Suburbia.....

And we thought tolerance was needed in the bush and camping grounds-well in suburbia you need Tolerance with a capital ‘T’.

Our first night camped on the front lawn of our friend’s house – Keith and Gaynor at Coolum, we were subjected to a 4yr old girl screaming-nothing wrong with her – she screams for attention, (this child also has pet bantams that wake at daybreak), the other neighbour is an autistic adult-extremely low functioning-requiring 24/7 carers- he moans like a cow who has lost her calf to the dingos. Mix this with the neighbour vacuuming their car at 6.30am, the rental across the road who have finally gone to bed after their all -night party-Murray and I were not happy little ‘vegemites’.

Had we spent too long in the bush? Certainly, we had forgotton what surburbia living was like. While camping either in a camp ground/caravan park or free camping-the courtesy ‘rule’ is no noise before 7am or after 10pm.

However the plusses were; we had access to a beautiful pool, a daily newspaper, a Dan Murphy’s store not far away-no restrictions on buying alcohol. Each morning at day break we woke to the sound of lorrikets mixed with modified cars leaving for work, now and again we heard sirens or cars having a prang. The first few days we heard helicopters hovering over Clive Palmers Golf Course-it is a short walk away. Clive shouted 1000 needy people to a free Xmas Day lunch-we didn’t qualify-not sure what your ‘needs’ had to be. (PHOTOs)

Each house in the street was decorated with xmas lights and one even had a laser show beaming across the front of the house each evening. Murray decorated Keith and Gaynor’s house and their xmas tree,-we even discovered that there are special guttering hooks and self-adhesive fairy tree light hooks for flat surfaces.

We didn’t have any Xmas decorations, so I knitted a piece for the power pole next to our van and a xmas loop for the pool fence across the road-this lasted less than 12 hours! (PHOTO)

The humid muggy weather saw us head to the hills-we had a lovely drive to the Emundi markets, Kennilworth-cheese, Maleny.  At Kennilworth we bought a hand knitted nativity scene. (PHOTO)

The Australia Zoo-this was a rip off-, perhaps , we have become blasé having seen it all before. Entry is very fierce-the most we have paid so far on our trip-$47 each via concession, otherwise $59 each. $2 extra pp if you wished to visit the animal hospital. There are various shows during the day-we watched the (15mins),  Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors show-pathetic with staff making stupid wisecracks at each other, and birds flying across the stadium-Cairns Tropical Zoo has the best wild bird show we have seen in Australia. From what we could see there is a large area dedicated to exhibition space on the life of Steve Irwin-even the highway is named after him. Murray enjoyed feeding the elephant and Julia enjoyed hiding among the exhibits. (PHOTOS)

We had a night in Brisbane-purchasing a mystery hotel room through lastminute.com. The mystery hotel was the Mecure at King Edward Square-very central and we were upgraded to a refurbished room-it had a king size beautiful feather down mattress on top of the other mattress and a huge flat screen TV. We don’t have a TV in our van – so TV is a novelty-short lived though, by the time we had sat through endless advertisements, there appeared to be only 2 minutes of news. Breakfast was scrummy. While in Brisbane we visited the city library, state library, museum of contemporary art, tried a yum cha, (not as good as Perth or Auckland), (we are hanging out for a good feed of yum cha), and browsed the mall.

The cardboard seat made from corrugated cardboard caught my eye as well as the Asian quilt. Murray enjoyed the dinosaur sculpture. PHOTOS

Christmas Eve-up at 6.30am to the seafood shop to help Gaynor and Keith pack 2tonne of prawns into 1/2kg bags. (PHOTOS) Their business is for sale-if you are interested please ring Gaynor on 0412211147.

TCB/xmas

This year we are experiencing a few more Christmassy activities. Last year we decided to get off the road and hide away in the Mt Remarkables National park, but this year as we drive along the Queensland Coast we are made more aware of Christmas.

We enjoyed the Xmas Carols at Innes Park and were surprised by the turnout of people. Even the dogs joined in the fun. (PHOTOS)

Superman and Muz send Christmas greetings to everyone and hope you all have a safe Christmas.

Heading towards Tin Can Bay, we stopped at a free camp on the side of the road at Apple Tree Creek. This is an extremely noisy/busy spot-last week 3 people were killed here-we can see why, although it is 80kmph as you pass through Apple Tree Creek, very few trucks adhere to this. At night the speed noise is incredible as you listen to trucks roaring along the road. Apple Tree Creek has the most delicious pizza’s we have ever eaten, at the Sticky Beak Café and they also make a divine ginger beer/mango drink. The main reason we subjected ourselves to this noisy camp was – across the road is the Flying High Bird Park-claiming to be Australia’s largest aviary. It was, actually rather interesting and very clean, a bi run down, but even so we felt worth a stop. (PHOTOS)

Moving on the next day we headed to Tin Can Bay Tourist Park. We treated ourselves to a week here and the added convenience of an ensuite site. An ensuite site comprises of a shed/room next to your van that has a shower/toilet/hand basin and you don’t share with anyone. This ensuite was as big as a small garden shed, so we were able to put the WAECO in here and our dirty laundry, and the boys at night. These sites do cost more, usually up to $10 a night more, but being top tourist park members-with our discount we had a week here for $173.00. Alongside this we had access to a large concrete pool-the nicest and cleanest we have come across. One thing we do find in camping grounds is people keep to themselves-the friends we have made on our trip have come from ‘free/bush’ camping.

TCB is a lovely seaside, less commercial than Rainbow Beach. While we have been travelling, we have enjoyed the hospitality of various clubs as we join members for a spot of bingo. We have discovered that on the Queensland coast either morning or afternoon tea is provided, eg sammies and last week a Xmas afternoon tea at the Tin Can Bay Bowling Club-very yummy.

Fraser Island did not interest us, so we viewed from across the sand at Rainbow Beach. (PHOTOS)

A trip into Gympie was interesting-we had no idea this small town is on a hill and in the last floods the main street which is situated at the bottom, I guess in the valley floor, flooded. There is no reason to be fat in this town, up and down all day you would be walking, can’t imagine being able to ride a bike. Gympie has a lovely mosaic remembrance wall. The town must be suffering as it has numerous op shops, closed shops, and $2 shops. (PHOTOS)

On Thursday we are moving to Coolum Beach to spend Christmas with ex Kiwi/Perth friends.

Remember photos can be viewed on a seperate blogsite.

Photos can now be seen at

Hi Everyone who are reading our blog-
another blog has been created if you wish to view photos that relate to our adventures from Elliot Heads sth...onwards....
www.theadventuresofsupermanfotos.blogspot.com
Merry Xmas
Superman and friends

Soon be time to move again....

 it is getting hotter and hotter, even though we are camped only 50 metres from the beach. There is very little sea breeze, but what a lovely beach to swim at. In the weekends the life savers are patrolling what must the smallest beach we have ever seen. The patrolled beach at Elliott Heads is about 25 metres wide. If it is too rough to swim at the beach there is the option of the river mouth.

We came for a week and 2 weeks later we left.

This camping ground is a council campground, no pets allowed, and very reasonably priced-$150 pw, 2 adults, water and power. Sites are large. There are also 4 beachside cabins.

Elliott Heads is about 25 minutes from Bunderburg on the coast-a seaside village, with a small general store, a takeaway kiosk and a bowling club that serves meals in the weekends.

The surrounding land is a rich red soil, very much like Pukekohe.  Kumura, sugarcane, pineapples, tomatoes, zuchinnis, sweetcorn, watermelons, and mangoes are prolific here and very cheap to buy. We have noticed large areas of burnt tomato vines-according to a local – the growers spray the crops with roundup to force the crop to ripen at the same time and then do one pick. Something to consider when you are eating tomatoes from this region.

We visited the Bunderburg rum distillery tour – which was very interesting. It produces approximately 6 million litres of rum per year.

To complement our visit, we went to see a cooper at work making wooden kegs. While here we purchased a bottle of ‘St George Fucking Good Port’ – yet to try it.

Leaving our van here at the campground, we went on a tiki tour to Hervey Bay to see friends-Bruce and Sue via Childers and Maryborough.

Childers is re-known for a pavement gallery and the ‘backpackers fire’-10 years ago. It is a very old town with many of the original buildings now housing modern day services. Vinnies is found in the old picture theatre. The Butcher is called 'Buck's Butcher Shop and the local dentist 'Decayslayer'.

Maryborough – these small towns will latch onto anything/one famous and make claim-I guess in order to attract tourists. Maryborough promotes Mary Poppins and an incredible amount of souvenir material from pink umbrellas, bracelets, postcards etc. Maryborough claims ‘Mary Poppins’, aka Travers, was born in Maryborough.

The museum at Maryborough is looked after by the Historical Society which is housed in the old library building. Space is at a premium, with displays starting at floor level and hung up to the stack where very old leather-bound books sit on dusty shelves. According to the volunteer lady-someone came recently to check the books for woodworm and there is no sign of any. I enquired if any of the historical material was digitized, her response “we need someone who knows how to use a computer”! A gold coin donation is required to visit this museum and $5 is payable if you would like the staff to search for information.

Bruce and Sue took us for a drive to Toogoom-a seaside village for coffee and cake. Cakes were huge!

Superman and Muz have made friends with a local identity. (Father Xmas)

Poincina? trees are very prolifect everywhere. There are orange and red trees and when you see these alongside the white and purple Jacaranda – it makes a colourful image.

Blog Photos

have come to the end-yes unfortunately I am not alone-Superman's blog has used up 1mg of free photo space and now google would like a monthly fee to purchase more space.
We will not be doing this, as the blog has only 2 more months to run.
So from now on - we will post only text, and keep the photos for our 'book'.
You will have to imagine, or google the areas we are writing about.

Post Hobby Horse Derby News...

Murray appeared in the local paper-"The Coastal Rag" in an article titled - "Melbourne Cup Creeker style".
Quote-"the men's race was won by a whisker or two". There is a picture of Murray in the Beard Competition-he will have to wait a few more years to compete! and one of him winning the men's race.

Captain Cook web-Yarn Bombing

This 'installation' lasted less than 12 hours - I have no idea who removed it-I installed it on the campground swimming pool fence.

Bear Wanderer Flower- Yarn bombing

Unbeknown to me this 'letterbox' is the international symbol for the naturist society!
When we went to the hobby horse derby - a local explained this to me.

24 15 11 E ……

Did you figure out where we went…

We stayed 4 nights here at Bradley Braeve Heart Retreat-24kms from Agnes Waters – a bush retreat with no cell phone coverage, but what a lovely spot. Not much bush, mainly gums. We were the only people here, apart from the 2 volunteer ladies.

This is a charitable trust, set up in memory of Bradley Wolf, who died at the age of 15 from multiple serosis? There is lodge accommodation-more like separate motel rooms, a large dining room with a log fire, fully equipped kitchen – with a full oven-Murray made bread and cooked a roast, while we camped here.

A powered site was $16.00 per nite for the 2 of us. There are no designated camping areas and you needed a long lead to reach the laundry to plug into for your power supply, which you would lose if someone was using the dryer.

Showers were very clean and there were 2 composting toilets. If the campground was full, the ablution area would not be sufficient. But for Murray and I – it was perfect. There is also one washing machine - $3 a load and clean rinsing water. Did you know that many of the commercial washing machines recycle the water-so you never get clean rinsing water-your clothes are rinsed in the washing water. That is why your clothes begin to go grey and smell. We often soak our clothes in a bucket and wash/rinse in water as we travel.

While staying at Braeve Heart we went for a drive and discovered the small town of Agnes Water and 1770. These towns are part of the 'Discovery Coast, Miriam Vale Shire. In 1770 Captain Cook anchored in Bustard Bay and came ashore at 1770. The Discovery Coast runs from Rules Beach in the south to Agnes Water-the most northern Queensland surf beach, on the Queensland coast.

The area claims to have over 280 sunshine days. Many people come here to explore the Great Barrier Reef-taking tours to Lady Musgrave Island-we didn't, as we don't believe in supporting commerical ventures that explore and breakdown the precious reef.

Fishing is supposed to be good-with mangrove jacks being caught in the channel.

You can see evidence of abandon hotel complexes-such a pity, that this complex is allowed to remain as a blight on the local landscape-it has been in this state for 5 years now.

There are not many long term free camps on the Queensland coast. The free camps that are here have a time limit. Much has been written about this on various blogs and forums, and in caravan magazines. Council’s defence on this matter appears to be based on the rubbish issue or the fact that permanents will set up camp. Providing no set limits to camping areas would encourage more spending in the local towns and support for local tourist ventures.

Even, the local council campgrounds are pricing themselves out of our budget-consequently they remain half empty. At $37pn-for 2, yet, the local Tourist Park campground charges $30pn.

We stayed at 1770 for 7 days at $180, as opposed to $250 at the council campground, (1770). During our 2 weeks at this commercial franchised campground, it was never full, maybe a third occupancy rate for sites. The ablution blocks are adequate, very clean but extremely small shower cubicles-just like the seating on an aeroplane-trying to cram in more passengers-not allowing space for people who are wider or taller than me!

At the campground were many birds-we were privledge to watch the mummy owl and her chick gradually grow big enough to take its' first flight.

Why did we stay here?-it was convenient-just across the road to the council exercise equipment-marvellous playground for both of us-supplied and installed by a company called Duplay-would love to see this in Perth, (maybe they have been installed since we have been away). These exercise stations are located in every town in the Gladstone region-some are different types and also differ in the number of pieces of equipment.

 Also the beach is only 900metres from the campground, it was quiet, shaded, had a lovely pool especially when it was cleaned. Murray took the opportunity to get fitter-walking the many tracks along the beach to then end of 1770-to Round Hill lookout and the beaches.



Round Hill lookout



While camping at 1770, our neighbours Jan and Jeff had 2 dogs-Bucky alsatian/rottweiler-he was born in Singapore and Stephie-a rescued pound dog-both very quiet dogs who just love to sit on the back seat as they travelled around Australia.

During the stormy nights that Brisbane experienced, we had our own night sky-a sky lite up with lightning and thunder.

Melbourne Cup Day @ Captain Creek

 A clear blue sky, with a light breeze greeted the punters as they gathered at the Captain Creek course to participate in the annual hobby horse racing, tossing of the horseshoe and to watch the running of the Melbourne Cup on the big screen. A beautiful lunch comprising of cold meats and salads, fresh fruit followed by homemade pavalova and trifle ensured no-one went home hungry.

A firm track, watered 2 months ago made for a fast race.

Punters had the choice of 3 sweepstakes. Winners of the hobby horse racing received a bar tab, the lucky chair prize received a box of chocolates.

The beautiful hobby horses were created by Lee and are known as Lara’s Meadow Ponies, (can be found on Facebook).  Delightful to ride, one size fits all – these horses are easy to keep and only need the occasional rub down.

The first race of the day was the open filly race. Riders chose their own horse, lined up to start and away they went – gallivanting down to the post, around and back down the straight to the finish – the winner this year was ‘Zebra’.

The open hack race was delayed due to discussion amongst the riders as to the course boundaries.

 Once the race was underway, there was much interference, resulting in one jockey falling from his horse-scrapping his elbow, and finishing…..

A close photo finish and the winner was Murray Shaw! His name will be engraved on the ‘Creekers Ralph Wait Hobby Horse Derby Cup’. The winner also received a bar tab.

Prizes were awarded to best dressed and best beard of the day.       

     

The box of chocolates was won by me.

As the sun was setting and the local kanagroos came out to watch, the horseshoe throwing comp got under-way.

As can be seen from the photos – there are a few techniques to a successful throw; the ‘balanced act’,

 the ‘squat’

 and the ‘traditional’.

 The women were overall winners. Success at this event won the contestant a drink.

 Murray and I would to thank the people of Captain Creek Rec Club for providing a wonderful day and making us feel very welcome.

P.S. We also enjoyed the fish’chips on Sunday night that was accompanied by the local ‘jam’ session.

FISH ID Required Please

We have been catching alot of these fish and throwing them back.
Someone thought they were a type of dory and another suggested a butterfish

Superman and Muz write; fishing/camping on the Calliope River

We think Murray and Brenda have become seasoned travellers-they have become so confident or blasé?  travellers, that they ignore ‘warning signs.

Calliope River had been recommended to us as a lovely spot to camp, but there is a time limit. The river is 12 kms inland from Gladstone and is a tidal river with a very strong tidal flow, especially at the bridge.

What a lovely spot to camp-not crowded at all-we chose the sth side of the river and camped as close as we could to the river-so we didn’t have too far to pull in the fish.

Murray set up the fishing table and Muz and I sat in the chairs 24/7 fishing. We were able to see the water rats that came out at night, fossicking along the bank for bits of bait.

Our fishing spot enabled us  an early morning reflection shot,

 and the evening colours-we couldn’t decide if it was a bush fire.

Murray caught a huge flathead that John cooked for us.

The following night John cooked a lovely stew on the camp fire. Amazingly, people had campfires, despite a closed fire season in Queensland.

John, Patthedog and Murray

One day we thought we saw a crocodile in the river, but we called across to the caravanners on the other side-they assured us it was only a log.

Friday – the locals arrived with their race horses-these were exercised in the water, the jet skis hooning up and down the river-the fishing had dried up so, time for us to move on to our next resting spot-we chose 24 15 11 S, 151 44 06 E.  

Mary's flower

Marie arrives....

En-route from Darwin, stopping off to spend 5 days with us, before she flies back to NZ.

If you look closely you will see "Julia".

We are camping at a Tourist Park caravan park at Kinka Beach, sth of Yeppoon, 35 minutes from Rockhampton, on the coast. KB is not far from Emu Park and Keppel Island is out there somewhere.

We met someone who removed the shell from this dead turtle at Kinka Beach. The lady was going to cure the shell by letting the ants eat the flesh that was still sticking to the shell. When we saw the turtle it stank....

Emu Park is famous for the 'singing ship' - a sculpture made from halyards that 'sings' when it is very windy.

 We have found the Queensland Coast is not ‘free’ camping friendly. Yes, there are ‘free’ camps, but limited to 20-48 hours!. After spending as long as we liked in central/inland Queensland, we are needing to plan our travels a bit more thoroughly, rather than moving when we felt like it.

There is nothing much here, the beach is certainly not as nice as Mission Beach. The tide goes out a long way and it is a bit more sludgey to walk on. A small swimming pool keeps us cool, as we try out our new togs…

But Marie is with us and we are having a good catch up, plenty of shopping, swimming in the pool, card playing etc.



Japanese platter for lunch

It has been a  Mission Beach Reunion – Lynn and Dave, John and ‘Pat thedog’, and Linda and John from the UK, who are touring Australia on his Honda Goldwing 1500cc bike-they shipped it over here.

Sometime this week – early November, we will head south-not sure where.