A little piece of Paradise

After our first bush camp, we continued along the isolated stretch of the Shoalwater coastline to Mackay. During this stage and many more remote areas to come, connectivity by mobile phone or Internet has become nonexistent and our only means of catching up with the real world has been through radio, mostly ABC North Queensland. The talk back is quite enjoyable, and interesting on a long drive, and a good way to find out what’s happening locally, such as weather and events. The familiar introductory fanfare of the hourly ABC National News is also a welcome sound and brings a forced silence to the cabin of the car so that we can find out what’s been happening around Australia and the world.

We pushed through to Airlie Beach on the Whitsunday coast, not before stopping to look at the massive coal terminal at Dalrymple Bay and then lunch in the vibrant Mackay. Since we arrived in Queensland we have seen much of the mining boom. Pipelines, railroads, open cut mines, road trains hauling ore and lots of white utes with the orange flags flying high from the front bull bar.  The Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal is the foremost site for the stockpiling and loading of coal before being shipped off overseas, mostly China. It was impressive to see the massive stockpiles of coal and the 3.5 km long loading piers heading off into the Pacific Ocean.  

Airlie Beach had much promise for us as a really fun destination. Mostly because of the very beautiful neighboring Whitsunday Islands, the Great Barrier Reef, and surrounding tropical rainforest setting. Because of these things Airlie Beach is a real adventure hub offering everything from skydiving, jet skiing, scuba diving, white water rafting, as well as sailing and fishing.  For this reason also Airlie Beach is a major backpacker magnet, and while the setting is gorgeous the main street is a bit gaudy and noisy and takes away from the real beauty of the place (says the 40 something family man).  So for 3 days we settled into the 4.5 Star, Big 4 Caravan Park at Cannonvale, a couple of km’s out of town.

Airlie Beach, Queensland

A funny story for the Canberran readers. In our constant search for good espresso coffee we stumbled onto a top little spot along a ritzy part of the harbor. It was the simply best brew that we had had on the road and it was strangely familiar. When we complemented the barista on how good the coffee she said “Oh yes we have our beans specially roasted and sent up from Canberra”. I was very quick to ask if it was Lonsdale Street Roasters, for which she replied, “Yes”. Great to see the Berra being known for something other than its public servants and politicians.

Our big treat in the Whitsundays was to go “Ocean Rafting” amongst the islands. This involved jumping in an oversized and over powered rubber dinghy with about a 20 other adventurous souls and speeding across the open ocean to the islands to snorkel on the reefs, undertake a beach landing on Whitehaven Beach and go for a short bush walk as well as view any whales that happen to be in the area. The weather was perfect and a little chop on the water made for a fun trip as we skipped and bounced our way across the tops of waves for the day on the way to the various islands. While initially tentative, the kids took well to the wind in your hair high speed boating and in particular as the captain shook things up with wave jumping and 360’s.

Gorgeous Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island

The snorkeling was good with plenty of fish and reasonable visibility, but the cold deep water and the tears from an initial attempt to get the kids in the water, kept them firmly within the boat. No snorkeling for them today, so Tamara and I made the most of it. The highlight was riding on the dingy as it made its was off the ocean and up a shallow creek to land on Whitehaven Beach, where we had lunch. The brilliant white sand of the beach is said to be nearly pure silica. The azure blue water flowing from a winding creek as it bisects the beach makes for one of those truly paradise moments. After a short bushwalk we headed back to Airlie Beach, not before seeing a female humpback whale and its calf.  We had a great day out, on a fun and really well organized tour and it was agreed that this was the best experience of the trip so far. Two thumbs up for Airlie Beach.

Lunch on Whitehaven Beach

Whitsunday Islands National Park, Queensland

Next stop Lucinda, Mission Beach and Tully

Recommend:

       Big 4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort

-     Whitsunday Ocean Rafting

-    Denman Cellars Beer Cafe

Capricornia

 After Carnarvon Gorge we headed east for the beaches of the Capricorn Coast, specifically Yeppoon about 50 km north west of Rockhampton. In doing so we crossed over the Tropic of Capricorn and formally entered the tropics. Along the way we stopped for lunch in Rockhampton, one of the larger towns found along the Queensland coastline and known as a major hub for the Australian cattle industry. We also started to see fields of sugar cane for the first time.

Like many towns along the Queensland coast, Rocky has a large river bisecting it, the Fitzroy. Unlike rivers in southern Queensland towns, the Fitzroy has a little surprise up its sleeve if you like the water. Crocodiles! With the tropics comes the presence of these sneaky, snappy little buggers, and we will have to keep them in mind until well after Alice Springs towards the end of our journey. As you can imagine this has become quite the conversation piece in the car with everybody of water that we pass.

So it was the Big 4 Caravan Park in Yeppoon for us for the week, where tides run big exposing large tracts of beach, a stunning rugged coastline, tropical islands and the southern fringes of the Great Barrier Reef. It has plenty of places to run and ride so we attempted to get into an exercise routine while we were there. There were also some great walks to be had and a National Parks to the north called Byfold National Park with some genuine tropical rain forest and great picnic spots. We also visited a little place called Nob Creek where there was superb pottery and arts centre just for something different.

Yeppoon Sunrise

One of the surreal things for us being on the road is the dramatic change that can occur from one place to the next in terms of the environment and character of places we find ourselves in, leaving you in a real spin. In the space of hours we can be in the serenity and wide-open spaces of Carnarvon Gorge, where there are few conveniences and the clientele wear khaki shorts and boots and stay for a short time before heading off for their next adventure. By days end we are shoe-horning our little caravan into a little piece of grass, in a jam packed, seaside caravan park in Yeppoon that is more like a “fun park” with cycles for rent, water slides, and jumping pillows. Despite these youthful attractions the clientele are vast numbers of “Grey Nomads” (senior retired folk travelling Australia by caravan), wearing striped polo shirts, long white socks and sneakers. Or if you catch them in the morning it’s terry toweling dressing gowns and slippers with a strong scent of Brut 33 coming from the men’s shower block. These grand grey nomads are going nowhere in a hurry and are settled in for months at a time. It’s all-good, it’s just a different accommodation experience and interesting to see what type of caravanning holiday appeals from one travelling group to the next. We are giving them all a sample.

 

Beach scribing, Yeppoon

By now we are starting to rack up some kilometers on the car. So much so that the Hyundai needs a service so I booked it in to the local dealer in Rocky and we spent the day in town. The sun was out and the day was warm it was going to be a great day to explore the town. Rocky has a sense of history about it with some great old buildings and architecture, but a little rough around the edges with a number of the pubs and other buildings boarded up. Men in cowboy hats are abundant in the main street. First stop was the town’s brand new library, to reconnect and catch up on a few things. It was the most well appointed library that I have been to and it wasn't hard to lose a couple of hours here. For lunch we decided to make our way out to the much-publicized Botanic Gardens.

Bangalee Beach, Yeppoon

Without a vehicle to get to the gardens we gave the local bus service a run. Taking public transport in another town or country is always an adventure, and it took a number of attempts (even after asking the locals) to find where and which bus to catch, but we got there in the end. The Botanic Gardens were absolutely superb. They are very old and well established and very well maintained and it comes with a free zoo. It was a lovely shady spot to spend the remainder of the day. With the car service complete we headed back to Yeppoon and began backing up the caravan preparing for another day on the road heading North towards Airlie Beach.

The next leg of the trip, between Rockhampton and Mackay is renowned for its emptiness. It is 330 km of unpopulated coastline, with very few services largely due to the extensive Shoalwater military reserve occupying the length of the coast. With a day to kill before we could check into Airlie Beach we decided to free camp in one of the very few spots you can access this remote part of the coastline at a place called Camila Beach. Services were limited with pit toilets, no showers and no water (you get what you pay for) but the setting was superbly wild and like nothing I had seen before down south. It was worth every bit of discomfort. This was beachfront camping at its best. You literally set up your caravan on a small raised dunette at the beaches edge where you could have the sea breeze run through your van and watch the sun come up over the water from your bed. It was a beach fishing paradise (not that I fish) but a handful of fishermen were set up in the beach, 10 to 15 metres away from their caravan. If this was roughing it then I can see more free camping nights ahead.

Free camping, Camila Beach

Next stop Airlie Beach.

Recommend at Rockhampton and Yeppoon

-       Rockhampton Botanic Gardens

-       Coffee at Stellarossa (Rocky)

-       Emu Park Pizza

-       A drive along Bangalee Beach

A little detour West.

Ok, so I am getting a little behind (2 -3 weeks), forgive me. What can I say, I am otherwise occupied and the beach is far more attractive than my little laptop. Anyway…

Having gotten a little tired of the wet weather we thought that we would try our options inland a little, hopefully until the weather settles down on the coast a bit. When you think of Queensland you might picture white sandy beaches and rainforest, but Queensland also has a lot to offer in the way of natural wonders in its interior. You need only drag out a map of the state to see a patchwork of National Parks and Reserves all with something unique to offer. Our little jaunt westward would take us to Carnarvon Gorge, roughly in the centre of state. It’s a place I had heard much about over the years and so its been on the to do list for sometime. Time is on our side, the bushwalking is excellent and there is a very good display of aboriginal art work so the 1000km return journey should be worth the effort.

I thought you might be interested in what a day on the road entails for us. Not riveting stuff I know but worth a mention if you are contemplating a similar journey or just want to know about the logistics of our trip. We base our travels around two types of days. Those where we are on the road getting from A to B and those where we stay put to explore and enjoy the destination that we have come to see (we aim to have mostly theses kind of days). For us, the travelling days are the working days (tough life I hear you say). There is a sense that there is a job to be done and its important to get away earlyish otherwise we arrive in the dark which is not ideal for team morale.  Our travelling days go something like this:

·      Travelling days are generally early starts. Packing box’s, pulling out anchors and ropes, bringing down awnings, mounting bikes and getting into the familiar, highly sequenced routine of folding up the Caravan. Initially we thought that we would become super fast at this, but the faster we went, the more mistakes we made. What we have learnt is the more casual about time we are, the quicker (and happier) we finish. Everybody has his or her job and it’s becoming a really well meshed effort bringing the family together nicely. Generally we are on the road by 9am.

·      Coffee is a must and over our stay we have generally sourced a good cup (that’s another story) and we grab one for the road. 

·      We aim for a total distance of between 300 km – 400 km, tops. This equates to about 5 or 6 hrs from start to finish. 

·      We break our day with lunch somewhere where there is a good park with a playground and picnic tables and half decent food. We avoid the golden arches or the like as much as possible.

·      After a quick reconnaissance of town, we generally find a good food option and a close by park. One of us is dropped off to order or buy the necessary items to make lunch while the other heads back to the park with the kids. A short time later lunch is on its way back and we chill for an hour or so. As simple as it sounds its something that we quite look forward to when we are on the road.

·      Back on the road for the afternoon we aim to get to our destination by 3 or 4 pm. Setting up the caravan takes about 30 minutes to an hour, just in time for dinner and the day is done. Once the kids are off to sleep, Tamara and I settle down for a bit of TV on the laptop or a quiet read.

On the road to Carnarvon Gorge we stopped at Biloela, (pronounced bill-o-eel-a) which was a perfect example of one of our travelling day stops. Anyone with kids will appreciate how good, a good park can be (those who don’t you will just have to take my word for it, they are gold for all involved). This park was brand new, complete with flying fox, ropes course, and an obstacle course for kids bikes, as well as brand new gas barbeques, it had the works! To top this off it was a beautiful warm sunny day. The kids ran around for a good hour or more and Tamara and I just watched, chatted and enjoyed the sunshine.

Back on the road we continued westward, with the distances between towns getting further and further and the countryside becoming more arid. We rolled into the refreshingly spacious Takaraka Bush Resort campsite at the foot of Carnarvon Gorge just on dusk. As the reception was closed a sign directed me to check in via a 2 way radio to a homestead some distance away. We were clearly in the bush and loving it.

What makes Carnarvon Gorge special for me is that it is an oasis set amongst the semi-arid country of central Queensland. The gorge itself stands out in an otherwise featureless terrain and although it is not massive in size, the white sandstone walls give it a special character. The other draw card is the extensive aboriginal rock art and hidden canyons begging to be explored.

Carnarvon Gorge

 Usually its me driving the bush walking agenda, but much to my delight Tamara was keen to see the “Art Gallery” which would be a 12 km return walk. Up until this point our longest walk with the kids had been 9 km. 12 km was always going to be a push particularly for Jacob (4 yrs) but with a relatively flat route, a whole day to complete the walk and a bag full of provisions including jelly snakes for bribery we thought we would give it a crack.

Hidden Canyons of Carnarvon Gorge

The walk up through the gorge was stunning. It was cool, moist and lush, with the gorge filled with Giant Ferns, Cycads and Palms. It almost feels prehistoric and you are half expecting a pterodactyl to swoop down at any moment. The “Art Gallery” was a welcome half waypoint and the paintings were well worth the effort and certainly the most impressive that I have seen. The kids did surprisingly well, obviously Jacob had to be carried some of the way but the main challenge for the children is the monotony of long walks and not the physical side of it. Both Tom and Lara virtually ran the last 2 km driven by sheer happiness of reaching the car and the reward of ice creams. Total distance of this walk was 14.5 km and it was a great effort by the kids. The most impressively part was both Tom and Lara backed up the next day for a 7.5km walk up one of the bluffs.

The Art Gallery

Camping at Takaraka

We had two great days at Carnarvon Gorge and could of done with a couple more. Our first bush camp was successful and surprisingly good and we look forward to returning to the bush after our stint up the coast.

Next stop Yeppoon and the Capricorn Coast

Recommend

-       Carnarvon Gorge

-       Lyons Park, Biloela

A wet week in Seventeen Seventy

Our next destination is the sleepy but picturesque twin towns of 1770 and Agnes Waters about three hours north of Hervey Bay. On the way we broke up the trip, as we tend to do on travelling days, with a stop in a major town for lunch or coffee, a play at the park and a general breather before hitting the road again. On this occasion the stop was at Bundaberg on a delightfully warm sunny day in a park beside the Burnett River.

Driving North out of Bundaberg, we passed through a distinct fruit growing area, the road lined with orchard after orchard of citrus and avocado trees amongst other produce. Tamara spotted a strawberry farm so we promptly stopped to grab a couple of punets for our supplies. I ran in with Tom to find a whole production line of people and machines boxing up fat, bright red strawberries ready for shipping off to the supermarket. This was a good lesson for Tom to see food coming from the source and the process behind the little punnet that you get at the supermarket. In the end we returned to the car with a 1kg tub of the freshest, most delicious strawberries that I have eaten, clearly having been picked earlier that day. Back in the car and underway again I handed out to open hands what was to be just a small sample of the goods but the 1kg tub never stood a chance and was empty by the time we arrived in 1770. 

1770 and Agnes Waters are well off the Bruce highway and so they do not see the great volume of tourist traffic that runs up and down the Queensland coast. That said the picturesque, chilled out setting of the twin towns still makes it a popular spot with those in the know and as we nearly found you need to book well ahead to secure a spot in the limited spaces available. From here on in will we have to start getting organised if we are going to stay in the places that we have planned to stay in.

The very beautiful water of Seventeen Seventy

We managed to sneak in to the simple but well located (beach front) 1770 Caravan Park. Just as we were putting the finishing touches on our sandy little caravan site it promptly began to rain. Apart from the odd couple of hours of sun it remained this way for our time in 1770, which limited our activities to a degree. Either way it still a pretty spot to be stuck in for a couple of days even if it was wet. My first tip in travelling with a Caravan or Camping is finding out where the public library is, as these can be saviors (particularly with kids) when the weather turns foul or even as a good time filler. All the ones we have come across have Internet access (WiFi or a terminal), great kids areas, printing facilities, games and puzzles.

On patrol at Agnes Waters main beach

I can hear some of you asking “a town called 1770, what’s that all about?”. 1770 is significant because Captain James Cook, the first European to explore and chart the Australian east coast, landed on the peninsula where the township sits. Its significant because it was the first landing in the now Queensland and one of a few landings made altogether. So there you go a bit of history. 1770 is also popular surfing spot, as it’s the last real place that you can surf heading north due to the effect of the Great Barrier Reef on the more northern beaches, not to mention the lack of crocodiles and stingers.   

Local surfer, Agnes Waters Beach

So the little Jayco Caravan held up well to its first real rain test, we stayed mostly dry and when the sun did come out we enjoyed our time down at Agnes Waters beach watching groups of very white, northern hemisphere tourists take to the waves under instruction from a local, bronzed, surfie. We finished up our stay by watching the sunset over the water (unusual on the east coast of Oz) at the strategically located The Deck with beers and fire trucks (lemonade & raspberry cordial) in hand. As we wandered back to the van in the dusk I was caught by a moment with the kids playing on the beach with some large driftwood, and trying to make a pyramid with them just for fun. It was such a simple thing but they were having such a blast, giggling and laughing and really enjoying the moment. They seem to be taking to life on the road well.

Sunset over Round Hill Creek, 1770

Recommendations for 1770 / Angus Waters

- Agnes Waters Beach

- Watching the sunset with a beer (or wine) over Round Hill Creek from the bar at The Deck 1770. Be prepared to pay top dollar though.

Wide bay and the Hyundai that could

The next stop on our journey has been Hervey Bay on the Fraser Coast about 3 hrs north of Brisbane.  Here we caught up with good friends Peter and Annette from Brisbane who also have similar aged kids and a camper. Essentially it was a weekend of catching up and an opportunity for the kids to knock around with similar aged kids. Its amazing to how quickly the friendships develop between the children. We had a lovely time despite the weather being a little on the wet side.  

Hervey Bay proved a great location being small enough to be quiet and relaxed but with all the services (read: Coffee) that come with it being a grey nomad and back packer destination. A feature of the town is the beautiful esplanade that runs the full length (10km) of the bay. On one side is the calm waters of Hervey Bay, then a broad beach followed by a thin strip of coastal vegetation reserve along which a walking track weaves its way for the full length of the bay. Along the reserve are a range of play grounds perfect for the kids and opposite this the bayside road (perfect for cycling) and then the shops, restaurants and cafes over looking the ocean. 

Morning views across Torquay Beach, Hervey Bay

So in a nut shell Hervey Bay was all about going to parks, drinking coffee, walking along the beach, cycling along the bay, bbq's, dodging the rain, and much time spent on the jumping pillow at the caravan park.

Hervey Bay is also the departure point for Fraser island. I had been to the island before and was pretty keen to show the family. The island can be accessed easily (for a price) via organised tour or you can take your own vehicle across a barge as long as you have four wheel drive to cope with the sand tracks and generally rough conditions. I mentioned earlier that we are driving a Hyundai Santa Fe which is a mid-sized SUV or All Wheel Drive (AWD). The big question was, was the little korean AWD up for the task? I have had the car since new and it has been put through its paces over a range of conditions probably all (just) within its design specifications. Its always come through surprisingly well. 

So I was confident about the cars abilities as well as my own driving experience to safely and without drama navigate the sandy roads of Fraser Island. It appeared however it would take a lot more to convince the locals that this Canberran with his urban off roader was not heading for disaster. On no less than 5 occasions I was told that the Hyundai was not suitable for the island and that I should strongly reconsider taking a tour or hiring a "real" four wheel. I didn't want to come across as the guy who  "knows boats"  but I gently persuaded them that I thought the vehicle was up for the job.  Even the lady taking the bookings for the barge was hesitant to let us on.

So first thing Monday morning with the weather looking reasonable we headed down to the barge excited but a tad tentative about hitting the big sandy island. I felt a test of manhood as I lined the Santa Fe up in the queue to board the barge. The little understated Korean was along side the likes of a beefed up Toyota Troop Carrier, a brand new and heavily modified Land Cruiser and weathered Nissan Patrol. This did not help the little uncertainty that I had. The true test would be taken as soon as we arrived after our 30 minute crossing.

Fraser Island inland trail for "real" four wheel drives only

As soon as you arrive on Fraser Island you get a sense that the place is true wilderness and worthy of its World Heritage status. The vegetation is very different,  much more tropical than the mainland and magnificently lush and tall.  With the tyre pressure dropped, 4 wheel drive locked in we got straight into it and not to any great surprise the Hyundai took straight to the sandy trails with ease.  The tracks were narrow, rough and in some areas particularly deep and soft in sand but in no circumstances through out the day did the Hyundai get out of it's depth or into trouble. The most unsettling part of the day was being bared down and forced off the single lane track by one of the tourist buses in his rush to catch the last barge home.

Eurong Beach, Fraser Island

The day on Fraser was brief but a good sample of what the island has to offer.  We managed to get in a short walk to Basin Lake, lunch beside Lake Mackenzie and then an ice cream stop in Eurong on the ocean side of the island before returning to the barge drop off point.  The trip back (with ego intact) was topped off by a superb sunset as we sailed home across wide bay.

The return barge from Fraser Island

Hervey Bay and Fraser Island have been superb, and we can see ourselves returning for a more comprehensive visit of the island in the future. 

The road calls us northward with our next stop being the small coastal township of 1770.

Recommend in Hervey Bay

Coffee at the little art gallery on the Esplanade

A walk along the main pier

Anything on Fraser Island of course

A patisserie from the French Bakery on the Esplanade

Queensland Coast. Gold.

After two big days on the road from Canberra we set up digs at Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, Queensland. What happen to New South Wales I hear you say!? Well, we have seen much of the NSW Coast already over the past several years and as beautiful as the coastline is we are keen to get to Queensland and get to places that we have not seen. So with that in mind we felt that Surfers Paradise would be a fine place to start, hit the go slow button and settle into living out of caravan.

Main Beach Caravan Park, Sufrers Paradise, Queensland

We have already discovered with caravaning that as soon as you hitch your car to that draw bar, its like a new membership. Immediately you have whole bunch of people acknowledging you on the road that would otherwise pass by without thought.  The same goes for when you site and set up your caravan in the caravan park. Before you have time to un-hitch you have said G'Day to you neighbour, find out where they are from, what sort of work they do, where they have just come in from, where their next destination is and all the recommended "spots" for the road ahead. Even the kids are on first name basis with all the other kids in the park by the end of the first afternoon. To say it's a friendly, welcoming community is an understatement.

South Port Sunset, Surfers Paradise, Queensland

So steady as she goes, easy days in Surfers settling into our space (or lack thereof) in the caravan and all that goes with it. The agenda is clear other than a visit to one of the "Worlds", with Sea World the obvious choice as it is just around the corner. The weather has been good (mostly) and the days spent down at the beach, at a park, a cafe or off for a ride or run. I think we can say that slowing down has come pretty easy. 

Notable mention to Lara (7 Years old) take on the "Sea Viper" roller coaster ride at Sea World. The ride included a full loop the loop followed by a double barrel role. She took no convincing to giving it a run, in fact from the get go she said that the ride was a must for her. The boys on the other hand would not have a bar of it.  Only just scraping in under the "acceptable" height bar she dragged me a long for the ride. Funny thing was she knew it was going to be terrifying but was happy to give it a run anyway. She closed her eyes for the whole ride but you could not wipe the smile off her face at the end of the ride. If that was not enough she then immediately doubled up with the "Jet Rescue" roller coaster ride, which had no loops but moved twice as quick. Now she has two up on the boys. 

One of the great parks around Surfers Paradise, Queensland

So we headed off this morning for our second destination, Hervey Bay about 4 hours up the road. Our Caravan is a pop top which means there is a little bit in packing up to do to get the whole thing closed. Without much practice this has taken about an hour an half, we hope to have this down to 30 minutes by trips end. 

Enjoying the thought of the road and places ahead. 

RECOMMEND IN SURFERS PARADISE

• Main Beach Caravan Park. Not as busy as you might think but perfectly close to everything.
• Hard Coffee on Tedder Ave Main Beach for Coffee.
• Currumbin Beach, good for the kids with a sheltered area protected from the surf. 

Lightning Ridge, not just Black Opal

Well first deviation of the trip came on day 1 heading to Lightning Ridge instead of Moree on our way to the Queensland Gold Coast.  Nothing is fixed on this jouney. Its all up for grabs. If there is an opportunity to wander we will grab it whole heartedly and thus we headed up the Castlereagh Hwy and not the Newel Hwy. We were not dissapointed. Firstly it was a great opportunity to catch up with family (Kimmy and Morgan) whom we had not seen in a while and a chance to swim in the Artesian Hot pools which was the drawcard in Moree, except these ones are free. 

Sunset at 1st Shaft lookout with our hosts Kimmy and Morgan

I never had any expectations about Lightning Ridge except it would be a mining town. I have to say it was quite a tidy little spot with a number of things making it worthy of the stop. Aside from wonderful hospitality of family the Lightning Ridge hotsprings are gold particularly after a 800km day! They are well kept, in a great setting and did I mention they were free. While we are leaving tomorrow and we will miss the chance to explore the many art galleries and opal shops but I am already having ideas about a motorcycle tour of the hot springs of outback NSW.

Artesian Hot Springs of Lightning Ridge 

This morning I headed out for an hours pedal down the Castlereagh Hwy with Morgan to check out Stanley the big Emu a new 20 metre Lightning Ridge identity. Those of you looking to travel to all the "big" things in OZ i.e. big pineapple, big trout, big merino put this big fella made out of "I" beam iron and a VW bettle or two on your list. Needless to say the ride was pleasant and quiet albeit a bit fresh.

Cycling the Castlereagh Highway

Thanks to Morgan and Kimmy for taking care of us.

RECOMMEND IN LIGHTNING RIDGE

Artesian Hot Pools
Sunset at 1st Shaft Lookout
Chinese food at the Out back Resort (This will be a little confusing for our overseas readers but its an Aussie thing)
A gawk at Stanley the Emu

Primed and ready to hit the road.

Packed and ready for departure.

Well, its been on the drawing board for at least 2 years and finally we are here, pre-departure! Over the past week the camper trailer, a 2005 Jayco Flamingo Outback, has been sitting in the back yard as we slowly stock it with all the bits and pieces that we will need over coming months. It now has more plastic containers than a greasy takeaway and they all full of stuff. Are we ready? Yes! Are we excited? Well yes of course but we would be lying if we didn't say that there is a little bit of trepidation mixed in there as well. Its not as though we are making a dangerous solo journey across the Tanami Desert. This will hardly be roughing it, but there is a level of the unknown ahead. Unknown locations, unknown roads, how comfortable (and water tight) will the camper be and of course what will it be like being in such close company for all that time. All that sort of stuff. Anyway we are keen to throw ourselves at it and give it a good run.

So stay tuned, I will try to make the commentary light but interesting and not to lengthy, it will be great to have you drop in from time to time to see how we are travelling and hopefully share with you some of the beautiful places and experiences this great island has to offer. So in short:

Who:
We are a young(ish) family from Canberra, Australia, being Jeffrey and Tamara, Thomas (9), Lara (7) and Jacob (4).

Why:
Not so silly a question really. 100 Day Escape is code for a nice long break. Tamara and I have been lucky enough to travel a fair bit over the years and with a little bit of leave up our sleeves we wanted to do something special with the kids and introduce them to the joy and adventure of travel, as well as give them an experience they won't forget (for all the good reasons hopefully).

Where:
Essentially its going to be a half loop of Australia, meaning heading north from Canberra up the eastern seaboard until the Gulf of Carpentaria, west north west to Darwin, south to Alice Springs in the middle of Australia and finally Adelaide before bee lining it eastward back to Canberra. Obviously it will be more detailed than that but you will have to drop in to get all the detail.

How:
By "Camper Trailer" although its more like a caravan to us. Upfront is a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe with 90000 km on the clock. While the camper will be a our main home under the stars we will not be shying away from the odd "break" in a civilised establishment. Once again this is no Bear Grylls adventure so if you are looking for epic tales you may not find them hear.    

Lastly, I am a bit of photography hack and will be doing my best to capture the trip in this way. Blogger is good for the odd shot but if you are keen to see more I will be setting up a "Photo Stream" for all you Apple fans and also on Google+. Just drop me an email at jeff.dau@gmail.com if you would like to subscribe.

Cheers and chat soon.

Jeff