Day 52 Thursday 29/6/2023 From ‘free firewood’ to Childers, cloudy 10 – 22

We’re on the road before 9:00am and we can’t complain about the drive as it’s not far. As we approach Childers the countryside changes to rich red soil with orchards and cane fields. We’re in the produce bowl that stretches from here to north of Bundaberg, growing fruit, vegetables, and nuts.

We’re early enough to grab a spot in the Childers RV camp in the heart of town, as last night’s RV’s are only just moving out. VeeWee gets her tyre valve fixed in the main street and joins us. We have a walk around this very busy town and our first stop, of course, is the butcher shop. We buy saveloys*, you rarely see them these days, bacon, and bacon chops (a QLD specialty and our annual winter treat). There’s a tip jar on the counter “Please help the butcher buy a new boat”. I think the butcher might be doing quite well enough. While Woody shops VeeWee and I have an excellent coffee at Insane Coffee. They roast their own beans and the Nutella brownies are huge, delicious, and studded with chocolate. It takes a long time to be served as the queue stretches almost to the front door but the shop itself is interesting and the tinkling jazz most appreciated.

Back at camp chatting to our neighbour who is from Tasmania. We learn that he is driving his large motor home north and his wife will fly up and meet him and the dog. We stroll around to the Peanut Van hoping to buy some peanuts in the shell but we’re too early for the season and will have to make do with a jar of peanut butter and some chilli-dusted peanuts. Walking the historic main street there’s an interesting pharmacy museum and upstairs in the Palace Building there’s a moving memorial to the 15 backpackers who perished when the Palace backpackers hostel was torched on June 23rd 2000. Backpackers are welcomed and invaluable to this region as they are employed as agricultural labourers. In the same building, there’s also an exhibition of works by QLD Quilters, ‘State of the Art SOTA 23’. The works are colourful and inspiring but yours truly is not one to wield a needle.

VeeWee and I have been fascinated by the street trees of Childers with their cream and green striped trunks. Once more we hit Google to find that they’re Brazilian Leopard trees. There’s a pretty pink Catholic Church of an unusual design not far from us and after our walk, I sketch a big old frangipani tree in our park that is holding the last blooms of the season. Cane trains rumble over the nearby intersection. 

We’re surprised at how late some RV’s arrive here expecting to find a site. The two parking areas (one bitumen and one grassed) are now full with vans parked ‘cheek by jowl’. After checking out the 3 pubs we choose the Isis Club for dinner. It’s just up the road and a good decision indeed. The chicken schnitzel with prawns and avocado with hollandaise is delicious. VeeWee is excited about the salad. Lettuce, tomato, coleslaw, and pineapple is certainly unusual but actually rather nice.

The leopard trees are floodlit as we walk home.

*Saveloys are a large pink-skinned sausage. Think of a hot dog on steroids.

Accom: 0.00 (Toilets within walking distance)

Towing Kms: 30kms