Camping Continues

Driving out of the rainforest, our next stop was in a town called Marian.  Jen wanted to check the tyres, stock up on some food and make a few calls while we were in range. I wanted a coffee. The coffee shop we found had quite a queue of patrons waiting to be served and I later knew why, as they had a proper barista who made a very good brew. Stocked up with fresh supplies we took a short cut to Bruce Highway, bypassing Mackey, heading to a free campsite at the Lake Proserpine.  This is sugarcane country with miles and miles of cane fields.  Ever since leaving Eumundi, we have been looking for places along the way where we might buy local roadside fruit and veg, but we were disappointed as there were very few.

Most days we drove between two and three hours from our previous camp, giving us plenty of time to check things out along the way, reaching camp early to set up and look around. On our approach to the dam where we hoped to stay the night, we were behind two other vehicles which were obviously heading in the same direction. Well it was free, and it was the Labour Day long weekend.  When we arrived, there were lots of caravans and self-contained camping vehicles, most of them parked close to the water.  We found a spot a long way from them all, in a very secluded part of the bush.  Quite a few vehicles came up to look around, but went back to the water, except for one who parked some distance away, although they had a young child who wasn’t that quiet.  Between us and the caravans on the dam were the public toilets and hot showers, which we took advantage of before preparing dinner and setting up our bedding close to the ute under the awning which was now dry.  The winds were quite gusty which once again concerned Jen, even after pegging the awning down.

Praise the Lord the neighbour’s baby finally went quiet well into the night and long after Jen and I had gone to bed; even so, it was a restless night for us both. I was up early, even after trying to lie-in so as not to disturb Jen.  When I did get up, the tent zip makes quite a racket as I zipped out then had to go back into the tent as I forgot something. The butane gas cooker also made a racket as I tried to start it, with Jen eventually asking if I had unlocked it.  She wasn’t in a good mood as I had woken her up, which I can understand as it also annoys me when I’ve been woken after trying to sleep in. Mind you she did say later that she wakes at 5am anyway and just lies-in till she is ready to get up. I eventually got going and had a lovely jog along a dirt track where I saw kangaroos crossing the road.

We were planning to stay at a free campsite just out of Townsville, but the one we had our hearts set on was fully booked.  We eventually decided that because we wanted to be able to get to Magnetic Island early on Sunday, we would stay two nights in Townsville central in a cheap bed and breakfast. But first, we had been told to stop off in Bowen to check out the beautiful beaches  We were rather cautious after our last recommendation, but had seen photos of Horseshoe Bay Beach and it did look beautiful.  We weren’t disappointed as it was what we call a beautiful beach, with white sand, crystal clear water and a few gentle waves.  I was also pleasantly surprised when I was served an iced latte (frape) the way I liked it.  There was a bit of a walk over some very large boulders to a lookout with views to both sides of the peninsular.

From here we headed north again. Having driven for over two hours, we pulled in off the road to where the free campsite was, to be greeted with a closed sign.  Jen then rang to where she had booked the Sunday night in Townsville to see if they could give us tonight as well.  Once again the Lord had gone before us, as someone had cancelled, enabling us to take their room.  We later found out it was a better room than the one previously allocated to us, which was right next to the tree where the possums were fighting and playing during the night.

We arrived just before it started getting dark. We were both glad we didn’t have to setup camp. We unpacked a few things, had something to eat, then went out to explore the town before it got too dark.  We also wanted to see how far it was to the ferry so we could walk there in the morning. Jen took off at a great speed, with me trying to keep up.  We made the ferry terminal in 25mins but I was exhausted.  I walked slowly back to our accommodation, absolutely worn out while Jen went off to get an ice cream.

The next day after our very noisy possum party night we were out the door with bathers under our dresses, our backpacks with water and snacks for the day, heading for the ferry at a very leisurely walk through the Cotter Markets, which are on every Sunday here in Townsville. There were stalls with all sorts of wares.  Jen and I were very impressed with the baskets woven from local reeds and grasses.

We reached the ferry just before the 8:30am departure.  It only took 20 minutes for it to cross. We headed to a café for my morning coffee and Jen’s breakfast.  I’d eaten before we left.  We then boarded an island bus with our all-day bus pass, heading out of Nelly Bay south to Picnic Bay where the ferry landed.  The other bus heading north to Horseshoe Bay was packed full.  The bus meandered through all the little roads dropping people off along the way till it reached Picnic Bay where it stopped for 20 mins before returning along the same route.

It was quite windy here as we wandered along the beach front. I then sat in the shade while Jen walked to the end of the historic jetty, then joined me for a relax before catching the bus back through Nelly Bay and on to Horseshoe Bay.  Here we hopped off and bought an ice cream before Jen went for a swim in a netted area.  There were two nets; one for sharks and the other to stop the deadly Irukandji jelly fish. It was a very sheltered bay and very flat.  As I prefer a few more waves, our next stop was back towards Nelly Bay at the Arcadia beach of Alma Bay.  Although not netted, there was a bit of a walk out before it was deep enough to swim.  From here we returned to the ferry along the Babul Way walkway, getting there just as the ferry was arriving. It had been a very full day arriving back in town at 5pm.  We decided we would treat ourselves with a dinner out; we had seen two Thai restaurants but both were closed so eventually stopped at an Indian restaurant which served very tasty food. Back at our accommodation, we planned our next stop, booking in advance, then catching up with things before bed.

Monday was Labour Day. It was a quick pack up compared with camping, as we didn’t need to roll up the swag and tent, table and chairs and stow away all our cooking gear etc.  We had decided we would camp in the Paluma Range National Park at Big Crystal Creek camping site.  Although it was only an hour up the road, we wanted somewhere nice to camp where we could also swim. We weren’t disappointed.  Because we arrived before midday, there weren’t many campers. We parked and took a wander around, collected some firewood from the creek, then followed a path to the stream where there was an enormous swimming pool amongst the boulders.  Satisfied this was where we wanted to stay, we chose a quiet spot, set up our table and chairs then head out to explore Little Chrystal Creek which was a little further up the mountain.  Even though the road up was bitumen it was very narrow with a steep drop down the ravine on one side and a rock face on the other only offering a few wider spots for overtaking.  This didn’t seem to slow the vehicles down coming in the opposite direction. On several occasions we had to either hug the cliff face or pull as close as possible to the edge.  There were other attractions further up the road but we decided we had gone far enough when we reached the parking area for Little Chrystal.  We were quite surprised at the number of families and picnickers, but then remembered it was a public holiday, and as the locals kept informing us, the first long weekend without rain bucketing down.

We walked a short distance to an old stone bridge which crossed the creek, with two large swimming areas formed naturally as the waterfalls cascaded from above.  Both pools were jostling with swimmers. We decided not to swim here; instead we followed a small path that went further up the hill, alongside the stream to more waterfalls before making our way back to Big Chrystal campsite.  As we approached, we stopped at a roadside fruit stall, which had an array of items from herbs and honey to fruit and veg. We had noticed it on our first approach but hadn’t stopped.  This time we pulled in and while there, met the owner who was an eccentric lady, Coral, about my age We asked why there was so many cars opposite her driveway, to which she replied, it was her private swimming hole which she was happy to share with whomever wanted a dip.

More campers had arrived; we were pleased we had arrived early for a good spot. We parked the ute with the front facing downhill so that if there was any rain this time it would run in the right direction, away from the back of the ute where our camp and swags are set up. While setting up camp, we saw a bungarra wandering around the camp. When it climbed a tree, it was a great opportunity to get a photo. Changing into our swim gear, we headed to the pool.  There was a bus load of indigenous youth on an outing with their leaders, as well as other families and campers.  The water was so clear and refreshing. Unfortunately, even though most people took their garbage with them, there were still plastic cups and other rubbish left behind.

Back in camp I started the fire from the very damp wood we had collected, Jen threw in some sweet potato she had wrapped in foil before setting up the camp hotplate for the billy of carrots and beans to sit on. Salmon which had defrosted, was later put straight on the hotplate to fry.  We finished off with mini pancakes with lime and brown sugar. It was delicious.  We found the smoke from the fire kept many of the bugs away too, but the best place to relax after dinner was in the cab of the ute or in the swag or tent all zipped up.

I hadn’t jogged in Townsville so was determined to give it a go Tuesday morning.  I took off down the dirt track, passing the main roads workers setting up their road works signs. It seems the whole of Queensland is having their roads up graded, as everywhere we went there were slow down zones and makeshift signals to stop traffic. I thought it must be the extra Covid money given for construction to keep the economy going.  If so it was certainly being put to good use here.

Before packing up camp, Jen and I headed to the pool for a morning dip. It was so much nicer without the crowds.  We have been very blessed, having many of the water places to ourselves during our travels.  Further up the road from this camp was a place called Sliding Rock, which we were interested to see.  We had heard the rock was safe to slide down, but neither Jen nor I were game, even when watching someone coming down.  It was as we came down to these rocks that my dress caught on a protruding log beside the rocky steps, sending me headlong down the rocks.  Praise the Lord I only grazed my knees and tore my dress.

We were only three and a half hours out of Cairns, with one more night of camping and a few more places of interest along the way to visit. So back to the Bruce Highway we went, through Ingham, before turning off at a lookout to admire the view across the lowlands to Hinchenbrook Island. We then turned off at Cardwell to visit The Spar for a quick dip in the milky, baby blue water it was renowned for.  The spar was constructed during the dry season from an existing natural pool. The water feeding into the creek here has mica minerals which not only made the water smell a bit like bore water, but also change its colour.

Our next stop was free camping at Liverpool Creek beside the old Bruce Highway.  There was one other camper when we arrived, but by the end of the day there were four of us. The ground was a bit damp with water collecting in some places, which indicated it had rained quite heavily lately. There were dark clouds overhead but BOM assured us we were fine!  Another quick prayer for the Lord to hold back the rain.  We had a visiting bullterrier who we think came over from the nearby farmhouse for a bit of a stickybeak.

More mosquitoes, so it was a cab escape, before zipping up the tent to avoid these blood suckers which seem to hunt me out. During the night, the raging, storm-filled stream sounded more like waves on the beach. I was up early again, so took a jog up the road before taking a plunge in the calmer waters which had formed at the side of this very fast flowing stream, just below the bridge.  I was a little weary, but also keeping an eye out for a possible crocodile.

Our next stop was ten minutes up the road on Mena Creek.  A magnificent castle built by an early Spanish immigrant Jose Paronella for his young wife on 5 hectares which was opened in 1935. The Paronella Park was amazing, with the old ruins of a castle with tennis courts, bridges and his private hydor-electric plant was destroyed by a huge flood and then abandoned in 1947.  Much has been restored by the new owners, including the hydro-electric plant, which powers the town of Mena, feeding the rest back into the grid. It took us over two hours to wander around the grounds and ruins. Then we had just an hour and a half drive to Cairns arriving just before 2pm.

Photos: 1. Dragon Flower    2. Camping away from the crowds    3. Magnetic Island swim    4. Perth 3407km    5. Camp fire    6. Another swimming hole    7. The Spar    8. Paronell Park

Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for a safe arrival in Cairns and all the wonderful things that Jen and I have experienced in-between.

Praise the Lord for our time on Magnetic Island and the wonderful weather we have experienced throughout our trip.

Please pray for my stay in Cairns and may the Lord give me opportunity to share His love with those around me.

Please pray for Jen and Kat who are yet to come to know Christ’s love for them. Pray for Kat who is working on a cruise our of Broome and for Jen who is waiting for Dave to join her in Cairns, before continuing her journey north to Darwin, and eventually Broome, where she used to work.