Bonshaw Weir

Today we left Evans Head and travelled the Bruxner Hwy passing through Casino and Tenterfield with our destination Texas. This meant that we had to transverse some windy and hilly roads with one windy stretch being 35 klms before plateauing out, our speed was greatly reduced until we had crossed the ranges. With only 20klms to go until Texas we came across a free camp at the Bonshaw Weir which looked rather inviting, so after being on the road for 5hrs and over 300 klms travelled we decided to pull in for the night.

When we left at 9am it was already 20 degrees with 80% humidity a lovely day on the coast.When we arrived at Bonshaw Weir it was 26 degrees and 24% humidity at 3pm, a very dry heat to what we had been having.

As we pulled into the camp area we were welcomed by a fellow grey nomad who was already set up and relaxing by the weir with an invitation to join his camp fire at Happy Hour. Tonight there are about five other vans, a very large motor home and a couple of smaller camper vans. The couple from the two smaller vans are members of the Solo Travellers Club and are enjoying each others company with the benefit of having their own space.

Tomorrow we hope to make Texas!

Happy Hour Bonshaw Weir

Bonshaw Weir

100% attendance!

Evans Head

After a couple of days at Yamba with periodical rain and a drop in the temperature we were keeping a close eye on the weather forecast for further down the coast. Things were not looking crash hot so we back peddled 65klms to Evans Head. This is a lovely little coastal town with a beautiful beach that has two breakwater walls protruding from the river out into the sea, allowing the commercial boats access to a safe port. It is quiet difficult to navigate in rough weather with the waves breaking at the entrance also if the tide is low the boats will sometimes bottom out. There is a Fish Co-op at the wharf area where we managed to buy our last feed of fresh caught prawns for this trip.

We stayed three nights at the Silver Sands Holiday Park, which is the largest holiday park in NSW, it is in a great location positioned just a 100mtrs from main beach. No need to use the car as it is walking distance to the boutique shops, cafe's and of course the Bakery! We enjoyed some of the best weather since we have been away while we were there, we also managed to walk the beach each day, not forgetting the couple of meals that we indulged in at the local bowls club that was just through the back fence. If we ever come back to this park we would ask to be allocated a site in the overflow area, which is on the reserve alongside the river and a more informal environment than in the main park.

Unfortunately our time away is drawing to an end so we have to keep in mind that we need to move on as we still have some days travelling before we hit Melbourne. So this morning we said farewell to Carlene and Rex who are on their way north to Burleigh Heads and we took the Bruxner Hwy inland towards Goondiwindi.

Appreciating the coastal view Evans Head

Evans River

A well camouflaged lizard 

Side view of that same rock

Monument to wooden boats and iron men

Feeding the Loreekets beside the caravan

Baz critiquing another bakery

Yamba

Sunday we left Southport travelling down the Gold Coast Hwy towards Ballina, as it was a lovely day as well as Fathers Day every man and his dog was on the road it was like peak hour in Hobart. We didn't have any plans for our next stop, just thought we would call into some coastal towns along the way and choose a nice location. Our friends Carlene and Rex were leaving Port Macquarie that morning and hoped to meet up with us that night so we finally decided that we would travel as far as Yamba and meet them at the Big 4 caravan park. It was a lovely park for families with a jumping pillow, play ground, pool and a great water park, also a large number of  kangaroos and heaps of bird life, just glad we will not be there in the school holidays!  The only down fall is that the park is about 10 klms from Yamba, if we come this way again would probably try to stop at the Calypso Caravan Park which has a great location with an easy walk to the river, beaches and the town.

The weather had deteriorated after leaving QLD with occasional showers that passed over quiet quickly unfortunately is also made the temperature drop so it was on with the jeans and vest when we went out that night to the Yamba Bowlo for a meal, not looking forward to the cooler days as we head south.

Yamba Coastline

Lighthouse Yamba with another shower brewing

Grandad at the skate park Yamba

Local kangaroos in the caravan park

Creek that runs through the caravan park

Water park at the Big 4 Yamba

Water park at the Big 4
I could have used this for the
Ice Bucket Challenge

Southport - Gold Coast

Nearly two weeks since we pulled into the Broadwater Caravan Park at Southport, how time has flown. The weather here has been a nice low to mid 20's the only thing that has made it unpleasant some days has been the wind. Lucky for us we have a sheltered spot so the 50 klm gusts have not caused us too much bother. We have still been able to walk, ride our bikes and I have been swimming every morning in the heated pool, we are trying to counteract the occasional trip to Goldsteins Bakery with some excerise! Since we were at this park a couple of years ago the new managers have introduced sausage sizzles, pancake breakfast's, happy hours and picture nights on the foreshore. Wednesday night's is Pizza night with a mobile wood fired pizza guy coming to the park selling pizza's.

The southern end of the Gold Coast experienced some very rough weather about 10 days ago resulting in the closing of some of the beachs, the weather also causied some sand erosion along the coast. There was plenty of swell about for the many surfers to enjoy and plenty of spectators.

I think I am shopped out after being to Harbour Town a couple of times, also Trade Secrets and numerous trips to the Billabong, Quicksilver outlets out towards Nerang. Now need to find a spot in the van to store all the goodies that I just had to buy for the grand kids. 

We were only intending to stay here for a week, but have now extended our stay a couple of times  as we are enjoying the time here, also the weather further south has not been looking so good so thought if we hang around for awhile things may have settled by the time we move on. Maree and Brian are also here as were Judy and Merv their friends who left on Monday, they are on the boat a week before us so have started making the journey south, Maree and Brian leave Sunday to return home to Newcastle. We have noticed that the park has a few more vacant spots than when we first arrived as all the Southerners are now moving south or within the next two to three weeks there will be a mass exit of Grey Nomads.

We must go back around to the prawn trawlers and get another feed of fresh King Prawns before we go, nothing beats fresh prawns that were caught that night.

Gold Coast high rises

Line up for the sausage sizzle

Burleigh Heads beach closed due to rough weather

Burleigh Heads Beach

Burleigh Heads Bluff, great spot for watching the surfers

Pizza night in the park

Movie night on the foreshore

Jacobs Well

We were woken to steady rain in the early hours of Friday morning, lucky we had stayed hitched up so did not need to pack anything up in the morning, only needed to put the jacks up before leaving Kandanga. We had a 200klm trip to Jacobs Well which is about 35 klms north of the Gold Coast. We travelled down past the Sunshine Coast without seeing any sun, only rain, rain and more rain. The rain didn't let up all the way, the conditions were really atrocious with really poor visibility. We also passed a three car pile up near Burpengary luckily it was a three lane hwy so the traffic was able to keep moving in the two inner lanes. Normally we would not have been on the road in these conditions but as we were going to a wedding on Saturday we had to keep going and hope we got there safely.Upon arrival at Jacobs Well it was still pouring with rain, we were very relieve to have arrived safely even managing a perfect reverse park, positioning the van alongside the concrete slab perfectly the first time, much to our surprise.

The rain continued all night and all day on Saturday, which was unfortunate for Dale and Leonie's wedding plans, luckily they had a plan B and were able to move the ceremony inside at the Golf Club where the reception was being held. It was a lovely ceremony and the venue was in a beautiful setting, with even a couple of Kangaroos coming down to the lake to drink.

Today the sky finally cleared and the sun  even managed to come out, we enjoyed a lovely lunch today with Leonie and Richard whom we met when we were at Bargara, it was great catching up with them again and so nice of them to come down to see us.

Sunny Queensland 

Kandanga

Only a short trip on Thursday 65 klms.   We left Dickabram Bridge Miva after a very pleasant quiet night travelling via Gunalda back out to the Bruce Hwy until we reached Gympie where we once again left the Bruce taking the Mary Valley Hwy to Kandanga.
The Kandanga township is RV friendly with a designated free camp spot in the centre of the town. We were in walking distance to the local shops, pub and bowls club etc.  that night we enjoyed a great meal at the local pub. Within the RV area there is a large fire pit for all to enjoy even the fire wood is provided. If you really need power you can camp at the local bowls club for $5 a night.

Old Railway Station Kandanga

Old Dunny Kandanga Station

Kandanga Pub

Dickabram Bridge

After a pleasant two day stop over at Lake Monduran unfortunately the time has come for us to start heading south. We travelled back down the Bruce Hwy with numerous stops for roadworks, only avoided having to stop once. It must be costing a fortune for all these roadworks let alone paying for all the lollipop people at all the different sections.

We stopped at Childers to pick up some supplies and of course checked out their Bakery, buying a couple of Savory Rolls and a French Vanilla Slice for our morning tea (delicious). It was then off to our next destination a free campsite near Dickabram Bridge that crosses over the Mary River. The bridge was built in 1886 and stands 23 metres above the Mary River, and is 200 metres long. The unique design of this dual purpose bridge with its road and rail crossing, the road deck is constructed of timber. The river piers are concrete filled cast iron cylinders the remaining piers are timber. Rumor has it that three men died during the construction of the bridge, one of which supposedly fell down one of the cast iron cylinders while barrowing cement to fill it. It was sometime later that they realised that he may have been buried in the cylinder.

It is a good thing that there is very little traffic on tfddehis road as when the vehicles cross the bridge it is very noisy with the ratter-ling of the timber planks. We don't think our sleep will be disturbed as we have not heard anything crossing the bridge for the last couple of hours.

We finished off the day sitting around the campfire with a fellow camper looking at the star laiden sky on a crystal clear evening. 

Dickabram Bridge

Mary River

Enjoying the vista Mary River

Dickabram Bridge

Our Campsite Dickabram Bridge