Airlie Beach

Well after the long post and photos of our trip to the Whitsunday Islands I thought I had better do a small post and a few photos of Airlie Beach.

We have enjoyed it here, reminded us both of Bali when we first arrived, has a relaxed but busy feel. Beach is only metres away from the Main Street. We will be moving on tomorrow a bit further north, possibly Bowen, not sure yet.....

Beach area at the Harbour where we have taken Bentley each morning

Bentley in action

Old boat at the harbour

Bentleys  beach when the tide is in

Main Street Airlie Beach

Lost Grandad walking to the Beach, lost my camera case here!

I thought this was a wedding but it was a model and photographer

Airlie Beach

Our lovely campsite

Airlie Beach and Whitsunday Islands

After leaving Mackay on Saturday we headed north again to Airlie Beach, the further north we go the more tropical of course and we loved the drive between Mackay and Airlie, lots of cane fields and undulating roads. Airlie Beach is lovely, touristy but enjoyable, we have spent our days taking Bentley for a walk and a dip at the harbour in the mornings and heading into town for shops, walks and coffees later and afternoons relaxing in the van with the air con on, but today, Tuesday was our day to visit the Whitsunday Islands, lots of day trips available and took us a while to decide but eventually we decided on an island hopper pass on the ferry which allowed us to visit two islands, Hamilton and Daydream. We left Bentley in the van, with the air con on of course and the key with the Manager who said he would keep an eye on him....

Our plan was to get the 8.20am ferry to Hamilton and they insist you are there 30 mins before departure so we arrived at the port at 5 to 8 and they said we could board the boat Great Barrier Reef that was heading out at 8 am, so we stepped on and of it went, this was a bigger boat than the ferry and after stopping at Hamilton Island it was heading out to the reef boat for diving etc. as we were departing the boat the captain announced that there was a shuttle bus to see the island and also you could hire a golf buggy, well that sound fantastic and once we had landed off Brian and I went to hire a buggy, $57 for two hours and we zoomed around, great fun, much better than a Shuttle Bus, got ourselves a take away coffee and just enjoyed ourselves driving around. Lots of villas and resorts to stay at, would be good to stay overnight sometime. There was a coffee shop, Bakery, Fish and Chips, boutiques in the Marina area. We spent 3 hours on Hamilton Island and then headed on the Ferry to Daydream, we knew we didn't have much time there only about an hour as we wanted to get the 1.55pm ferry back and that would get us back to Airlie at 2.25pm meaning Bentley had been left 7 hours which we thought was long enough. First we headed to the south of the island and the bakery and were able to get a ride on the resort buggy as it was a bit of a walk and then back to the marina after a quick lunch, we felt we had enough time to look around the resort before the ferry arrived so we headed in and took photos etc and I said we had better head back so we walk back to the Marina and saw the Ferry was in and we started to run, one of the Staff said if it's the ferry you want you missed it.............. But she looked at the ferry and the captain was on the upper deck and she got his attention and we were allowed on, they had to put the gangplank down etc, it was really just ready to sail, so lucky we got on, the next Ferry was another hour and that meant Bentley would have been 8 hours in the van!!

So our day started with being able to get the earlier boat and finished with nearly missing the Ferry a great day, we both enjoyed and Bentley was fine when we got back, very pleased to see us

Leaving Airlie Beach

Golf Buggy, such fun

Hamilton Island

Marina at Hamilton Island

Church on the island, they lots of weddings on here and Daydream Island, lovely place to get married

Plane landing as the Ferry was leaving Hamilton

Coming into Daydream Island

Ferry at Daydream 

Lovely place to relax, Daydream Island

Children feeding the stingrays, Daydream resort

A lost Grandad, nearly very lost after I took this photo we walked back into the resort and around to the Marina and nearly missed our ferry......

Coming back into Airlie, that black mark you can see is a butterfly, isn't that lovely, a magical day

 

Mackay

Had a great few days in Mackay, stayed at a caravan park on the beach, felt hot when we first arrived but cooler next day, around 26c and a nice breeze.

Spent our first day exploring the town travelling out to the Marina and around the beaches and then into CBD. Very impressed with the Shopping Centre, Caneland, situated on the Pioneer River, next to it is a lovely water playground with 3 lagoons and children's pool, free to use, also a lovely walk path along the river. Lots of shops in Mackay but we didn't spend up big.....

Next day we relaxed a bit more and went a walk along the Esplanade at the caravan park and had a coffee near by. Brian did have a couple of hours at Bunnings and Masters and tonight there is a sausage sizzle at the park so we will be heading of to that.

Mackay produces a lot of Sugar Cane and we passed fields of cane as we came in. Also the Whitsunday Islands are near by and sailing is obviously a big past time, we were told it was safe to swim at this time of year, Bentley wasn't to fussed on the beach, it's very tidal and the water was a long way off for a little dog....

Our first look at the beach when we arrived, I think Bentley is looking for the water......

The Marina

Lighthouse at the Marina 

Caneland Shopping Centre taken from the bandstand by the river

Pioneer River, tide coming in I think

Lovely little cafe down the road from the caravan park

Herb garden outside the laundry, I picked a big bunch of Basil, tarragon, sage, and have been using them on salads etc

We are thinking of heading on tomorrow, further north towards Airlie Beach

Lake Elphinstone

After a lovely few days at Theresa Dam we travelled about 120 ks towards the coast and stopped at Lake Elphinstone, another lovely spot, we have spent 3 nights here, again just relaxing, weather warm, but enough breeze and shade to be comfortable. Camp has new toilets and shower but no hot water to the showers and is free.....

We will move on tomorrow heading into Mackay and a caravan park.

Our camp spot at the lake.

Sunrise on our first morning

And the full moon rising, the last full moon was Easter Saturday and it was a lunar eclipse

Lovely black swan

And a Hawk?

Of course Bentley had to have a swim and then a roll in the dirt......

We cooked a Bread and Butter pudding in the Weber, yum 

Theresa Dam

Well we enjoyed our shopping in Emerald.... Started at Harvey Norman looking for a Weber Baby Q, have been getting lots of good reports from campers on the road who use them. Hardly Normal didn't have any but I did check out the phones and the one I was interested in was still over $700, but the salesman said try the Telstra shop they have reduced them, so of we headed to the shopping centre and yes they had my phone Samsung S5 a lot cheaper, so we had a free coffee in Subway while it got sorted and a free packet of Lindor Chocs too. We then browsed Big W and BCF still hoping for the Weber but no, so then it was a big shop in Woolies before heading back to the caravan park, sort washing, food, take Bentley for a walk as he had been in the van all morning. Later playing with my new phone I found out there was a Mitre10 in town so I gave them a quick ring and yes they did have the baby q and with the high dome and temp gauge that we had been told was a must, so....... Off we headed and of course Brian wants a bargain but no price was $299 and they can't discount, not allowed unless Weber put out a special. So Brian thought no he would wait, but on the way out a lady shopper stopped us and said, were you looking at the Webers?, you won't regret buying one, best ever etc and that made us think ,yes we will get one so we did........

After all that shopping, decision making and spending money we were exhausted, had BBQ chicken from wollies for tea with salad.

We moved the next day, Wednesday and headed north to Clermont and then out to a camp spot at Theresa Dam, lovely spot, $10 @ night but heard it is going up to $15 soon. We have spent the last 3 nights here, cooking in the Weber but not playing with the phone as not much coverage, just isolated spots, same for internet.

New phone

WeberBaby Q in action, cooking our breakfast at Theresa Dam

Beautiful birds around our van, looking for food

So many of these parrots around 

Don't know what this bird is but it looked lovely sat there on the lily pads

Another water bird, something in its mouth

Our lovely camp by the dam, we have had a walk each morning and then called at the kiosk/cafe for a coffee.....

Theresa Dam

Chicken wings cooked in the Weber

Soda Bread, 

Of course Brian is enjoying himself with the Weber, thinking maybe some scones next 

Last but not least Bentley