Bush camping

Friday 11 August

We took a chance on finding somewhere we could stop near the beach for a night of busy camping.  I looked on Google earth and thought I could see a sort of lay by in scrubland at Lake Cathie …. We got there before dark but decided to pull into a car park on the beach to cook our tea and look at the view and the wildlife. After eating and clearing up we drove, in the dark, along the beach road and found the ideal spot (shown on Google Earth), we were sheltered from the road by scrub and the beach was just a few metres from the Campervan, down a slope.  We could hear the waves pounding on the beach and it was so peaceful.  It was cold in the night because Mandy wanted to sleep with the window open so she could hear the waves!  We got up at 6am and took a cuppa down to the beach to watch the sun rise. 

Later we drove to our campsite to book in, explore the rock pools for a while, have a shower etc.  Mandy again drove and we got to Jill’s at about 3:30 (just half an hour from the campsite).  Aaron took us on a tour of Terrigal and Jill cooked us a lovely meal.  We got back to the van at Shelley Beach at about 9:30 pm.

Byron

BByron Bay

When We finally got to our campsite after a long detour because of road works across the entrance to the campsite, we booked in but did not stay as we wanted to see if we could get surf lessons for the kids. After parking the van we went into the first shop we found which advertised lessons and they had space on a lesson starting in 10 minutes!!  We grabbed some sandwiches and went off in the bus with the kids to a nearby beach where the breakers were great for beginners.  They both got into wetsuits and headed off into the surf.  It was clear from the start that they could both stay upright on the boards and looked great.  Amber got tired after a little while and had to give up but Axel managed the whole lesson and loved it!!

Returning to the centre of Byron Bay where we had left the van, we saw lots of signs saying that we were on Suffolk Beach!! Also, on the way here we passed Ipswich!!

Back at the campsite, the kids were pleased to find we had ensuite facilities next to our van, for our sole use! A spacious, quiet campsite, unlike some we have stayed in!!! 

When we left the campsite this morning (Thursday) we had to call in at a garage to get a headlight bulb replaced before setting off for Lake Cathie and a night of bush camping.

We have found the distances I had planned for this trip to be a challenge…… partly because the van rattles and is very noisy if you go above 100kph and partly because there are so many roadworks which cut the speed down to 60kph with lots of stops for one-way flows etc.  So we have not been able to do quite as much sight-seeing as we had hoped, but we are seeing some amazing countryside, rivers, mountains, wildlife, beaches etc.

Fraser island

We left Gladstone just before 8 and arrived in Hervey Bay at 12 noon.  We found our campsite and Mandy managed to get all the wet clothes into a washing machine, AND fall into raptures about the birds flying around our van (cockatoos, tree creepers etc) before we were picked up for our whale watching trip at 1pm.

The trip exceeded our expectations with humpback whales 25m off the side of the boat, breaching, tail and fluke splashing and one mother with a newborn calf!! On the way home we had dolphins now-riding the boat. The trip culminated with a spectacular sunset. 

Whitsunday Island

MManaged to get a campsite in Airlie Beach but had to get up early as we had to be at the Port of Airlie by 7:30 to book in for our day trip around the Whitsunday islands.  We were advised to get there by 7am as the car park was likely to get full early due to the reef festival….. we did so but there were loads of places.  We decided not to take our own snorkel equipment but to make use of the ones provided so, once on board I went to confirm that this equipment was available…… only to be told that snorkelling was no longer available on that trip since cyclone Debbie 4 months ago…… I was devastated as I had built up that part of the trip to the kids so much….. what we would see on the reef, the dozens of different fish, turtles, plants etc.  However, the day turned out to be excellent, despite the disappointment. The weather was perfect, blue sky, light cloud, fair winds. The catamaran crew managed to get the main and genoa sails to fill (though I noted we still had the engines going). We stopped off for a short trek to view Whitehaven beach from above and behind….. stunning to see and Axel identified some rays in the sea below us.  We had 2 hours to relax, swim, play games etc on Whitehaven beach before returning to the cat. For a BBQ lunch (which the gulls tried to steal from us) then a lazy sail back with deck games on the way!

As we had paid for 24 hour parking at the port (and because there were toilets available) we de died to stay put for the night and walked into the marina for an Italian meal overlooking the expensive yachts!

Pics

Sugar

Magnetic Island

At Cool Waters Campsite, some Australians told us we must visit Crystal Creek and swim in the pools and rock slides there, so we decided to cut short our trip to Townsville and I booked us into the Crystal Creek Caravan site.  Having to detour t sort out a duff purchase Amber had made plus lots of roadworks meant we did not arrive until 4. We drove to Big Crystal creek but there were some noisy youngsters there so we decided to walk to the rock slides but the dusk descended too quickly so we had to abandon that and return to the van.  We set off at 7.40 to drive to Townsville for a trip to Magnetic Island to see wild koalas.  Again Road works held us up and we only just caught the 9am tug ferry as foot passengers.  We waited for the bus but it was full before we got to the front of the queue, so we ordered a taxi and went to Horseshoe Bay – well named and beautiful! From there we decided we did not have enough time to walk up to the forts to (hopefully and with lots of luck) to see wild koalas….. so we went into the koala sanctuary and got to handle a red-tailed black parakeet, blue-tongued lizard, baby crocodile and tickle a koala!! Then it was a dash back to the ferry for the onward drive to Airlie Beach.  I had not booked a campsite for tonight as we thought we might bush camp, but as it was getting late and we did not expect to arrive before 5-6pm I de died to phone up to book a campsite.  This proved quite difficult due to the reef festival taking place here this weekend!! I managed to get what, I think, was the last place in town and it is crowed and we are right next to the toilets and dump point!!!  I have not yet booked any campsites for the rest of the trip as we are hoping to find one or two bush, or free, sites near or next to beaches on the way south.

We have just had supper and are now ready to turn in.

Eel

Turtle

Turtles

Cool waters

The campsite (Cool Waters) is very cramped and busy (we were spoiled in our previous 2 sites as they were spacious, woodland settings) and they crammed us onto the end of the swimming pool with a length of flex for power. 

Thursday 2 August Cairns 

We were up early (despite my alarm not waking me!) for a drive to the Skyrail to be picked up for our Kuranda Scenic Railway day trip.  The pickup was late and then the bus got stuck in traffic but we got to the Scenic railway station in Freshwater in time for the train. The journey up was amazing as we passed through 15 tunnels and 4 cuttings all of which had been hand-carved with pick axes and shovels.  The gradient was steep and the train, at times, ran on tracks elevated on wooden structures! Mandy got talking (in French) to a French family sitting opposite….. naturally!  On arrival we had refreshments then strolled through the tourist area to our bus stop and on to our visit to the rainforest (again) including the koala centre which included other native animals like kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes etc, a superb lunch and then a trip on an ex-army duck going through the rain forest and small lakes.

Back at the campsite we went turtle feeding then the kids swan in the cold swimming pool while Mandy cooked shark steaks and chips in the camp kitchen - shark curtesy of some Aussies who had caught it from the beach the day before and we watched them cooking it on the grill, the kids drooling, until they offloaded their spares to us!!

Snorkelling

The boat ride out to the low Islands for snorkelling was FAST and very bumpy!  The sea was cold but not unbearable in wetsuits. As soon as the boat stopped it was surrounded by large fish similar to an angel fish and sucker sharks about 18” long – very friendly!!! The sea was choppy which did not make for great visibility but we did see lots of exotic fish and some great coral, yellow, gold, white, pink, purple and some clams with purple lips!  After 90 mi utes snorkelling we were very, very. Old and pleased to get back I to the boat, strip off our wetsuits and head back to Port Douglas.  We messed around a bit too long, having drinks and looking in the shops, so we had to drive to our campsite in Cairns in the dark, not good on Mandy who was still insisting on driving. 

Kuranda

Frustration

Tuesday 1st August Cape Trib to Cairns via Port Douglas.

After a nervous start due to the temperamental nature of the automatic transmission on the van (left in reverse gear it did want to go into drive mode when switched on in the morning) we set off and I was on the phone trying to arrange a snorkel trip on our way past Port Douglas and at the same time trying to find a campsite in .cairns and arrange to be picked up from there for our Kuranda trip on Wednesday.  Phone signals were haphazard and I was getting so frustrated!! I eventually found a campsite which could squeeze us in only to be told that they could not pick us up from there as it was not in the city centre!!!!  

More Cape Trib

We decided to stay on at Cape Trib Campsite for an extra day so that Mandy and Amber could go horse riding at 8am.  At 7am it started to rain and they wondered if they had made the right decision.  I waited on the beach for 45 minutes before they came sauntering along the beach on their horses – big smiles on their faces and with the sun shining!  We enjoyed a wood-fired pizza al fresco at the camp bar before turning in.

Photos Cape Trib

Cape Tribulation

Sunday 30 July 2017 Port Douglas to Cape Trib

Mandy drove again (not sure she trusts me with this big van) and we set off around 9:30 and were immediately caught up in traffic hold ups for a cycle race. Our trusty Sat Nav (which must be the cousin to. One at home) told us we needed to turn right – a turn which took us into a holiday park and which took us 20 minutes to get out of back into the queueing traffic!!

The drive to Cape Tribulation campsite was picturesque but had lots of twists and turns which meant a lot of concentration for Mandy. The short ferry ride across the river was fun.

We arrived at the campsite at midday, had a spot of lunch then were picked up by Jungle Surfing for our zip wire treat – and what a treat it was!  At the start was a huge human hamster wheel where you had to work to get the 2 people in front of you up to the first platform. As well as the fun of zip wiring in tandem, solo and upside down, the guys were such fun and so knowledgeable about the flora and fauna.

The beach here is beautiful in a small bay, fringed with coconut palms.  We went for a short paddle and Axel saw a small sting ray trapped in a pool by the receding tide.  I am writing this the next morning after a heavy rain shower and the same pool has shoals of fish being brought in by the incoming tide and I can see the small breakers as they hit the Reef just off shore.

Last night we went for a night walk with a ranger guide, the walk and talk was very good but we did not see much in the way of wildlife….. just a few small spiders, a cricket, some sleeping birds and a cockroach!