Sunday morning (August 4th) we met up with Scott, Nat, Isla and Halle at Farnborough General Store, a few kilometers North of Yeppoon . They had invited their friends, Bettina and Jamie and their two daughters to join us for a drive and picnic. We left around 10am to travel in a three car convoy to Byfield National Park. The aim was some serious 4-wheel driving.
Brian had taken the boat off the Beast and pulled the generator out of the back storage box to reduce weight. We knew the track through the sand dunes to Five Rocks and Nine Mile Beach was rated as difficult, a drive we would not have undertaken alone. It was our first experience true 'off-roading' in the Beast, and while we had no doubt he would handle the rough going we were feeling a lot more comfortable in company. We were glad Jamie was with us. He was a local and very familiar with the area and the road conditions. He led the convoy in his Toyota Hilux, followed by Scott, Nat, Isla and Halle in their Nissan Patrol. We took rear guard in our Mazda BT50, aka The Beast, the purpose being (according to Brian) to act as the Toyota and Nissan recovery vehicle if required.
It was 28 kilometers to Five Rocks from Waterpark Creek, which is where the bitumen ended. The first section of track was very pot-holey dirt, graduating to increasingly soft, deep sand. We all stopped and let down our tyres to around 20psi. The narrow track weaved through the dense forest in thick sand. The Beast didn't miss a beat. It was a pretty rough ride but heaps of fun, though James, who was not supposed to be on board (no dogs allowed in the park), was less than impressed with all the lurching and heaving.
"Are we there yet......?"
The trickiest part of the drive was up over a large, very soft sand dune on the narrow, one lane track. Jamie gunned the Hilux up the hill only to call back on the radio to tell us to stay put. There were two cars stuck behind a Jeep that had bogged near the top. Fortunately there was a second track at that section for vehicles travelling in the opposite direction. We all managed to by-pass the Jeep by going up the alternate route full bore so as not to suffer the same fate. What a hoot. We eventually arrived at the Five Rocks lookout about an hour after hitting the dirt. We had all managed the outbound journey unscathed.
The view from the top of the high, rocky promontory where the track ended was simply stunning. To the North It overlooked several beautiful bays and the five rocky outcrops that give Five Rocks its name. To the South was the expansive beach known as Nine Mile with views over a huge sand blow and all the way back to Yeppoon. To the East the ocean was dotted with islands and prawning trawlers while to the West there were spectacular forested mountains.
Isla, Nat, Halle & Brian with Nine Mile in the background
Five Rocks
We decided to head down to Nine Mile Beach for lunch. Once again Jamie led the charge through kilometers of narrow, winding, sandy tracks. We would have been totally lost without his guidance. We drove out onto the hard sand of the beautiful wide beach. The tide was way out and there were lots of other vehicles on the beach, but given it went for miles (presumably nine), we were able to set up near a waterfall and creek with no-one around us. The kids had an absolute ball. James got to escape from the car, we enjoyed the stunning weather and location, along with some well-deserved drinkies, and had a lovely picnic.
Scott and the girls at the waterfall
Mother and son
The return trip to the bitumen was just as exciting and fortunately, without mishap. What a fantastic day! By the time we got back to the van at around 4pm our friends, Jo and Doc had arrived and had their van set up beside ours. We lit a fire and kicked back to enjoy a great evening.
Monday we caught up with our Melbourne mate, Greg. He was in Rockhampton for a couple of days on business. Some reckon he has the best job in the world. He sells Airvans and has to fly around Australia doing demos for potential customers. What a bugger eh! We left Yeppoon around midday after the normal morning of chores, work, coffee and a walk for James, who was not given the option of joining us. It was only 40 minutes or so drive down to Rocky. After picking Greg up at the Rockhampton Aero Club we headed into the CBD to find an eating spot on the Fitzroy River. We decided on the Heritage Hotel. It had outdoor seating opposite the river so we could enjoy the beautiful Queensland weather. The hotel itself was lovely inside, with big windows that opened out onto the footpath. I love that! We enjoyed a good lunch, a glass of wine (not for Greg - he had to fly later in the day), and a long chat. It was really nice to catch up with a friend from home.
It was close to 4pm by the time we got back to the van. James was very happy to see us. I took him for a long walk on one of the bush tracks that form part of the 150 acre Coolwaters park. I was surprised at how remote it felt. Several tracks meandered through the dense scrub and after walking for a while I started to wonder if I would ever find my way back to the van. There were fine spider webs across the trail and I was constantly walking into them - yuk! We came across a lovely little stream and a wooden footbridge. It lead to a place called 'The Chapel'. It was a little glade with a small pulpit-type thing made of stone and several semi-circles of roughly hewn seating benches facing it. Not far beyond, the track led out of the bush, so we weren't lost at all. Excellent!
The Beast was booked in for its 20,000 km service at 8.30 Tuesday in Rocky, so we were up and out early. After a walk to the beautiful Causeway Lake that backs onto Coolwaters, James spent another day - home alone. We had five hours to kill while waiting for the service, so after breaky and a bit of shopping nearby, we walked to Kershaw Gardens. We had driven by them the day before and they looked magnificent. They were! Stretching for a kilometer or so, the network of pathways meandered through beautifully landscaped gardens and shady lawned areas with a variety of features dotted throughout. The standout of these was the waterfall and rock escarpment - apparently inspired by the unique natural features of Carnarvon Gorge and Blackdown Tablelands located inland from Rockhampton.
View of The Causeway Lake from the caravan park
Brian's long-time friend and resident of Rocky, Leslie, met us at Kershaw and entertained us with tales of her experiences in some of her flying jobs in Australia and various other parts of the world. A spirited 72 year old with a wicked sense of humour, she still works full time flying out of Rocky. After a walk through the length of the park we sat and enjoyed the waterfalls, the beautiful weather and the vibrant company.
It was getting on for 3pm by the time we arrived back at the van. James got lots of well-deserved cuddles and a walk. Scott, Nat and the kids came over for dinner - fish and chips by the fire. Jo and Doc joined us as did a neighbouring couple, Julie and Rob with their cute Schnauzer, Holly. Isla and Halle had a lesson from me on blogging.....I hope you enjoyed their contribution to our blog!
Wednesday was fantastic. Scott took us out to Great Keppel Island in his boat.
In perfect weather we headed out of Rosslyn Harbour around 11am in his 470F Haines Hunter half cabin. The sea outside the harbour was fairly rough and the bow bounced and slapped as we covered the 15 km across to the island. James sat on my knee in the back seat and despite all my reassurances he was a shivering, blithering mess until the noise and violent lurching stopped. I fully expected him to deliver a technicolour yawn, but fortunately he didn't. I would hate him to have done that in Scott's beautiful boat. I loved the ride over and the views out to the island as we approached.
Great Keppel is the largest of the eighteen islands in the Keppel Group and covers an area of more than 14.5 km². It is quite hilly and mostly composed of natural bushland. There are 17 pristine, white sandy beaches, coral reefs and stunning crystal clear, blue waters. Since the Resort went belly up a few years ago it has become fairly quiet. There is some accommodation and a ferry service, but it isn't very commercialized. Scott said he has never seen many people there. That was nice for us!
We anchored close into the beach and went for a walk along the fine, squeaky sand. James' recovery was instantaneous. He bounded along, racing into the water as it lapped the shore. Doggy heaven.....and Noellie heaven too! The tide was going out and Scott couldn't leave the boat, so we didn't stay too long on the beach. Also, we did need to fish. We cruised around to the South end of the island, past rocky headlands and more beautiful beaches, till we found a likely spot. Scott dropped the anchor, baited a line and threw it in. It had hardly sunk to the bottom before he had a bite and pulled in a Spotted Cod. It was a bit small so went back. We fished for a couple of hours in several different spots but only managed to hook another small Cod. No fish for dinner....bugger!
The wind came up in the afternoon so the ride back to the Capricorn Coast was much bumpier. Scott and Brian standing at the bow end got really thrown around, while I clung tightly to James in the back as he tried to escape my knee and hurl himself into the sea. It must have seemed a reasonable option to him at the time. He did survive however...and without throwing up. Excellent. Once again, I loved it. For me bumpy equals good fun.
Heading back into the marina at Rosslyn Harbour
When we arrived at Yeppoon on July 31st. our plan was to stay a week. It just wasn't long enough. We extended two days, then another two days - so Sunday ended up the proposed departure day. I wondered if that would happen. It is such a beautiful place we could stay forever.
After 8 days of socializing we needed a quiet day on Thursday. We had a very leisurely start and by mid-morning were ready for a wander on the beach opposite the caravan park. It was another typical Capricorn Coast winter's day - warm and sunny - just lovely. The tide was going out and the sun glistened on the water as several fishermen cast their lines from the shore.
Next a drive to Emu Park, 8km South and a photo shoot at the Singing Ship. The sculpture sits atop a headland set against the spectacular coastal vista. Built in honour of Captain James Cook to commemorate his visit to the area in 1770, the monument produces a musical sound as the sea breeze blows through the flutes pipes.
We did a tour of the area starting with a wander through the idyllic seaside village then a drive to check out the local real estate, the golf course, the private airstrip and the next town South, Zilzie. The entire 30 km coastal strip from Farnborough Beach through to Zilzie with its beautiful beaches, rocky headlands, azure waters and views out over the islands is simply stunning. So far on our travels around Oz it ranks as number one on the 'livability scale'.
Back at Coolwaters we were visited by one of the locals - a meter long Monitor. Around 5 pm Rob came over and invited us to Happy Hour at his and Julie's van. We sat and chatted for an hour or so with them and some other neighbours, Harvey and Trish. They had a poodle named Grace with them, James sat with us and of course Holly the host Schnauzer made up the party of nine. It was a lovely evening.
After a coffee with Scott and Nat on the Esplanade at Yeppoon Friday morning we headed off to golf. Having played the front nine at the public course the previous Friday, we decided to do the back nine to give us a complete round.
The weather, as usual, was perfect. We had a great game, Scott beating Brian by five strokes and me coming in with a few more - bugger! I really wanted to win. Next time we visit Yeppoon we'll play one of the courses at the Capricorn Resort. Nat works there and can get us a good deal. We spent an hour or so at the nineteenth. What a decadent life!
Brian had a fair bit of work on so he spent the afternoon on the phone and laptop. James and I went for an hour-long brisk walk along the Scenic Highway toward Emu Park. The views along the ocean-side stretch of road were lovely.
Our day ended with a family dinner at the pub. Nice eh!
Saturday was our last day at Yeppoon. We spent pretty much the whole day doing chores and re-stocking our supplies. First thing Sunday we were planning to head North to Stanage.
We went around to Nat and Scott's place for a farewell dinner, where we were treated to a fashion show. Isla and Halle dressed James up in a series of costumes, parading him in front of us after each change. It was hilarious! I'm not too sure he saw the funny side, though he did love his parting gift - a 'tug of war' rope made by Halle - with the assistance of the rest of the family.
It was a great night and lovely way to end our stay in Yeppoon.
Brian had taken the boat off the Beast and pulled the generator out of the back storage box to reduce weight. We knew the track through the sand dunes to Five Rocks and Nine Mile Beach was rated as difficult, a drive we would not have undertaken alone. It was our first experience true 'off-roading' in the Beast, and while we had no doubt he would handle the rough going we were feeling a lot more comfortable in company. We were glad Jamie was with us. He was a local and very familiar with the area and the road conditions. He led the convoy in his Toyota Hilux, followed by Scott, Nat, Isla and Halle in their Nissan Patrol. We took rear guard in our Mazda BT50, aka The Beast, the purpose being (according to Brian) to act as the Toyota and Nissan recovery vehicle if required.
It was 28 kilometers to Five Rocks from Waterpark Creek, which is where the bitumen ended. The first section of track was very pot-holey dirt, graduating to increasingly soft, deep sand. We all stopped and let down our tyres to around 20psi. The narrow track weaved through the dense forest in thick sand. The Beast didn't miss a beat. It was a pretty rough ride but heaps of fun, though James, who was not supposed to be on board (no dogs allowed in the park), was less than impressed with all the lurching and heaving.
"Are we there yet......?"
The trickiest part of the drive was up over a large, very soft sand dune on the narrow, one lane track. Jamie gunned the Hilux up the hill only to call back on the radio to tell us to stay put. There were two cars stuck behind a Jeep that had bogged near the top. Fortunately there was a second track at that section for vehicles travelling in the opposite direction. We all managed to by-pass the Jeep by going up the alternate route full bore so as not to suffer the same fate. What a hoot. We eventually arrived at the Five Rocks lookout about an hour after hitting the dirt. We had all managed the outbound journey unscathed.
The view from the top of the high, rocky promontory where the track ended was simply stunning. To the North It overlooked several beautiful bays and the five rocky outcrops that give Five Rocks its name. To the South was the expansive beach known as Nine Mile with views over a huge sand blow and all the way back to Yeppoon. To the East the ocean was dotted with islands and prawning trawlers while to the West there were spectacular forested mountains.
Isla, Nat, Halle & Brian with Nine Mile in the background
Five Rocks
We decided to head down to Nine Mile Beach for lunch. Once again Jamie led the charge through kilometers of narrow, winding, sandy tracks. We would have been totally lost without his guidance. We drove out onto the hard sand of the beautiful wide beach. The tide was way out and there were lots of other vehicles on the beach, but given it went for miles (presumably nine), we were able to set up near a waterfall and creek with no-one around us. The kids had an absolute ball. James got to escape from the car, we enjoyed the stunning weather and location, along with some well-deserved drinkies, and had a lovely picnic.
Scott and the girls at the waterfall
Mother and son
The return trip to the bitumen was just as exciting and fortunately, without mishap. What a fantastic day! By the time we got back to the van at around 4pm our friends, Jo and Doc had arrived and had their van set up beside ours. We lit a fire and kicked back to enjoy a great evening.
Monday we caught up with our Melbourne mate, Greg. He was in Rockhampton for a couple of days on business. Some reckon he has the best job in the world. He sells Airvans and has to fly around Australia doing demos for potential customers. What a bugger eh! We left Yeppoon around midday after the normal morning of chores, work, coffee and a walk for James, who was not given the option of joining us. It was only 40 minutes or so drive down to Rocky. After picking Greg up at the Rockhampton Aero Club we headed into the CBD to find an eating spot on the Fitzroy River. We decided on the Heritage Hotel. It had outdoor seating opposite the river so we could enjoy the beautiful Queensland weather. The hotel itself was lovely inside, with big windows that opened out onto the footpath. I love that! We enjoyed a good lunch, a glass of wine (not for Greg - he had to fly later in the day), and a long chat. It was really nice to catch up with a friend from home.
It was close to 4pm by the time we got back to the van. James was very happy to see us. I took him for a long walk on one of the bush tracks that form part of the 150 acre Coolwaters park. I was surprised at how remote it felt. Several tracks meandered through the dense scrub and after walking for a while I started to wonder if I would ever find my way back to the van. There were fine spider webs across the trail and I was constantly walking into them - yuk! We came across a lovely little stream and a wooden footbridge. It lead to a place called 'The Chapel'. It was a little glade with a small pulpit-type thing made of stone and several semi-circles of roughly hewn seating benches facing it. Not far beyond, the track led out of the bush, so we weren't lost at all. Excellent!
The Beast was booked in for its 20,000 km service at 8.30 Tuesday in Rocky, so we were up and out early. After a walk to the beautiful Causeway Lake that backs onto Coolwaters, James spent another day - home alone. We had five hours to kill while waiting for the service, so after breaky and a bit of shopping nearby, we walked to Kershaw Gardens. We had driven by them the day before and they looked magnificent. They were! Stretching for a kilometer or so, the network of pathways meandered through beautifully landscaped gardens and shady lawned areas with a variety of features dotted throughout. The standout of these was the waterfall and rock escarpment - apparently inspired by the unique natural features of Carnarvon Gorge and Blackdown Tablelands located inland from Rockhampton.
View of The Causeway Lake from the caravan park
Brian's long-time friend and resident of Rocky, Leslie, met us at Kershaw and entertained us with tales of her experiences in some of her flying jobs in Australia and various other parts of the world. A spirited 72 year old with a wicked sense of humour, she still works full time flying out of Rocky. After a walk through the length of the park we sat and enjoyed the waterfalls, the beautiful weather and the vibrant company.
It was getting on for 3pm by the time we arrived back at the van. James got lots of well-deserved cuddles and a walk. Scott, Nat and the kids came over for dinner - fish and chips by the fire. Jo and Doc joined us as did a neighbouring couple, Julie and Rob with their cute Schnauzer, Holly. Isla and Halle had a lesson from me on blogging.....I hope you enjoyed their contribution to our blog!
Wednesday was fantastic. Scott took us out to Great Keppel Island in his boat.
In perfect weather we headed out of Rosslyn Harbour around 11am in his 470F Haines Hunter half cabin. The sea outside the harbour was fairly rough and the bow bounced and slapped as we covered the 15 km across to the island. James sat on my knee in the back seat and despite all my reassurances he was a shivering, blithering mess until the noise and violent lurching stopped. I fully expected him to deliver a technicolour yawn, but fortunately he didn't. I would hate him to have done that in Scott's beautiful boat. I loved the ride over and the views out to the island as we approached.
Great Keppel is the largest of the eighteen islands in the Keppel Group and covers an area of more than 14.5 km². It is quite hilly and mostly composed of natural bushland. There are 17 pristine, white sandy beaches, coral reefs and stunning crystal clear, blue waters. Since the Resort went belly up a few years ago it has become fairly quiet. There is some accommodation and a ferry service, but it isn't very commercialized. Scott said he has never seen many people there. That was nice for us!
We anchored close into the beach and went for a walk along the fine, squeaky sand. James' recovery was instantaneous. He bounded along, racing into the water as it lapped the shore. Doggy heaven.....and Noellie heaven too! The tide was going out and Scott couldn't leave the boat, so we didn't stay too long on the beach. Also, we did need to fish. We cruised around to the South end of the island, past rocky headlands and more beautiful beaches, till we found a likely spot. Scott dropped the anchor, baited a line and threw it in. It had hardly sunk to the bottom before he had a bite and pulled in a Spotted Cod. It was a bit small so went back. We fished for a couple of hours in several different spots but only managed to hook another small Cod. No fish for dinner....bugger!
The wind came up in the afternoon so the ride back to the Capricorn Coast was much bumpier. Scott and Brian standing at the bow end got really thrown around, while I clung tightly to James in the back as he tried to escape my knee and hurl himself into the sea. It must have seemed a reasonable option to him at the time. He did survive however...and without throwing up. Excellent. Once again, I loved it. For me bumpy equals good fun.
Heading back into the marina at Rosslyn Harbour
When we arrived at Yeppoon on July 31st. our plan was to stay a week. It just wasn't long enough. We extended two days, then another two days - so Sunday ended up the proposed departure day. I wondered if that would happen. It is such a beautiful place we could stay forever.
After 8 days of socializing we needed a quiet day on Thursday. We had a very leisurely start and by mid-morning were ready for a wander on the beach opposite the caravan park. It was another typical Capricorn Coast winter's day - warm and sunny - just lovely. The tide was going out and the sun glistened on the water as several fishermen cast their lines from the shore.
Next a drive to Emu Park, 8km South and a photo shoot at the Singing Ship. The sculpture sits atop a headland set against the spectacular coastal vista. Built in honour of Captain James Cook to commemorate his visit to the area in 1770, the monument produces a musical sound as the sea breeze blows through the flutes pipes.
We did a tour of the area starting with a wander through the idyllic seaside village then a drive to check out the local real estate, the golf course, the private airstrip and the next town South, Zilzie. The entire 30 km coastal strip from Farnborough Beach through to Zilzie with its beautiful beaches, rocky headlands, azure waters and views out over the islands is simply stunning. So far on our travels around Oz it ranks as number one on the 'livability scale'.
Back at Coolwaters we were visited by one of the locals - a meter long Monitor. Around 5 pm Rob came over and invited us to Happy Hour at his and Julie's van. We sat and chatted for an hour or so with them and some other neighbours, Harvey and Trish. They had a poodle named Grace with them, James sat with us and of course Holly the host Schnauzer made up the party of nine. It was a lovely evening.
After a coffee with Scott and Nat on the Esplanade at Yeppoon Friday morning we headed off to golf. Having played the front nine at the public course the previous Friday, we decided to do the back nine to give us a complete round.
The weather, as usual, was perfect. We had a great game, Scott beating Brian by five strokes and me coming in with a few more - bugger! I really wanted to win. Next time we visit Yeppoon we'll play one of the courses at the Capricorn Resort. Nat works there and can get us a good deal. We spent an hour or so at the nineteenth. What a decadent life!
Brian had a fair bit of work on so he spent the afternoon on the phone and laptop. James and I went for an hour-long brisk walk along the Scenic Highway toward Emu Park. The views along the ocean-side stretch of road were lovely.
Saturday was our last day at Yeppoon. We spent pretty much the whole day doing chores and re-stocking our supplies. First thing Sunday we were planning to head North to Stanage.
We went around to Nat and Scott's place for a farewell dinner, where we were treated to a fashion show. Isla and Halle dressed James up in a series of costumes, parading him in front of us after each change. It was hilarious! I'm not too sure he saw the funny side, though he did love his parting gift - a 'tug of war' rope made by Halle - with the assistance of the rest of the family.
It was a great night and lovely way to end our stay in Yeppoon.
No comments:
Post a Comment