Aug 2022, Mulambin, Qld

It was a pleasantly warm night. Woody is up early and walks to Cooee Bay to buy bread again and I pick him up. After breakfast, we have some misty rain but it’s probably my last chance to walk Ritamada. Decked out in Woody’s old sailing jacket, which comes down to my knees, I hit the sand. It’s invigorating with a high tide, heavy mist, and peaceful.

In the afternoon I take a walk on Mulambin Beach while Woody has a haircut. The Park is trimming the many palms and The Prado’s old site now looks very different.

It’s a delightful drive out to Byfield National Park. Through small hobby farms and pineapple plantations. The National Park is ablaze with the red-blooming Byfield Grevillea and the fluffy blue flowers that grow like weeds in QLD. The Byfield General Store is set in the forest. The licensed cafe is an open-air arrangement with a protective roof as a shelter from the rain. The food is always good. Burgers are their specialty and the menu is as big as the burgers. C & W who live nearby join us for a hearty lunch and a bloody good yack.