Home again - back to Queensland

Inskip Point

20 - 22 February

Inskip Point is where the barge to Fraser Island leaves from and has been on our wish list for a while. You must book in advance through Qld National Parks website, but there is an office not far away in Rainbow Beach. We made our online booking before leaving Tweed Heads and set off up the road, stopping a couple of times for coffee and lunch.

There are a number of campgrounds at Inskip Point Recreation Area but your booking isn't for a particular one so you can have a look and choose what suits you best. Having said that, it is worth reading the information on the website about each one, as access varies. All campgrounds are accessed via a bitumen road, but all access tracks into the camping area are on sand. Some spots may be accessed by conventional vehicle in ideal conditions, but most are 4WD only or at least recommended, especially if towing. We chose M.V. Sarawak as most suitable for us, and followed the advice to park near the entrance and walk around to pick out a spot. By doing this you can avoid the softest sand and also determine where to set up your camp without getting stuck between the trees. There are lots of stories of people who have become bogged but we didn't have any such difficulty. We chose a spot in shade, with a nice beach view across the passage to Fraser Island. All that for just $12.30 per night for both of us!

The swimming beach at Inskip Point.

Baby dolphin in front of adult.

Mick spent some time searching for birds to photograph and we had a couple of swims - just beautiful. The weather was good, but there were some mossies and sandflies. The number of bities seemed to be influenced by the direction of the breeze. Coming back from a walk along the beach we saw a couple of dolphins playing in the waves. That was pretty special. The only downside to our stay was the amount of rubbish thrown in the bush. It looked like some folk had taken the time to walk along tracks to hide their bags of rubbish even though there were bulk rubbish bins at the entrance or exit to all five campgrounds. We find this kind of behaviour deplorable.

Gull-billed Tern

Large-billed Scrubwren

Mangrove Honeyeater, another lifer.

Beach Stone-curlew

Beach Stone-curlew

Australian Pied Oystercatcher

Bar-tailed Godwits on the point. Some are moulting into breeding plumage for the long northern migration.

After two nights in the gorgeous spot we were ready to hit the road again - after coffee in Rainbow Beach. Back to the highway and on towards the town of 1770.

Town of 1770

22 - 24 February

We stopped for a picnic lunch in Childers where they have a great area for cars with trailers and motor homes just behind the main street - and it's well signposted. Well done and thank you Childers. Of course we wandered up to the shopping strip to visit a couple of op shops before setting off again.

We left the highway and drove through Agnes Water before arriving in 1770. The campground in this little village is perfectly located right on the beach. We opted for two nights so we could enjoy the sights. On our first night we ventured down the road to the pub for a drink with a view, then returned to the camping ground (almost a caravan park) for dinner at the onsite cafe - BYO and great fish and chips.

In front of the campground.

The caravan park is right on the beach.

Having a sundowner or two.

The following morning we went exploring in Agnes Water and stumbled on the Paperbark Boardwalk. This relatively short walk is easy except for the two long sections of what are described as stepping stones but which are actually tall concrete cylinders about 25cm across. You have to be careful to keep your balance. The swamp was dry when we were there so I don't think a stumble would have mattered all that much but I imagine it wouldn't be too pleasant if there was water below. Anyway, I managed to make it along both sections without falling.

We only spotted two birds on the boardwalk. This is a juvenile Spectacled Monarch.

Probably a Leaden Flycatcher. The female Satin Flycatcher is very similar and they are hard to tell apart.

Views from the 1770 headland walk in the Joseph Banks Conservation Park.

Grey-tailed Tattler

We enjoyed a couple of swims on the beach at the front of the caravan park including a quick one before we set off for Mackay. 
 

Mackay

24 - 25 February

Mick wasn't keen on stopping in Mackay, but time wise it made sense to make that out second-last stop before home, so we headed for the caravan park at Black's Beach. We could see rain in the distance and it started bucketing down just as we were walking around to look at the various sites on offer. Fortunately it didn't last long and we had the camper trailer set up well before the next shower arrived. We went for a short walk along the beach and settled in to relax a bit. After dinner we retreated to the swimming pool - no swimming at the beach here. The evening was hot and humid, with a few bities around so it was really nice in the pool.

Heading off on Saturday morning, we could have made it all the way home, but were convinced to stay away another night. Number 2 daughter had been house-sitting while we were away and she wanted an extra day to clean up! We were happy to oblige with a night at Bowen.

Bowen

25 - 26 February

There were more clouds and some showers as we  made our way north, but by the time we reached Bowen around lunch time, the sky was clear and the day was heating up. We chose a caravan park at Queen's Beach for its proximity to the pub. We felt a celebratory meal was in order and being able to walk across the road had a certain appeal. Again we spent the afternoon in the pool and relaxing at our shady camp site, before walking to the pub for a very nice meal and a few drinks. This was a good way to end an eventful, but fabulous, holiday.

We had a visit from several Red-winged Parrots in the morning.

In the morning we stopped in at the markets - which disappointed somewhat - before the final leg of our journey, arriving home in time for lunch.

A list of my favourite things about traveling and camping;

A schnitzel and a beer in a pub or club. Even better if the dining room has a water view and there is local beer on tap.
Coffee and cake for morning tea in a small town cafe.
Buying fresh local produce and turning it into a delicious meal.
A swim in a cool sea on a hot day.
Listening to the sea from my bed.
Waking to the sound of birds and wondering 'what's that one'?
Seeing a new bird.
Enjoying the sun's warmth on a cold morning.
Watching a wild  bird or animal go about its business unaware of or unconcerned by my presence.
Sitting on the beach at sunset and enjoying a cold drink.
Finding places that appear to be unspoiled by humans.
Clouds
Mick

The stats:

• Almost 15 000 kilometres
• Over 18 weeks
• Four states
• Camped in 5 National Parks
• Visited another 8 National Parks and Reserves
• Experienced our hottest day ever - 46° at Port Macquarie 

Heading Home - New South Wales

Huskisson

 6 - 7 February

We planned a big day's drive from Mallacoota all the way to Huskisson and Booderee National Park, so grabbed a take-away coffee and hit the road. It was drizzling rain when we left and we weren't sure what it would be like when we arrived. We stopped at a roadside rest area for lunch and continued on to Mogo for a break. We walked around this small town and looked in the many shops. It certainly is an interesting and popular stopping point, right on the highway. While there we attempted to call Booderee National Park. You have to book your campsite online and using a mobile phone you can't select the actual spot so we wanted to call to choose our spot. Not possible! A recorded message directs you to the website.

We decided to go on to Huskisson for a night and book once we arrived there. On arrival at Huskisson, we checked into a caravan park on the beach and went for a walk on the shore. We have stayed here before and it is now one of our favourites. The weather didn't look good so we checked the forecast - rain, rain, rain. Regrettably we made the decision to skip Booderee this time. During the evening we were treated to a small, but wild thunderstorm. More rain overnight, and again in the morning confirmed we had made the right decision.

A sooty Oystercatcher is the only bird I photographed on that overcast afternoon in Huskisson.

Norah Head

7 - 11 February 2017

 

We had arranged to meet my sister and her partner in Norah Head on Thursday for a couple of nights. so headed towards the NSW Central Coast, intending to have a couple of days before Bronwyn and John arrived. I find the drive through Sydney a bit stressful, but we managed it without incident. We drove through rain just about the whole way. Going up over the escarpment near Wollongong and through the hills we were driving through low cloud too. 

Once through Sydney we stopped for lunch at the rest area just over the Hawkesbury River at Mooney Mooney. Finally we were starting to see some blue sky. We went to the caravan park at Norah Head, where we already had a cabin booked for later in the week, and set up on a site opposite the cabin. This would be very convenient as the management had allocated that site for us to store the camper trailer while we were in the cabin. We really appreciate how accommodating some caravan park staff are.

A rare visit from a Common Noddy.

I didn't do much birding at Norah Head at all but had a wonderful birding experience nonetheless. It was very windy and stormy on our first night there. The next morning we visited Cabbage Tree Harbour and I immediately noticed a dark bird floating not far off shore. I walked toward it and it flew towards me then up to some thick coastal shrubs at the top of the beach. I was snapping away the whole time but not too successfully. I was able to get closer to the bird once it had landed and  realized it was a Juvenile Common Noddy. It appeared to be quite tired and I assume it was blown in by the powerful winds overnight.

I posted the sighting on Birdline and was surprised to find out it was only the second record for the New South Wales Central Coast. Also, it was a lifer for me!  The next morning, as we swam in the rock pool, the same bird flew low over us. It looked much more energetic this time. Mick.

Juvenile Common Noddy.

The weather looked better, and the forecast was for much nicer days than those predicted for southern parts. We spent a couple of days exploring the area - Soldiers Beach, The Entrance, Budgewoi and discovered a fabulous swimming spot at Cabbage Tree Harbour. There is a rock pool as well as a sheltered swimming beach. We visited quite a few times in the four days at Norah Head.

The camp ground was home to lots of rabbits.

Taken at the popular surf beach.

This pelican caught my eye as we were out buying some fresh fish for dinner.

We spent two days in the camper trailer then two days in a cabin with Bronwyn and John. Swimming at Cabbage Tree Harbour, visiting the lighthouse and generally relaxing filled the time easily. We left on Saturday morning with temperatures forecast in the 40's.

There are always large ships on the horizon close to Newcastle and Sydney.

Norah Head Lighthouse

Great views on the short Lighthouse walk.

Sisters

Port Macquarie

11 - 14 February

What is about us and driving towards Port Macquarie? Last time it was the accident with the camper trailer, this time it was a flat tyre on the M1. Not a huge problem, except the temperature was 40° at the time. We had water, but no shade and Mick did not enjoy having to crawl around on the hot bitumen. Tyre changed, we made our way to Bonny Hills where we had stayed last time we were there having the trailer repaired. We checked into an ensuite site and noted the sea breeze had dropped the temperature to a much more manageable 30°.

It was even cooler overnight, but the forecast for Sunday was 45°! It was like this all over New South Wales so there was no way to escape it. We awoke to a not unpleasant morning and decided to go to the movies after lunch to escape the anticipated heat. Already it was warming up, and the sky was smoky from bushfires not too far away.

In the morning about twenty Fork-tailed (Pacific) Swifts were seen over the campground.

We headed off to the small cinema in Laurieton along with a heap of other people no doubt doing the same as us. After enjoying a movie we exited the theatre to a whopping 46°. There was no cooling sea breeze back at the caravan park - just a hot wind. There was nothing else for it - we headed for the pool. Early in the evening the predicted cool change arrived, blowing leaves and small branches off the trees, but it was a welcome relief.

On Monday we returned to the caravan repairer to collect our replacement fridge, and sorted the tyre problem by buying a new one.  More swims in the afternoon and we were ready to head north again in the morning.


Hat Head National Park - Smoky Cape Campground

14 - 16 February

With a relatively short drive ahead of us, we took our time and called into Kempsey for fuel, and South West Rocks for a  look around. We found the campground and set up in a nice looking spot behind the sand dunes. Mick's knee was giving him trouble again so we didn't venture too far from camp. We spent our time walking on the beach and around the campground. Mick took some photos of birds and the visiting Lace Monitors.

Smoky Cape Lighthouse.

South Smoky Beach is a popular fishing spot.

Leaden or Satin Flycatcher female.

Lace Monitor

This is a National Park, with a self-registration kiosk at the entrance. You have to make sure you have the correct money to put in the envelope. At $6 per person, per night plus $8 park entry fee (a total of $20 per night) we think it was good value. There are a number of "long drop" toilets but no other facilities - just the beautiful beach and the bush. Everything we need really.


We had rain overnight on the first night, but once the sky cleared we enjoyed a beautiful clear sky. We packed up and headed off for Ballina on Thursday morning.


Flat Rock - Ballina

16 - 19 February

We packed a picnic lunch and set off up the highway. About mid-morning, Mick suggested a detour off the highway for a coffee so we took the next turn to Red Rock. What a find! We had never heard of it, but found a fabulous little spot. There is shop selling good coffee, and a caravan park. On the banks of the Corindi River, north of Coffs Harbour, there were people snorkling, swimming and picnicking. We stayed quite a while and had our picnic lunch in the park by the river. We will come back and stay one day.

On to Ballina, and to the campground at Flat Rock. Ballina has become a regular stop as the birdwatching is great and Mick has a friend who always points him in the right direction. I also discovered I have a cousin living there so we had plenty of catching up to do.

Nice coffee and some records to look at.

Mick spent a great deal of time down on the beach and out on Flat Rock itself chasing photos of shorebirds. We ventured into town for some shopping, went visiting and enjoyed another few days in a beautiful spot. The campground is described as a Tent Park. Caravans are not allowed, but camper trailers are. There are no powered sites and the weekend saw an influx of families and young beachgoers. Despite the presence of many young folk, there was no rowdy Saturday night shenanigans. Most were up very early on Sunday morning to hit the beach again.

Common Tern

Double-banded Plover

Common Noddy

Ruddy Turnstone

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Sooty Oystercatcher

Wandering Tattler

We set off towards Queensland with storms forecast, but no sign of real rain. We took a short detour into Mullumbimby as neither of us had been there before, but being a Sunday morning nothing much was open. We stopped back at the turnoff on the highway for a cuppa and a nice pie instead.


Tweed Heads

19 - 20 February

As we moved closer to Queensland and the Gold Coast we figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to stop in Tweed Heads and get a cabin for the night. We didn't fancy staying on the Gold Coast and didn't want to get caught out camping in one of the ferocious storms for which South East Queensland is well known. We kept off the main highway and stumbled upon markets at Pottsville so that made a nice stop, and then had lunch at a park on the river, just before reaching Tweed Heads.

We checked into the cabin and plugged in all our devices and batteries. After 5 nights with only 12 volt power we made the most of the 240volt while we could. We watched rain approach during the afternoon but there was no big storm in the end. Oh well, we enjoyed the cabin anyway.

Up early for the next leg of the journey - into Queensland and home.

Heading Home - Victoria

Devonport to Melbourne

29 January - 30 January

After just over 7 weeks, it was finally time to leave Tasmania. We had enjoyed Christmas and New Year there and the school holidays were over so it was time to head home. We booked a day sailing on the Spirit of Tasmania, and again had a very calm crossing of Bass Strait. There are various entertainments onboard and we took part in the afternoon trivia competition.

The Spirit slips out of Devonport.

I saw plenty of Short-tailed Shearwaters on the crossing but no Albatross this time.

On arrival in Melbourne we were off the boat quickly and made our way to a motel in the suburbs for an overnight stop before heading to Bendigo to collect the camper trailer. 

Bright

30 January - 1 February

The forecast was for temperatures in the thirties so we scrapped our plans to stay in Bendigo and decided we would drive up to collect the camper trailer and then head to the coast. When we arrived in Bendigo we stopped at a shopping centre for coffee and supplies and checked the weather forecast - a must when camping. The forecast for the coast was for rain so we made a last minute change of plans and decided to head for the high country. While the days would still be hot, the nights would be cool and there would be no rain - much better.

We drove across Victoria, with the temperature reaching 39° and finally arrived in Bright, a medium sized town in a beautiful location. We chose a caravan park on the river and settled in as the temperature started to drop to a much more pleasant level.

In the morning we set off to drive up to Mount Buffalo. As expected the road is winding but is an easy drive. On arrival at the top, near the old chalet, there is an extensive visitor area with a number of lookouts, picnic areas and toilets. Interpretive information is also provided. We spent some time marvelling at the fantastic view of the Snowy Mountains, including Australia's highest peak - Mount Kosciuszko. There area also a number of walks so we went part way along the Underground River track to Haunted Gorge Lookout. There is a camping area further along the road at Lake Catani, but we didn't go that far.

I thinks there's a comma and exclamation mark missing from this sign.

Marbled Xenica butterfly 

The lookout at Mount Buffalo

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

Male Satin Flycatcher at Eurobin Falls.

On the way back down the mountain we stopped at the Eurobin Falls Track. As it was getting close to lunch time we only walked as far as the Ladies Bath Falls. This is a really pretty spot and there were some people swimming there.

The water looked clear and inviting.

Ladies Bath Falls. One of the prettiest little falls I've seen.

Back in Bright we explored the town and walked a short way along the river walk. Bright is a popular spot for cyclists and we saw many on the roads, including making their way up and down Mount Buffalo - serious stuff! A town map shows a number of options for walking along the river as well as a popular spot to swim. We might just return to Bright one day.

Bairnsdale

1 - 3 February

The drive from Bright takes you through the Victorian High country, along excellent, but steep and windy, roads. Again the views are marvellous, and there are a number of places you can stop to take in the views and take photos. It was very cold, as you would expect. We drove through Mount Hotham, a popular ski resort and stopped for lunch at Dinner Plain. From there we drove on to Omeo, where we stopped at the Visitor Information Centre. Not sure where we would end up, we looked at a couple of small towns along the way and finally settled on Bairnsdale. Again we chose a caravan park on the river, and although it was very nice, it was nowhere near as nice as Bright.

High country.

Drive by shooting.

There are thousands of hectares of dead Snow Gums in Victoria's high country.

Sadly, fires have killed many thousands of hectares of snow gums in the high country of NSW and Victoria. This destruction will become much more common as climate change gets worse. Young trees can be seen replacing the dead ones but it takes generations to replace old growth forests. Mick.

Bairnsdale is a major centre so had all the services expected. It also has a morass! We had never been to one before so it was top of the list for birdwatching spots to try. A morass is an area of muddy or boggy ground, basically a swamp and Macleod Morass didn't disappoint. An extensive wetland with a system of tracks it is home to many bird species. Unfortunately it is also used for duck hunting and we could only imagine how many natives are killed "by accident" during the season.

Spotless Crake. It was impossible to get close to these wary little birds.

We spent quite some time there walking along the tracks. The only disappointment was the boardwalk leading to one of the bird hides. It started off okay but soon became overgrown, with grasses and reeds growing between the boards, to higher than head height. We had to fight our way through. When we finally reached the hide, it was unkempt and in very poor condition, Because the surrounding grasses and reeds were so tall, you couldn't see the water. While we would recommend a visit for birdwatchers, we would suggest not bothering with the boardwalk unless council has done some serious maintenance.

Eurasian Coot

Three amigos. Juvenile Nankeen Night Herons.

Time for some grub! Striated Pardalote.

Purple Swamphen

Fresh out of the nest. This Superb Fairywren chick was unconcerned by my presence. Not so the parents.

After spending some time exploring the town, including the op-shops of course, we returned to Macleod Morass later in the afternoon so Mick could take some more photos.

Lakes Entrance

3 - 5 February

We left Bairnsdale for Lakes Entrance and a couple of days with friends. Because we didn't really have far to go and we didn't want to arrive too early we left late and detoured via Metung. We found the park at Shaving Point and had a good look around at this beautiful spot. Metung is a very popular holiday spot and we could see why. We took our time there and had lunch in the park before resuming our journey to Lakes Entrance.

Bloody tourist!

A calm and clear day at Metung.

There are lots of waterside walks around the village

Lots of Black Swans call the estuary home.

We found a parking spot in town and set about exploring the shops - op-shops to be precise! After killing time in town we made our way to Ruth and Boyd's. Boyd was out fishing and returned with a nice catch of flathead which he cooked up for dinner. There's nothing quite like fresh fish.

Relaxing on Ruth and Boyd's verandah.

On Saturday morning we set off for Lake Tyers. The GPS did it's best and suggested the journey would take an hour which didn't seem right. We were right and she was wrong - again. A few minutes down the road we saw the turnoff and we were there shortly after. We wandered around for a bit, across the dunes to look at the sea and along the edge of the lake. From there we headed to another spot Boyd had suggested - Cherry Tree. It's a nice spot for a picnic and is popular for fishing. We walked a little way along the track which follows the creek and then headed back into Lakes Entrance for coffee.

View from the lookout at Lakes'

Back in town, following coffee, we walked across the pedestrian bridge to the ocean beach. Again, another really beautiful spot. Back across the bridge we had a picnic lunch in the park, and then set off for Buchan, which is back towards the high country.

View from the pedestrian bridge.

We found our way to Buchan Caves Reserve which is a very nice looking place. It was really hot - in the mid-thirties - so we stopped for an ice cream and a look around. You can do cave tours but we chose not to. There is a camping area which looked to be quite nice - one to keep on the list for future reference.

Back to Lakes Entrance, we stopped for a swim at Eastern Beach before heading home to Ruth and Boyd's. After a nice nice breakfast out on Sunday morning we had a look around the markets and packed up ready to hit the road again.

Mallacoota

5 - 6 February

We stopped for lunch in Cann River and made our way to Mallacoota. This is another lovely seaside village which is a favourite fishing and holiday spot. This is obvious when you check into the council caravan park and see the size of the park - over 600 sites, and heaps of boats around. While Mick was having a look at the bush near our waterfront site, he heard a strange growling noise and found the culprit sitting up in the tree nearby. Later this koala walked right by our camp on its way to another tree. It's a special treat to see one up so close.

Our koala neighbour.

The beach in front of our overnight camp.

Wonga Pigeon

Crested Tern

Pelicans and Coots

Despite the overcast conditions and occasional light spits of rain, we had a walk on the beach. I was drawn to a group of surfers making the most of the reasonable beach break. I got a couple of decent shots of one guy who looked like he was having great fun. On the beach there were a few terns around to practice on. The usual variety of birds around the camp; White-browed Scrubwrens, Eastern Yellow Robin, Brown Thornbill, and Wonga Pigeon. Mick

In the morning we went down to the other end of the caravan park, and the boat ramp. The weather wasn't great so we didn't spend long before heading off towards New South Wales.