Day 74 Friday, 22/7/2016, Yeppoon, hot We had intended to visit the Gracemere Cattle Saleyards today as they are the largest in Australia but all sales have been halted because of the ‘wet’. The Camp Draft has also been postponed … Continue reading Like a Rollingstone, Day 74 – Emu Park & Causeway Lake
Day 73 Thursday, 21/7/2016, Yeppoon, 24 There is a stand of bushland at the back of the van park and an emu strolls in for breakfast. We later learn that his mate was killed on the road some time ago … Continue reading Like a Rollingstone, Day 73 – Getting to know the locals
Day 72 Wednesday, 20/7/2016, Yeppoon, mild 24 A sunny morning with a light breeze and perfect for a cuppa outside and a chat with our neighbours from Chelsea, Vic. We catch the local bus out front and tour the suburbs of Yeppoon and all the way to Rocky airport where the hire car is waiting. Woody is right, it is an interesting way to travel and the driver is teaching another driver the intricacies of this route. We now know when to apply the brakes for each bus stop. I’ll bet that will come in handy, perhaps not. The two … Continue reading like a Rollingstone, Day 72 – Zippy little wheels
Day 71 Tuesday, 19/7/2016, Yeppoon, still dry We’re up at 6:00am to take the car into Rockhampton (50kms). It appears to be a faulty oil pressure switch. The sting is that it will take at least four days to get one sent up from Melbourne as parts are no longer air freighted (huh?). To be on the safe side the car cannot be driven so the mechanic suggests that we use our RACV Total Care insurance. A hire car won’t be available until tomorrow but in the meantime a taxi back to Yeppoon is covered, the car hire as well … Continue reading Like a Rollingstone, Day 71 – We’re in for a wait
Day 70 Monday 18/7/2016, Mackay to Yeppoon (Capricorn Coast) the rain has stopped Because of the wet we decide to forgo our trip up to Finch Hatton Gorge in the ranges and our next intended stop in the Byfield National … Continue reading Like a Rollingstone, Day 70 – When your day goes to s***
Day 69 Sunday 17/7/2016, soggy, damp, wet, sultry and record-breaking July (dry season) rains. It is still wet with a shower hourly. The roadsides are swamped, creeks are swollen and the Bruce Highway is cut further south at Marlborough. Our … Continue reading Like a Rollingstone, Day 69 – Atmospheric Mackay
Day 68 Saturday, 16/7/2016, Mackay, Oh Lord the sun is shining…briefly 21 degrees We wake to the sound of silence, no relentless drumming on the roof. It rained for 36 hours. Lunch is at the Austral Hotel downtown with the … Continue reading Like a Rollingstone, Day 68 – H is for Hospitality
Day 67 Friday, 15/7/2016, Cape Hillsborough to Mackay, bloody wet …and cold By the time we’d finished Woody’s birthday dinner last night we didn’t really notice the foul weather. It wasn’t until we woke up this morning that we noticed that the caravan leak has come back. It’s above the bed head and thankfully it isn’t too bad, just annoying. The rain hasn’t stopped for twelve hours. We pack up, which is considerably easier for me than Woody as all of his ‘blue’ jobs are outside in the rain and mud. As we drive into Mackay we pass the scene … Continue reading Like a Rollingstone, Day 67 – Soggy in Mackay
Day 66 Thursday, 14/7/2016, Cape Hillsborough, cloudy wet 17 It’s Woody’s 70th birthday and we drive into Mackay for lunch. We find a friendly Thai restaurant overlooking the marina and feel rather special as there’s no one else there. Back at camp we spend the afternoon preparing a Chinese dinner. I bake a cake in our wondrous new oven then can’t figure out where to put it…..the coffee machine is on the bathroom floor along with the fruit bowl, but that seems to live on the bathroom floor most of the time, and a pumpkin that has been waiting for … Continue reading Like a Rollingstone, Day 66 – Celebratory caravan cooking
Day 65 Wednesday, 13/7/2016, Cape Hillsborough, 24 I bound out of bed at 6:15 and out onto the beach to find that the ‘show’ has already begun. Each morning they encourage the kangaroos and wallabies onto the beach at dawn. … Continue reading Like a Rollingstone, Day 65 – Kangaroos and Cameras
