2 weeks at Midge Point are up & we have driven just under 400 kms north-west to CHARTERS TOWERS.   Unfortunately plans were changed due to me having to undergo some urgent Dental work

Just some of the sights on the way included.....

The Big MANGO

HOME HILL

EVERY HUSBAND'S DREAM

Comfort Stop at Home Hill

Just one of many Sugar Cane Farms

Burdekin Bridge between Home Hill & Ayr

Didgeridoo Lagoon

 

Amost at CHARTERS TOWERS

CHARTERS TOWERS DRIVE-IN

 Enjoyable trip even though it took us just on 5 hrs - at least that included a stop for breakfast in Home Hill

Caravan Park is OK - but we can't see Scruffie being too happy here (no where for him to have a run & caravan park don't allow you to walk your dog in the grounds of the Park)

Just hoping that my Dental Appointments won't last for more than a week!!!  From what we've seen so far of Charters Towers we are a little disappointed.  We expected that the old buildings would be in a better state of repair  than what they are.

Like many towns so many shops have closed down & the cheap type shops are taking over.  

Will stay optimistic till we get to do the Heritage walk around town.

PROSERPINE   was named by explorer George Dalrymple, after Persephone the Greek goddess of fertility, recognising the fertile qualities in the region. Sugar Cane farming and Cattle farming have been the main way of life since the late 1800's

      The Proserpine Sugar Mill was sold to a Singapore-owned company, Sucrogen, for $120 million in 2011 

AIRLIE BEACH gateway to the Whitsundays  -  playground for Backpackers...    We couldn't believe the change but then it is about 20 years since we were last here

Cane Fields near Mackay & Eungella NP in background

MIDGE POINT borders the Whitsunday Coast & is situated near Laguna Quays which is approx 150 kms North of Mackay 

Travellers Rest Caravan Park

 Travellers Rest Caravan Park has it all... Bushland, Native Wildlife, with views to the Mountains, Conway NP, Ocean & the Whitsunday Islands 
It is only a 200 metre walk from the caravan park onto the beach.  

The Whitsundays are a group of more than 150 islands and islets off the sub-tropical central Queensland coast  

Most of the islands are unspoilt National Parks with 7 islands having resorts on them

A resident Wallaby of Travellers Rest

Brilliant turquoise waters surround the Whitsundays which is caused by the  particles of fine sediments that come mostly from the river systems of the  mainland.

Huge tides (typically 3–5 metres in rise and fall) that sweep this part of the coast keep these sediments stirred up and scatter the sunlight, in the same way that scattering of light gives the sky its blue colour.

CLAIRVIEW...  approx 250kms north of Rockhampton and only 300metres off the Bruce Highway.
The trip from Rockie was a very nothing stretch of road with Marlborough Servo being a lovely sight & a good excuse for a Cafe stop.  What a shame the crab sandwiches were crappie!!!

 With the Gold Coast some 1,850kms to the South or  Bowen 270kms to the North, it is the first time that the Coast becomes visible from the MI & Bruce Highway. 

Clairview beach is a small settlement with nothing but  beaches & mangroves off Broad Sound. The Connors Range rise to the back of the Beach, with the highway and railway wedged in a small corridor between the Range and the foreshore. On a service road within that corridor is Clairview Beachfront caravan park, a camping reserve and also a small settlement of homes.  

Come well stocked with food & water as the Caravan Park is your only provisions outlet.  We are using a container for our water & are able to replenish our supply from the rainwater tank.  How we take WATER for granted.....

The shoreline is a steep, narrow high tide beach of coarse sand, stony flats and a healthy scattering of mangroves for the length of the shore.  WE ARE NOW IN CROCODILE COUNTRY so we've been warned and while we are going to do a spot of fishing we'll not be venturing down to the Creeks.  We've had one walk down there & while it is a beautiful spot we'll not tempt fate.

What lurks behind this dark wall???? 

now, this is what I call BEACHFRONT CAMPING

nowHave seen my first 'in natural habitat' Turtles - they swim at the front of the van park & the little heads pop up out of the water just like a periscope.

Now that the weather has fined up we are going to see the week out here and will then head for Midge Point.

It just feels like being in Paradise    (can't get that song out of my head)

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull 

The everything Block (Amenities, Laundry, Reception/Groceries, Bar and Camp Kitchen

Sunrise Monday 4th June 2012

Yeppoon is a coastal town in Central Qld with a colourful history dating back to 1865. Yeppoon is renowned for its beaches, tropical climate, and the islands out on the bay. Twenty-five minutes from the city of Rockhampton Yeppoon is the principal town on the Capricorn Coast.  Great Keppel Island is only 30 minutes by boat.

Emu Park Bowls Club

Internet to the rescue & I have been for a few games of bingo since arriving in Yeppoon.


Weather was perfect when we arrived but that beautiful weather didn't last for too long unfortunately.  We have now been here for 3 weeks and no matter what the weather we are heading for Clairview on Thurs 31 May.

The Singing Ship

Even though the weather hasn't been too kind we've had a great stay at Kinka Beach (Yeppoon) 

Sunset at Coolwaters Caravan Park - Kinka Beach

Some of the Keppel Group of Islands

Causeway Lake at Kinka Beach

Keppel Bay from Wreck Point

MT HAY CAMP SITE ENTRANCE

 Left Monto and our plans were to stay at Mount Hay  just off the Capricorn Highway. I was so eager to fossick for Thunder Eggs but I kept getting this nagging feeling....this is what we found 

ROAD TO VAN PARK

The Camp site was no better than these photos and the possibility of finding Thunder Eggs looked as dim as the Caravan Park.  Paul quickly made a U-turn and we high tailed it back onto the Highway & made our way to Rockhampton.

We travelled on to Gracemere which is only 5kms out of Rockhampton. It made an excellent base for us and we thoroughly enjoyed the above view from our Annex

Rockhampton, sits on the Tropic of Capricorn and its claim to fame is being the Beef Capital of Australia.  Population is approx 58,000 and swells by some 75,000  during Beef Cattle Expo which is held once every 3 years after Labor Day weekend 

THERE ARE 6 BULL STATUES REPRSENTING EACH BREED IN THE AREA 

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

Rockhampton is a much larger Town than we imagined with plenty to offer in the way of sightseeing.  The Riverside Walk along the Fitzroy River and Heritage Trail filled up our day around Rockhampton.  There are some beautiful Buildings which thankfully have been restored to their former glory.  A little bit out of the ordinary is The Great Western Hotel which features real life bull riding twice a week & has won 2012 'Best Steak House'

RIVERSIDE WALK

EAST ST ROCKHAMPTON

FITZROY RIVER

ROCKHAMPTON FROM MT ARCHER 

Mt Archer National Park provides magnificent views of the city... from Frazer Park, the summit of Mt Archer, you are approximately 604 metres above sea level.

BEWARE 'CROCODILES'

Criterion Hotel/Motel

Historic Quay Street

Just some 35kms on the Capricorn Coast Highway are the towns of     Yeppoon, Rosslyn Harbour, Kinka Beach and Emu Park.

 

We are booked in at Yeppoon as from Thurs 10 May and will more than likely have 2 weeks there.  The weather is glorious at present and a few lazy days by the beach & around the pool will be right up our alley 

MOUNT MORGAN's biggest claim to fame is the Mount Morgan Mine, which was mined for 99yrs.  It yielded a total of 225 tonnes of gold, 50 tonnes of silver & 360,000 tonnes of copper.   The town is situated 40 kms south west of Rockhampton.  The population today is around 3,000  whereas in its peak the town was home for up to 16,000. It is 260 metres above sea level. These days the biggest drawcard is the Golden Mount Festival which is an historic event that has been running since 1977. It  is held over three day's during the May Day Labor weekend and is a celebration of the Mount Morgan Community and its rich history.    The festival kicks off with street markets, a procession, and the famous 'Running of the Cutter'. There is also the Golden Mount Festival Rodeo as well as a  family day at the Dam with games, poetry, races and competitions.

 

The Mine and Railway Museum (also pictured is a restored steam engine from early 1900's which was built in Leeds UK & was used up until  1968)

 

Sadly our week's stay at Gracemere is up but we've had a great stay and a good look around Rockhampton & its surrounding areas.