Big Crystal.

Hi. Have been at Alligator Creek and now at Big Crystal Creek in the Paluma Range. Loved Townsville. A really beautiful park with pools and waterfall along the beach front.
2 km from camp there is a rock slide area down waterfall /creek. Fantastic fun and not too cold. The weather is warming up at last.
Parks are good too. Paradise waterhole is 100 meters from camp. It is very pretty but the water is deep and cold.
Brian has been at the same camps, so it's been good to share a few meals and good company.
Garry has got us a 20i Honda generator. It will be very handy for when we have cloudy weather.
Garry fell off a picnic table a few days ago but didn't injure himself thank goodness. He also had a good birthday thanks for his birthday wishes.
Well must go. we are heading back too the rock slides this afternoon.
Love too family and friends.xxxx

Carmila Beach / Eungella Dam / Smalleys Beach.

Hi all. It's been ages since my last blog. From Boynedale we went to St. Lawrence. When we arrived at St. Lawrence the area was a cleared dusty rodeo paddock, at the edge of a struggling little town. There was a wetland nearby and muddy mangrove boat ramp about 5 km away. The rain started on our second day. It bucketed down and turned the area into a mud bath. We decided to remain there while the weather was so bad, as it was wide spread. There were good loo's, hot showers & it was another freebee.
From here we went to Carmilla Beach.
The weather had improved and it was a lovely beach camp, on the edge of native scrub.
The beach had 5 meter tides. So we had about a kilometer of beach at low tide. It was quite beautiful though and there were little hermit crabs running around every where. I really enjoyed taking Tweety, with Garry and I, on a couple of beach walks. I have a great photo of one of these walks.
We had to help pull a Kombie, a large Caravan and a large Winabago motorhome out of boggy sand. Garry is getting good at rescuing people with the Navara and snatchstrap.
Eungella Dam was our next camp. It was up in the mountains above Mackay. We really enjoyed driving through the cane fields, then up into the rainforest. The views from the top were amazing. We spoiled ourselves with a meal and beer from Eungella Challet. It was lovely sitting in the sunshine, enjoying the most awesome view and meal.
From here we explored Sky Window and Broken River.
The Dam where we set up camp was very beautiful. A large spaceous grassed area, on the edge of the lake, with lots of mountains and  gum trees.
Tweety was on Garry's shoulder outside on the second day here, when a couple of birds swooped Tweet and chased it out over the dam. After flying about 100 meters offshore Tweety headed back towards land but the other birds chased her another couple of hundred meters through the trees. Garry then went and picked her up. She still has a peck mark on the top of her head. She was lucky to survive it.
We went out in the kayaks and got a few Redclaw also in the first 2 days. After that we started getting really strong winds. Garry and I became quite worried about the wind. It had already ripped the awning vinyl completely off. The winds were about 70 km/h.
We have been happy but have found the weather frustrating. We have spent quite a few days reading, playing cards and scrabble because it was too wet, windy and muddy outdoors. The temperature is at least alot warmer than Goolwa has been this winter.
Yesterday we drove via Mackay to Smalleys Beach. We spent today fixing the awning and catching up with Brian again.
It is a really beautiful area. I'm looking forward to exploring the walking trails.
The camp sites are nestled in the rainforest, on the edge of a pretty beach. Mountains surround the area and seem to be like rocky spires. There is an estuary nearby for fishing too. We are booked in here until the 13th.
I have been missing our family. I'm a bit homesick but am loving exploring too. Lots of love to all at home.xxx

Redclaw at Boynedale Bush Camp.

Hi, for the last 9 days Garry, Tweety and I, have been at Boynedale Bush Camp. It is a large, popular, free site, on the banks of Awoonga Dam. 26 km SW of Calliope on the Monte road. Provided and well maintained by the Gladstone water board. It is a quiet, beautiful lakeside park with boat ramps and a real community atmosphere. We have had heaps of good company and fun with the yaks chasing Redclaw.
We have got the hang of it now and have had some good catches. Yum.
Tweety was very curious about the first one we caught (about a foot long). Tweety was watching it in the bucket and giving it strips of paper, that it had been tearing. Next minute the bird was splashing around in the water with it's new friend. Garry rescued Tweety unharmed. The next night Tweet would bite me on the ear lobe, every time I dropped a redclaw tail into the sizzling frying pan. When they were cooked and being dished up it started trying to eat them despite the heat. It seems everyone enjoys a feed of the big yabbies.

Yesterday while pottering outside Garry heard someone say " You could have at least help me set up camp Crouchy". Garry turned around to find Brian, from Colman Rd Goolwa, had just finished setting up camp. The guys have known each other for nearly 30 years and I have worked with Brian also and known him for at least 10 years. You don't expect to bump into friends 2000 km from home like that. The funny part is that Brian was one of the few people at our last camp the same time as we were there. He was at site 13 & we were in 6, yet didn't spot each other, despite having the area to ourselves.
We had Brian over for dinner tonight and enjoyed redclaw and a few beers.
It has been fantastic weather for the last couple of days. Really lovely out on the Dam in the kayaks. Calm and a sunny 25 degrees. We have enjoyed the bird life, a large waterdragon up a drowned tree and even saw 9 feral piglets, while touring the lake by yak.
Today went into Calliope to see if the number plate was at the post office yet and get some supplies.
I embarresed myself in the pharmacy. I showered before going into town. While in the pharmacy I asked to try on some orthotic thongs. The girl was crawling around my feet fitting me with the right size, when we both noticed I still had lumps of mud on my toes. I said "Sorry i've just been catching yabbies at the Dam." But the pretty little assistant looked a bit horrorfied. Oops. The thongs are great though.
See ya. Xxxx.

1770.

Hi all, since Fraser Island we have had 3 different camps. The first was Wongi. A state forest with a series of water holes near Lenthall Dam. The first photo's are of this area. It was a very peaceful spot with lots of birds.
Next was a roadside 48 hour parking bay. It had big trees and was not too far from Lake Monduran.  Went fishing from the kayaks, hoping to get some Red Claw (big tropical yabby) and a Barramundi. It was lovely out on the lake but only caught a big cat fish each. They put up a good fight.
I got a nasty deep barb in the calf muscle from mine. The venom made it very painful.
When we got back to the van I used hot flannels on the leg, as heat destroys the venom and reduces pain. I then decided to increase the pain again by flushing the hole with peroxide. This stirred me up beautifully. I fainted. Poor Garry, my nurse, was busy prepairing hot flannels for the leg and a cold flannel for my face.
We are at Eurimbula National Park near 1770. This is the spot Cook discovered Australia. I don't believe he noticed that it had already been discovered.
Our current camp is near an estuary, that we have been kayaking in.
Unfortunately the weather is windy and wet still. At least it's not cold but the sky is grey and the ocean rough.
Today we explored Joseph Banks Conservation Park and Deepwater National park. A lovely bit of coast but not a good day for the beach.
See ya.

Annoying shit in Paradise.

We have had a couple of good but annoying days. Thats the ambivalance of life. Having to take the good with the bad.
After a couple of days of fishing without catching anything worth eating. Garry and I decided to drive across to Kingfisher Bay.
On the way we stop of at the dump point to empty the portaloo. Oops the rubber ring that seals the unit falls in with the other shit. I should have taken a photo for you. Because we could initally see the ring. So we were using our fishing rods to try and hook it out. Would have looked good to bypassers. Then alas it slid beyond view. So now we have a leaky shit pot until we can get another rubber washer.
Well the drive to Kingfisher was good. Lots of pretty native scrub and rainforest, with sandy tracks. The bay was a lovely resort town. Heaps of fish under the jetty but not many in the buckets. Saw the barge come from Hervey Bay.
Back on the road and on past some of the islands lovely lakes. Very pretty but quite tannin stained, with teatree and banksia scrub surrounding them.
Come across big lakes over sandy tracks. Splash through we go again.... and again. Then back past Dilly Village and back on the beach. Tide is getting high but must stop in for supplies at the shop in Eurong. ( jar of jam $7 diesel $2.10) Got bread and milk came out to find no front number plate. Bugger.
Yesterday went for a lovely walk into Lake Wabby. The track was 5 km return of lovely tall, quiet, native forest with sandy track. Had a lovely but cold swim then back through the scrub and home to the van. Mean while dear little Tweety (my lovebird) has shredded a couple of maps in our previously wonderful 'Camps 6' book. This book gives us maps and info about cheap or free camping in Australia. So much for being nice and letting Tweety fly around the van while we are out walking. Ooops again.

The weather has been cool and windy with scattered showers.
Thinking of moving on tomorrow. Very pretty here but we have seen most of it now and are eager to see whats around the next bend.
Bye for now. X

Another Day in Paradise.

It's like another world here. A parallel universe called Fraser Island.
Every where you look it is beautiful. Nature has also made it quite diverse in scenery and biodiversity of the life.
The casualness suits me too. I love a place where everyone runs around in bare feet or thongs (Not bum floss undies),  looking windswept and smelling of fish guts. There is something very authentic about it.
The island also has a lovely comradery about it. We got bogged to the axles, trying to get up a deep sandy uphill track, the other day. So in seconds we have about 20 people piling out of off road vehicles with snatch straps ( Not undies) and spades to give us a hand. After lots of people scraping sand from under the chassis, pushing and towing we were free. Every one was friendly, practical, enthusiastic. It was fun. Many hands made light work and lots of whoops of joy and grins, when the Nissan was back on solid ground. No such thing as stress and road rage on a holiday island.
Garry helped some young tourists  a few days before with a boiled dry hire vehicle.
Even when swimming in the champagne pools, it was lovely having young people chatting with me excitedly, as the bubbles of salt water foamed around us. On the main land, youth often act like they are a bit too special to talk to old fat ladies. Here in paradise they glow with the joy of life and are enthusiastically friendly.
Yesterday we moved from the camp ground at Dundabara to the beach further south. The new camp is just above the high tide mark, nestled amongst the Casurina's and dune grass. We have a phone signal here, heaps of sun for the solar panel and a clear satalite tv picture.
We plan on exploring the lower part of the island from here and do a bit if beach fishing.
Water, supplies and waste disposal are close by too. The only negative is Dingo's roaming around. They are not causing us any dramas though.
Enough of me raving on. See ya. X

K'gari (Paradise) aka Fraser Island.

After camping at Inskip Point, near
Rainbow Beach Qld, we caught the Barge across to Fraser Island. It was only a 10 minute trip, followed by an hours wait for the tide to go out enough to drive up the beach.
The east coast beach is a super motorway 2 hours either side of low tide. There is an amazing amount of water washing across the beach, from the creeks filling the ocean.
We drove about 80 km up the beach towing our camper trailer, then set up camp in Dundabara. The campground has fenses to keep out the dingo's, flushing loo's, hot shower's, gas bbq's. Rather posh for a national park.
As soon as we drove into the area, Garry and I could both smell Goanna. They smell like mashed potatoe that has been burnt onto a saucepan. The variety here seem smaller but similar to the monitor lizards we have seen in NSW.
Friday we drove from the Pinnacles, (pointy cliffs of coloured sandstone, reds through to yellow.) across to Woralie Creek, via Lake Allom. Allom was a lovely tanin stained lake in a rainforest. It had heaps of hand sized turtles swimming around in it.
The road was a sandy 4 wheel drive track, that wound through a variety of types of vegetation until we reached the west beach. The beach had very white sand, calm, clear, turquoise water, a creek and eucalypts and banksias, lining the shore. We went for a lovely swim then drove back across the island.

Just had a lovely bubbly swim in the Champagne Pools.
Another day in paradise.

Wishing my lovely mum a happy mothers day. Xxx