Every picture tells a Story

Taylors Beach

Lovely stay at Taylors Beach. Nice people in the park, both owners and residents. Very helpful as well. Hints and tips on fishing, where and when to gather bait, borrow my bait pump if you like. Tides aren't much good! The problem is that there isn't very much room between the tides at the moment and high tide is eary evening or very early morning. Makes it difficult especially without a boat. Still there are plenty of fish being caught. My score is one bream. we were given a nice Silver Trevally that I cooked on the Weber. The midges have taken their toll once again.While I was filleting our bream the other night at about 6.15-6.30, they attacked me with a vengeance on my left elbow and behind both knees and down my legs.
Day trips to Halifax, Lucinda and out to Dungeness was an eye opener. Quite a resort at Dungeness and an extensive boat launching ramp and mooring facility there as well. We overheard a couple of bloke,s who were loading there boats, conversation about whales offshore today. Apparently they are quite often seen off the end of the sugar wharf at Lucinda.Day trip to Wallaman falls was quite spectacular.

Moving on towards  Charters Towers. We are going to check out a couple of free camps along the beach before Townsville as that is when we leave the coast and turn West inland to the gold town of the "Towers." During the gold rush 1870-99 there was a Stock exchange here and the town was known as the "World" as there was anything you could possibly want available here, why go anywhere else?

Townsville to Taylors Beach

An easy drive fromTownsville to Taylors Beach under normal circumstances, however, my health has caught up with me and I am suffering the first cold that either of us have had since being on the road. Perhaps we should have stayed another night in Townsville. my recollection of the journey to Taylors Beach is vague, I do remember being overtaken by two blokes who then slowed to 80..... Anyway, we are here now. This is where Marg's Mum and Dad used to come each year with his brother and sister in law. They left Swan Hill about the Queens birthday and got home at about Cup day. The journey North being quicker than the return journey, to escape the cold.

A days recovery, tucked up in bed with my blanket on for the day has worked a treat. Now Marg. is crook with it. Tried the walk along the beach to the "Sticks" where I caught  a nice Queenfish last time and wrestled with a hawks bill turtle for about an hour as well. Fish today NIL. The fresh seafood place in Lucinda used to sell bug tails but do no longer. freshly cooked prawns, tigers, at a very reasonable price is the go. Marg. recovering but we need to restock our supply of cold and flu material and do some shopping so off to Ingham. A nice place that was established by Italian migrants who chose to plant cane.The rest is history. Cane is growing on both sides of the road and the cane mills are belching smoke like there is no tomorrow.Cane trains lines, criss cross the back roads and not all have wig wags, so caution is well advertised on hordings on all roads of the area. Lunch in town before exploriong Forest Beach where there is supposed to be a free camp. Power and water available adjacent to the Hotel ($) area looks nice but not worth leaving our present location. while parked in town, Marg saw this Red Tailed Cockatoo, BONUS..

Bowen to Townsville

Not a great distance between these two towns but a HUGE difference in size.We chose to stay at a park on the seashore called Rowes Bay caravan park and we had been told that they don't take bookings on any sites. as per our information, we arrived at about 3.00pm and were offered a non powered site for the night at more than what we would have expected to pay.The next morning, right on cue, a phone call from the office with our powered site number. The night before, as we were setting up we recognised another VIC number plate next to us. Turned our to be Ken & Marilyn from Korumburra, and I was at secondary school with them both.

After shifting around the corner and once again setting up, we decided to have a look around. Big city with two Defence Force bases here they being army and air force.We found a large shopping centre that hasn't been open all that long. gotta a long way to go but getting there and of course, no shortage of people. the guy who recommended Rowes Bay had also told us of the deal at the casino, join up and you get a meal for nothing. A meal voucher is issued together with a five dollar match and play voucher for use on the tables.The meal voucher can be used in any of their restaurants as well and we chose to have lunch in Spin bistro and were very pleased with the meal. An afternoon drive up Castle Hill to the number of different lookouts from this well known local landmark.Next morning a quick look at the local map to find the Commonwealth War Graves cemeteryand we were off again. A distant cousin, Aubrey, died during WW2 on Thursday Island. He was a member of the RAAF and it was a land based accident where a falling tree had killed him. We found his headstone.Also found a sparky who specialised in car audio as well as other things. He had a replacement cord to connect the cruiser and the caravan camera

Every Picture Tells a Story

Pruned by Nature

Hydeaway Bayto Bowenwood

We left Hydeaway Bay waved off by the camps manager and moved on to Bowen. This is where the recent movie Australia was filmed, hence the title of todays Blog...A visit to the tourist information booth is always helpful. These people, mostly volunteers, are enthusiastic and knowlegeable about the local area. After pointing out the pertinent landmarks around town including the location of our caravan park,our help suggested that we put our names down at the local yacht club this afternoon. You may be able to get on a yacht and take part in a race this afternoon, just take a couple of beers and some money to shout the Captain after the race.Thought about it for a while and decidedto give it a go, so off to the yacht club to register.Got on the boat Naut-I-Lass Too after meeting skipper/owner Neville, crew Gary and another Shane. Off we set. We were the largest boat at 40' and so had to start last. We beat across the bay to the first bouy and tacked across the bay to the next mark, jibing and tacking as we went.When we reached the furthest mark, turned on the down wind leg and we had already overtaken two boats when the skipper said, time for a beer.A further twenty minutes or so before we were back into it again, tacking, jibing etc to finish fourth. Skipper let me take the wheel as we headed back to Port while the sails were furled.Do you like my nautical terms? A pleasant day on the briney was followed an equally pleasant time for presentations back at the fully licensed yacht club.We had witnessed a collision between two of the yachts at the windward mark and this lead to a little more jocularity at the club. The invitation is open to anyone who would like to take part in one of these races, register at the yacht club on Saturday afternoon by about 2.15 and have a great day out sailing.
There are some magnificent beaches around Bowen some of which are award winning. The Sunday market is held alongside Queens Beach and is quite extensive. A great market. The variety of different nationalities arouind Bowen sees a great variety of different vegetables on sale at the market. Your usual craft, clothing and junk stalls and a couple beside each other on stands selling ..Him-Omelletes and Her-Waffles.

Bowen bakery has award winning pies, Fellowes Fish and Chips was reasonably priced and lovely fish and Joachims bakery have just won prizes for their sourdough and apple pies. We bought 500grms of cooked tiger prawns from Arabon seafoods and really enjoyed Bowen.

Midge Point to Hydeaway Bay

We left Midge point and travelled North with our W.A. friends and another couple Peter and Janice followed us as well. All leaving camp at the same time rather than travelling together, if you know what I mean. Pete and Janice left us at Proserpine and we shopped in preparation for Hydeaway bay. We had heard that there are no shops there. While in proserpine, we could see that the mill had started up and thats a significant in this heavily sugar growing area. The sugar crop has been affected by the rain as has the tourist industry. Moved on to Hydeaway bay and settled in. Great atmosphere here, fire pit, quiet park and lots of fisherman.Next day Ivan (WA) asked us to join them on an exploring trip. This isn't gonna take long, but it did.After lunch we went to Monte's resort which is only a couple of klms away and it was there for drinkies. On to Eco resort and another drink, outlook at both of these places is outstanding. Azure blue seas backed by smoky blue islands and topped by whiter than white beaches. The road goes a little further than Eco, a boom gate stops any further progress as it is a private residence. Small rough tracks towards the beach reveals fishing and swimming spots along the coast.Next day another exploratory trip to Dingo beach. There is a pub there and another settlement, but the pub is the only business there. Outlook across a stretch of shaded sand once again to a brilliant white  beach with those smoky blue islands in the background. This time we had the coral trout fish and chips for lunch and it was great. Met Mark at the fire who claims he has a Seniors escort service.... he is about our age and it's wide loads. Next day off to Airlie beach. Hydeaway bay was described to us as Airlie without the backpackers. Yeah, well thats about right. The years since we were here has seen a dramatic change to tourism as well as Airlie. The backpacker market is well catered for here and the Grey nomad not so well. Cannon Vale was more to our liking with a bit more variety of shopping and not that "surfie" clientele...Probably the same reason we don't feel all that comfortable in Lorne any more. Shute harbour used to be the departure point for all the island ferries, quickcat services etc. That has changed and what used to be a thriving departure point, is no more. Island cruises leave from Abel point, Airlie beach and thats about to change again after someone has spent a gazillion dollars on the development of new Port Airlie where the cruise boats will depart from in the future.  Day ended by going back to Proserpine and home.At a meeting with our WA friends it was decided that lunch at Eco resort was appropriate and delicious as this would see them depart tomorrow. The ten days we have been together has been great fun, we have seen a lot, tasted a lot and laughed a lot. We have decided to stay on for another two nights. This has given me a chance to explore some of the great beaches, wet a line in the vague hope of catching a feed and chilling in this great area. The lack of mobile service and Internet as well has been a bit of a problem for me as I like to be able to source info when and where I like it but we are realising more and more the vastness and also the remoteness of this wonderful country.