Hervey Bay to Rockhampton

   Didn't make it the extra few klicks to coastal Yeppoon as we were tired, the skies were threatening, accommodations were limited as this is Labor Day Weekend for Australia, and Rockhampton is right on the A1 highway. So we are overnighting at the Criterion Hotel, a heritage property, which serves a breakfast with our favorite "flat white" coffee (Sherry, do you know how to make a flat white?), and we'll be on our way early tomorrow.

   The big event of the day was that geographically, we are on the Tropic of Capricorn, (nerd fact coming...) which marks the most southerly latitude where the sun can be seen directly overhead at noon at the December Solstice.  We are officially in the tropics.

    Rockhampton is on the Fitzroy River and is in a pretty location. It has many, many stunning heritage buildings, but seems to have seen better days. Perhaps a victim of the pandemic.  Next stop and final long drive day: Airlie Beach

Distance: 250 miles  Time: 5 hours

Noosa to Hervey Bay/ K'gari (Fraser Island)

 

 This is our last week on the road. We are about 15 hours from Mission Beach which is about the same drive time as from Santa Fe, NM, to St Louis, MO. 

   We drove to Hervey Bay as it is the jumping off point for the ferry to Fraser Island, now known by its aboriginal name K'gari (meaning "paradise"). It is a UNESCO world heritage site and is also managed and protected by its original caretakers, the Butchulla people, as well as the Great Sandy National Park. It is the largest sand island in the world and the only place where rainforest grows in sand.

   Our tour was incredible from the start. After a 40-minute ferry ride across the Great Sandy Strait, we boarded a special 4-wheel drive bus and traveled down sandy, in-land single track "roads". We bumped, jumped, jiggled and swerved around the island through sub-tropical rainforest and eucalyptus forests hoping not to meet up with another 4x4 coming our way. It made a Pink Jeep tour seem like a kiddie ride. We knew our backs would either be really sore or really loose by the end of the day.

   We visited crystal clear freshwater lakes and streams.

   We walked through wet and wonderful rainforest and spotted an azure kingfisher.

We drove over a half hour on the 75-mile Beach, dodging waves and beachwalkers, tooted at fishermen who had caught a snapper, and saw three wild dingoes doing their own beach walk. You are warned continually to avoid confrontation with these animals as they can be aggressive to people....especially small ones. Maybe this is where Elaine's famous line from the Seinfeld show originated.

We rode past the remains of the S.S. Maheno, wrecked by a cyclone in 1935. It began as an ocean liner and served during World War I as a hospital ship for the New Zealand Naval Force (people gather at the wreck on ANZAC Day).

Our memorable day ended with a sunset ferry ride (and a glass of wine and a beer) back to the mainland.

Distance: 115 miles.  Time: 2.5 hours

Next stop: Yeppoon

Robina to Noosa Heads

Noosa is a wonderful vacation spot if you love beaches, water sports, and Nature. Situated on the Coral Sea as well as the  Noosa River, it is the perfect spot for surfing, swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking and rowing. Our balcony overlooked the tidal river and we were often treated to watching a variety of water activities. The town is filled with shops and restaurants and the Noosa National Park is great for bush walks. Unfortunately, the weather was often uncooperative with rain and wind in the mornings, but we managed to still enjoy this little bit of paradise.

Distance: 136 miles.  Time: 2.5 hours

Next stop: Hervey Bay

Our ANZAC Day

    Rain and wind scared us off from attending Dawn Services, but Marg's sister Jane did go to her local services with a friend.

     Down by the beach with bagpipes playing in the background, names of locals who had given the ultimate sacrifice were read. Jane's description: "A spectacular ANZAC dawn service on Currumbin Beach. Flags were flown and bagpipes, didgeridoo n bugle played on top of an enormous rock. The sound and sight of the waves provided an eerie back drop. It was truly the best I’ve ever been to".

   We headed to the local RSL Club for a roast lamb lunch.  The Returned Sevice League is a social club that raises money to support the needs of Australian veterans and their families. It was packed. There were active military present in uniform and others in suits displaying military medals. Medals worn on the right side were earned by forebears.  Medals worn on the left were earned by the veteran.

     The most interesting part of the visit was watching a large, cheering crowd play Two Up on the patio. Two Up is an illegal gambling game that originated in England and was brought to Australia by convicts. It became very popular with Australian soldiers during World War I.  It is illegal 364 days of the year as it is a form of unregulated gambling. In honor of Australian soldiers, it is allowed on ANZAC Day. It is a simple game...you bet on two or three coins that are tossed in the air....do they land heads or tails? To make a bet simply hold up your money for someone to bet with. We saw 5s, 10s, 20s and even 50s waving in the air. People side bet, cheer or groan at the outcome, and exchange lots and lots of cash. Jack won and lost $10 in the rounds he played. It was great fun.

Our final stop was a walk to and from the Surf Club to watch the surfers before sunset and to have a drink. The afternoon football game (Collingwood vs Essendon) was about to start, and people were positioning themselves near televisions. An Australian soldier at the match began playing The Last Post on his bugle (the equivalent of Taps). The entire Surf Club  went quiet and people stood up and remained silent until he finished. This reverence continued through the singing of both the New Zealand and Australian national anthems, and then the crowd applauded loudly as the game began. It was one of the most amazing demonstrations of respect we have ever seen. Then Collingwood bested Essendon 90 to 77.

Aurora Australis

We have the Northern Lights, and right now the Southern Lights are vivid in the island state of Tasmania. While we have been to "Tassie" several years ago, we have never seen this beautiful light show. We got these shots from last night's evening news which featured photos sent in by viewers.

ANZAC Day

 

 We were very happy to not be driving on this public holiday, much preferring to be participating.  ANZAC stands for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. This day remembers and honors all those who served and died, or sacrificed physically or mentally in any and all military operations. 

   Why April 25? That was the date in 1915 during World War I that the ANZACs arrived in Gallipoli, Turkey, to capture the capital, then known as Constantinople. While meant to be an easy task, the Turkish resistance was fierce, and fighting lasted for eight months before the ANZACs evacuated after suffering more than 10,000 casualties.

   Red poppies, a symbol of the blood shed by soldiers, are seen everywhere.  Marches, services at dawn and speeches are conducted in many towns, and businesses and schools are closed.

   We join the Australian and New Zealand people, our allies, in honoring all who served and sacrificed.  Lest we forget.

Three Days at Jane's, Robina, Queensland

 

  We are in  beautiful Queensland, Australia's second largest state, near the New South Wales' border. Margaret's sister Jane lives in the town of Robina, about 30 minutes northwest of Coolangatta.  The town seems fairly new and very walkable. Once we parked the car, we strolled  everywhere....cafes, groceries, the library, parks and many other shops. You can even walk to a new stadium built for the 2032 Olympic Games to be held in the Brisbane surrounds. Her condo has fantastic outdoor spaces perfect for gardens and relaxation and privacy.

   We spent three restful days here, catching up on news, sharing photos, shopping, and washing clothes. Jane is a great cook and prepared several yummy meals for us...favorites being salmon with spiralized zucchini and amazing toasted sandwiches.  Yum!

    A highlight was lunch at the Cudgen Surf Life Savers Club with nephew Sam's wife Sally, kids Layla and Jamie, and Sally's parents, John and Carmel. Beautiful views, great food and delightful company.

   Thank you so much, Janie. We had a lovely time with you. Our place next time.💗💗💗

Distance: 20 miles. Time: 30 minutes

Back on the road....next stop = Noosa.

PS....forgot to mention our sighting of flying foxes from our balcony in Coolangatta...very large bat-like creatures with up to a 5-foot wingspan. Crazy!

Brunswick Heads

What a fabulous beach town! While very near the ocean, the town is also situated on the Brunswick River, and every morning swimmers, paddle boarders, and kayakers start their day outdoors.  Breakfast is done well in Australia, and our favorite cafe was the Happy Dolphin on the patio riverside. The Bruns Bakery was best for coffee and fabulous meat pies. We had another long beach walk entertained by dogs chasing sea gulls, and then marveled at the variety and creativity of the many vans, vintage Land Rovers and other 4-wheel drive vehicles we found throughout the town, most decked out with bikes and surf boards. Casa Moto would not be so unique here.

Family Connections - Brunswick Heads and Coolangatta

If you are lucky, you have many families. We met up with Marg's sister Jane and  nephew Sam and his family (lovely wife Sally and adorable kids Layla and Jamie) for lunch in the town of Pottsville near Brunswick Heads. Notice Jack's new Aussie hat (thank you, Janie) which will also shade him from New Mexico sun.

We also have Santa Fe family. Sadly our friends Bonnie and Ed have moved from Santa Fe to New York and Florida,  but incredibly, Bonnie's sister Michelle lives very close to Brunswick and kindly agreed to drive into town.  We met for a fabulous lunch and started a new friendship.

Finally, in Coolangatta, Queensland, near Surfers Paradise, we met up with Zara D'Cotta, Sarah's daughter whom Marg has known for years....part of our Australian family. We were happy to celebrate her 40th birthday with a lovely lunch at Siblings Kirra (love the name). Even the restaurant has family connections as Jack's cousin Julie recommended the place because she has ties with the owners.

Distance: 36 miles Time: 40 minutes

Next stop: Robina, Qld, at sister Jane's

More Beaches...Coffs to Brunswick Heads

 

  We were on the road early today. Our first stop was a great breakfast on the patio at Bluebottles in the town of Woolgoolga. Thank you, Laura B for the recommendation! We drove a few miles to the Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Center to learn about First Nations people from the area. It is also an art gallery (no photos allowed) and we would have been happy to take any painting home with us.

    We motored on to the little beach town of Red Rock where my brother and his family holidayed when the kids were younger. Jerry's in-laws, Bob and Marion, built a home there back in the 80s. What a great place for family fun! Situated on the banks of the Corindi River within easy distance to the ocean beach, you have the best of all worlds. Boating, fishing, swimming, kayaking, hiking....great for kids! We did a short hike through the bush before heading up to the trendy town of Byron Bay.

     Byron has a great beach and LOTS of people, so after a seafood linguini lunch and a beach walk, we headed to the much quieter Brunswick Heads where we will stay for four nights.

Distance: 188.3 miles. Drivetime: 3.5 hours

Notice our new map, thanks to the Byron Bay Visitors Centre.  Brunswick Heads is between Byron Bay and Sufers Paradise.