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Jacqui ZuidemaJacqui Zuidema
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Exploring Australia and beyond by caravan, camping, roadtrips and travels OS. Read more Melbourne, Australia
  • Novices on the road
    Day 174

    Bribie Island via an inland route.

    November 5, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We took a couple of days to travel from Noosa to Bribie Island. We had intended to visit some wineries but they were not open whilst we were travelling through. However we went though some very picturesque hilly country and their towns. Coffee and muffins at a quaint town called Woolooga then lunch in Kingaroy and stayed the night in Nanango. The next day we visited the Blackburn bakery and bought some beautiful treats, which were delicious, then arrived at Sandstone point caravan park for 2 nights. This resort style caravan park was located right by the bridge across to Bribie Island. Bribie Island has a magical view of the glasshouse mountains. It would be a beautiful spot to view sunset.Read more

  • Novices on the road
    Day 166

    K'gari

    October 28, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Day trip tour to Fraser Island.
    Places visited : arrived in the ferry into Kingfisher resort then off to:
    Lake McKenzie
    Central Station Rainforest
    Eli Creek
    75 Mile Beach
    Maheno shipwreck
    The Pinnacles
    All very beautiful but couldn’t believe the number of tourists😕    Read more

  • Novices on the road
    Day 164

    Yeppoon to Hervey Bay

    October 26, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Although we didn’t stay in Rockhampton we walked around the city centre enjoying the old buildings and the riverfront. We decided to continue south to a small place called Tannum Sands, just south of Gladstone. Tannum is a really pretty spot. Small town, not built up, beach and river, amazing weather. A good small town surf life saving club services great fish and chips combined with a G&T on the deck was a great night. We walked and scooted all over on well maintained bike paths and some very friendly locals. A refreshing dip in the river mouth was much needed in Tannum sands.
    The next couple of nights were spent at 1770. Another beautiful place! We walked around town, drove out to some nearby beaches and walks and rode the scooters into Agnes Waters. Very delicious gelato and a little clothes shopping here as well.
    Quiet a few stormy nights this week after most days reaching temperatures in the low 30’s.    Read more

  • Novices on the road
    Day 159

    Airlie to Yeppoon

    October 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    On our way south from Airlie our first place of interest was Sarina, in order to tour the sugar refinery. It was a very interesting process and fascinating tour. All the byproducts are used along the way. Some for growing new sugar cane then mulch, ethanol and methanol, molasses and finally the sugar. At Sarina they were a self sustaining mill so used the ethanol to run their furnaces. Well I should have written this down at the time because now we’re not sure…… but something like this. At the mill they also make alcohol and other sugar products. A real paddock to plate experience.
    We then continued a little further down the road to Carmila beach which was an off grid camping area and very unspoilt. A couple of beach walks, fresh air and peace and quite were the highlights here.
    The next morning we drove about 30 mins north and into the hills beyond Yeppoon. Again another off grid camp, this time in a lovely tropical garden/paddock. We played Bocce, lit a campfire and again enjoyed the serenity.
    Yeppoon is also a lovely place, not terribly built up and very relaxed. The caravan park was right on the beach, so daily beach walks were a feature. This was a working stop over for Jamie, and I completed the final 2 days of my online course. It was hot and muggy and rained on and off.    Read more

  • Novices on the road
    Day 153

    Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island visit

    October 15, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Arrived on a Saturday lunchtime set up camp and had a little explore around town and out to Shute Harbour.
    On Sunday we walked into the marina and caught the ferry across to Hamilton island. Wendy and Gary met us and took us back to their place to stash our bags the headed down to the beach club for a long and delicious lunch. After that Jamie and Gary caught up with Fraser and Wendy took me to her whine club. We watched Ian Thorpe and friends board the boat across to Dent island for his 40th birthday celebrations. They were all having a very exclusive weekend staying at Qualia with a private dinner on Dent Island. Wendy and I, however enjoyed Whine club on H.I. Home made (by Gary) pizza and drinks at theirs to end the day.
    Wendy and I went to water Aerobics the next morning whilst Jamie walked. Gary picked us all up on the buggy and we went for coffee before lunch at the tavern then our ferry ride back to Airlie. During the week we worked (Jamie his usual and me an online course), swam, walked and ate. All in all a great week in a lovely location.
    We also took a day trip to a lovely place called Hydeaway bay.    Read more

  • Novices on the road
    Day 145

    Longreach

    October 7, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Arrived here at Longreach at the beginning of afternoon teatime at the caravan park which was set up right beside our site, so we joined in with a very, let’s say interesting, bunch of people.
    We stayed 2 nights and were able to take in a few sites, including the Stockmans hall of fame, the Longreach school of distance education (school of the air) and a sunset paddle steamer down the Thomson river with a camp fire dinner, a short movie and some bush poetry. A very entertaining evening with a local station family and their crew who run the tours.
    The school of the air was interesting and fantastic to see and learn about how they run and how the station children receive their education. They put on a musical every second year and have 4-6 sessions at the school which last for several days. It can involve the whole family. They run Kinder through to year 12 but do the senior years in combination with other schools of the air so that they can offer a range of subjects. Many students also leave during their secondary education to attend a boarding school. Most of the bigger regional areas have boarding schools as well as Brisbane and some children attend interstate boarding schools.
    At the Stockman’s hall of fame we watched a 20 minute movie about the history of farming, stockmen and droving, in Australia. We walked through the hall of fame and then attended a show which combined a bit of country music, comedy, very well trained stock and was run by an entertainer/horse trainer. A very entertaining and informative time.    Read more

  • Novices on the road
    Day 143

    Winton

    October 5, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    We arrived in Winton for lunch. Set up the caravan at the caravan park in the Main Street. Again another very hot day. We spent the afternoon in the Waltzing Matilda museum, which, as well as being cool was surprisingly interesting. Back at the campsite there were Brolgas walking down the street(both evening and early morning). There was a bit of a downpour overnight around 11 Mls so things were pretty wet for an early pack up.
    We arrived at the Australian age of dinosaurs at 8:45 for our tour. We cut it a little fine after another mishap typical of us. As Jamie turned into the servo for fuel it triggered the emergency break. The caravan was still half way across the main drag of Winton. We were initially unable to put the plug back in however eventually did so. It’s remarkably easy when you put it in the right way!😁. Fortunately we didn’t need the RACQ although Jamie had started h the e call. Also on the way we drove past. Cattle muster in progress.

    Anyway The Australian Age of Dinosaurs 🦖 🦕was fantastic. So interesting and a real up close experience watching the staff and volunteers uncover and repair the fossils. The setting was spectacular and included a section of a dinosaur stampede m, which they had dug up, relocated in pieces, and put back together over 3 years in an environment that will preserve it. The guides were informative and answer lots of questions. There was also some amazing re enactments set along a walk and interpretive displaces to explain.    Read more

  • Novices on the road
    Day 141

    Porupine Gorge

    October 3, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    After driving from Chatters Towers with a lunch stop in Hughenden we arrived at Porcupine Gorge NP. A bush camp for us this evening. A very warm afternoon on arrival so we waited until later to walk down to the gorge. A lovely swim at the bottom of the gorge in the one deep spot we found and lots of exploring the shallows. We returned to the top just before dark. The next morning we rose and completed the rim walk before 8:30am. We ate breakfast packed away the camp and headed to Winton for the night. In the way though Hughenden we discovered some tank art, which has prompted us to download the tank and silo art map of Aust. Some more things to do on the way home.Read more

  • Novices on the road
    Day 139

    Charters Towers

    October 1, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Time for a little more travelling inland, although we only have a week until we are booked into Airlie Beach and meeting the Marshalls on H.I.
    Stop 1 Charters Towers. We unexpectedly arrived during the Rush festival so took so time out to enjoy so music, drinks and Pizza.
    Tower hill lookout provided great views as well as some WW2 info. We also visited Burdekin dam and watched an eagle trying to fish, and took a tour of a Gold Battery.
    Many of the towns buildings are very beautiful and historic. All in all a great weekend 😀    Read more

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