Tuesday 29 July 2014

THE MAP

I have been trying to use 'interactive' maps to plot my journey  with little success. A friend suggested downloading one and  using a paint program to draw on it - SO much easier! Then decided to 'spot' the roads I have been on twice and put some arrows on as well.  Even I am impressed with the amount I have covered in 2 years and 3 months (July 2014) and 60,000 km.  I still  have the east coast and Tasmania to do - and the Gulf. Good thing I have all the time in the world to do it. Now when I win Lotto and can afford to buy an off-road rig then I could do those big blank spaces in the middle....... dreams are free! What a wonderful way to live. Not sure how I will ever cope with a 'normal' life again.

Monday 28 July 2014

Roma. Wallaroo, Surat, St George, Bollon


Spent a couple of nights between the rail and road bridges at Emerald. Pleasant spot. Only  a few trains in the evenings but was amazed to see people parked right under the bridge! Lovely Botanic garden there which would have been totally covered in the floods that went over the bridges and up to Coles.

Fig tree was interesting. No fruit other than on the bare trunks. A native fig maybe?

On towards Roma. Stopped at the CP in Rolleston overnight. Best TV ever - plugged straight in to their satellite system  Did a couple of loads of washing.  A big load on the road - first time I have had a pilot talk to me and suggest I find somewhere to park up and wait. Good thing I had the radio on.
Not many camps heading south but did find Wallaroo which is not in either my Camps book or on the caravan site. It is a designated truck park but the owners have cleared a large area out the back for campers. There are a couple of little shelters and I bought Geoff Fearnside's book 'An Eye to the Future' which was in a box in one of them. What an amazing life he has lead and such and interesting 'thinker'. Thoroughly enjoying it. Did not bother socializing that night - only a couple of other lots and we were very spread out. 
Stopped at Injune for fuel and having a conversation with the bloke there it turns out that he is most likely a relative. His mother would be Dad's cousin. She was born in my home town. Interesting that my grandmother lived there after she married also. Small world.
Did not stop in Roma but carried on to Surat to the camp beside the river. Backed up to a site only to find that people I had met at Lake Elphinstone were beside me - AND had been at Wallaroo the night before. Lovely to chat to them again. I bought a brazier from them so though I had better 'have a go'. Lit it and cooked a delicious beef stew in the camp oven. Decided that because I had a container that would fit perfectly inside the oven that it would be easier to bring the food inside with that and easier to keep the oven clean. Great innovation I think!
On to St George to stay 5km out of town with friends I had met last year and that I have traveled with some times. Lovely to catch up again. Started writing my 'memoir' while there. What fun that is and thank goodness for the freedom of the computer to cut and paste for some semblance of order. So many things trigger another memory.
Next stop was Bollon at the camp beside the river. Large area and there is a new concrete footpath all the way along in to town. A couple of taps, BBQ's and new shower/toilet block. Went for a walk -to town. Just a couple of shops and a pub but a great playground. Pity the river is so low - must be a lovely spot when it is full.

Thursday 17 July 2014

Smalleys Beach, Lake Elphinstone, Finch Hatton, Theresa Dam


Spent a few days at Smalleys Beach  not far from Seaforth. was not aware that one now needs to prebook online but fortunately met an interesting character who offered to let me park on his site as he only had a campervan. Nice to have company for happy hour. The dirt road in is quite tight and of the 11 sites maybe only 4 are suitable for bigger caravans. Lovely spot though.


Picked my 8 year old granddaughter up and took her to Lake Elphinstone for 4 days. ('Are we there yet"!!!!) Threw her in the deep end when it comes to camping. Took a couple of days to get used to no TV but we are both pretty good at playing cards now. Did paintings as well which was fun. I bought a small camp oven so we made a little fire and cooked damper, and a sausage and chip dinner.  A couple of very fat ducks (?) black swans, pelicans and other birds in abundance.Went the 20 km to Glenden - a tidy little mining town with an IGA, bakery and book shop plus fuel.

Had another 4 days at Finch Hatton at the showgrounds. Such a change in weather - from dry cool to very heavy dew over night and stick heat in the day. Went up the amazing windy road to Eungella and admired the view. Was
surprised to find a community living up there. Then down to where there were supposed to be playtpus in a very pretty river surrounded by rainforest. Did see something in the distance  - and a couple of turtles.
Said goodbye to family and heading back to Perth over the next few months. Interesting driving back along the Peak Highway. So much has changed in the past 2 years with a coal processing plant, office block and over bridge etc which was just being done last trip.
Stopped at Theresa Creek Dam for a few days. A very popular place ($10 p/n) but not really that 'peaceful'! I rang the office the first night and asked them to turn the toilet radio down - which they did thank goodness as it is on ALL night every night! Wednesday night they have a country/rock singer and normally have meals. The singer was OK until he started getting tired and flat. Sang from 5 - 8pm and you take a chair and gold coin donation.
Am now parked at Emerald under the bridges - rail and road so could be an interesting night. Botanic gardens here also.