Qld - 1770 to Emerald

Rain and storms were forecast so we thought that we should head inland.( One of the many advantages of having your home on wheels.)
We had heard about Lake Maraboon, near Emerald, so decided to head there; a mere 565 klms away. I had always thought that Emerald was where the gems were found. But,I learnt otherwise...... When Leichart was passing through this area on his way to Darwin, the land was such a stunning shade of green that he named it “Emerald”, now a coal mining and cattle area. It was brown and dry on our visit.
Lake Maraboon is known for red claw, which is like a big yabbie with red claws. They are delicious. The lake, which is man made is about six times the size of Sydney Harbour. We took the kayak out on it twice and enjoyed exploring the coves and the rock formations.

We spent one day at the gem fields in Sapphire and Rubyvale, about 50 klms east of Emerald and had great fun fossicking for gems. We went down a mine and really appreciate how hard these people work to make a living. As you drive around the area, there are mounds of earth dug up all over the place, even on front yards. People seem to dig everywhere and anywhere.
While fossicking, we found four sapphires about 3/4 of a caret each, had them cut and then made into a ring. We also found a few more, but too small to do anything with. Each time I look at the ring, I think about how much fun Mike and I had finding the stones. It certainly gets you hooked, as I wanted to go back another day to try our luck again. We will now head to Mackay as we fly back to Newcastle for a week to catch up with family and friends.

N.B. Mike hasn’t had a list for two weeks, and he is managing really well. Enjoying each day as it comes.
Check out our camping spot “Bedford Weir free camp”

To contact us please email to: gourmetgreynomads@bigpond.com

Qld-Town of 1770

Mon May 15th - Tues 19th May

The town of 1770 is about 140 klms south of Gladstone on a beautiful coastal inlet. Captain Cook landed here in 1770, hence the name. The town is small, but very busy with boat tours to the islands, fishing charters and kayak tours.
Our caravan park was right on the beach and we were one row back from the sand. Each day Mike and I took the kayak out, Mike fishing and me reading my book and lapping up the gorgeous weather. Mike caught three fish, two flathead and a puffer fish. We had to put them back. Two were too small and one was inedible. At least Mike caught something, some out there didn’t get a bite.
At about 5:00 every afternoon, we took our chairs and our beverages down to the sand to watch the sun setting. Each was spectacular and each night very different. Some of the best things in life are free!

We took a one day trip to Lady Musgrove Island, about a 90 minute boat ride from 1770. This is a pristine island formed totally from coral over thousands of years.

After a very rough trip out to the island (half the people on board lost their breakfast) it was heavenly being in the calm waters of the reef surrounding the island. We had a 45 minute walk around the island, spent a couple of hours in glass bottom boats and then about another hour snorkeling. We saw turtle cleaning stations- the turtles lie on a particular type of coral and tiny fish clean the bottom of the turtles. Absolutely fascinating!
The coral out there was very colourful as of course was all the amazing fish. Fabulous day.

Visit "Our Camping Spots" to find out more about the 1770 camp grounds.

If you wish to contact us, please email us at
gourmetgreynomads@bigpond.com

Qld - Yeppoon

Tues 11th May - Fri 15th May 2009

Yeppoon is a lovely beach side town about 38klms north east of Rockhampton. We stayed here for four nights. Unfortunately it was cloudy the entire time so we never got to experience the beautiful colour of the water. We camped right on the beach, so each day we would go for a walk on the sand. Up here, the tides seem to go out for miles, so you have quite a walk just to get to the water. From this area you look out on to the Keppel Islands, which Captain Cook named as he sailed through here in 1770. Even from the mainland you can see their brilliant white beaches which they are renowned for.

One afternoon we drove to the limestone Capricorn Caves which are 23 klms north of Rockhampton. Years ago these caves were mined for their bat guano, but now are just for tourists. They have a guided walk tour, which we did, saw some bats and marvelled at the limestone formations throughout the caves. You can also go on caving adventures where you crawl in and out of tight areas and get to know this area rather intimately......... way too challenging for me.

Emu Park, another lovely little coastal town, 20 klms south of Yeppoon is home of the famous Singing Ship sculpture. The monument is built on top of the headland looking out to the Keppel Islands, to commemorate the explorations of Captain Cook. When the breeze is blowing, you can hear musical sounds through the fluted pipes.


We stayed at Beachside Caravan Park. To find out details visit Our Camping Spots.

Qld - Carnarvon Gorge

May 7th - May 10th, 2009

Wow, what a fantastic place! After leaving the friendly country town of Mitchell, we drove for 335 kilometres through very sparsely vegetated, and mostly flat country side, to Carnarvon Gorge which is like an oasis.
As you drive towards the area, you can begin to see the sandstone cliffs, which get more impressive as you get closer. The towering cliffs look like they are painted with gold as the afternoon sun strikes them and makes us feel like we are entering a very special piece of Australia.

There are 21 kilometres of tracks and we walked 13 klms of those the first day. We saw some incredible natural scenery which included stunning gorges, caves, a moss and fern garden, waterfalls, Aboriginal art caves, king ferns (only found in this area), rock pools, countless ferns and palms, and wildlife. As you are walking through the Gorge, you cross the Carnarvon creek about 20 times on perfectly spaced flat rocks which the Park Rangers and staff place for us to walk on. Mike and I could have stayed at an area called the “Art Gallery” for hours, it felt very special and peaceful. There are over two thousand Aboriginal engravings, ochre stencils and free hand paintings on a 62 metre sandstone wall. Very special.

After a magic day of walking through this gorge I ended up with blisters on my little toes so the rest of my walks could only be minimal. Mike got up early the next morning and walked up to the top of Boolimba Bluff which is 200m above the creek bed. The track involves steps, steep sections and ladders. (I was actually glad that I had sore feet so stayed in bed).

This area is definitely worth the effort to visit, especially if you enjoy bush walking and being with nature.

Visit Our Camping spots - Takarakka Bush Resort and Our Trips - Carnarvon Gorge.

To contact us email to: gourmetgreynomads@bigpond.com

Qld - Mooloolaba to Mitchell

4th May - 7th May 2009
Mitchell, a country town with a population of only 900 was a 635 kilometre drive from Mooloolaba on the Warrego Highway. We decided to go to Mitchell to experience the artesian hot pools, even though it was a detour of an extra 174 klms, on our way to Carnarvon Gorge via Roma. A soak in the hot and cold mineralized pools is relaxing for the body and therapeutic for the soul.
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We thought we were in heaven. We spent a couple of hours at the pools each morning and evening. It was worth the extra travel. The only challenge was getting used to the road trains which rumbled through town all day and all night. We stayed beside a petrol station across the road from the spa for two nights for a grand total of $20.00 which included showers, toilets and power.


The surrounding country side is very flat, dry and has huge cacti growing beside the road. The area produces wheat and other grains, cattle farming, coal and gas.
We walked into town each morning to have a coffee and do a little grocery shopping. The people in Mitchell are so friendly and would all say "hello" to us as we were sitting outside the cafe, once again engaging in my favourite pass time of “people watching”.

One thing that we noticed was no flies and no mosquitos. I had always imagined this part of the country to have lots of flies. We could keep the door of the caravan open all the time as well as sit outside and not need the mosquito repellent. What a treat!

Next stop Carnarvon Gorge. We found out about the Gorge from a couple, Naomi and Paul, that we met at Wooli, and are looking forward to our visit there.

Check out our Camping spots: Dulacca - free camp
and Mitchell - petrol station
To contact us, please send us an email at gourmetgreynomads@bigpond.com

Qld - The Sunshine Coast - Mooloolaba

We planned on staying at Mooloolaba for one night visiting our friends the O’Mearas’ , but after a great week with them, we are now on the road again, heading west. We parked our caravan in their driveway, and had day trips around the area. The Sunshine area has fabulous beaches, surf, loads of waterways, boating, delicious fresh sea food, great shopping, high rises, superb caravan parks, and the area is still expanding at a rapid rate.

We spent a morning at the Eumundi Markets, a few ks west of Noosa, sampling the delicious food and buying curries, home made jams and chutneys. This market is a must to see and is open on Wednesday and Sunday mornings. There is something for everybody.
Noosa Heads is a very busy holiday mecca with great restaurants, shops, hotels, boats and everything you expect from a busy resort area. Make sure you have lots of money when you come here. We had a beautiful cup of coffee at Aromas, where all the seats out front face the sidewalk so that you can sit, drink your coffee, and people watch.( One of my favourite pastimes.)We were here about 15 years ago and were shocked to see that the centre of the main beach at high tide is non existent. While walking on the man made walkway along the beach we stopped and watched a young guy building sand castles. They are so talented, and I could sit and watch them for hours.


If you are looking for some quiet time, take a walk through the Buderim Forest Park to the Serenity Falls. The waterfalls are worth the effort to get to, but take your mosquito spray. We were nearly eaten alive.

When you are heading north from Brisbane, visiting the Sunshine Coast is another must.

Please contact us on our email gourmetgreynomads@bigpond.com