Bundaberg Area

Monday 3rd November
Moving on day today and it is raining. We haven't had any rain in the daytime for 7 months and today it is pouring. We even thought about staying put for an extra day but then thought it might be raining again tomorrow, so we just packed up and left. It rained on and off the whole way to Bundaberg. When we arrived at the caravan park at Bundaberg it was still raining so we had to set up in the rain.
Anyway it did stop eventually and Tuesday was a sunny day. We got dressed up in our finery to watch the Melbourne Cup.

I got a first and a third but only had small bets but it is all good fun.

The blogs from now on probably won't amount to much. We are moving slowly south spending a week or two at various places where we haven't spent much time before.

If there is something interesting in an area we will go and have a look but it is mainly relaxing time.


Wednesday 5th November was another good day so we decided to go for a drive.

We headed south to Childers. It was only when we got there when we remembered we had been there before. This is where the backpackers hostel had burnt down some years ago and a lot of backpackers were killed. They have a lovely memorial to them.
It is a lovely town with lots of old buildings and lovely sculptures in the main street.

This is a lovely sculpture depicting birds from the area. All made from recycled material.

More artwork. This is done for the Kanakas, people from the islands north of Australia who were brought to the Childers area in the early 1900's to work in the cane fields. They really were the main workers in the sugar cane industry. Many of their descendants are still in the area.










After leaving Childers to head back to Bundaberg, we stopped at a bird sanctuary. It was a little run down but we were the only visitors there. It is supposed to be the biggest free flying aviary in Australia and they have many parrots flying free in a huge enclosure. We got a surprise because the birds just  come and rest on you. As it is a sanctuary many birds are brought to them which have been injured and they nurse them back to health. They also get many birds from families whose elderly relatives have passed away and they have had these cockatoos for many years. They can't be released back into the wild so they are cared for at the sanctuary.

A beautiful blue and yellow macaw. He was in a large cage. They do have a nasty bite and apparently can take your finger off.

This is a sun conure a native bird from South America. There were a lot of them in the aviary. They would just hop on your shoulder and start to preen your hair and face. Very cute birds and so colourful.

Ray with two eclectus male parrots. These are Australian natives. The males are green and blue and the females are  red and blue.The females were not nearly so friendly.

Two sun conures on the perch

A yellow ring neck parrot.















By the time we left the bird sanctuary it was getting close to lunch. We were going to go back into Bundaberg but as we were driving we saw a turn off to Cordalba so we thought we would go in for a look.
We found a really old pub and stopped there for lunch. The publican made us a beautiful pizza to his own recipe. Now Ray is not overly fond of pizza but he really liked this one.
Thin base, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, salami, bacon, ham, chicken, mushrooms, sun dried tomato, pineapple and sprinkle of cashew nuts on the top. Just beautiful.

This is the Cordalba Hotel. About 130 years old. It needs a bit of TLC but has a really nice atmosphere.

The pictures of old movie stars and Alfie Langer!!!

A very true sign. Every pub should have one on the bar.

The front verandah of the hotel. You can see the F truck in the background.

Ray enjoying a beer on the verandah. I had a Bundy and coke. What else?















The next day Thursday 6th November we visited the Bundy Bondstore. We didn't do the tour as we had done that some years ago. We bought some Bundy liquor, which is a great mixture of Bundy, chocolate and coffee. Recommended by Lee and you just drink it straight over ice. Very nice.

The Bondstore

The Distillery
















Next day we decided to go for a drive out to Elliot Heads, then Bargara, Mon Repos and then to Bundaberg Port. When we got to Elliot Heads it was an incredible spot. Beautiful beach and blue water and a cute little caravan park. We made some enquiries and decided to come back there on Monday for a couple of weeks.

Elliot Heads

Elliot Heads looking to the mouth of the Elliot River.















The next place we stopped at was Mon Repos.This is the beach where the marine turtles come to lay their eggs, mostly Loggerhead turtles. we were just a bit early as the season starts later in November. You can come and see it happen but sometimes you have to wait up to 6 hours. We visited the Interpretive Centre.

Mon Repos beach where the turtles come up to lay their eggs.

A life size replica of a Loggerhead turtle at the Interpretive Centre.
















Next stop was the Bundaberg Port and marina. There is a big sugar loading facility and a lot of big, beautiful cruisers and yachts. We also had beautiful fish and chips there. Red Emperor.

The marina at Bundaberg

Another view of the boats.
















On the Saturday we went to the Lifestyle Expo in Bundaberg. It is the first time they have held it and it seemed to be quite busy. We saw some sights as the markets were on as well.

A new outfit for up and coming bird watchers. Camo style so they can't see you.

For lunch on Saturday we went to the chinese restaurant at the Brothers Club, which just happened to be across the road from the caravan park. We had a few drinks before and they had these amazing cocktails which come out of a slushy machine. I don't go to pubs and clubs much so I didn't know that you could get stuff like this. So yummy.

This is one of the three bridges which cross the Burnett River in Bundaberg. Two road bridges and one rail bridge.

An old fishing boat moored in the river. It actually looked as if someone was living on it.

A display of old guns in one of the parks in Bundaberg.

There are a lot of amazing sculptures all along the river bank in Bundaberg all done by the same person. This is supposed to represent someone waiting for their partner to return home???

This is another one meant to represent feast and famine. The bottom of the fish is full representing prosperity and the top is just a skeleton representing the bad times.

A water monitor, one of many living in the caravan park.

A wild pineapple growing alongside the amenities in the caravan park at Bundaberg














We left Bundaberg on Monday and drove 29km down to Elliot Heads.. It is a lovely spot and very relaxing. Ray is thinking about doing some fishing and I am going to make some cards. There is a great swimming spot about 200 metres away at the river entrance.

Looking across the sand flats to the entrance to Elliot River.

Just hanging in the water. Crystal clear and quite warm.

Ray just floating in the water

A water level shot.
















Anyway that will do for now. I might do a couple more instalments before we get home. We'll see if something interesting happens.
Blog you later.

Mackay to Yeppoon

Monday 27th October
We are moving on today and hoping that our neighbours next door can't find us. She was a very talkative woman and every opportunity she was in our annex. It got to the stage where we couldn't step outside.
On the other hand we met a lovely German girl called Nadine who is on her way from Sydney to Cairns. She has been working in Sydney and is just cruising, but flying home to Germany for Xmas.
We got away from Mackay early and headed to the Yeppoon area settling in a park at Kinka Beach which is part way between Yeppoon and Emu Park. After setting up we had to go find some medical treatment for me as I had a very sore ear. I finally got the treatment I needed at 5pm after two doctors and the hospital. Is it really so hard to have your ears syringed. My doctor at home must be the only doctor in Australia who still does his own treatment. If I had the gear I could have done it myself with a bit of help from Ray. But never mind everything is fine again.
We are staying here for a week and will have a bit of a look around while we are here.

Looking from Rocky Point down across main beach at Emu Park, which is about 20km south of Yeppoon.

This is the view looking out from Rocky Point across to Great Keppel Island

Looking south from Rocky Point

Quess who with the view from the Singing Ship in the background

Ray at the Singing Ship site

This is the Singing Ship. It has been made so as when the breeze blows it sings. Apparently after it was built they had to alter it as the sound from it was keeping the locals awake especially when the big winds blew.

This is a bit of information about it.

Some people going out for a fishing adventure from Rosslyn Bay Marina

The boat launching area at Rosslyn Bay

One  of the boats that go out to Swains Reef on fishing charters. They go out for 7 days and all meals, tackle and bait is supplied. You have to bring your own alcohol. I asked the price and it was $2500 a person.

A yacht leaving the harbour. When the wind comes up, the fishing boats come in and the yachts go out.

A yacht anchored in the bay.














Tomorrow we are headed to Bundaberg for a week.
Good luck to everyone for Melbourne Cup. Hope you back a winner. I had a bet in the Derby yesterday but didn't do any good.

Rollingstone to Mackay

Monday 13th October
Today we went for a short drive down to the next beach called Balgal Beach. While staying at Rollingstone we had seen numerous boats going in and out further down the beach. Well you can imagine what we thought - smugglers or sly grog runners out to Palm Island. Anyway at Balgal Beach we found a boat ramp which is only accessible at the half to full tide. So there was nothing sinister at all.

This is looking across the river entrance at Balgal Beach where the fishing boats come in and out.

Looking south along Balgal Beach

Some of the rock formations on the beach

 

Next we drove north to a fruit shop called the Frosty Mango. They sell home made ice cream made from the fruit from their orchard. I had a double of sapote and tiramisu and Ray had passionfruit. I also bought a couple of star apples to try. They look like a purple tomato and taste very tropical. You just cut them in half and scoop the inside out with a spoon. The flesh inside is shaped like a star.

 

From here we went for a drive up the mountain to a place called Paluma. The road is 18kn long and very windy and narrow. On the way we crossed a creek called Little Crystal Creek and on the way back stopped to take some photos. A very pretty place and we had a nice lunch at The Raintree Café at Paluma.

Little Crystal Creek tumbling over some rocks.

Another view of Little Crystal Creek

The bridge over Little Crystal Creek

 

On Wednesday 15th October we left Rollingstone and headed south driving through hundreds of hectares of banana plantations and sugar cane fields. We stopped at Ayr for morning tea and I bought 2 magnificent cup cakes from a little shop specialising in them. One strawberry and one salted caramel.

We were going to stop at a free camp in a place called Home Hill but when we got there it was very hot and it was only a parking spot on the road beside the railway station so after getting Ray some lunch we decided to head on towards Airlie Beach.

We checked into the Island Gateway Caravan Park at Jubilee Pocket, which is the next suburb after Airlie Beach. Nice park although there are a few biting midges around which Airlie Beach is famous for.

I was quite surprised as I thought Airlie would have been a lot more built up. There are lots of apartment blocks but no more than 4 storeys high. There are thousands of European tourists, mainly French, German and Italian and all ages and backgrounds. The main street of Airlie Beach is full of all of the young ones.

 

While in Airlie, we looked up an old friend of ours, Col and his wife Narelle. They had moved up here in 1991 and we looked them up in the phone book and gave them a call out of the blue. Consequently they invited us for lunch on Friday and we spent a few hours with them reminiscing of the old days. They have a beautiful, big house at Canonvale built way up on stilts with a great verandah around to catch the breezes.

 

We also had a look around Shute Harbour, Abells Marina and Port of Airlie.

This is the view looking out over Shute Harbour from the lookout on top of the hill. The water is so blue and clean.

Looking out over the jetty at Shute harbour

People going for a jet ski trip at Abells marina. They ride out to daydream Island and back.

Abells marina from Barcelona Tapas bar. Nice place for a drink.

The Jolly Roger flag atop one of the yachts

One of the pleasure cruisers returning from a trip.

You can go for a camel ride on Airlie Beach

Mum and baby camel

No fishing sign at Port of Airlie Marina. This is a private marina.
It's not too clear but maximum penalty is $500.

Part of the Port of Airlie marina. Some units are visible in the background and there are boutiques and coffee shops on the ground level.

These are 76 Plumed Whistling Ducks which live in the Island Gateway caravan park. They don't quack like other ducks but they whistle.

Ray and a couple of friendly cockatoos. They were very gentle and even landed on his shoulder to get at the chips.

A bush curlew. There were many of these in the park. They make a very mournful sound when communicating with each other

A yellow breasted honey eater in the palm tree beside the caravan

Ray and his three amigos.

















We moved on Monday 20th October to Blacks beach just north of Mackay. A lovely spot right on the beach and only about 10km from the centre of Mackay. So I will blog some more next week.
Happy reading.