August 2^nd ..DAY 47

 A day of blue skies and aqua seas. The coast between Yeppoon and Emus Park was really pretty with Great Keppel Island forming a backdrop. No wonder it is a popular tourist area. The Marina was full of boats and yachts. Many yachts were enjoying the light breeze on the bay.We returned to the Bruce Highway and headed south and then west and missing Gladstone which has a busy port. The country west was again very dry.

 Dominating our trip was the rail line which was constantly busy with freight trains either carrying ship containers or coal wagons.
To find a camp site for this evening proved rather challenging..why? We were again tempted by FREE campsites only to be disappointed by the crowds of vans, tents, camper trailers and big rigs. Mid afternoon we made the decision the head for the Kroombit Tops National Park. It proved to be quite a drive but the road had a well graded gravel surface. It was steep and windy as we crossed the Calliope Range. We arrived after 4.45 pm. It was very much cooler as we are quite high on the range. John was delighted that we could light a camp fire..'real camping'!The funniest thing we saw today was a locked gate across a rail line as well as warning signs about trains..we envisaged the train driver having to stop, get down from the engine and open the gate!! how silly.

While we have been following the busy coastal roads we have found regular roadside fish stalls. They sell a large variety of frozen fish which has been caught wild off the nearby coast.Tonight John cooked Barramundi over the campfire..The two pieces were so large that we will have fish again tonight but in a stir fry.

Gated rail line and warning sign!!

  An interesting point! Buller's Calliope Winery, in Rutherglen, Victoria, was named after the first Buller family ancester who came to Australia on the Ship 'Calliope'.

August 1st ..DAY 46

Late yesterday afternoon we saw a raptor hovering over the waters of the Mackenzie River. On two occasions we saw him dive and make a catch..a tiny morsel for afternoon tea. I think it was an Australian Kestrel. Today we saw another raptor hovering over the sea. He dived and caught a small fish for afternoon tea as well. This time it was a Sea Eagle. It is great to watch the creatures of nature as they survive.

After a rather 'undecided' morning we headed back to Duaringa on the Capricorn Highway. Margaret may remember when we visited Duaringa in 1990! It really has not changed much.
The drive east to Rockhampton was busy with traffic and we saw several long coal trains travelling inland with empty wagons, returning to the mines out west to be refilled with a load of coal.

Red Grevillea

The beach at Yeppoon is long and clean and covered in tiny shells. There was a guy on the beach testing his beach  glider. It flew really well and was in the air for at least 15 minutes.

Tonight we are camped in the Byfield State Park amongst the pine trees and near a small creek. It is hilly country but not very steep. This makes the park very accessible. Near our rig, by the creek, I found lovely red grevilleas and  red callistamens. The flowers are all distinctive, fresh and attractive.
Sadly, I am unable to identify the specific variety.

Red Callistemon

Beach Glider in the air

July 31st..DAY 45

Black headed Python (NB John's shadow) 

Yes, the highlight of our day was the sighting of a Black headed Python. I was able to identify it quite easily as the description was perfect...stripes on body with a black head,  1.5 metres long (or longer). Luckily non venomous. The body was as thick as my forearm. It was crossing the road so John was able to photograph it easily.

Our drive through very dry country was uninspiring. The area is suffering from drought with little feed or water for the few cattle we saw. The roads were quite 'boney' as well..both bitumen and gravel are rough.
Unfortunately we were unable to get into the Goodedeulla National Park from the western side. We gave up when we found an attractive camping spot mid afternoon. The sandy beaches of the Mackenzie River are proving very suitable for a fire so we will have a camp oven meal this evening.

June sitting on a root of a huge old Melaleuca tree

July 30th...DAY  44

Bridge over the dam wall of Fairburn Dam

We slept well beside the noise of the running water of the Nogoa River. The quiet bush camp was very enjoyable.






The Fairburn Dam  formed when the Nogoa River was dammed. We went out to see this huge expanse of water and drove over the spectacular bridge.
I had made arrangements to visit a school friend of Cynthia's from Melbourne Grammar days. Tanya came home with Cynthia for a weekend break in about 1985. Her home was in Darwin. I had only met Tanya once, she lives in Emerald now, with her husband Daniel and 2 children. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting them as they are a lovely young couple. Tanya and I did wish Cynthia was with us today to catch - up some of the years.

June with Cynthia's school friend..Tanya

We lunched in Emerald and drove north east to this historic reserve. It is the site where the township of Lilyvale was set up in 1862. It is a wide bare area with picnic facilities and a large pond which is home to several tortoises we saw in the murky waters.

It has actually been a very short driving day but tomorrow will be different I expect as we head toward Rockhampton.

Sorghum crops and Mandarin orchards are two of the main  pursuits around Emerald except for the huge The Crinum and Gregory coal mines are quite near here. We can hear the machinery constantly in the background..it will certainly operate all night.

July 29th...DAY 43

Serenity

Another bright morning of clear skies. Peter and Di left Theresa Creek dam about 7.30 am on the  final leg to Airlie Beach.
After having a walk around this large dry camping area we headed south through barren undulating country. The cattle we saw were, sadly, in a very poor condition.

Points of most interest were Rubyvale and then Sapphire which are a little way north of Emerald. From the names of these settlements you will guess we are in the middle of 'gem stone' country. John and I would not have the interest or patience to look for gems. Living conditions overall are poor with shanties, sheds and old caravans a common sight.

The line of the Tropic of Capricorn

We lunched very near the Tropic of Capricorn sign which is actually runs between Rubyvale and Sapphire.







Tonight we have camped on the banks of the Nogoa River.. where it runs through a camping property called 'Higher Ground'. It is a lovely bush aspect and makes a change from the busy camps we have been in.

Nogoa River goes on to flow through Emerald

July 28th...DAY 42

Before Sunrise at Mt Elphinstone

Fish for breakfast 

Lake Elphinstone was really beautiful this morning with quite a frenzy of birds enjoying breakfast in fact.

We continued south through very dry country and eventually came through  some very busy mining areas.
Everything was big...mullock heaps, trucks, earth movers, trains transporting coal and even the accommodation villages. Broadlea Coal mine, Millinium mine, Coppabella mine, Peak Downs and Blair Athol to name a few of the coal mines we drove passed.

We had made an arrangement to meet Peter & Di Smith on their way north as we travel south. We met at Cleremont. What a fun night the 4 of us had camping at Theresa Creek Dam where there were many other people camping ..probably over 150 rigs
Sausages were cooked and eaten as well as some wine enjoyed. The evening became quite chilly so a late night at 9.30 pm!

Rainbow Lorikeet

July 27th...DAY 41

Yes we are moving south, in fact we drove over 300 km today and the weather has been very warm 30 deg. We will notice the winter cold when we reach Victoria. Here where we are camped this evening it is much cooler though. Lake Elphinstone appears to be a man made lake and the camping area is extensive. We have a spot near the shore where we can see the birds..pelicans, swans and ducks..even some domestic ducks which are annoying some campers.

We travelled south to Bowen where a Navy boat was in the port. The market gardens around the Bowen area are extensive..tomatoes, capsicums, chilies, strawberries and corn to mention a few.
The country was very dry SW of Bowen with few cattle and dry creeks. At one point a dingo dived out of the grass to cross the road. He looked to be a healthy fellow and quickly turned back.

There are extensive coal mines with huge mullock heaps. We noted heavy trucks on the road and a double rail line which no doubt carries coal. We went by the Sonoma Coal Mine and the Newlands Coal Mine. Glenden is a typical mining town with many houses the same....Little boxes..little boxes as in the song of years ago!!

Foreshore of Lake Elphinstone

One of many swans!