Moving inland again

After the long weekend we moved inland and west along the Capricorn Hwy, our first stop was at Gracemere, just outside Rockhampton, we thought one night in a caravan park here to catch up on the washing would be good but it turned into two nights as Brian met a mobile mechanic who would come to the park and check the bearings on the van, a job that needs doing after 10,000 ks. Great bloke chatty etc took three hours plus the chat also adjusted the brakes for us. Seeing we had this free day I got Thelma out and made a couple of lentil dishes for the freezer and a tuna bake for tea, plus managed to make some biscuits, haven't had a home made biscuit for ages..... Also did two loads of washing, I was a busy girl.

We moved from there on Thursday planning to drive to a free camp outside of Blackwater but as we drove Brian suspected that the van brakes were not working and we were concerned that the work we had done yesterday had somehow caused this so we pulled in at a service station at Duaringa about 90 ks from Blackwater and spoke to the mechanic there, he said he could look at them the next day or we could drive on to Blackwater, as Duaringa had a free camp area we decided to stay and the mechanic checked the brakes Friday morning about 7.30am and confirmed we had no power from the Brake contoller to the van, so effectively no brakes, he had no new controller so it was decided we would have to drive on. He had done lots of testing of the brakes, the contoller and fuses. We decided on a coffee at the service station before we left and pulled away from the workshop to park and what do you know the brakes on the van were working !!!!!!!!!!!! No idea what or why that all happened, but after a coffee and a bacon and egg burger for Brian we carried on. Got to our free camp at the weir out of Blackwater, had no problems with the brakes on the journey but are not sure if the problem is solved or not. We have met up with friends from Surat, Graham and Brenda and they are having battery problems.......

So today it rained, first rain we have had for a while, ground was very muddy, we took a drive into town for a quick shop and gas, fuel, water etc, I baked a cake this afternoon and we had a campfire but had to get the umbrella out as yes it rained, but the fire kept going, good fun.

So no exciting photos just a few of our camp at Gracemere caravan park

Our plan is to carry on along this highway to Longreach............

Long weekend

We moved coastal to Agnes Waters and the town of 1770 for the long weekend. Got a campsite in Agnes Waters for $6.00 per person per night, on the beach, but very busy, lots of backpackers. Both towns are lovely little places, Agnes Waters has a shopping centre, coffee shops etc and surf beach. 1770 is more in a bay and was where Captain Cook first landed in Queensland in 1770..... 

Bentley has had lots of runs on the beach, Brian has had a go at fishing but no luck, we bought a cooked crab only $7.80, and had crab salad one night.

Today we took a trip on the LARC which is an amphibian vehicle and it went around the bay at 1770 and on the sand banks, along the beach, great fun, Driver had lots of info  about the birds and fed one of the Pelicans on the sandbar, this pelican had been injured and after it recovered was released into this area by Dr Chris Brown from Bondi Vet, it will be featured on the program sometime this year, also saw stingrays in the water. The cruise took an hour which actually extended to an hour and a half, we were going to leave Bentley in the car but a fellow camper from WA offered to look after him while we went, she took him a couple of walks and said he was fine, cried a bit when we left but ok then

A couple of shots of the beach at 1770

Rocky but still plenty of room for Bentley to run around

Our crab, we took the top shell off

Turned it over and whacked it, well that's what we were told to do...

and then picked out the flesh

Our lovely crab salad, we used pliers to break the claws and get the meat out, very sweet flesh, it was a spinner crab.

LARC  Light Amphibian Resupply Craft

Ian feeding the Pelican, he can tell which pelican to feed as she has pink legs

Coming off the sandbank, he did this a couple of times as it made quite a splash, got a bit wet......

Driving along the beach

Our campsite Agnes Waters

Coastal bound

Well after the excitement of Droving Day we moved on, travelling east towards the coast. Took it easy only doing about 150ks a day, stopping in free campsites, didn't come across anything exciting but did pass through a town named Banana and no it's not because they grow Bananas there it's because of a yellow cow named Banana and the stockmen used her as the lead cow so others would follow, she is long gone now but I think the drovers a few days ago would have been happy to have Banana to help them get the cattle over the bridge.

On Tuesday we  finally settled here at Calliope near Gladstone, lovely free camp, just out of town, lots of lovely green grass and a river nearby, Brian caught a couple of fish but they were undersized so threw them back. Gladstone is a busy town and port, exporting coal and grain, drove in for a look and had coffee at the marina and also managed a quick shop.

Today we drove to nearby Tannum Sands, thinking we would give Bentley a good run etc and were disappointed to find no dogs signs every where on the foreshore and the beach. We took him a quick walk along a path and then thought what the heck, no one around and took him past the signs and let him have a good run on the beach, he loved it and no one seemed bothered...... Walking on the beach reminded us of Bali, a little overcast, humid and warm, tropical feel.

We will probably move on tomorrow, looking at a caravan park on the coast but have realised it is a long weekend here, so could be busy and expensive, may need a plan B 

Calliope River, near campsite

Our lovely grassy campsite

Marina at Gladstone

Tannum Sands

Well there's Grandad and Bentley on No Dogs Allowed beach

Bentley enjoying the freedom

Droving day

Well, lots of excitement in the camp today, we had two lots of cattle passing by, we were given warning about this and some caravans had to move but we were ok because we were behind a fence. First lot,  a thousand head of older cattle were ok  and they meandered down the road, bit of trouble going over the bridge but on the second try they went. A second lot came only about 300 or so, these were younger cattle and harder for the drovers to handle, they had 3 goes to get them across the bridge and in the end they had to let them go in the bush and down the river further where they crossed ok. We had planned to move today but to much happening and it's a great camp we decided to stay till tomorrow, met some lovely people, campfires each night....

The young girl in the red was only 5!!!

You can see the drovers whip in action

Heading to the bridge

Turning back

Rounding up some strays

And finally the first lot go over the bridge

Second lot

Second lot were not as easy to manage

Close to the bridge, but turning back

Second try

Letting them settle for a while

Frustrating!!

The lead horse is on the bridge, but they just would not go

In the end they bolted into the bush and they crossed them further down the river. Brian will have photos of them crossing the river on his blog as he and others went down, Bentley and I stayed at camp, I had Bentley out of  the van for a while but the smell and noise excited him and I was worried he would get loose and in the cattle, and probably roll in the poo, there is a lot of that on the road......

Queensland

After a great stay in Lightning Ridge, we moved out on Sunday heading into Queensland,travelled about 230ks and stopped at St George, a small town in which everything except the service station was closed, Sunday of course, IGA supermarket was open but closed at 4pm, we got there at 3.59pm, to late doors locked. We camped at a park just outside town and had a site by the river, very relaxing.

Monday we travelled about 100ks to Surat, and found a great free camp just outside town, very popular place and about 30 vans in by tea time. We explored the town today, Tuesday and spent some money in town which helps support them seeing they have a great free camp spot, they also have a lovely riverside walk and there is exercise equipment dotted along that you can use, great fun, thinking of doing the walk again tomorrow !! 

No bakery in town, been a while since we have had a decent bakery hit ...

We had a campfire last night and planning on one tonight too, not cold, just good to have a fire and a chat, met people last night who live in Mandurah WA and planning on moving to Albany....

Our camp spot at St George 

Sun going down

Thought it was about time for a food photo, chicken bolognaise, jacket potatoes and veg

Great museum at Surat, Cobb and Co coaches came through here, last one was in 1924

Brian trying the cross trainer on the riverside walk

Riverside walk

Lightning Ridge still

We are now on to our fourth night here, a record for us don't usually stay in a caravan park for more than two nights, but have enjoyed the park and found lots to see and do in the "ridge"

We will be moving on tomorrow heading north to Queensland but not sure where yet.

Yesterday we went through the opal fields and to the Pubs in the Scrup, 3 of them. The Club, Sheepyard, and Glengarry Hilton.  Started on bitumen. But it had about 6 cattle grids on it, Bentley hates them, gets himself stressed out, fine when we hit the dirt rd and into the opal fields. We stopped at the Club first, then Sheepyard, where we had a drink and a chat then on to Glengarry Hilton where we had drink and lunch. All through the drive on the opal fields there are camps, some working some not, it would be so hot out here in the summer, no wonder they need 3 pubs.

Today we had a relaxing day, bacon and egg breakfast, a drive, a bit if fossicking, found a few slivers of what might be opal and then a coffee in town. Brian gave the car a wash, it was covered in white dust from the roads.

Some photos from our drive out to the Pubs

We missed the fresh bread, only baked Tuesday, Thursday and Sat, we were there Friday..

We had lunch here, burger for Brian, chicken and chips for me, no photos of food as the flies were so bad we had to keep food covered and eat quickly !!! 

Fossicking.......

Amigos Castle, he started building this in the 80's, never finished, now a tourist attraction