Hi, Now on route towards Cairns having stopped in Brisbane and picked up a camper or should I say RV as we had a free upgrade. At first I was unsure about it on two counts; it is larger than I have driven for a long time and secondly it does not have a clutch or gear stick! Anyway we are getting use to the room and comfort.
We did not get long in Brisbane itself, just time to see the centre and Botanical Gardens and experience a thunder storm before getting the train out to our hotel.
The roads north of Brisbane were very busy, so we headed inland to see something of the Ranges, the coastal hills. Climbing to Maleny we got great views of the distant hills and unfamiliar trees, bush and farmland (mostly cattle). There are lots of birds around, in fact most mornings we are awoken before six by bird calls. There are no budgies here, they like the drier interior but we see lots of parakeets.
Everyone seems to start early in the cool of the day so the campsites are busy at six in the morning and it is dark by six thirty. The clocks are a hour back compared to Sydney.
We did not get long in Brisbane itself, just time to see the centre and Botanical Gardens and experience a thunder storm before getting the train out to our hotel.
The roads north of Brisbane were very busy, so we headed inland to see something of the Ranges, the coastal hills. Climbing to Maleny we got great views of the distant hills and unfamiliar trees, bush and farmland (mostly cattle). There are lots of birds around, in fact most mornings we are awoken before six by bird calls. There are no budgies here, they like the drier interior but we see lots of parakeets.
Everyone seems to start early in the cool of the day so the campsites are busy at six in the morning and it is dark by six thirty. The clocks are a hour back compared to Sydney.
The coastal road here is like an "A" road in UK with some bits of dual carriageway mostly on hills. Unlike further south, they are not busy although there are some very large trucks that seem to regard speed limits as suggestions for the faint hearted!
We have been to the coast in several places including Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Ballina, Hervey Bay and Tannum Sands. The latter is a great spot for water sports or just strolling the long beach. We are now at Rockhampton the centre of the Queensland cattle country and it has been very hot. This is our first experience of a provincial town and I think we will give them a miss in future, very suburban reminding us of USA towns taken over by international conglomerates, unfriendly to pedestrians and cyclist. The smaller rural villages have much more charm and character and we often stop on route to stroll and take a break from the road.
Tomorrow we continue north to a small place on the coast called Clairview, camping next to the beach. There are no further toll roads and diesel is about 92 p per litre although we have a large fuel tank! We aim to reach Cairns by next Monday and spend a few days there before flying to Melbourne. For now, goodonyu mate
We have been to the coast in several places including Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Ballina, Hervey Bay and Tannum Sands. The latter is a great spot for water sports or just strolling the long beach. We are now at Rockhampton the centre of the Queensland cattle country and it has been very hot. This is our first experience of a provincial town and I think we will give them a miss in future, very suburban reminding us of USA towns taken over by international conglomerates, unfriendly to pedestrians and cyclist. The smaller rural villages have much more charm and character and we often stop on route to stroll and take a break from the road.
Tomorrow we continue north to a small place on the coast called Clairview, camping next to the beach. There are no further toll roads and diesel is about 92 p per litre although we have a large fuel tank! We aim to reach Cairns by next Monday and spend a few days there before flying to Melbourne. For now, goodonyu mate
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| A view across the Ranges near Maleny |
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| A Kookaburra, A terrestrial tree kingfisher. |
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| Helen strolling at Tannum Sands. |
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