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This is start of our diary covering our "big trip" .. including some initial info covering the time before departure
.. some taken from old e-mails.
We have been quite busy for the last few months .. our property sold. This forced us to get our trailer project off
the back burner. We had been looking for a suitable 2nd hand one, but nothing seemed suitable. Thus decided to build one .. a
job which took 3 months .. fitted out as a mobile workshop.
We have finished the trailer .. had 2 trips away with it .. first we had 2 nights at a camp spot east of Illbilbie
near the coast. Last weekend, from Thurs till Mon with the Sugarloafers (our CMCA Chapter) at Boulder Creek.
On the way there we checked out weights on a weighbridge in Mackay .. all in order .. I thought the trailer would be
overweight for sure! Can add 360 kg to trailer and 1000 kg to motorhome .. not that I really want to, but good to have
something in reserve.
We are still at old place .. the new owner wanted us to stay around the last 3 weeks or so as he had a job mustering
cattle out near Alpha. We advertised the car in the Pocket Trader .. it came out last Fri when we were at Boulder Creek.
Found out we had no mobile phone coverage there (I was certain I had coverage previously but ???) so if any buyers were
trying to contact us, they would have been cheesed off, I guess. So selling the car is only real hold up now.
Left home some 10 days ago for our full time stint "on the road". Currently near Gympie. Still working on our
project of sussing out camp spots and adding the detailed info to our website. Have update info for Rockhampton to Mackay
section. Working on Brisbane to Rockhampton.
The above is a bit of background. We shall go back to Sarina to start these notes upon leaving home on 31 March 2005.
We travelled south to the popular rodeo grounds at St. Lawrence where we stayed a few days .. caught up with Heart, an old
ham radio friend who is a local resident. From there, further south to Marlborough where we stayed, for the first time,
behind the hotel. Apparently, this spot is popular with other travellers. However, our experience was that the publican
charged a fee even though we said we didn't need to use his toilets or shower and no power was offered.
Further south, noting the Ramsey Creek just north of Rockhampton was still closed, to 2 km south of Mt. Larcom where
one turns to the west just north of Vallis Creek to Wilmott Lagoon. We had heard of this spot, but it is signed by Calliope
Shire Council "no camping, penalties may be applied". So back to the highway and on to to the large rest area at the
Calliope River. The original highway bridge at the northern entrance (via the historical village) has a 5 tonne weight limit,
which means we have to use the longer southern entrance. This rather nice spot, though we have struck bad sandflies on a
previous visit, has a 48 hour limit which is fairly strictly policed.
Next overnight spot was Lake Mounduran Recreation Area. We had visited this spot previously, but not stayed. It has
the usual caravan park type facilities plus a dump point for $15 per night with power. Further south is the popular Gin Gin
rest area where we pulled in just to verify its facilities. A pleasant surprise was to see Bill from Sarina .. a Sugarloafer
member who had been down to Brisbane to purchase a secondhand Kea motorhome .. a Mercedes Sprinter. We were really impressed
with the condition of the vehicle .. both inside and out.
We spent a bit of time travelling into Bundeburg, back out to the highway at Childers, checking out the area in
general. Overnighted in both Apple Tree Creek Community Park and Wallum Reserve and visited a couple of radio hams at
Cordalba. Travelling further south, we noted the Isis River rest area to be closed. Stayed overnight at the Tiaro rest area
.. its a bit small, but only a short walking distance to the town. It was then further south, looked around Gympie, and onto
the 6 Mile Creek rest area to overnight. We were taking the opportunity to experience, first hand, a lot of these rest areas
that one would normally just drive past.
The highway now bypasses Yandina, but we travelled into the town for some shopping, then one follows the old highway
north to the rest area. It just about borders the new highway and is thus, somewhat noisy with that traffic. The next day,
we continued south and took the Bli Bli turnoff in order to visit the Sunshine Coast Radio Club. We had to park in a small
park near the Club where a number of members stopped off to inspect our trailer etc. They suggested it would make a nice
emergency comms centre. The Club is fortunate to have the building they have, and it is impressively set up with lots of
facilities.
Back to highway and further south to the Bribie Island/Beachmere turn off and into Beachmere to look up Errol,
VK4ZHL. We stayed the night parked on the edge of the road. From there, we continued towards Brisbane and found our way to
Wyllie Park on old Gympie Road. This is a popular rest area well in the Brisbane suburbs.
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