Day 45 Saturday 10/7/21 Tannum Sands to Rockhampton, sunny 22

We’ve been unpowered for a week now and Woody is worried about the health of our batteries. We detour to Gladstone Aldi to buy a small solar powered gadget charger as an extra, or is that an excuse to check this week’s Aldi centre aisle specials?

On a more personal front I’ve been bitten on the head and bum by midges. How they can bite through thick denim has me beaten. So much for my theory of rugging up in long clothes at happy hour.

Exiting Gladstone, the MIL engine light comes on again, this car no longer enjoys towing uphill and gives us a nervous edge to today’s trip. As we approach Rockhampton and the Tropic of Capricorn the landscape is drying, the cattle are Brahman and Droughtmaster and there are swathes of grassland.

The Country Club Accommodation caravan park that Elle has found is cheap and clean. We’re lucky to have somewhere with power, the price is a bonus. We drop the van, run into town and check that the 4WD auto service guy that we used in 2016 is still there as the car will need servicing and do some shopping. Stocklands shopping centre is huge, Woody picks up the glasses that he ordered prior to leaving home and we refresh the wardrobe a little as we are looking a bit like ‘trailer trash’.

We don’t have to cook dinner tonight as the Prado’s and Kath & Kim are cooking a pork roast on the Weber with a heap of vegies. Elle snaffles the pork rind, which doesn’t crackle in the Weber, and bungs it in her newest acquisition the air fryer. I’m starting to wonder where I could possibly stow something so large in our caravan if that crackling works. And yes, it does work and it’s delicious. Maybe we can travel with one less box of wine?

Accom: 23.00

Towing Kms: 133kms