Ellis Beach - Queensland

A bit of time has passed since the last entry.

We headed from the last camp, to Charters Towers, hoping to stay at another “free camp”. 

As I said previously, you have to get in damn early to get a spot. We stopped for lunch at what looked like a decent spot, by the time we had finished, there were already 6 vans in and setting up for the night.

Damned if we were ready to stop, so we went on to Charters Towers, which has the most beautiful old buildings in the main street. It is a town of very wide streets. I imagine in summer the heat would be fairly extreme here. We were able to get into a park in their “over-flow” area, which was o/k.

We then planned to drive 160 odd kilometres to Townsville, and spend a bit of time there, however again, we rang 5 parks and "sorry, no vacancies". (School hols and all that). So not to be put off we headed for Cairns, yep, all booked out. By this stage we were pretty stuffed, so rang a park that had been recommended. They were also full, but had a cabin, “yes, we will take it”

It was dark when we finally arrived and parked the van across the road nest to the manager’s cabin. Walked over and into the cabin, which turned out to be absolute beach frontage.

The place, Ellis Beach. About 20k north of Cairns. The manager said there are no powered sites, as people book them 12 months ahead, and have done so for years.

As a famous man once said “however”, and there is always a “however” they have un-powered sites, that cannot bebooked. First in best dressed. As we had a cabin, he told us to hitch the van up early and be ready to go.

We kept an eye on the un-powered area, and as soon as we saw a Camper packing up, we were there.

We have one of the best sites in Australia! Nice clean, white sand, palm trees, warm, and water that is croc free (well mostly), and no stingers this time of the year.

We had booked into stay here until Sunday, but as it is so nice, we decided to stay another week. We look out to 2 islands, and our van is backed onto the beach.

The place has a really nice feel to it. Everyone gathers at the camp-kitchen at night to eat and swap yarns about their travels, and best of all, we get our maps out and exchange the “must go’ places.

Yesterday we picked up Cazza’s brother Andrew and went to Kuranda, Up by Sky Rail and back by the train. This needs to be on the must do list.

I probably would not do it again, but really worthwhile once. The sky rail glides over the most magnificent (World Heritage) rain forest. At times you are a hundred metres above the canopy, and it is not hard to imagine the view birds get as they fly between tree tops.

Kuranda itself if a bit commercial, and trying to get every tourist dollar they can. Lots of market type shops, selling the usual market stuff. Still it was interesting and the train ride back pretty good.

Today is a slow day, I have been reminded is Saturday. The sun is out with a gentle tropical breeze.
Until later.

View from our van

Looking from the water

The end of another perfect day

On the gondola up to Kuranda

Spectacular water falls - Imagine these in The Wet!

Some people have very strange ideas - However a fantastic gallery

On Road North

If you have been reading our Blog, you will have noticed a change in format. I had the Blog imbedded into the web site, but did not like the format, you will now be directed directly to it, make sense? I am confused too.

Anyway, today we set off at around 8am heading north. We have gone back to our old arrangement where we do not travel after 3pm.

We made a good few hundred k’s today, and headed for a free camp site. We hoped by getting in around 3 we would get a prime spot overlooking the river and away from the traffic. 

Bloody Grey Nomads, these bastards get in around d 12 and pick the best spots!

Anyway we arrived and have a really nice spot next to the Bruce Highway overlooking the river. I really love the sound of 18+ wheelers going past as they come into town, going down through their 350 gears. 

 Actually I don’t mind the sound of trucks, it’s sort of comforting. I am still amazed at these guys and gals, who drive for a living. They really do do it tough. A great thing about having a UHF radio is being able to talk to them... Today, we had a road-train following us for 10 or 20 klm, when we hit a wide strip of road I called him and said we would slow down and allow him to over-take. He was so grateful, polite and wished us a safe trip. 

Their truck is their work-place, we are on holiday, so I reckon let’m through. It is also a lot safer.

Anyway, I am sitting in our first “free camp” smelling the sweet smell of burning gum leaves from someone else’s camp, the croak of frocks, the hoot of an owl and three hundred gear changes, it is heaven!.

 Whilst I sit outside typing this, about 20 other campers are inside their vans with satellite TV’s flickering through their block-out blinds. Ahhh caravaning!  I love it.

I Will post some more pics soon.

Cheers

Coolum to Seventeen Seventy to Dicky Beach

We spend a fantastic few days with Steve and Kaye, and had a few good meals, drinks and laughs reminiscing over “old” times..

Tuesday had the Auto Elec (Steve) look at our electric brakes, man did he find a few issues! I think due to some of the extreme tracks the old girl has covered over the past 5 years or so.

First, a power lead which was running between the fuel tank and the chassis had worn through 

– completely, then an earth wire much the same. He replaced these and guess what, the brakes were perfect!!  It did take him 1½ hours to Fault check and locate the offending wire. Steve was a really nice guy, who persisted as it was really getting to him. He charges us for an hours work which was nice, another person I can highly recommend and will place his details on our web site.

At 10, we headed north leaving the Sunshine Coast behind, or so we thought. What is that saying about plans are meant to be blah, blah blah?

Looking at the map, we thought we could make 1770 (actual name = Seventeen Seventy), about 420klm away for Tuesday night. Carolyn rang to book into a camp ground Kaye recommended, DAMN! Booked out. However, we were able to book one night on Wednesday, so did. Oh well there’s anotherie in the Camps Book, we did get in but on a cancellation and the last one available for one night. 

We left the cool, wet weather, and approached warm clear skies, sugar cane and pineapple- field territory.

We arrived at our park, that turned out to be very packed, as it is school hols here.

On opening the van, we were greeted with a few drawer issues, after a call to Jeff at North Coast Campers, we decided the best plan would be to return to have the problems rectified. 

Particularly as we are planning to do some pretty rough and isolated country? This is a bit of an inconvenience, but just need to think of it as part of the overall adventure. NCC have been really good, and have offered to cover all costs to return to have fixed.

 We thought the first camp we went to was not bad, but after arriving at the 1770 camp the next day, we sure changed our mind. This place is like a little bit of lost Paradise, complete with a white sandy beach and palm trees.

We would like to have spent a week there, but could only get in for 1 night. The manager said after the school hol’s, we could get a site on the beach, we are pretty tempted to return. A word of advice, only come here out of school hols, book a few days prior to arriving, and bring a boat, a small tinny would be quite adequate (I think I have a birthday coming up soon Family!!!)

After a wander along the beach, a beer in a magnificent bar, onto the local boat ramp, I felt I could meld in with the locals, all scruffy hair, beards, beads, bright clothes and a fishing rod under the arm. 

Carolyn just proof read this and said, “You’re describing yourself Dick Head, less the hair”.

We left this morning to drive the 420 klm back to Caloundra and vowed to return. It always amazes me when things seem to go wrong, there are positive outcomes.  On the way back, we stopped at a road-side stop for a break, and parked behind an old couple with a pop-up van, and as you do, had a chat, they ended up giving us a whole lot of free sites to stay at on the way north.

Arriving back at Dickie beach, I was tired and emotiona,l and totally stuffed up backing the van into a tight spot, normally I could do it with my eyes closed, but tonight was a different story. 

Anyway, we are here safe and sound, plans are to drop the van off in the morning, go for a shop/browse, not bloody likely for me? Sit in a Wi-Fi coffee shop of course sounds better.

Saturday we will head off, where to? Who knows, north I guess, but then again……….