18/3/2012

Today we woke to no rain but very overcast skies and a little wind (Not from me). Even though we got up early and had very little to pack up it seemed to take ages to get ready. I suppose the holiday mode has kicked in and we are doing everything in slow motion. I usually do that in the afternoon after some bourbons, not in the mornings. However we did eventually hit the road about 9.20am and drove for nearly 2 hours and stopped for morning tea at the 41 Mile Bore Rest Area. We enjoyed the company of Dave and Linda who we first met in Camooweal a couple of days ago and they also spent the night at Barkly Roadhouse with us. We are all heading for the Three Ways Roadhouse and Tennant Creek tonight. The 41 Mile Bore Rest area would be a great place to spend a night if the sun was shining as there are plenty of places to set up. Also it was on a dirt road. It was time to leave and continue along the Barkly Highway and off we went with the sound of country music blasting into the surrounding burnt out landscape. As you can guess Karen was riding with Mary-Anne and I was alone and able to play with all my electronic toys without fear of being told to keep my eyes on the road every couple of seconds. YAHOO!!! We eventually arrived at the Threeways Road House at about 11.45am and again met up with Dave and Linda. We were all a little disappointed because we assumed that the Threeways was at the T Junction (where the Barkly and the Stuart Highways meet) but we had to head a short way north of the junction to see it. We refuelled just because we could and we like paying $1.90 a litre. Then we headed south towards Tennant Creek. Before we got there we had three diversions. The first was to The Pebbles which were very disappointing from a touristy point of view. There were a couple of granite boulders heaped up and that was that. There are more granite boulders outside Stanthorpe that are more inspiring for me. On the other hand, if there wasn't the threat of rain it would be a great place to free camp. Then it was onto the Old Tennant Creek Telegraph Repeater Station about 200 metres from the turn off to the Pebbles. What a great example of pioneer architecture. It appears that renovation work is presently underway and it would have been great to see the buildings fully restored. It was a short drive from the Telegraph Station to the Mary Ann Dam. Is there anything familiar with that name? How many brothers have a sister who has a dam named after her? (I am unique!) It was a short drive from the dam to the town of Tennant Creek. We took a drive through town without incident and started looking for the turnoff to the Juno Bush Camp. As you could expect we passed it without spotting the sign and had to turn around on a narrow road. The drive to Juno's was very picturesque with the McDouall Ranges to our right. However Juno's looked like a Nazi concentration camp run by Arab Terrorists. I convinced Mary-Anne and Karen, with little argument, that a caravan park I had spotted on the drive to Juno's was more salubrious and we again turned around. This time on an even narrower road. We eventually arrived at the Outback Caravan Park which was like an oasis in the wilderness. We will spend another very relaxing night in air conditioned comfort again!!!

19/3/2012

We all saw something very unusual when we came out of the caravans this morning. There was a strange colour to the sky and there was a bright yellow light shining. Hell, we thought, it was armageddon but, no, it was cloudless skies and the sun was shining. It has been a week since we have seen anything resembling fine weather. So far it has not been very solar panel friendly weather for much of the trip. After standing and gazing in amazement for half an hour it was time to pack up before the clouds found where we were. We eventually headed south after Karen and Mary-Anne ran the gauntlet through the Monday morning Centrelink crowd to get to the local foodstore for fruit and emergency supplies. It was my job to guard the cars and caravans, on my own, so we didn't have to hire a car to come home (if you know what I mean). Our next stop was the Devil's Marbles. Now if you have ever seen a beat up old car one day and the next day you see a magnificent 120 Prado you get a mental image of the difference between the Pebbles, that we saw yesterday, and the DEVIL'S MARBLES. They are huge and majestic. It was great to be able to walk through, around and over some of the large granite boulders. (Stanthorpe, eat your heart out today). We drove to a camping area within the National Park and had lunch after I persuaded a resident dingo to share a shaded picnic table under a covered shelter. The dingo stayed close just in case something was dropped from our plates. I kept our babies (the Prado and the Nissan) under close observation while we ate so the dingo would not run away with them. It was very hard to keep one eye on the dingo and the other on the Devil's Marbles but I am used to doing two things at once. Our next stop down the Stuart Highway was Wycliffe Well, the UFO capital of Australia. You are greeted by aliens and a space ship as you walk to the shop. Once inside, the walls are lined with newspaper clippings of everything UFO and aliens. Karen even bought me an alien BBQ apron. I think someone should tell her I'm not an alien, even though men are supposed to be from Mars. We found a great free camping spot at Taylor Creek Rest Area. It is about 290kms north of Alice Springs and, like all the places we stay at, it is out in the middle of nowhere. There is no noise and even though we are right next to the Stuart Highway there is bugger all traffic. Occasionally we hear a cow moo as there is a creek bed near. We will have a cook up tonight of lamb chops, sausages, boiled potatoes, pumpkin and peas, and then after a few bourbons an early night. 

                                                       The unspectactular pebbles

                                                    Tennant Creek Telegraph Station

                                The Telegraph Station buildings are being renovated at present

                                                 I DON'T have a dam named after me!!!

                              Our caravan sites at the Outback Caravan Park Tennant Creek

                                 Now that's more like it.  The Devil's Marbles are not pebbles

                                       Karen was like a jack rabbit climbing over everything

                                               There really are aliens at Wycliffe Well

16/3/2012

It was a bit rainy again this morning but we managed to get everything packed up in between showers. After Mary-Anne got back from filling her jerry can and gas bottle we hit the road and headed for Camooweal. The road was exceptionally good and after leaving the hilly country around Mt Isa we drove through open grazing land that once again stretched to the far horizon. Camooweal is a quaint little place in the middle of nowhere. We went to the Post Office and collected mail that had been forwarded for us. We now have new drivers licenses, a new RACQ card and my rego label. Mary-Anne's mail was not there but she arranged for it to be sent to Alice Springs. The lady in the Post Office was so nice, nothing was a bother for her. After a short stop in Camooweal it was onto the border crossing into the Northern Territory a few kms out of town. We stopped and took some obligatory photos and then headed off again. The country is so open and storms filled all horizons. We drove through a few small rain showers and eventually arrived at Avon Downs Rest Area. We found a good site not far from the toilets and set up camp. Some time ago I had promised to cook Mary-Anne some authentic Australian Spaghetti bolognaise and Karen volunteered me to cook it tonight. I outdid myself this afternoon and even I had to admit it was the best mince I have ever cooked. The spaghetti wasn't bad either. The bourbon with it was even better. After tea we relaxed and enjoyed the scenery and the sounds of distant thunder. An early night is planned.

17/3/2012

No rain this morning but very windy and overcast. Michael is now called Captain Heartless because he wouldn't help a couple of male backpackers who had run out of petrol at Avon Downs and Mary-Anne and I are called Mother Hens because we would have liked to give them some of our precious spare fuel. Captain Heartless said NOOOOOO!!! We must add that there was a Police Station directly across the road from the Rest Area where we were staying. Captain Heartless said that the police should be the first port of call for stranded motorists. We packed up and were on the road by 9.00am and heading for the Barkly Homestead and Roadhouse about 200kms west. We had morning tea at Wonarah Rest area in between rain showers and gusty wind. But the cuppa's were nice and the stretch of the legs was good. With only 40kms to travel after leaving the Rest Area we arrived at Barkly Roadhouse at about midday. We refuelled ($1.99.9 for diesel and $1.97.9 for ulp). Then we paid for two caravan powered sites under huge shady trees. It was $28 each. The shade is a bonus as our air conditioner is working overtime. Mary-Anne doesn't feel the heat and has all her windows open. We plan an early tea and early to bed, in air conditioned comfort!!! Karen will probably put her electric blanket on. Today is St Patrick's Feast Day. Thanks to Veronica we all enjoyed some chocolates to celebrate. (Appearently it negates the fasting for Lent and chocolates are OK, Mary-Anne assures me!!). Tomorrow we are heading for Tennant Creek.

                     Looking back towards the smoke stack of the Mt Isa Mine (far left corner)

                         Which way to go?  Karen and Mary-Anne said 'Go West Young Man!!'

                                                  Morning tea on the way to Camooweal

At the border before crossing into the Northern Territory

Relaxing after a beautiful tea at Avon Downs Rest Area

Barkly Homestead and Roadhouse NT

                                 What a top spot at the caravan park at the Barkly Homestead

14/3/2012

It was a bit cloudy this morning but no rain as yet. We were on the road by 9.20am and had a hugh distance to travel to make it to our next destination of Mt Isa. A whole 60kms!! We travelled through some of the most rugged and picturesque country I have ever seen. The stoney hills are just amazing. As we drove I kept looking for signs of Mt Isa in the distance but could see nothing man made. Then all of a sudden there was the Mine right in front of us. It's hard to believe a whole city can be hidden from view and in an instance it suddenly appears. We had a drive through town and stopped at a Super Cheap store for some needed items. Mary-Anne needed a 12 volt fan for when we don't have electricity and a few other items. We also bought some gear that we needed. Then it was onto the Information Centre to collect some reading material for the next leg of our journey. No expense was spared with this establishment. It was huge and also conducts mine orientation courses as well as having a mine museum and Riversleigh dinosaur display. The girls collected information booklets about every place between Mt Isa and Perth and all for free. We left the Information centre and found our caravan park on the outskirts of town. It is called the AAOK caravan park. We obtained adjoining sites and quickly hooked up the electricity so the air conditioners could be turned on 24/7. It was about 36 degrees in the shade. After setting up we went back into town so the girls could have some retail therapy. I was lucky enough to find a BCF for some retail therapy of my own. When we were all shopped out we drove out of town some 15kms to have a look at the Moondarra Dam. It is a great spot and would be a tremendous location for a picnic. We ventured back to the caravan park for happy hour or should that be HOURS.  

15/3/2012

It was raining this morning when we got up. Mary-Anne and Karen wanted to wash today and hang all the clothes out in the sun to dry. They are of the adaptive type and the rain did not deter them from their task. All clothes are now squeeky clean and packed away. I amused myself this morning by jacking up the caravan and crawling underneath to try and find out why the water tanks would not fill completely. I have been finding that the air is not escaping from the tanks and the compressed air in the tanks blows out litres of water when it appears they are full. After half dropping the front tank about 120mm I was able to see how the breather system was connected to both tanks. I followed the hose to a small outlet above, but out of sight, of the filler hole. With the assistance of a our wolf eye torch I could see that a mud wasp had built a nest in the hole. After the mud was removed I connected the hose, filled the tanks and the breather hose worked as it should. The result was two completly filled water tanks for the first time since we left home. After a lunch of picklets, jam and cream the girls went shopping and I visited my former District Officer at the Mt Isa Police Station. It was great to catch up!!!! The heavens opened in the afternoon and when we arrived back at the caravan park there was water puddling everywhere. The weather situation here is frustrating for us travellers. We have been told of flooding rains in northern NT and soon in Mt Isa and the Gulf country. It looks like we will travel to Camooweal and then have to turn left at the Three Ways and head towards Alice Springs instead of heading to Darwin. As Ned Kelly once said 'Such is life'. A caravanner's life is so tough but we are enjoying being so adaptable as we can change our plans whenever we want.

Half way between Cloncurry and Mt Isa

The Mt Isa Airport

 

11/3/2012

I woke up this morning to discover that our neighbour had dropped off some 'CRAWDADS' (fresh water crayfish) in a bucket. To Mary-Anne's HORROR!!! they were still ALIVE!!! and ready to chop a finger off. The look on her face was priceless, I wish I had a camera to record the moment. After selecting the biggest and fiercest the rest were offered back to the neighbour with the promise the ones I kept would be eaten for an entree tonight. We don't have much freezer space and four were all we could manage. We packed up and hit the road again. For Karen and I it was new country to be discovered. Mary-Anne had visited Winton before and had travelled through this country. It was glorious to look either side of the car and see the country stretch far away and eventually meet the sky. No hills or mountains to block the expansive horizon. We eventually made it to Winton, but being Sunday nothing was open. We walked to the North Gregory Hotel and arranged to camp in the back yard for free. No power but there was water though and no showers. The hotel is under going extensive renovations and the grounds were very unkept. I suppose they are hoping to have everything ready for the tourist season starting in a month or so. We unfortunately arrived a month too early. We cooked and ate the Crawdads as an entree and then had a hearty meal of steak and spaghetti bog respectively.

12/3/2012

Karen and Mary-Anne again got up early and went for a walk around town and found me up and enjoying a cup of coffee on their return. We packed up and at 9.15am left the cars and caravans at the hotel and walked to the local shops and eventually made it to theWaltzing Matilda Centre. It is the only museum in the world dedicated to a song. However there is much more to see as the Qantilda museum is attached. Karen thought it was better than The Stockmans Hall of The Fame. There are displays of old trains, carriages, machinery and tools and much more. It was great for the first three rounds. I lost the girls and after searching all the exhibits 5 times I couldn't find them. I sat at the front door for an hour waiting very patiently and finally Mary-Anne emerged from a secret exhibit that had eluded me. Karen emerged about 10 minutes later. The reunion was great?. I was no longer alone in the middle of nowhere. We had an uneventful walk back to the caravans and had lunch. At about 2.00pm we left Winton and drove 176kms through more wonderful country to the Blue Heeler Hotel in Kynuna. There is a caravan park attached to the hotel with power and water and only $20 a night. It would have to be the most picturesque caravan park so far. The pub is old and full of atmosphere. What a great place!!!. Tonight we are going to splurge and have tea at the hotel. No preparing, cooking and best of all no washing up and then a very comfortable night sleeping in air conditioning. Oh the joys of electricity.

13/3/2012

We woke to a cloudy morning and a pleasant wind from the north east. We packed up and said goodbye to the Blue Heeler Hotel and headed 64kms north to the small town of McKinlay. There we were planning to have morning tea and a light beer at the Walk About Creek Hotel which was featured in the original Crocodile Dundee movie. But on arrival it was SHUT! Karen and Mary-Anne took some photographs of the pub while I walked some distance away and did some loud swearing. All was not lost as we drove another 20kms and had morning tea at a great rest area at Fullaton Creek. Then it was on the road again and after 64kms of great open plains we started driving through hilly country as we approached Cloncurry. We drove through town first and then went to the Mary Kathleen Park and Information Centre for lunch. The Information Centre was great. We saw Robert O'Hara Burke's original water bottle which was on display. The volunteer lady manning the Centre was also very informative and told us about the only QAS ambulance in existance that had been converted to run on railway tracks. After leaving the Information Centre we walked up about 100 steps to the top of a hill next to the park. After heaving in some oxygen we gazed in amasement over the whole of the Cloncurry township and surrounding countryside. It is an amazing spot to visit. The trip down the hill was easier and we walked through some old machinery on display in the park and found the railway ambulance in a shed with large glass viewing windows. Before we left town we drove to the Cloncurry airport and visited the place where Bob Crowe, my friend worked as a teenager refueling planes for pocket money. It was on the road again and we headed towards Mt Isa. About 60kms along the road we found a top rest area at Fountains Springs. We set up the vans and as it was still cloudy I dragged out the generator and fired it up for the first time this holiday. There is phone and internet connection even though we are still 60kms from Mt Isa. We will stay the night here and leave for Mt Isa in the morning.

                                                     A section of Arno's wall at Winton

                               The Waltzing Matilda display in the Waltzing Matilda Winton

                                              Drum set at the musical fence at Winton

                                                      Blue Heeler Hotel at Kynuna

                            View from hill beside the Mary Kathleen Memorial Par Cloncurry

                                                 Walk about Creek Hotel at McKinlay

                                          Fountain Springs Rest Area 60kms east of Mt Isa

7/3/2012

Karen and Mary-Anne got up early today. Karen went for a walk through the township of Morven while Mary-Anne put her feet up and read a book. I caught up on a lot of lost sleep and had a sleep-in. For morning tea we had picklets, jam and cream with tea and coffee. It's a hard life. After that the girls caught up on the washing using the white buckets and the specially adapted long handled plunger. After a lazy day around camp we went for a walk around town at 3.15pm, hoping to visit the museum. However on arrival it was shut. We did get to walk around the kerosene tin hut. In the depression times people could not afford building materials and used the tin from empty kerosene tins to cover roofs and walls. These were readily available because of kerosene fridges and stoves. We walked home past Sadlier's Waterhole. It is very picturesque and peaceful. At the moment it is full to the brim. Mary-Anne cooked a spaghetti bolognaise for tea and we are all as full as ten chooks. Tomorrow we leave and head towards Blackall. For $5.00 a night we were lucky enough to have power and water. There were only 18 powered sites, 6 in each site.

8/3/2012

9.15am today we left the Morven Recreation Reserve after one day of R&R and drove 84kms to Augathella. What a great place. It reminded me of Baralaba. There were murals on the sides of buildings and everything was neat and tidy. We discovered that the movie 'Smiley' was based on a young boy who grew up in Augathella. The movie also starred Australia's John Wayne, the one and only Chips Rafferty. After morning tea on the banks of the Warrego River it was on to Tambo. There we had lunch and refuelled. Then the girls took me for a walk around town and led me to the shop that makes Tambo Teddies. Fortunately we are on a budget and no Teddies were purchased (The cheapest item was $20.00 and the dearest I could find was $235.00). We headed off again and drove 100kms through some wonderful looking country to Blackall. We stopped at the Information Centre and got directions to the Barcoo River camp on the banks of the Barcoo River. It is $5.00 a night to free camp. You have to be self sufficient but there are toilet facilities and a water tap accross the road at the picnic area. It is a great spot with a few trees for shade and plenty of sun for the solar panels.

9/3/2012

Today Karen and Mary-Anne got up early and walked through town and saw the Jackie Howe statue in the main street and found the 'Black Stump' which was behind the Blackall State School. The 'Black Stump" is not a tree stump but a surveyor's marker point. After a quick breakfast we packed up and drove through town and ended up at the Blackall Wool Scour and shearing sheds. The wool scour is where the wool was washed and cleaned prior to it being exported overseas. The admission fee which was $13 included a guided tour of the complex and our guide was an old bushie called Beaver. He had a dry sense of humour and related personal experiences of having worked there as a boy and also at times was hard to understand. The whole operation was opened in 1908 shut down in 1978 and the intact building and machinery was left to its own devices for a number of years. A heritage committee was formed and the scour and shearing stands are now operational again.   It is the only steam driven shearing stand and wool scour remaining in Australia. It was getting on and we had to leave and drive 105kms to Barcaldine. We parked in the main street and walked through town. We saw the artifical Tree of knowledge. The original Tree of Knowledge was unforunately or fortunately poisoned in 2006. We then visited the Australian Workers Heritage centre. I called it the unofficial labor party headquarters. It was quite interesting if you ignored the ALP references everywhere. At 4.30pm I chased the girls up and we headed west for 20kms to a free rest area at Pack Saddle Creek. It was great. We camped in the middle of nowhere and before dark we could see for miles in every direction. When the moon rose we could see almost as far even though it was supposed to be dark. I love a full moon!!!

10/3/2012

We left our great rest area and drove 75kms to Longreach. We tried to see the QANTAS museum but couldn't find anywhere to park with the caravans. At least we got to drive past the 747 parked in the paddock. There were no problems at the Stockman's Hall of Fame as our two vans and a camper van were the only vehicles there. After paying our pensioner admission of $22.00 each, I love my gray hair, we sat through a complimentary film outlining the history of the outback. Then it was onto looking at and reading the exhibits. The whole place is really well laid out and there are many fascinating exhibits. After about 3 hours my feet were sore and I had seen everything twice. The girls were reading more things than I did and were still going. At around 2.30pm they were finished and we headed into town and bought some veggies and fruit and then headed to the free Long Waterhole rest area 4kms out of town on the Winton Road. We set up camp in another solar panel friendly area right next to the Thompson River. There are toilets and the tap water which has a lovely brown tinge. I have a feeling it is not drinking water!!!!! It is hot (36 degrees) but there is a strong breeze that keeps us cool under the awnings in the shade. Out in the sun it is a hot breeze and the sun just tries to burn you to a crisp. Mary-Anne is having sausages, potatoes and veggies. We are having steak, boiled potatoes, bacon and veggies for tea.

Smiley mural on front wall of picture theatre

                                                    Mural on old garage building wall

                                   Eagle nest sculpture in the Barcoo River Rest area Blackall

                        
                    Mary-Anne and I having a relaxing time after hours of dodging road trains

                                                       Jackie Howe statue at Blackall

              
                                   Pack Saddle Rest area between Barcaldine and Longreach

                                                    Stockmans's Hall of Fame Longreach

Sunday 4/3/2012

We packed up and said farewell to Mary-Anne's very friendly family group who stayed with us at Stanthorpe and headed for the most scenic road in the Stanthorpe area - The Stanthorpe/Inglewood Road which bisects the famous sheep station 'Pikedale'. Then we had lunch at the Inglewood rest area and did a small shop at the IGA for a few essential supplies. Then it was onto Cecil Plains for a night of free camping at the Cecil Plains Apex Park right on the Condamine River. It is a large area open and flat. Set up was very easy. The flies welcomed us and seemed to enjoy our company. The next morning was cloudy and the solar panels were doing their best to generate some power. The park is very quiet and it is nice to relax and do nothing. There is also a tap near the toilet block which vans can fill up with water. The day was quite hot.

Monday 5/3/2012

After a very hot and still night without electricity we hit the road and headed for Dalby. After a quick stop we then drove over the bumpiest road in the world to the Chinchilla Weir on the Condamine River. The river is full and the weir is over flowing. There we had morning tea in 36 degree heat before continuing through Miles to Wallumbilla show grounds. The Wallumbilla Information Centre is a must to see as there is lots of Arts and Crafts. There was a lot of road works from Dalby and lots of FBTs who would pull out in front of you. There is a donation for power and also a water tap at the toilet block that you can fill up from. The air conditioning is great. The town of Wallumbilla is very unkept and untidy.

Tuesday 6/3/2012

It was overcast and cool when we woke up. After mucking around filling the water tanks we eventually got on the road at 9.25am. It was a pleasent 45km drive to Roma with a multitude of road works to break up the monotony. The girls did some grocery shopping and I commandeered a shopping trolly to carry the groceries about a kilometer to where we could find a place to park with the vans. Then it was onto the Roma Base Hospital to visit and have lunch with Mary-Anne's nephew Doctor Luke. Luke showed us around the Hospital and then drove us to a coffee shop called Bogarts in the local cinema where Mary-Anne and I had the best coffee ever and Karen had the best ever hot chocolate. Maryanne and Dr Luke had coffee and sandwiches. Even better than Aldi coffee. We had to say goodbye to Luke and we were on the road again heading through Mitchell, for afternoon tea, then onto Morven. We are staying at the Morven Recreational Reserve for $5.00 per night. There is power and water. It is overcast and there had been a heavy shower of rain before we arrived. The Prado and Van look great with red mud over them. The girls want to stay 2 nights here to relax and unwind from the thousands of kilometres driven already (919kms really). I won't tell them but I like it here too and wanted to stay 2 nights anyway.

                               The Cecil Plains Homestead was right next to us at the Apex Park

                                                              The Cecil Plains Homestead

                                                  Our solar array in operation at Cecil Plains

                                                     The Chinchilla Weir at 37 degrees

                                    The Morven Recreational Reserve with power and water

Thursday 1/3/2012

Today we left home at 9.52am and travelled to Bracken Ridge and met up with Mary-Anne, my sister. She is travelling with us in her Nissan Patrol and Traveller Hurricane caravan.

We took the Gateway and travelled to Fassifern Reserve Rest Area, 5 kms east of Aratula. There we had morning tea and met up with Karen's brother in law Gary. He is retired and drove out along the highway hoping to find us or hear us on the CB radio. He had a hat for Karen.

After Fassifern we continued on the Cunningham Highway through Warwick then to Stanthorpe. We plan to stay until Sunday at the show grounds and partake of the Apple and Grape festival. $20 per night with power and water. Our site is great. At this stage there is hardly anybody close and it is a solar panel heaven. Unfortunately there is power and we don't need to use the solar panels. However there is an up side the air conditioner is working over time.

Friday 2/3/2012

Everyone was up early after a great night sleep. Karen was the first up and she went for a long walk around the Show grounds and down the hill nearly all the way into town. About 10am we drove to the main shopping centre. The girls stopped at every craft and hippie shop and I found one camping shop. The high light of the morning was waving to Lawrence Springborg in his electoral office. He actually waved back. Next door to his office was the CWA hall where we had a lovely scone with a little jam and cream. We then had a quick drive around town looking for a mysterious second hand shop that Karen once saw. We didn't find it. Then back to the caravan park for lunch and a nanna and grandad nap. At 4pm there was supposed to be an information session at the Old Tea Hall in the show grounds explaining what was happening during the festival. We went and there was not much going on so it was back to the caravan for a corona and preparing tea. 
After tea, we were waiting for Mary-Anne's Family Group from Bracken Ridge to arrive. They were joining us for the Apple & Grape Festival. Actually, we found out about the Festival through them - they already had a booking so we just tagged along.

At 9pm the Group from Bracken Ridge started to arrive. There was another caravan and 4 tents in varying sizes. It was very exciting putting up the tents in the dark. Our little camping area had become Tent City
Saturday 3/3/2012

Karen, Mary-Anne and I went into Stanthorpe's main shopping centre for the Apple and Grape festival. We walked the town looking at stalls of crafts and things. It was very well setup with roads blocked and no traffic. There were thousands of people and I'm sure the stall holders did a roaring trade. My knee was getting sore and I went back to the caravan, but Karen and Mary-Anne stayed for the procession of floats down the main street. What we didn't know was that Karen's niece, Sarah was on one of the floats. She found out that we were in town from our daughter Sandra, and rang us. She came to the Show Grounds later in the day for a visit. It was lovely to catch up with her. Sarah teaches music and drama at the Warwick State High School and also at a dance studio in Stanthorpe 2 afternoons a week. Stanthorpe's weather was very unpredictable very cool at night needing jumpers and around ten in the morning starting to get very hot. Saturday the main day of the Apple and Grape festival was full of misty rain and cool.

Sunday 4/3/2012

We packed up and said farewell to Mary-Anne's very friendly family group who we stayed with us at Stanthorpe and headed for the most scenic road in the Stanthorpe area - The Stanthorpe/Inglewood Road which bisects the famous sheep station 'Pikedale'. Then we had lunch at the Inglewood rest area and did a small shop at the IGA for a few essential supplies. Then it was onto Cecil Plains for a night of a free camping at the Cecil Plains Apex Park right on the Condamine River. It is a large area open and flat. Set up was very easy. The flies welcomed us and seemed to enjoying our company. The next morning was cloudy and the solar panels were doing their best to generate some power. The park is very quiet and it is nice to relax and do nothing. There is also a tap near the toilet block which vans can fill up with water. The day was quite hot.

                                                          At home all packed up

                                                                The three travellers

                                                                         The parade starts

                                                          I couldn't resist this photo