Trip around Queensland Australia commencing 15th July 2004
Off we went on the road through Casino heading west to Goondiwindi and then to go onto Hwy 39 up to Gladstone, follow the coast road to Cairns.
We only had gone about 15 minutes and we both thought there was something wrong with the caravan towing. It seemed to sway so we stopped and looked at it. It was level and the sway bars were on. After a brief discussion we decided to leave it as it was and continue and see what happened. Well it was all right. I think it was just us, getting used of the towing caravan. Scenery was mainly farmland and very brown. Old houses built under the hills and then left to deteriorate. Had the UHF on and heard about the contractor who was stuck on the side of a hill and they needed chains to pull him out. Arrived at Tenterfield approx 2.30 pm This is a very clean small town only one street about the same size as Kawakawa in the North. We parked and walked about 500mtrs to the information center. The two ladies who served us were very nice and helpful. After some discussion we decided to go to Bald Rock and Boonoon Boonoon falls. These are situated in the Gileweeni National park 35kms north east of Tenterfield. Got to the campsite, if you can call it that, a lot of gum trees, dirt and one long drop. They want to charge $5.00 per person per night and $7.00 per vehicle per day. It was getting colder as the night went on. It was freezing by the time we went to bed at 8pm. We had our long johns on. We were hoping the next day was going to be a warm one.
he day dawned nice, we set off to climb this rock. The biggest granite rock in Australia or so they say. We decided to take the long way round which was a very gradual climb and very interesting. The plant life and the rock formation was different. We meet a couple coming down and straght away they picked us a Kiwi’s, I wonder why. Our accents give us away every time. They came up the rock face and where going down the easy way. Well on we went to the summit. What a view and what a day. The sun shone and there was no wind. It was a perfect down to climb the rock. When we arrived at the summit we took some photos we prove we had climbed it and then had some lunch. We started our decent and then we decided to go down the face of the rock instead of the easy way. It looked easy from the top and it wasn’t to bad. It took us only 12mins to go down against 1½ hour’s to get up there. It was very hard on our knees coming down; you had to break a lot, as it was quite a steep grade.
Once down we decided to go over to the falls. The Boonoon Boonoon falls that we had heard so much about. It was 23kms away. 10kms of dirt or gravel road, which wasn’t to bad. The camp was a bit better than the last one. We were getting cold about 4.00pm so Rob lit a fire and we had tea outside by the fire as it was a lot warmer out there than inside. We then decided to watch a DVD by the fire. So we got the computor out and set up the speakers and watched Tape makers. It was a comedy. It must of looked stupid here we are sitting by a open fire with the DVD going outside in the bush. Then to bed. Again it was beanies, long johns on to get warm then our wynciette blankets to keep us warm all night. It must have been about –5 degrees.
17th July. Saturday
There was a frost when we woke up. I stayed in bed until about 8.00am when the sun started to warm up outside. Off we set to see these famous falls. We drove for 9kms and reach the walkway. Only a 300meter walk. It was a little disappointing compared with the photos we had seen. The photos where taken from the ridge high above the falls and where the viewing platform was it cut half the falls out. It would be spectacular in the raining season. There was only a small amount of water cascading down the long 207-meter drop. All the way down there where little ponds. So we set off back to camp. On the way there we took a detour on a track heading to who how where. We went some 15 km’s then turned onto another semi road and hoped like hell we where heading in the right direction. Eventually we came to the gravel road that lead us back to the camp. This is when we decided we need a GPS. So we have put that on our list of things to get. Back to camp at hitched up the caravan and we set off for Goondiwindi at 11.55 am. We had to go back to Tenterfield and then get on the Bruxner Highway to Goondiwindi. Our maps didn’t show clearly where the turnoff was, so we turned left out of town for a few kilometers and there was no signs so we turned back and went to the road where we parked last time. We asked a woman how to get to the Bruxner Highway and she seems vague. Then she told us to go down here turn right then left and that was a short cut to Bruxner Highway or we head out of town until we reached the turnoff. If we had of gone another 2 km’s we would have found the turnoff. So off we went down the road to find this short cut. Well it turned out to be a gravel road. There was a sign saying and tourist route 9. We were, so we thought, on the right road. We came to a T junction and turned right. About 3 km’s down this rugged narrow gravel road we met a farmer. He stopped and we had a nice chap. Then he advised us not to go any further towing the van. It turned out that this road lead straight back to Tenterfield where we had come from. It was a tourist route to see the mountains (really high hills) and farmland. We should have turned left not right at the T junction. Never mind after about 20minutes talk to sent back to the T-junction and got it right. We joined up with the Bruxner Highway and we were on our way again. We pasted the Glenroy dam turnoff and decided we didn’t need to go there. One dam is the same as the other. So we keep going till we reached Texas. This being Saturday we need to be on power for warmth and for the Rugby. There was a pub in Texas so we thought we’d go and see the rugby at the pub and give the locals raze up. We found the caravan park and the owner wasn’t in so 2 men showed us where to park. One was a drunk as a skunk and stuck to high hell. The other was a young chap who had just bought a house over the road and was moving in in 68days time. Still we had a good level site. Cost $14.00 plus 1.40 gst per night. Clean showers toilets, and a good laundry. We where sitting around talking waiting to out to tea at the pub when I thought where was the match being held, NZ or Aussie. Then it dawned on me NZ it was 5.30 and we turned the radio on and they were playing the national anthem. So we shot off to the pub. What a pub. No smoking in the dining room. Four people in there, smoking. We ordered tea and watched as our great All Blacks played our national game. The aussies in the pub where more interested in the horse racing. It turned out there was no fans there except the barman and us. It was only being shown on a little screen and the other TV was on with the horse racing. So it wasn’t that pleasant, but I saw the game, that was the main thing. Had a bit of rivalry in the last 10mins. The dinner was not the best. So all in all we should have stayed but in the caravan and watched on our computor. It was another cold nght. Was it great to have the heater to warm the caravan up. Slept well. We left them $20.00 for the 2 nights.
18th July Sunday
A very nice day but a icy wind. We decided to stay another night, as we wanted to have a look around the area. So off we set. Didn’t know where we were going or were we would end up. We took a back road to nowhere or so we thought and we ended up at the dam that we pasted the turnoff to the other day. Boy, where we surprised. What a huge dam, some 512 acres. Only 22% fill at the moment.
We drove around to the campsite and had a ice cream and couldn’t get away from the manager. He was a keen fisherman and he gave us photos of some of the fish they caught in the dam and surrounding lakes. We went and had a look in the display center where it told us about the dam construction and why etc, and the caves that are around that area. We then set off to find our way home. We stopped off at a National Park called Sundowners. We had lunch there and boy there a icy wind. I don’t see why people would camp at this National Park, as there was nothing there but bush and a dried up river.
The sign said bookings where essential. We arrived back at the caravan at 3pm when it started to get rather cold again. So spent the rest of the day inside in the warm. The round trip today was 130kms. Well worth the time.
We endured another freezing night. We had roast Lamb tonight and what a disgusting piece of meat it was. We were both looking forward to a nice dinner. I am sure it was an old mutton. We thank Sharleen for the little fan heater, although we have reverse cycle air conditioning but it is a lot noisier.
19th July Monday
Up reasonably early. 8am. Did the washing, had shower, put the washing in clothes drier, folded and put away washing, had breakfast and then left Texas at 9.52 am Quite a busy morning. We went off the highway and down the side road to see the Wahyalla farm that breeds 50000 cattle on grain. We followed the river to Goondiwindi. What a nice clean town. We walked around the town for a bit had lunch (not to nice) then we decided to stay the night. Last night we watched part one of Jessica so we thought we would stay at a motor camp with power so we could watch part two, the final. We stopped outside this little camp and we contemplating whether we should go in or not when this little Asian lady came out on the road as asked us if we wanted to stay. I said it looked like they where fill but she said oh no, we have plenty room. So we stayed. The caravans where that close you could hear the TV from the next-door caravan. Still again we were warm. It was another cold night although not as cold as it had been. $17.00 for the night.
20th July Tuesday
Well we’re off towards Miles today. Land is very bear and brown.. How they can farm this land is beyond us. It hasn’t rained here for months. There is no water. The Liechart Highway is not in the best condition. It is very uneven for the most part. We are climbing most of the time. There are a lot and I mean a lot of caravans on the road. Big ones little ones,, home made ones. Not a lot of motor homes. Big trucks that make your caravan shake when passing and blow Robs rear vision mirror in. Stopped for lunch at Condamine where we watched the Road trains going past. You don’t realize how many trucks, vans etc on the road until you stop. A lot of older people towing vans come up this way and the other inland highways because it is quieter and not so much traffic. We went on to Miles. This, again, is a clean and friendly town. It has a historical village as a tourist attraction. We stopped here a decided to look for the information center and asked the local paramedic for directions. He told us it was about 500m down the road by the Historical village. Well we commenced walking 500 meters and came to a sign saying the village was 900meteres down the road further. So off we went. It wasn’t the Information center for the town and area only for the village. Still it was a good walk to stretch our legs. Off we sent again looking this time for a freedom campsite on the road. Saw a sign saying Possum Park, thought about going down then a 4WD came out of the driveway and said it was well worth going to, so off we went. 1.5 km down a gravel track and into the bush we came across this caravan park. There would have been 20 odd vans, in the middle of nowhere. It cost $16.00 night with power. Clean facilities. We discovered after looking around that we had seen this on TV on Getaway. It has bunkers turned into cabins and what a great setting. Some of the people had been there for 2 weeks and loved it. Some come back year after year. It is nice but not that nice. We walked around the 3km walk way past all the bunkers that where not yet finished or converted. It used to be a ammunition storage area for WW11. There where 20 bunkers in all. Some were cabins, one a restaurant, games room and shop. Then there were train carriages made into reading rooms, cabins, etc. It is really well done. We had happy hour and met quite a few fellow travelers. One couple called the Mackenzies came from Lismore. It was a cool night but not cold. Had tea, back to the fire and talked so more to some of the fellow travelers, then home to read our books and bed at 10.30pm.
21st July Wednesday
Up at our leisure, no rush today. Still we were on the road at 9.25am. It’s another fine day. The locals are praying for rain, we are not. It’s the warmest day. Rob in shorts. Said goodbye to a few folks we had met and then set off towards Banana and then onto Gladstone on the coast. Haven’t traveled very far today. We stopped at Taroon for petrol. Rob bought some beer, which we meant to buy last week, and I got a hat. We bought some bread rolls, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese. Walked around the town, which is a bit bigger than Onerahi shopping center but spread out a bit more. Pulled in for petrol at BP But pump not working on premium, and the young lady was trying to get us to fill up on 91 until her boss came out and told us that caltex did have premium and they where just the other end of town. Where we parked there was a huge dump truck being delivered to a mine somewhere around near here. Got a photo of it. It was now 11.30am we decided to go on for another 1hr before we stopped for lunch. After just 16kms we spotted this turnoff to Chain Lagoon park. So we went there. This is where I am at the moment typing this up. Sitting outside beside the Lagoon, which I might add is not very fill. I have done the washing and had lunch and thought I had better get this diary up to date. Rob is checking the van and Toyota. We got the Toyota serviced at Lismore and the coolant keeps leaking. He has just found a hose that is leaking from the radiator. Boy, talk about bad workmanship. We had\to check the U-bolts as this is what broke on the van when we went up the middle year ago. They where a little loose. We will be checking these every 500 km or so. We have decided to stay here the night. The lagoon is surrounded by gums trees, and the birds singing. Picnic tables, and a cleared area for parking and camping are all supplied for no charge. We have traveled approx. 900kms up to this point. Well we thought we would have this place by ourselves but along comes a 4wd flat top and is staying the night. We had a lovely BBQ dinner on a open fire and stayed sitting outside beside it for some time. It was great just watching the stars and the moon. Not so cold tonight we had a great sleep.
22nd July Thursday
Well at 9.35 we were ready to leave our lovely camp site after a great breakfast of bacon and eggs on the fire of course, we set off to where ever. Maybe we may get to Gladstone or nearby tonight. Well we had only driven for about 1 hour when we saw a sign to the Isla Gorge. What with the all the dryness around we didn’t think this would be much but it was only 1.3 km down this gravel road so away we went. Well surprise, surprise, it was a huge canyon, great lookout and huge drop off. We took a walk along the tracks and took a few photos as usual and had a little stretch. We met a couple that had just came from the north and they told us about a nice camp site freedom of course, in Theodore which was not far away. So we thought we would check it out. It was a nice spot it was only 11.30 by this time and to early for us to stop. There was about 12 caravans, motor homes and tents staying there. We reached Bilolea a few hours later. Did a bit of shopping, and looked around a bit. Nice clean town. This surprises me about these outback towns, no graffiti or rubbish lying around. As these towns as did not have big rivers near there wasn’t a high Aboriginal population. We went to see the coal power station and get a freedom camp spot. Well the power station was big but was not open for inspection at the time we were there. The hours for the tours where held at 1.30 pm each day as we were to late for today’s tour. We where told by the Silo owners (information spot) that the new owners of the power plant had stopped all freedom camping around that area. When we got there they had put up signs that said no camping. It wasn’t a great spot anyway. So we went up to the lookout. What a road. Real rough, views were worth it, right over the open cast coal mine. On the way down I heard a rather frightening sound in the back wheel. We stopped down the bottom of the hill and looked at the wheel. Thought it could be a stone in the brakes or caught up somewhere that what it sounded like. So on we went to find somewhere to lay our heads. Well not far along that road we came to a 4WD track that lead to a lovely river. Running water at last. Robert walked the track to make sure we could get done without damaging the van. Easy poesy, so to say. Again we had a lovely piece of steak on the open fire then roasted marshmallows. Two vehicles came down the track. One 4WD ute went across the river and we never saw them again, the other came down saw us and went again. I think it is the local park up area.
23rd July 2004 Friday
Well after a great nights sleep we awoke to yet another sunny day. This time we only had a quick breakfast and started on our way towards Gladstone. Well we only got a few Km’s and I heard that noise again. It seemed to happen more once we had use the brakes. So we got to turn off that headed back to Bilolea and Gladstone. We took the wheel off and had a look to see what we could see and we discovered that the brake thing was grinding on the rim of the wheel. So we decided to go back into Bilolea, approx 40ks, than to risk going on to Gladstone, which was 120km’s away. We took it slow so we didn’t have to use the brakes very often. Luckily for us it was mostly flat. Rob got on the Uhf and asked if anyone knew where the Toyota garage was and we had 2 truckers reply and tell us where we find them. Couldn’t pronounce the towns name right so they had a good laugh, as we were kiwis. Found the garage no sweat. The foreman at Toyota was very helpful and looked at it straight away. They found that the bolt had come out of the brake disc thing and it wouldn’t go back in properly when you put pressure on the brake. He fixed that but told us that the pads where worn and it should never have been past for a inspection road test. We rang both Lismore Toyota and Motorama where we bought the truck and they were great. They told us not to worry they would replace all the brakes and we had to take it into Gladstone Toyota and they would give them a order number. So Sharleens UHF came in handy. We listen to the truckers channel mostly. We have a lot of laughs at some of the conversations. They say we have an ascent, but you can hardly understand some on these guys.
After cooling down and putting in a complaint to Lismore Toyota we set off for Gladstone. No more noise. We arrived at Tannum Sands Caravan park to find them full. However, the owner found us a nice spot and we decided to stay here for two nights, then we would move on. Lovely amenities and spot.
Had early tea. Got out TV going after we got another lead from the camp owner. The camp is set in amongst a lot of trees and is down in the galley so a high aerial is required. We watched a little TV then bed.
24th July. Saturday
A lazy start to the day today. Washing, we are hanging it out not putting in the drier. Not much to do as we did it by hand the other day. Thought we’d go for a stroll up the road and have look at the beach and see what we can see. What a lovely sandy beach. People out fishing, not catching a lot, what we saw were very small. We walked around the walk way for 1 hour and half until we reached the shopping center in Boyne. We had a roll, bought some plaster for my toes as I had the wrong insole in one of my shoes. We were going to get a taxi back but there is none. So we walked back a different way another hour and half walking and we were home. Sat down rested and read some of my book, then Rob discovered a 4WD track at the back of the camp so off we went. We attempted to go up the hill, it took three attempts to get up. The track that looked like it was only a bike track ,squeezing between the trees, only just, not quite scratching the truck. We came to the water reservoirs, which by the looks, is used for young people to lure up around with broken bottles etc. Down the other side and we found our way out onto the main road. We then went to find a hotel that would be showing the All Blacks tonight.
We found one just up the road a little. So back home for a shower and then at 5 pm we set off to the pub. They were showing last weeks match against AB’s and Aussie. Just when the National anthems where being played some of the patrons indicated they would like the league on. Broncos were playing the eels at the same time. The barman came around and asked who wanted the league and who wanted the rugby. Well some of them said whatever, and a few said league. We happened to be sitting right up the by the screen and he asked us and I said we are watching the rugby, so he said fine rugby have it. There weren’t a lot of people there at this time. If they had of asked about 15minutes later we would have been voted out. What a game. There were a few people there giving us jippo’s because we weren’t wining. Then right in the last seconds we got that try. Did I let them know about that. There where a few KIWI supporters there. We had a fabulous dinner., Rob had grain grown steak and I had garlic pawns. Home after that which was only 7.30 over here so watched a film on the TV then bed.
25th July Sunday
Another great sunny day when we decided to go for a day trip down the way to Agnes waters and Seventeen seventy. It is a round trip of about 120kms’. The road in was good, 1770 beach is a lovely beach. Dangerous entrance. The motor camp there is right on the beach like Tauranga Bay but the beach looks lovely, until the tide goes out and then its mud flats. The camp was fill. They all are around this area. They say you should book if you want to be sure of getting something. We had lunch at a little café in Agnes Waters. Just a seaside resort area. Then we went home the long way. Boy was it long. The 4WD track took us 14 km’s through the National park on a one-way sandy road. The views were tremendous. The beaches where long golden sandy and deserted. We had a whole beach to ourselves. We passed 4 other 4WD vehicles. We finally arrived out the other end of the road to find no sign posts of how we get back to the Bruce Highway and home. It took us ages and a lot of wrong turns and through farmer’s properties after the road ended to get back to where we could find our way. It turned out to be a 200km round trip. We were tired when we finally got back. We both decided that we would get a GPS so that we wouldn’t get lost again. Not that we were really lost but we nearly ended up in Bunderburg. That is going back down towards Brisbane. Paid for another night in the park It looks like 2 nights in turning into 3 or 4 nights. Have to phone Toyota Gladstone tomorrow to see if they can fit us in and get the brakes done. If not we will get them done in Rockhampton.