night and a bit chilly, there are flies and more flies here have to be careful eating otherwise might get extra meat. Showers are short but hot, it a lovely spot reminiscent of UK in fact would be a great place for and ENLROC social weekend (Michelle they have a website). Left about 9ish past Goomburra to find a track, it was like a greenlane at home called Ghost Gate Road,
ended up in a different place than expected (saw lots of horses in fields and stud farms) but no probs. back onto tarmac towards Warwick, long straight roads then onto Killarney before heading to Queen Mary Falls. Saw our first roo (roadkill), then short way up the road a live one hopping across the fields.
Stopped at Dagg Falls
before driving onto Queen Mary Falls, you can walk down to the base of the falls but we just did the short circuit, very picturesque.
The road down the other side of the Falls is challenging very twisty and steep,
Colin had to stop the landrover to let the brakes cool down, so had lunch at the same time. At the bottom found ourselves on a dirty track from Croftby to Moogerah Lake. The weather has warmed up, found the Gorge campground but no one about and didn't look so good so drove onto the showground at Kalbar, it is lovely and only cost $10, the ticket man even suggested where we should pitch in the shade away from so young lads ina campervan. It gets dark early and we were inbed and asleep by 7.30pm.
23 November Wednesday
Cockerels crowing, dogs barking, music blaring, birds singing and not even light yet, campervan boys have gone onion picking and left early, overcast but warm. Left camp and drove to Boonah for fuel and a walk around the town, it is a nice little place, got some lovely looking chicken kebabs 10 for $10 and 4 AAa batteries for $2, just got back to landrover when a man approached us to talk about landrovers. Headed back to Wynnum via Beaudessert and the Mount Lindsay Highway arriving just after 12.30. After lunch laurie and Colin went off man shopping, Marion is at the doctor's as not feeling well and I spent time on internet. when colin and laurie returned they had got an Etag for the toll roads on Laurie's account (much easier than Sydney). Marion returned and has an eye infection and Jenna came for dinner (lovely girl), she has a droll sense of humour, after she left watched a video of a show Leigh was in, very good.
24 November Thursday
Up and away by 8.45, said goodbye to Abbey. Over cast and cool this morning, on M1 going north had rain at Colundra and between Cooroy and Tewantin (it seems I pronounce Cooroy like and Abo), made very good time and Colin got 112km out of the landrover, reached Ranger station just after just after 10.30 and got our camping and vehicle permit, rang Ronnie he should be with us at 11.30, (11.45 still waiting), they arrived at 11.50 they had been through some bad rain which held them up. weather has warmed up now. After ferry on tarmac for a bit before letting down tyre pressures and onto beach.
Drove over 20 km and camped just 1 km north of King Bore, we are under the trees in the shade,
25 November Friday
Sea can be very noisy when you are trying to sleep, colin up early already hot at 7.30am. Can't believe it Ronnie and debbie have brought a toaster so had toast with our bacon and egg for breakfast, Colin went for a dip in the sea whilst we watched, only there for a short while but debbie got burnt. Later colin and I went in sea it was lovely the warmest yet and such fun getting battered by the waves. Marion and Laurie arrived after noon, good to see them. flies not so bad today. Colin and I had a walk up the beach to Red Canyon
and King bore road,
when got back to camp had showers in the tent, not the hottest but feel fresh and clean. we saw the new Fa18 jets low flying across the sea. even though put sunscreen on got a bit pink on my uppper legs. You can see the curvature of the earth from the beach looking out to sea, it's amazing and such a nice place to camp.
26 November Saturday
7am, 24degrees, 70% humidity, small breeze, stay in shade today.
We have stickers on the Landrover for Bush Pig (bush products suppliers in UK) in Oz it means a fat slag of a woman!!
Ronnie and debbie left at 1.30pm when tide was right, we went for a drive up the beach
and onto what I can only describe as a sandy greenlane to Rainbow beach (eddie you need to suss this one out for the club lol).
Stopped at a cake shop for coffee and Lamington cakes (they are devine, very light sponge covered in chocolate and coconut), paid for another night's camping at Ranger station (aircon in office much too cold). Had a look at Rainbow beach (goes on for ever) and saw a helicopter low flying over the sea,
then we noticed a young chap in a 4x4 had got stuck on the soft sand on the beach, another 4x4 tried to pull him out and got stuck (he got pushed out by a rather large girl, not sure if she was a bush pig),
Laurie went to their rescue he took his sand boards down the them and they were then able to drive out
(hero of the day). Had a good run back, down the lane and along the beach (the beach is the road and even has speed limits).
This morning sat in shade with socks and boots on, now have white ankles, non of us hungry so just had light dinner and chat before bed.
27 November Sunday
Hot already and no breeze first thing, packed up slowly as tide not right till after noon. saw a beautiful butterly
hovering at back of landrover. Colin got under landrover and fixed the prop bits that were loose, then went in the sea to cool down and clean off. When packed colin had a shower behind landrover then Laurie had one behind his trailer.
It took us 3 hours to drive home, breakdown on motorway backed the traffic up, we had a pit stop at a service station (servo) colin's t shirt was wet on the back and my shorts look like I'd wet myself. Unpacked and put washing in, Laurie had a swim, colin went to lie down for a bit and went to sleep, it has been a hot tiring day. Marion showed me photos of Tenterfield (family hometown) and we went on internet and had a look at our house and discovered (cousin) Tony on lived 15 minutes from Sandie. Colin stirred when I went to bed at 9pm.
28 November Monday
Hot, not leaving till tomorrow, feeling really tired. Ron and Wendy came round to say goodbye and Ron left marked maps with Colin, of places to see and best routes, very kind of him.
Colin went out with Laurie and bought some coolant for the radiator, whilst I caught up with emails and chased insurance documents. very humid today all suffering, very quiet day. We went with Laurie to pick up Marion from work, drove round both sides of the Gabba (cricket ground). Tim popped in and joined us for takeaway Pizza, nice relaxing evening.
Hi From Ron and Wendy Hope you got away ok and that you enjoyed your stay in Wynnum. As I tyravel around Oz all the time I will try and catch up through out the year .Lokking forward to your next update.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Ron And Wendy