Holidays – week 4 2021
Words coming, here’s some photos for now 🙂
Finally, here are the words for week 4 of our adventures. I always find the end stage the hardest to write. I don’t know whether it is because the adventure has come to a suspension, for now, or I have run out of words – the former rather than the latter me thinks.
As a preliminary, a few thanks need to be mentioned – our neighbours for lending some gear and Julie, Z and W for lending some other gear and camera lenses, they were all much appreciated and to you for reading these ramblings.
So, back to week 4 which started at Blackdown National Park, leaving Munall Camp Ground and exploring Mook Mook walk as we decided against travelling 8km of corrugated dirt road, in and then out from the waterfall. It means we have something to go back to and we hear it is something pretty amazing. We put the Skoda, a front-wheel drive city vehicle through about 700km of dirt/gravel by the time we were done with this trip. That was a pretty big ask of this moderate tempered little beastie who took everything we threw at her. There’s another heartfelt thankyou.
The scenery around Blackdown National Park is phenomenal. Be prepared for the drive up and down but do explore the plateau – it is camping only for close access. The drive is windy and along the edge of the ridge at times but wow! I have been lost for words several times during these ramblings. This was another of those occasions.
We wove our way from Blackdown to Baralaba through the Woorabinda Road, the backblocks and backroads, through to Banana, Biloela, Thangool to Monto. The road less travelled has a lot going for it. It really is worth the explore.
We rocked into Monto having traversed a leisurely 325km to find it was the show weekend (this was Friday night). There was some good fortune with this accommodation and at 1770 as it was the 1770 Festival on the same weekend but we ventured there on the Sunday night.
Returning to Monto, first we grabbed what we needed from the car and headed for a very welcome hot shower – we hadn’t had one for 6 nights, this was afternoon 7, and whilst we didn’t pong (having had basic shower through our water bag heated by solar and black plastic) this was a luxury we truly enjoyed – it is quite amazing how welcome such a shower and lovey big soft towels can feel.
Our full day at Mondo was spent moseying through Cania Dam to parts of Cania Gorge. Again, you have to go there to truly appreciate the country. It is amazing. We travelled 97km this day, walked I am not sure how much but saw an old gold mining shaft, explored some mind blowing caves then headed off to the Monto Show and Rodeo which was a lot of fun, watching barrel races, mini bulls and rodeo. Whilst I get animal liberation, it is something different watching man attempting to tame beast and stay on its back for the allotted time, having aggravated said beast.
Sadly, there were no fruitcakes and very few other jams, chutneys etc at the show because of the Covid restrictions. When they cut the cake (and those fruit cakes cost a lot of time and money to make) they taste then throw the whole thing away. There has to be a better way of doing things. Thankfully, though, there was a show and giant pumpkins to judge and they were whoppers. I learned that whilst the ground had been dampened by the lovely rains earlier this year, it wasn’t the sudden drenching rains that fill dams – there’s plenty of feed but no water. Australia, she’s a hard country.
Day 24 was Monto to 1770 via Three Moon Silo – loved the silo and other art we explored. The works is just gorgeous – the vision to do this, using an unusual canvas, including the scaffolding and piping as part of said canvas. I am conflicted with the management of land. I know we need crops and animals to be cultivated however, there is the wholesale clearing of land, fencing and changing of migration patterns, damage to the land, propagation (whether intentional or otherwise) of wild dogs and other creatures which man has introduced to this country. I like meat and have an ongoing internal debate about my “conditions” in relation to eating said meat but moving on…
The mighty Burnett River of Bundaberg is but puddles as we leave Monto headed to Mt Perry and the Boolboonda tunnel. We are intrigued by the alternation between gravel road and asphalt, for no apparent reason especially when it is not always flood ways. We pause at Gin Gin then head up via Monduran Road and Diamond Hill Road, again roads less travelled, to Rosedale then the Lowmead Road and Tableland Road to Agnes Water (stop in at the pub for lunch) then 1770. We had to laugh at the misfortune of an older grommet with long hair and skateboard who sought to demonstrate his skill with his board on the crossing but misjudged something and came down. In doing so, he did manage to save his flavoured milk but his dignity not so much. This day sees 275km covered as we roll into our cabin in 1770 then undertake a mosey about 1770, later fish and ships after a 900m stroll from our accommodation to the beach. Our timing was lovely, just before sundown, it gave enough light to wander back and observe some of the sunset.
Day 25 was a mosey from 1770 to Bundaberg through Baffle Creek, Rules Beach and on down – 183km. Rules Beach is beautiful, so clear and clean and so few people – heavenly. It is a very civilised last week of our adventures. We have had a comfy bed each night, not had to pull out our towels and had lovely hot showers without water restriction – some of those have been ready access some down the hallway or across the asphalt where we did not have an ensuite.
Bundaberg was a family stop for 2 nights. The explosion of macadamia nut farms is something else, citrus is slowly following behind and so much cane land has been turned over. I wonder what the impact on sugar prices might be, separate from the impact upon jobs associated with the sugar industry that might not be transferrable to the new industry. In Bundaberg we do a little touristing, visiting Bundaberg Rum then on to Bargara and a favourite beach at Rifle Range Beach. Icecream at Bargara is a necessary slow down stop to simply take in the sea breezes and watch the congregation of sea gulls as they discuss the days happenings.
Our last day was day 27 heading Bundaberg to Woodgate (another beautiful beach) then down through Mungar, Gundiah, Gunalda, Curra, Gympie, Cooroy and the highway. The creek beds are so dry – they are carved out of the surrounding area and must flow with some force when full but when empty they are art of another form. We see a 22m flood marker as we come in to the back of Tiaro – yes 22m, we found this quite extraordinary. The creek/river was flowing and this was probably the most water we had seen in a waterway, save for the Burnett River in Bundaberg, for some time. The backroads through here are gorgeous as is the Historic Theebine Hotel which I will re-visit for a meal as the aromas on the air were simply enticing but not enough on the day as we covered 450km.
Coming back into Brisbane through the highway, we added 1.5 hours to our trip due to an accident. This is a reminder as to why we like the backroads where there is little traffic and the scenery so much prettier. We did get to see the Blood Moon getting out of her bed and deigning to light to night sky and light she did – truly magnificent over Pine River.
We travelled 5,737km over 3 weeks and 2 days, driving for nearly 88 hours, averaging 65kph using 8.8l/100km. We were pretty pleased with this.
Observations:
- fuel prices were quite reasonable everywhere we travelled – having left Brisbane paying $1.60+/litre for 91 fuel;
- the rural areas need people – they need people to work, to visit;
- water is precious – don’t waste it leaving the tap running as you clean your teeth;
- the willingness to share information and experience was simply generous;
- Skull Hole was amazing and I still need to read more about it;
- the fragility of fossils is something else and the likes of Lark Quarry and the Dinosaur Stampeded whilst expenses as an Australian site goes was absolutely worth the money;
- take the time to watch the birds of prey, and others, gliding on the thermals – sometimes I want to be a bird, gliding, riding the thermals, seemingly without a care in the world;
- the mirage is deceptive and I appreciate the impact it had on the early explorers who did what they did to enable us to do what we did in 2021;
- the genuineness of the “country” people in their response when we asked after a gas fitting for the fridge, “mate you’re shit out of luck”;
- the long paddock still exists and the stock were generally, over all our travels, in very good condition;
- it’s lovely to have grass without prickles and those really nasty vicious thorns that will go through a shoe;
- the coexistence of the birds and cattle is gorgeous to see;
- this country is phenomenally beautiful in all its glory;
- there is a lot of money out there exploring the roads and sitting in caravan parks;
- living in the city there is no reliance upon deliveries on a certain day e.g. Thursday. Exploring as we did, we were reminded of this privilege – the reliance upon a delivery coming through on a given day;
- level sleeping surfaces are lovely – you appreciate this after a night having set up your mattress on what you through was a level surface;
- hot showers and big fluffy towels are beautiful;
- the diversity of the country, the people and the internet coverage is something to be experienced.
Would we do this again? Hell yes. Would we camp again? Hell yes. This does not mean we don’t look at other options but it has reminded us of the freedoms we enjoy, the luxury of living in the state/country we live in, the relatively good roads, the reliance upon trucks, the good food that we have available to us and the relatively modest cost of camp sites (with/without power), cabins and properties to do a trip such as this. Our biggest cost was probably fuel but that wasn’t too bad, even allowing for the need to us 95 – it was still cheaper than the price for 91 when we left Brisbane and similar to the price when we returned.
For now, the photos will serve as a lasting visual reminder of the memories and the experience. Wanderlust burns within and will always be a part of who we are – whether we are travelling this beautiful country or elsewhere in this beautiful world. I give thanks for our patience with this much delayed break and delight in some absolutely amazing experiences and memories. Here’s cheers to safe travels and explorations on the road less travelled but in doing that, make sure someone has your rough itinerary and knows where you are, travel with plenty of water and food and make sure you have a full size spare tyre you can get to – not that we needed any of these things but they are insurance. Go explore, go see and experience, don’t just read about it. Stay tuned for our next adventures. Thanks for reading and travelling with us.
