Almost Home–Queensland

Kingaroy
21 – 22 March 2019

We set off from Flat Rock near Ballina and headed north up the highway towards Brisbane. We had intended to stay at Tamborine Mountain and had a smooth run up the motorways but struck some difficulty finding the right road up the mountain. A number of roads are not suitable for towing and on one you are actually prohibited from taking a trailer. We eventually found one that was suitable for us (although I wouldn’t tow a caravan that way) and made our way to the caravan park. Unfortunately it wasn’t what we expected -  the welcome was indifferent and the site we were give was a  dried mud puddle with a large pile of dirt in the corner. We opted to move on so drove back down the mountain – on the road we should have taken going up – and headed north-west away from the coast.

We drove through some nice little towns, but eventually settled on Kingaroy. As we were only looking for an overnight stop we wanted to get as far as we could and Kingaroy was perfect for us. We found a small and very friendly caravan park close to town. We are always conscious, and sometimes a little anxious, about the weather especially in south-east Queensland which is famous for its destructive storms. We watched one in the distance, glad that we had travelled as far as we had.

In the morning we set of again with Cania Gorge in our sights.


Cania Gorge
22 – 24 March 2019

We’ve had Cania Gorge on the list for some time and this time the timing and weather were on our side. We stopped along the way for coffee in Mundubbera and again in Monto, then turned off the highway for Cania Gorge. There is no camping in the national park but there are two caravan parks – one near the northern entrance and one near the southern entrance. We chose the southern one because of its proximity to most of the walks. The caravan park is ideally situated in a bush setting on the edge of a creek, with gorge walls beyond. It wasn’t crowded when we arrived so we were able to take our pick of available spots. It was a  very hot afternoon so we were grateful for the swimming pool and some shade.

Restless Flycatcher. I got out the binoculars more than the camera here so only one bird shot.

We decided on an early morning walk to avoid the worst of the heat and chose the 3.2 return, grade 3, Dripping Rock and The Overhang walk. This walk starts at the southern end of the picnic area, a short drive (or walk if you are feeling energetic) from the caravan park. It winds through eucalypt woodland and dry rainforest before leading to the base of Dripping Rock, then continues on to The Overhang. We found the walk fairly easy and enjoyed a short rest in the shade when we reached The Overhang. There are lots of walking options in this part of the park, but we settled on just this one. Had it not been so hot, and had we been staying for a few more nights, we would definitely have  done more walking. An afternoon swim was another welcome relief from the heat and a great way to relax after our walk.

Across from Dripping Rock.

The Overhang.

A skink enjoying the cool shade of the overhang.

 We headed off in the morning on to what turned out to be our final stop before home.


Eungella National Park
24 – 26 March 2019

We decided to make Broken River within Eungella National Park our last stop before home, but weren’t sure whether we could make it in one day. We prefer to only drive for about 4 hours each day but decided we would head off and see how we far we could get. Driving north along an inland route we stopped for lunch at Dululu, then we headed down the range to Rockhampton. Once you reach Rocky there is not much until Sarina and Mackay. the “Marlborough Stretch” is a notoriously long and boring drive. There is a caravan park and picnic area at Clareview but not much else along the way. Once we reached Sarina we decided to press on to Eungella. We stopped to book our campsite – Queensland National Parks has an online booking system for most campgrounds. We booked two nights and then headed through the back roads towards the Eungella Range.

Driving through the Pioneer Valley and up the range we noticed the recent (and very unusual) bushfires had left their mark. Rainforests are not usually subject to bushfires but a recent one had almost reached the top of the ridge. Such a sad sight to see. The Broken River campground is right on the edge of the river, adjacent to the main road. Although we arrived quite late in the day we were able to secure a spot right on the river bank. Broken River is well known as a good place to spot platypus, with a number of viewing platforms and spots along the river on the other side to the campground. We only needed to walk to the back of our camper trailer and set up our chairs to enjoy a great view of these beautiful creatures.

Great camp site!

Our own platypus viewing area.

We enjoyed a relaxing couple of days wandering along the pathways helping the other tourists spot platypus, and sharing in their excitement. This has long been a favourite spot of ours, but our first stay at the campground. We will definitely be back.

Eastern Yellow Robin, common and easily photographed.

Red-browed Finch.

Plenty of Blue Tigers about.

Although not seen as easily as on some other trips there is little risk of missing out here.

A common Green Tree Snake at the platypus viewing area.

Green Tree Snake... I know it's not green

We saw a stack of turtles.

After being away from home for over 30 weeks we were looking forward to getting home. Stopping for lunch in Proserpine we were not prepared for the extreme heat and humidity we were returning to. We had expected that it would have cooled down somewhat. Maybe we were just feeling it more having been away for so long!

Finally Heading Home–New South Wales

Old Bar
18 – 19 March 2019

We drove into Sydney from Kandos and picked up the camper trailer from the Cub factory mid-morning and headed north towards the Pacific Motorway. Mick wanted to visit Old Bar, just out of Taree, as there were reports of migratory shore birds birds he wanted to see (what a surprise!). We knew it would be a long day, but hoped we could get that far. Our timing was spot on, getting into Sydney behind the morning rush and heading out in the middle of the day when the traffic was reasonably light. We found a rest area on the motorway where we had stopped before so had our picnic lunch and set off again.

A small group of Aleutian terns has been seen regularly at Old Bar so I thought it would be worth a look to see if I could find them. I did find some terns but they were on a sand bar in the river mouth and a long off. Sadly it was a waste of a walk. Mick

Although it was a very long day, we made it to Old Bar in good time. Because we had to completely strip the trailer of most of our belongings for the repair, we had the unenviable task of putting everything back where it belonged. We set up camp in the caravan park and started to replace everything that had been taken out then headed out for a drive towards the birdy spot. There is no vehicular access closer unless you want to drive on the beach, which we didn’t, so we had a long walk to get to the lagoon. There were storm clouds in the distance so we kept an eye on them as we walked a couple of kilometres up the beach. Mick was hopeful but had some difficulty distinguishing the different shore birds at such a distance. 
 

Pacific Golden Plover

Bar-tailed Godwit in breeding plumage.

As the clouds became darker and the BoM radar showed an approaching storm we had to make haste on our return to the car – we even ran for short distances fearing we would be caught in the storm. Fortunately we were able to get back to the car, and the caravan park before the rain started. In the end it wasn’t as severe as we had expected but we did appreciated the indoor camp kitchen facilities to cook and eat our dinner.

Heading off in the morning we decided on the short drive to Bonny Hills just south of Port Macquarie. We have stayed at Bonny Hills a number of times and it has become a favourite and as a bonus it is only a short drive to the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre.

Bonny HIlls
19 – 20 March 2019

We stayed on an ensuite site and enjoyed the comparative luxury for our overnight stay at the beachside caravan park. We used this stop to restock, finish re-arranging all our gear and to relax a bit after such a long day the previous day. It was even warm enough for a swim! We did call in to Sea Acres but the resident owl hadn’t been seen for a while so we gave it a miss this time.

Ballina
20 – 21 March 2019

A return visit to Flat Rock is a must when on the north coast of New South Wales. Once again we decided on a one night stay at Flat Rock Tent Park. This is a nice camp ground, a short walk from the beach and Flat Rock which abounds with shore birds. Caravans aren’t permitted in this council controlled campsite but there was an assortment of camper trailers, tents and a couple of camper vans. The sites are unpowered which suited us nicely. Because it wasn’t crowded and we were there fairly early, we were able to select our own site. Of course Mick spent a lot time down on the beach trying to photograph the birds.

Surfing Dolphins.

Ruddy Turnstone coming into breeding plumage.

Sanderlings

Silver Gull

Little Tern

Another Sanderling, they're one of my favourites.

 We left Ballina and headed north again, intending to stay at Tamborine Mountain. Instead we ended up in Kingaroy.

Blue Mountains and Beyond

Blackheath

13 - 16 March 2019

We had left the camper trailer for repairs at the Cub factory in Sydney and spent the night with friends Anne and Stephen before heading up to the Blue Mountains. We weren't sure exactly how long it would be before we could collect the trailer, having been told it could be up to two weeks. We had decided to book accommodation until the end of the weekend and then see where to go after that. 

We left Sydney with plenty of time to kill before we reached Blackheath so we headed out through Windsor where we stopped for moring tea and a look around this historic town. Established in 1810 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, Windsor is situated on the Hawkesbury River and is a great place to stop before heading up to the Blue Mountains via the scenic and quieter Bells Line of Road. 

The weather was cold and drizzly so we were glad to be able to check in early to our cabin in the caravan park at Blackheath, our home for the next three days. We hoped to be able to get out and see a few of the local sites while we were in the area.

We chose the famous Govettts Leap, with its magnificent view over the Grose Valley for our first morning excursion. The name "leap" comes from a old Scottish word meaning waterfall or cascade and has nothing to do with anyone jumping off the cliff, despire persistent tales suggesting just that. It was "discovered" and named by Government Surveyor William Govett in about 1831, although I think the local Darug and Gundungurra peoples would have a different story.

Did I mention the fabulous view from the lookout? Not on the morning of our visit! Shrouded in cloud the atmosphere was quite other-worldly. We did revisit later in the day and were treated to the promised views. We also walked the Bridal Veil Falls track which takes you down for a different view of Govetts Leap.

The caravan park in the fog.

Govetts Leap in the fog.

Banksia flower

Banksia flower

Govetts Leap with the weather lifting.

Creek crossing on the Bridal Veil Falls track.

Not many birds on this leg of the journey. New-holland Honeyeater.

A visit to the Three Sisters is also a must when staying in the Blue Mountains. This iconic destination located at Echo Point is visited by millions of visitors each year. There are walking paths which allow the crowds to spread out a bit, as well as a visitor centre. For the more energetic there is a walk that goes from Scenic World to Echo Point. Scenic World is the location of several attractions including the Scenic Railway which takes visitors down into the valley on the steepest railway in the world, built to service a coal mine.

The iconic view of the Three Sisters.

We left Blackheath in drizzling rain - again - and headed further west towards Lithgow, where we stopped for coffee and a look around.



Kandos

16 - 18 March 2019

Once again the weather seemed to be against us as we drove through Lithgow and on to Kandos. We chose Kandos for a couple of nights because of its proximity to Capertee Valley and its birdwatching opportunities. We had camped in the National Park, on our very first trip with the camper trailer, and were keen to return. A very detailed birding location map is available, which  includes GPS co-ordinates of spots where you are likely to find particular birds. 

There were clouds in the sky so, after a stop at the local markets in Rylestone we set off on the trail. The rain held off for a while, but unfortunately we had to bail out before lunch time. We were hopeful that the sky would clear, but it wasn't to be. I guess we'll just have to come back another time.

The good news, though, was that the camper trailer was  ready to be picked up on Monday morning so we planned an early start and steeled ourselves to battle the Sydney traffic. We must have been just at the tail end of peak hour as we made it to North Rocks in good time. 

We weren't sure how far we would be able to travel but were hopeful we would make it to around Taree.

Bound for Sydney

Hobart to Melbourne

8 March 2019

After eleven wonderful weeks in Hobart, it was finally time to return home. Leaving Tassie is always bittersweet, glad to be heading home but sad to be leaving family behind. This time was especially so as we were leaving both daughters and their partners after being with then just about every day. After cramming all our gear into the car we set off for a leisurely drive to Devonport to catch the Spirit of Tasmania for a night sail to Melbourne. We stopped for a picnic lunch by the lake in Oatlands, and for a look in the antique shops in Campbell Town before arriving in Devonport a little earlier than we had planned. As we drove over the bridge we noticed that cars seemed to be boarding somewhat earlier than anticipated so we drove down and boarded with very little waiting. It’s so much easier in Devonport than Melbourne, not least because you don’t have the traffic and motorways to negotiate.

A favourite TV show of ours, Rosehaven, is filmed in this office in Oatlands.

Bruthen

9 March 2019

The night crossing was calm enough to allow a reasonable night’s sleep but we had to be up early for disembarkation. Once again we had ended up parked on the lowest vehicle deck, right in the corner so we were almost the last vehicle off. There is nothing you can do about that except exercise patience. The staff directing you how to get in and out of these tight spaces are marvellous. Eventually we were on the motorway bound for the storage yard to pick up the camper trailer, with a detour to Sunbury for breakfast. We had planned to head straight for Sydney up the Hume Motorway, but made a very last-minute decision (minutes before picking up the camper) to instead go towards the lower Snowy Mountains. We realised it was the start of a long weekend in Victoria, ACT and Tasmania, so tried calling a couple of caravan parks looking for a powered site. We were out of luck at a few places we tried, but finally received a positive response at Bruthen. This small community caravan park is just out of town, and on the river (although there wasn’t much water when we stayed). It was a friendly place and perfect for an overnighter.

Juvenile Crimson Rosella moulting into adult plumage.

Crimson Rosella

While talking to my sister on the phone we made another spur-of-the-moment decision to have a very long day so we could join Bronwyn and John on the NSW south coast where they had been camped for a couple of days. The following morning we stopped at Orbost to do some grocery shopping, then at Cann River for coffee. It’s a nice drive through to New South Wales towards the coast.

Merry Beach

10 March 2019

After a couple of stops for lunch and some more groceries, we arrived at Merry Beach, a little way from Bateman’s Bay, to find a caravan park chock-a-block full for the long weekend. It seems that this is a regular spot for families and groups from Canberra on this particular long weekend. Bronwyn and John had a lovely spot right on the beach but we were not so lucky. We spent most of our time enjoying the view from their campsite. The beach was beautiful but there were far too many people for my liking. We had a couple of nights before we had to be in Sydney but decided that this was not the place to spend them. After a few phone calls we secured a spot for the next two nights at Kiama – close enough to Sydney for the final leg of this part of our trip home.

I spied this Grey Goshawk on the way back to the highway.

Kiama

11 – 12 March 2019

We set off for Kiama and stopped at the markets at Ulladulla. We didn’t buy anything at the markets but we did buy some fish for dinner at the local fish shop nearby. We arrived at Kiama fairly early and were pleasantly surprised to see that the caravan park was nowhere near full. The caravan park we chose was a little way out of town, right on the beach and huge. The areas closest to the beach were taken up with a variety of cabins but we didn’t mind the short walk to the water from our site as the park was very spacious with lots of trees and great facilities. We ventured into town for some shopping and also to have a look at the famous Kiama Blowhole. As expected there were heaps of tourists doing the same.

Our stay in Kiama was really just to kill some time until our scheduled visit to Sydney to have some work done on the camper trailer. We had booked it in at the Cub factory to have a faulty zipper replaced and also to have an external 240v power point installed near the kitchen. Cub had estimated they might need the camper trailer for up to two weeks so we spent some time while in Kiama, considering our options and booking some accommodation out of the city. We planned to spend a couple of nights with family and friends in the city and the rest of our time as far away as possible. We decided the Blue Mountains would be a good starting point.

We tackled the drive into Sydney and dropped the camper trailer off at Cub in North Rocks before making our way to Lake Parramatta for lunch. It was a really hot day so we retreated to an air conditioned cinema and shopping centre before making our way to a friend’s place for an overnight stay.

Tasmania once more

15 December 2018 - 7 March 2019

Our trip to Tasmania this time was to be very different to our previous ones. This time we would stay at our daughter's house in Hobart, with our very own granny flat. Repairs, renovations and improvements were sure to keep us busy, but we hoped to get out and about a bit on this, our eighth visit to the Apple Isle. An added bonus this time was that our younger daughter had also made the decision to move south so we would be spending time with her too.

After a reasonable calm night crossing we met up with Jo and Miller and drove to Hobart in convoy with them. The week before Christmas was filled with preparations and the excitement that goes  with being together at this time of year. Christmas day gave us beautiful, warm weather and the opportunity to enjoy lunch outside.

Musk Lorikeets attacked the backyard fruit trees.

One angry looking bird!

In the end we didn't get away as much as we had hoped but we did manage a couple of excursions. We had wanted to travel south but fires raged throughout the forests of southern Tasmania making travel into this part of the state impossible. The fires were so extensive at times, we could see and smell the smoke in Hobart over a  number of weeks.

The smoke cloud that frequently engulfed Hobart.

Mount Field National Park

Mount Field is a bit of a favourite place and we planned to meet Josh's family for a picnic lunch. We had hoped to go up to the alpine section of the park but it was closed due to the risk of bushfire. We had to settle for the main section near the beautiful Russell Falls. We took the short walk to the falls then  set up in a picnic/BBQ shelter area near the river. After lunch we set off on the Russell Falls walk again but this time we took the longer walk that meets up with the Tall Trees walk. Some sections involved many stairs and a few quite steep climbs, but it is always worth it to be in the forest.

Russell Falls

Salamanca Markets

No visit to Hobart is quite complete without a visit to the weekly Saturday markets at Salamanca Place. Selling all sorts of local produce, food, crafts and other locally made wares, there is always a crowd. If the weather is good it's a great way to spend a Saturday morning. The day Mick and I decided to go, the way into the city from our home on the eastern shore was closed to allow for erection of a new pedestrian bridge so we took advantage of the free ferry service from Bellerive. A short stroll from home and we were just in time to board. There is no regular ferry service in Hobart from the eastern shore to the city, so this was quite a treat for locals and visitors alike. Our timing was out for the trip home so we caught the bus instead - not nearly as much fun as the ferry.

Puddleduck Vineyard and Winery
A guided tour of this small family vineyard and winery was the perfect gift from Julia and Josh. Only 15 minutes from out temporary Hobart home, we booked for a day when the forecast was for perfect weather - and it just happened to be New Year's Eve. With only one other couple on the tour, we had a really personalised look at the winery, and tasted some wine straight from the barrel. We also learned about the different methods used for making sparkling wine. After the tour we settled in for a wine tasting which we accompanied with a platter of delicious local goodies. Working our way through the various wines including Bubbleduck, riesling, rose and pinot noir, the biggest surprise was the verjuice. I always thought (thanks to Maggie Beer) that this was used solely in cooking but you can drink the good quality product and it is delicious! Who knew? Of course we took home a bottle of bubbles to see in the new year - and it was very nice indeed - even the beer drinker enjoyed it.

The wine tasting was perfectly complemented by a platter of local produce.

Taste of Tasmania

Each year the Taste of Tasmania is held on the Hobart waterfront. Originally aimed at giving Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race participants and visitors a reason to stay on a bit longer, this week long festival has now celebrated its 30th year. Busy and fun, with over 100 stallholders entry was free (although there is talk that this might change), but there were also a number of paid activities such as cooking workshops, demonstrations and classes, and a New Year's Eve celebration. Julia went along to a cooking class - well, ice cream and sorbet actually, but I guess you can count that as food. We went in with Jo and Miller to meet her for lunch afterwards. It was a beautiful warm and sunny day, just perfect for a day out. It was so hard to choose what to have to eat, and the array of locally produced wine, cider, gin and whisky left our heads spinning. Something we have noticed in Tassie is that vegetarians and vegans are generally well catered for, and Taste was no exception.

The maxi yachts are surprisingly accessible to the public.

The winner Wild Oats XI with Taste of Tassie in the background.

Some of the Taste entertainment.

Inside the big food hall.

Summer Record Fair

Mick collects vinyl records so a visit to the Hobart Record Fair was a must. Julia came along with us to the Republic Hotel in North Hobart where a number of traders had set up stalls. We arrived early (to get the best pick) but everyone else seemed to have the same idea. There were so many records you were almost guaranteed to find something worth buying. It looks like the fair is held twice each year - summer and winter.

We also took in some Hobart street art.

'I don't want my photo taken'

Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic

Mick has wanted to go on a pelagic trip for some time and we found a Facebook group dedicated to just that. I joined and kept an eye on the posts advertising upcoming trips, and bingo, there was to be one out of Eaglehawk Neck while we were in Hobart. We decided to make a weekend of it so booked a cottage nearby for two nights. A cold early morning start, and not the calmest of seas, but well worth it for the bird photographer.

Buller's Albatross

Northern Giant Petrel

White-capped Albatross

White-capped Albatross

White-chinned Petrel

Yellow-nosed Albatross

Kettering

Once again we headed to a location because of the chance for a particular bird sighting. (Lewin's Rail) Kettering is on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and is where you catch the ferry to Bruny Island. We booked a couple of nights and spent the days exploring the area as well as looking for birds. We went for a drive along one of the back roads to Cygnet and Huonville (on the Huon River). When the bushfires were at their worst the road south from Huonville was closed, but had been reopened by the time we visited. We stopped for lunch in a pub but didn't travel further south, instead returning to Kettering along another back road via Woodbridge.

The view from our accommodation at Kettering.

Tasmanian Native Hen or Turbo Chook as the locals call them.

Spotted Pardalote

Dusky Woodswallows settle for the night.

Apparently a good spot for Lewin's Rail. Not today though.

 Bruny Island

After a couple of nights in Kettering we boarded the ferry to Bruny Island, this time staying in a cabin in the caravan park at Adventure Bay. The ferry is now operated by SeaLink and runs about every half hour. The cost for a standard vehicle is $38 return. There is no charge for passengers, and cheaper rates are available for early morning and mid-afternoon sailings. Once on Bruny we headed for the Bruny Island Cheese Company for cheese - of course - then we had hoped to do the Cape Queen Elizabeth walk but the small parking lot was full. We decided we would try again another day, but we were out of luck - the car park was full each time we went past. We also stopped at Truganini Lookout and the new carpark had plenty of parking spaces. We walked along the boardwalk to the beach then decided to tackle the stairs to the lookout. We must be fitter than when we first visited  in 2004 when we didn't make it all the way to the top. I guess we do a lot more walking these days. We stopped for picnic lunch at Adventure Bay before settling in to our cabin, with a lovely view of the bay.

The barge sails out of Kettering.

Beautiful views and beautiful weather.

The Neck lookout on Bruny Island.

Southern end of Adventure Bay.

Green Rosella

Getting shots of Swift Parrot really made the trip worthwhile.

I saw a family of Brown Quail around our cabin but could not get close enough for a decent shot.

On the other hand, this Dusky Robin was very obliging.

Hooded Plovers are a real favourite of mine.

Hoodies

Kelp Gull

Juvenile Kelp Gull

There's always a Pied Oystercatcher to photograph.

I wanted to keep it simple for this trip to Kettering and Bruny Island so I decided to concentrate only on two birds I hadn't seen before, Lewin's Rail and Swift Parrot. Anything else would be a bonus. No luck with the Lewin's but I found Swift Parrots in a flowering gum in front of the caravan park. There were probably about 15 - 20 that I saw and heard higher in gums along the beach and around Adventure Bay.

Blue-winged Parrot

Blue-winged Parrot

Juvenile White-fronted Chat

A bird guide who was staying next door told me about a road on North Bruny where he had seen Blue-winged Parrots. We checked it out and found the parrots with no trouble. They were very skittish and always stayed further away than I would have liked. All the same, it was an enjoyable birding session. Mick