June 2026, weather sunny and low 20’s.

Without going into the personal details, the health of Woody’s brother, Woody the Elder is up and down. While we’re here, he goes back into hospital for yet another short stint and more tests. We tootle back and forth to the Gold Coast from Murwillumbah. Here’s a brief summary of our week and this fascinating area.

Woody is doing the washing at the local laundromat. I jump under the shower, taking a quick glance at the 240v hot water switch on the panel above the fridge, yep I have remembered to switch it on. Gosh the hot water is slow to come through. Thate bloody hot water unit must be on the blink again. My mind quickly spins to the failure in 2015 when the circuit board got wet and the unit would only run on power not gas. Gee, it’s still not warming up. I might as well race next door to the shower block. Don’t be silly, I’m already wet, I may as well just get on with it and put up with the cold water. Brrr, that was cold. As I grab the towel, I notice that the switch has been off all along. Should gone to Specsavers! Now where is the heater? Woody gets back from doing the washing and wonders why the van is like a sauna and my teeth are chattering, even the plastic ones.

It’s a beautiful morning, the range of the Scenic Rim surrounds us. There’s sugar cane in the next paddock, tiny blue wildflowers bloom on the rise behind us. After lunch we walk around this colourful hippy town with its myriad of art deco buildings (a fire in the early 20th century forced a rebuild of most of the central township thankfully in a time of most attractive architecture).

Queensland’s Gold Coast is a city built on man-made waterways. We rely on Google Maps to get us through the many ‘lake central’ housing estates but then instead of picking up the motorway she chooses to take us home via the scenic route, ie, over the range that is the Scenic Rim. Via what is called Queensland Rd. It is oh, so beautiful, with thick rainforest and a windy road. I must admit that it was not the shortest nor the fastest way to get to ‘Murbah’ but I’m glad of the distraction.

With rain forecast, it’s a warm, still evening as clouds build. There’s a small soak at the foot of the hill behind us. Crickets and frogs chirrup and croak with delight.

We drive to Chinderah on the Tweed River for a coffee and an almond croissant at Cubby’s Bakehouse. Once more, we vote these the best in the country and about a hundred other hungry folk obviously agree.

In Murwillumbah we walk into town to stock up on drugs, the ones that are keeping us upright, and I happen to notice the art supplies shop The Artists Apothecary. – Art is the best medicine-. How could I not stock up on a little of their medicine too?

We spend a relaxing afternoon in the sun enjoying our view across the cane fields to the ranges.

As we drive along the Tweed Valley Way, the sugar cane is being burnt at Condong.

Back at camp Double or Nuthin’ and Shirley Temple (as in, my body’s a temple) have arrived, they’re only two weeks late this time. That’s right, they were originally planning to leave home on the same day as us. Though, I must say that their best effort was 6 weeks late when we went to the Gulf of Carpentaria, they eventually met us at Longreach when we were on our way back down from the top.  We have happy hour under a clear sky, the moon and Venus shining brightly.

Footnote: The Queenslander style of home, as seen in Queensland and northern New South Wales is usually a large practical house of weatherboard construction atop wooden stilts. Everything in its design allows for air flow, being raised high off the ground, wide decking, multiple windows direct the flow and ventilators at the highest point of the roof pull the hot air out. But the part that I find most amusing is that the toilet often looks like an afterthought hanging off the back of the building. It’s almost as if Mum has put her foot down and refused to climb down steep stairs to visit the loo in the wee hours.