Airlee Beach to Cooktown

We left AirleeBeach on 22 May and free camped at Home Hill for a couple of days, very entertaining little place, the we moved onto Bowen  where the film Australia was made, then onto Townsville which did not impress me at all,  the Castle Hill Lookout was great a 360 degree view of the city.   We moved onto Bingle Bay camping ground which had amazing views,  water almost lapping on the caravan.  Dawson loved the freedom here.     Second day here the weather lousy, Robin in his wisdom decides to take me to the markets at Mission Bay for something to do,   I will blame Robin because I can,  and he doesnt read the blog either,   well guess what, just walking around in the mud and slush and Robin saids,   come here their are puppies for sale,  big big mistake, brain explosion and now the owners of the cutest little boy in the world,  x mini foxy etc.    just adorable,   and best of all Dawson loves him as well.  We are now at Paronell Park which is privately owned but was built by a spanish guy back in 1930, who built a castle and hydro scheme,  the web site for this is www.paronellapark.com.au/highres
for those of you who would like to view some photos of it,    it was yet another magical place.  Now at Walkamin for a week which is on the Atherton Tablelands,  lots to do and see here.   We decided to invest in solar panels while we are here,   got them installed and now it has been raining ever since.  No doubt they will be good.  After leaving there we had a free camp and the Lions  Den Hotel at Helenvale, what a hoot, we fell in love with this old pub,  writing all over the walls,  old corrugated iron, nick knacks everywhere a beautiful river out the back which we camped beside, no crocs apparently, mind you I didnt go swimming just in case.  Moved on to Cooktown for 4 days  which just happened to coincide with the annual festival,  marking Captain Cooks landing and the beginning of the tourist season,   a great 4 days spent at Cooktown.   Loved it all.   So now is all up to date once again.   Love to everyone.

Alfie

Sunrise at Bingal Bay

Reiny and my bikie friends at The Lions Den

Me and my boys having a afternoon nap

Camp at Bingal Bay

This one for you Ashleigh

The boys enjoying a walk

Paranella Park

Dawson showing Alfie how to get down and dirty



Isn't love grand the Lions Den Pub

Airlie Beach

We arrived at Airlee Beach on tuesday at the Flametree Caravan Park.,very dog friendly where the owners  even look after your dog for the day so you can go on the cruises.  We did a cruise on Thursday which was called the The Whitehaven Beach Aussie BBQ, a fabulous  day.    Elly and John looked after Dawson for the day,  so off we went at 8am in the mini bus to the marine to start our adventure.
Once we all boarded away we go at a nice rate of knots and some very choppy seas, I am loving it, Robin went upstairs to get some better photos, didn't last long , as it was so choppy he came down looking like a drowned rat. It took us about 1 1/2hours to get to our first stop at Hill Inlet Lookout where we had a guided walk through the National Park, one word for the Lookout, beautiful. You could see stingrays swimming down below, the water is crystal clear. Back on the boat for morning tea, biscuits and tea, and then off to Whitehaven Beach for a yummy bbq. We are on the beach for about 2 hours just swimming, walking, drinking beer and wine, and enjoying the great bbq of steak, sausages and rissoles with lovely fresh salad and damper rolls and of course a fresh fruit salad with the sweetest pineapple I have ever eaten. Back on the boat to head north up to Mantary Bay where Robin will snorkel and I will enjoy the sights through a glass bottom boat. Met a few of the locals, one blue Gopher called Elvis swam right around the boat to get some free food, lots of other lovely fish as well. A bit disappointed in the colour of the coral, could have been because of the overcast day but nevertheless it was truly a magic day. Forget to mention back at the bbq we were visited by about 8 lace monitors, so glad they were friendly. We have also visited Conaway Beach, Hydeway Bay and Dingo Beach, 3 out of the way places which are very beautiful. Moving on , on Tuesday to who knows where. Love to all Robin and Reiny.

Isn't love grand

Oops that not Robin

Whitehaven Beach

The raft

The lace monitor

Whitehaven Beach

Elvis

Robin the drowned rat

Robin snorkelling

Part 2 of Robin and Reiny's Adventure

Well we left Springwood on the 6th April, to head to Lithgow to celebrate Elly and John's 50th Wedding Anniversary and also Elly's 70th birthday,   had a great weekend with all the family, great to catch up with everyone and spend time together.  After leaving Lithgow we spent our first night free camping at the Bylong Recreation Ground, which is know for its annual easter weekend mice racing. A beautiful spot, and then the following day on to Tamworth to visit with friends from Springwood who now live in Tamworth, Mick and Jill,    great to catch up with them.   We left Tamworth on the 13th and did some more free camping at Bingarra beside the river, again a lovely spot to camp, with kangaroos birds and lots of peace and quiet.    We then moved on to  Casino for a couple of days before we headed off to Burleigh Heads to catch up with Adam, Penny and Cain before  Adam and Penny  went on their holiday to Vietnam,   nice to catch up with them and we won't now see them until Xmas.      We have now decided to  head back down to Brunswick Heads so Robin can get some last minute surfing in before we  travel up the north coast.  Had a great time with Les and Sue (bikie mates of Robins) and then Noleen and Denis also joined us for a couple of days,   Lots of laughter and of cause a free drinks to go with that.     By the way there was no surf but plenty of sandflys.   We then travelled onto Maleny in the Qld hinterlands,   this is one place I could live, absolutely love this area.    Next we are on our way to Hervey Bay to spend time with our good friend Marilyn who is  house sitting up there, we are all moving onto Agnes Waters for a few days to spend time with John and Marilyn.    John and I of course thrashed them at Canasta yet again,   can't understand why Robin and Marilyn keep on  trying to beat us.   After saying goodbye we then went to Sharon Nature Reserve where we had a cuppa with Noleen and Dennis on their way to Yepoon.     So that is April over and done with and now we are into May.

Calliope River Camping Reserve is our next stop where Elly and John have caught up with us,  they will be travelling with us for a while.  Between Elly and John and ourselves we are keeping the Qld economy going very well,   a few expenses here and there.    New batteries for them,  new battery for us, new laptop for me, nice leather hat for Robin,  Our car  needed a transmission service, then the pump in the caravan loo pooped itself  just to name a few things.  We then spent a few days in Rockhampton before moving onto St. Lawrence Recreational  Ground, a pretty spot to spend the night before moving onto Mackay.   Catching up with Clare a friend of Robin and mine from our days in Orange.   We went to Eungella NP where we were lucky enough to see platypus, turtles and eels swimming in the river.     We were so excited to see the platypus.   Mothers Day was spent with Clare, watching her daughter play soccer and then lunch at the Eimeo pub which has magnificent views of the Whitsunday islands.   We are now at Airlie Beach and it does now feel very tropical Qld,   Robin and I off on a island cruise/adventure tomorrow.    Will keep the blog up to date from here on, as everything is new and exciting for us now.    Love to everyone.   The pictures have overlapped but if you click on them they become large.   I dont know how to fix it.