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Friday, June 18, 2010
Rockhampton
A very busy country town on the Mighty Fitzroy river. Not alot to do within Rockhampton itself except look at the hundreds of cow statues about the place!
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Agnes Water/1770
GO THE MIGHTY BEARS - GARY LARSON OVAL - MIRIAM VALE
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Our luck of fine weather had run dry and it was time to rain! Agnes Water and the town of seventeen seventy are places on the Queensland coast you can surf and also snorkel on the outer reef – Lady Musgrave Island. This area was where Captain James Cook first anchored in Queensland and where Sir Joseph Banks took many samples of Australian flora. Although the sky was clouded over and it was drizzling we could imagine how pretty the area would be on a fine day – this is somewhere to come back to
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Our luck of fine weather had run dry and it was time to rain! Agnes Water and the town of seventeen seventy are places on the Queensland coast you can surf and also snorkel on the outer reef – Lady Musgrave Island. This area was where Captain James Cook first anchored in Queensland and where Sir Joseph Banks took many samples of Australian flora. Although the sky was clouded over and it was drizzling we could imagine how pretty the area would be on a fine day – this is somewhere to come back to
Carnarvon Gorge
We decided to head 5 hours westward towards Carnarvon Gorge National Park. Although the temperature dropped by 5 degrees during the day and about 10 degrees at night it was well worth the drive and the stay.
Carnarvon Gorge stems from the Great Dividing Range and extends almost….km. The park is fairly visitor friendly with marked walking tracks throughout the national park.
The Gorge was beautiful – not only did we explore the gorge but also the many side gorges and Indigenous art sites but we also saw King Ferns (these ferns have not changed in structure since the dinosaurs).
It was an amazing 3 days although absolutely freezing
Carnarvon Gorge stems from the Great Dividing Range and extends almost….km. The park is fairly visitor friendly with marked walking tracks throughout the national park.
The Gorge was beautiful – not only did we explore the gorge but also the many side gorges and Indigenous art sites but we also saw King Ferns (these ferns have not changed in structure since the dinosaurs).
It was an amazing 3 days although absolutely freezing
Sarina – Yeppoon – Emu Park – Byfield NP
Sadly leaving Brampton Island behind but very happy to get off the ferry that transferred us back (rough seas) we stayed the night in Sarina – a sweet smelling sugar cane town. (interesting smell in that town...)
Yeppoon and Emu park were our next stop so we could get our final piece of warmth and sunshine before we descended south.
Byfield and Capricorn Coast national park fringed the towns – both abundant with lengthy sand dunes and turtle nesting grounds. From Yeppoon we could see the last of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef area.
We also came across some interesting locals – especially one that had a tattoo on each foot – one saying ‘right’ (on his right foot) and the other saying ‘left’ (on his left foot).
Yeppoon and Emu park were our next stop so we could get our final piece of warmth and sunshine before we descended south.
Byfield and Capricorn Coast national park fringed the towns – both abundant with lengthy sand dunes and turtle nesting grounds. From Yeppoon we could see the last of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef area.
We also came across some interesting locals – especially one that had a tattoo on each foot – one saying ‘right’ (on his right foot) and the other saying ‘left’ (on his left foot).
Mackay/Brampton Island
Mackay was very much a big country town that catered for miners in the surrounding area. The coastline was pretty but there wasn’t much else Mackay had to offer for the passing tourist.
Due to the recent slump in tourism we managed to grab a bargain on travel to and accommodation on Brampton Island. We spent a couple of days there bushwalking around the island – very picturesque,
accidently hitting kangaroos with golf balls, getting chased by plovers (who had just killed two magpies), emulating Stosur’s tennis skills and watching a swimwear shoot on the beach! It is amazing that it takes ten people to take photos of one swimwear model!
Due to the recent slump in tourism we managed to grab a bargain on travel to and accommodation on Brampton Island. We spent a couple of days there bushwalking around the island – very picturesque,
accidently hitting kangaroos with golf balls, getting chased by plovers (who had just killed two magpies), emulating Stosur’s tennis skills and watching a swimwear shoot on the beach! It is amazing that it takes ten people to take photos of one swimwear model!
Airlie Beach/Conway NP/Eungella NP
We explored the nearby national parks on our way out of Airlie beach – pretty beaches and views towards the Whitsunday Islands.
Eungella National park was our destination – a place up in the mountains so we were prepared for a cooler evening! We were lucky enough to see some platypus swimming at dusk in the river within the national park and also meet some locals at the makeshift pub down the road from our campsite. Many of the towns buildings were damaged during Cyclone Oilua? Earlier this year thus the pub being run out of the sport club house.
Eungella National park was gazetted due to it’s lush rainforest – including king ferns and platypus in abundance. We were lucky to see the view from our campsite – normally shrouded in mist – of Mackay and the east coastline.
We were also lucky to see a platypus swimming around in the creek in the morning.
On our way out of the region we headed towards the lower end of the National Park – Finch Hatton Gorge – a surprise! As the water flows from the mountains the waterfalls and creek were gushing, Jamie went for a brisk, invigorating swim and we watched crazy French backpackers climb a waterfall…..again we left before they did anything that would need medical attention.
Eungella National park was our destination – a place up in the mountains so we were prepared for a cooler evening! We were lucky enough to see some platypus swimming at dusk in the river within the national park and also meet some locals at the makeshift pub down the road from our campsite. Many of the towns buildings were damaged during Cyclone Oilua? Earlier this year thus the pub being run out of the sport club house.
Eungella National park was gazetted due to it’s lush rainforest – including king ferns and platypus in abundance. We were lucky to see the view from our campsite – normally shrouded in mist – of Mackay and the east coastline.
We were also lucky to see a platypus swimming around in the creek in the morning.
On our way out of the region we headed towards the lower end of the National Park – Finch Hatton Gorge – a surprise! As the water flows from the mountains the waterfalls and creek were gushing, Jamie went for a brisk, invigorating swim and we watched crazy French backpackers climb a waterfall…..again we left before they did anything that would need medical attention.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
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