To Cairns & Return Pt.1

This trip started off with meeting friends from the UK last Sunday evening. What do you say to someone who you haven't seen (in the flesh) for 50 years? You see, I went to school with Janine in Sydney for a few years back in the 60's, however her family moved back to the UK in 1969 and over the years we lost touch. I managed to track her down about 5 years ago, and we have had emails and Skype sessions since. To our surprise late last year Janine & her husband (another Peter) told us they were planning a trip out to Queensland this year and they would like to hire a motorhome and travel up to Cairns and back. They invited us to join them and be their guides on this adventure - we were up for that, always love a trip away with our caravan.

So planning began and all was in readiness for when they finally arrived. What did I say to Janine when I first greeted her? "It's been too long"!

We picked them up from the airport and brought them home for a good nights rest before heading down to Brisbane to pick up the motorhome they were hiring. All good - so we thought. Peter and Janine decided that although they would follow us back home they would try out the GPS in the van and find their way back to our place. Well, all went well until they started to turn off the motorway toward our place and they turned one exit too soon. Oh dear, we had lost them on Day 1!! They finally made it home, and we set about doing some grocery shopping and packing of their motorhome and our caravan in readiness to leave the following morning.

As you can see, our driveway looked like a used car lot.


Day 1 of trip - got away OK and headed north on the Bruce Highway with our morning tea stop just north of Gympie.

Back on the road and we headed for Bundaberg for our first night. We were a little late in arriving for us to do the tours at both the Bundaberg Ginger Beer Brewery or the Bundaberg Rum Distillery. However we managed to visit the 'shop' areas of both places and were able to partake in some taste testings.

The Bundaberg Ginger Beer Brewery

Taste Testing at Ginger Beer Brewery

The Bundaberg Rum Distillery

Peter & Janine at the Rum Distillery

Day 2 of trip - we set off heading for Rockhampton. At Rockhampton we stopped off to visit the 'Spire' for the Tropic of Capricorn.

Here we crossed from the 'Temperate' Zone to the 'Tropical' Zone.

Here is all four of us sitting under the 'Spire'. You can see a park in the background and that is where we had our lunch.

It was then time to turn off the highway and head east for Emu Park, a lovely little coastal town where they have really made an effort to beautify the place and make it very welcoming for visitors.

We spent the afternoon walking along the beach and around to the 'Singing Ship'. This is a monument to honour Captain James Cook in 1770, and you will see the 'sails' furled up (?) and this is what creates the 'singing' noise when the wind blows through it that gives the monument it's name. It was really blowing a gale there and it 'singing' was quite loud.

Further around the headland is the most beautifully presented war memorial in particular to World War 1. It is a glass panel etched with a scene of the troops landing at Gallipoli, and of course with the ocean behind the panel it is awe inspiring.

The town's main War Memorial is also breathtaking.

We decided to do the walk around the headland after dinner so as to see the 'Singing Ship' and the War Memorial lit up.

Unfortunately as I was taking these night photos it started to rain (as well as continuing to blow a gale) and we had to make a hasty retreat back to the caravan park. To say I looked like a drowned rat and my hair was totally wind swept would be an understatement.

Day 3 of trip - today we set off looking for some fuel - the diesel bowsers in Emu Park were 'out of order' and we headed up towards Yeppoon, got our fuel and headed back to the highway and our day's trip north to Mackay. It was now we started to see the beginning of sugar cane growing. Today's run is quite uneventful, however we did have rain on and off the whole way, before stopping off at Sarina to visit the Sugar Shed where we hoped to do a tour of a mini sugar mill, but as luck would have it, the power was off - no tours - as they were upgrading the power sources to the area. Just our luck.

after lunch at Sarina it was just a short drive into Mackay. After booking into the caravan park at Mackay, we jumped back in our car and set off for a tour around the town. We went out to view the harbour and stop off at the Yacht Club for a scrumptious afternoon tea. A quiet night was had after three long days on the road, and an early night was called for.

Good night from Mackay.