Dec 10, 2019 - Toowoomba

Historical Toowoomba Day 96 The drive into Toowoomba takes in wide tree-lined streets with views of the surrounding mountains. Downtown has streets laid out on a grid which is easy to navigate and we park up on Neil Street. We have a leaflet for the Cultural and Legal Precinct Historic Walk and decide to follow this to get a flavour of the area. The Precinct is bounded by 4 streets; Neil, Margaret, Ruthven and Herries and is an area rich in historical buildings including the post office, churches, the court house, city hall, hotels,...

Dec 9, 2019 - Glass House Mountains

Volcanic Plugs Day 95 The morning is yet again misty, these fires are having an awful effect on the environment. We are soon packed and ready to continue our journey. Although we are driving to Toowoomba, west of Brisbane we take a detour north to Beerburrum and the Glass House Mountains National Park. As we travel between Beerburrum and Beerwah on the Steve Irwin Way we enter forestry land where US pines are grown for timber. Passing fields of pineapples, we suddenly see a pointed mountain with thick green covered slopes. This is the...

Dec 5, 2019 - Brisbane City

A Modern City Day 91 We eat breakfast on the balcony appreciating the views. The builders opposite started work at 6 a.m. presumably so that they can finish early before it gets too hot. Looking across to the South Bank we can see the theatre, museums and big wheel and we decide to make that our first stop of the day. The Kurilpa foot bridge across the river is right outside our hotel. It is marked out with lanes for pedestrians, bikes and scooters (the whole city is pedestrian and cycle friendly). We walk across and join the boardwalk...

Dec 4, 2019 - The Sunshine Coast

Beautiful Vistas Day 90 Leaving Hervey Bay behind we set off on the 300km drive down the Bruce Highway to Brisbane. Passing through Maryborough and Gympie the scenery is bush and yet again we see the evidence of bush fires. South of Gympie we head towards the coast and hit the Blackhall Range, which offers a change of scenery with thick forests and lush pastures. We mean to stop off at the highland village of Eumundi, but we miss the exit and instead of turning around (we’ll have to wait till the next exit on the dual carriageway) we come...

Dec 3, 2019 - Fraser Island

The Biggest Sand Island in the World Day 88 We’re standing outside the caravan park down the road at 7.10 a.m. waiting for the bus to pick us up. Two other girls from Flashpackers are also waiting. After a number of pick ups we are driven to River Heads for the ferry to Fraser Island. At 76 miles long and 16 miles across this World Heritage area is the largest sand island in the world. The car ferry is quite small and we walk on the car deck and up the steps to the seating deck. Once the few cars have been loaded, we leave dock for the...

Dec 1, 2019 - Hervey Bay

Hervey Bay Day 86 Captain Cook There’s another long journey to Hervey Bay today so we’re on our way by 10 a.m. The sun is beating down already, but I cannot find my sun glasses. We turn back and search the house but they are nowhere to be found. I can’t imagine where I’ve lost them, but it’s not surprising I’m always losing glasses. Continuing down the Bruce Highway which is mainly inland we head South through the bush. On reaching Miriam Vale we take the B road to Agnes Water, the east coasts most northerly surf beach. This is a bit out of...

Nov 30, 2019 - Rockhampton

Australia's Beef Capital Day 84 The Longest Day Today, we have our longest drive in Australia so far, from Airlie Beach to Rockhampton – 482km. This is an inland route through the bush. We are soon back on the Bruce highway travelling between Eugella National Park on the right and the flat plains to the sea on the left. The landscape switches between the lofty Clarke Range covered in tropical and semi-tropical vegetation to scrub to scorched woodland to dry yellow fields and back. We stop for fuel a break at a small one street town and see...

Nov 28, 2019 - Airlie Beach

Backpackers Paradise Day 82 Airlie As we arrived in the dark last night, we are unfamiliar with our surroundings. On opening the curtains, we are startled to see a vista across the Coral Sea to the Whitsundays. What we had thought were house lights last night were in fact lights on the boats in the harbour and out at sea. How lovely. Whilst having breakfast we are joined by a cockatoo, white with a crest of yellow feathers. It is quite at home on the balcony and even poses for photos! He is joined by two others later who make themselves...

Nov 26, 2019 - Charters Towers

The Rush for Gold Day 81 We have quite a long drive today as we have decided to make the 83 miles diversion inland to Charters Towers, an old gold mining town on the Flinders Highway. We set off at 10 a.m. and head west from Townsville. We are all very alarmed to see the number of dead kangaroos at the side of the highway. These have obviously been knocked down, probably causing a great deal of damage to the vehicle as well as themselves. We drive past Townsville’s race track which maybe explains the number of horses we pass on our journey....

Nov 25, 2019 - Townsville

North Queensland's Major City Day 80 Townsville Our accommodation is the ground floor of a typical Queensland, white washed beach property directly across the road from the sea. On waking we see a wading bird in the back garden. It has predominantly white plumage with a bare, black head, long curved bill and black legs. We’re not sure what it is but will ask Marcus later – he has amazed us with his knowledge of the flora and fauna on this trip. Mark and I decide to leave Marcus in bed as we go to explore Townsville. This is a major city...

Nov 24, 2019 - Mission Beach

Forest and Sea Day 78 Mission Beach Waking we find the balcony has a pretty good view over the Coral Sea and Mark has breakfast outdoors. He has already been for a drive about the resort and says the beach is long and beautiful. We drive along small country roads to the Djiru National Park which stretches almost to the coast. The trail we walk is through the forest following a creek. There are plaques along the route which identify the plethora of fruits which are eaten by the Cassowary. I’m hoping to see one of these illusive birds as I...

Nov 22, 2019 - Atherton Tablelands

Killaloe to Mission Beach Day 77 Sitting on the veranda eating breakfast Mark and I are viciously attacked by black flies. It does sound rather dramatic but they bite and one actually draws blood from Mark’s toe. Wonderful settings are sometimes accompanied by very annoying pests. The car is packed and we set off south to Mission beach. Instead of driving the coast road we turn inland to drive through the Atherton Tablelands. This fertile area is slightly cooler than the coast as it climbs to Queensland’s highest mountains. On leaving...