Day 58 Wednesday 5/7/2023 Miriam Vale to Goovigen, misty rain to sunshine 16 – 24

We get an early start.

Poor old Woody was kept awake by the orange streetlight. Back on the Bruce Highway, it’s 21 degrees with heavy misty fog and a fair amount of commuter traffic due to the proximity of Gladstone. In the words of the GPS we ‘slip left’ onto the Dawson Highway at Calliope and are surprised to find that Calliope is a much larger town than what we’ve seen from the Bruce.

There are big doe-eyed Brahman cattle now and splendid views of the ranges. The grasses are as tall as the fences and as we scoot along admiring the view, our doctor rings to arrange some prescriptions for Woody. How does one explain where Jambin is to a desk-bound Melbourne doctor?

We’ve crossed the range now and are in the Banana Shire, so named for a yellow bull called Banana. Try explaining that to the doc.

We cross the Burnett Highway and one of those concrete bridges that have no sides (I guess it’s to ease the destruction of floodwaters, but scary to us Southerners) and on into Goovigen. We stayed here last year and love the peacefulness of the place. As we enter town the locals wave cheerily. After all the RV camp is the only commercial business in town apart from the post office.

We are early enough to nab 2 powered sites. There are a few other campers here and they’re a friendly bunch. As we debate about where to park (here, there, where will the sun set, and so on), a neighbour calls out “It’s not worth a divorce!” Although the park is quite wet from the rain it is drying out quickly. Grey Crowned Babblers are playing on the grass. Last year when we stayed here the local primary school teacher brought the kids around to ask us what we’d think would improve the camp. One of our suggestions was a herb garden and it’s great to see that there is a garden here now. Thanks kids.

In walking the town Woody meets a guy who tells him that there have been two local deaths recently. That’s why the flag at the RSL is at half-mast. He then takes him into his garage to have a look at his well-preserved Toyota. It’s the friendliness that we love about this town.

At happy hour we are joined by a camper who lost her husband to a brain aneurysm and she now travels the country as much as she can. We learn that over the years they fostered 40 kids. We hear from VeeWee, she’s still on the road and is still finding mice. She also found a frog who hitched a ride in the water hose. Whoops, check your load for a toad.

Elle cooks me a birthday dinner tonight and on the menu is a prawn entree followed by a shepherd’s pie. Thanks, Elle you’re a star! Being an occasion, we over imbibe on sparkling wine which only makes the moonrise look lovelier. Did I mention how nice this town is?

Accom: $10.00 (Power, water, flushing toilets, showers)

Fuel: $48.99 (1.759c/L)

Towing Kms: 175kms