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.