MarkTula Exploring Oz

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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Undara Lava Tube Tour
June 28, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
The lava tubes were created 190,000 years ago. The only way to see the lava tubes is on a guided tour. We did the 2 hour Archway tour, which includes Stephenson Cave and the Archway. (Many steps)
Stephenson Cave was flooded earlier this year and the last section still had water over the boardwalk.
The colours of the rock was amazing. The way the lava kept flowing when the to cooled and hardened leaving the tunnels behind.
I can't do the beauty of the area justice.
I must see if you are in the area. You can do a tour without staying at the Undara Experience.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Charters Towers
June 29, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
On the way to Charters Towers we stopped at Greenvale and had lunch at the Three Rivers Hotel. (One day we will stop somewhere and not go to the pub). This pub was made famous by the Slim Dusty song.
We spent a couple of nights in Charters Towers before going onto Home Hill. I wanted to spend time in a powered sight incase the lock down was widened we were close to Townsville when it went into lock down.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
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Home Hill
July 1, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
We stopped in Home Hill for a week. This was the place we chose to stay to see what happened to the Townsville lockdown. We couldn't have chosen better. The caravan park was green and right next to the pool, which we could swim in for free. We did not.
Ayr was about 10 min away across the Burdekin Bridge. (Great bridge.)
We investigated a couple of fishing spots recommended by the caravan park managers (who lived in Darwin for a time. It is amazing when you say you are from Darwin how many people say they have also lived in Darwin.)
We went fishing at Groper Creek and did some cast netting of the small jetty. Trying to get prawns for bait and to eat but we only managed bait. The holiday locals ( holiday there every year) were catching kilos some took pity on us and gave us some for bait.
We visited the market in Ayr. I love the market. Ayr is a very pretty town.
Home Hill is very small but still had an IGA and about 3 pubs.
We went to the diorama and saw the big cane cutters. It is a good spot to be based in.Read more
Traveler Great sunset photo
8/1/21Reply
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Bowen
July 8, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
We had 4 nights at Blowin Bowen and it was Blowin.
We tried our hand at fishing but no luck. We will keep trying.
Visited the markets and bought some great produce.
Visited Flagstaff Hill, the water tank art and numerous beaches. They were all so beautiful. The water was so clear.
Caught up with some new friends for an afternoon.
I got to ride my scooter to get fish and chips.
It is amazing when you say that you are from Darwin how many people once lived in Darwin or have a family member living there now.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Proserpine and surrounds
July 12, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
We set up at Gunna Go caravan park just outside Proserpine. We had 3 days to explore the area. Mark dipped his toes in and decided it was too cold to swim.
We visited Dingo Beach, Hideaway Bay, Cape Gloucester, Conway Beach, Shute Harbour and
Cedar Creek Falls.
We were going to fish at Shute Harbour but the jetty closed for upgrades.
We went to Cedar Creek Falls on the way to Conway Beach but they were not flowing due to lack of rain.
Visited Lake Proserpine and was nearly attacked by a goose when I got out to take some photos. We moved further up the lake to take the photos.
We did find a great bakery in Proserpine. I am loving all the bakery's.
We visited Proserpine Historical Museum. It is a very interesting place and the home of the big pen.Read more
TravelerKeep the photos coming. Loving seeing them and reading about your adventures.
8/4/21Reply
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Oh Deere Farmstay - part 2
July 15, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
Every evening at about 5 the fire is lit (fire warnings permitting). It is good to sit around the fire and meet new people.
This is where we got our first couple of really cold nights (8°) even the fire couldn't keep you warm. Mark does not like the cold lucky he already had his Uggs.
Dale set up the irrigator to water new cane planting it had a reach of a couple hundred metres. It was amazing to watch as it went along its track. I'm sure it's reach was greater. It was mesmerising watching the water come over the moon.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Calen and surrounds -part 1
July 15, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
Oh Deere farm sits just outside Calen. Once we had set up if course we went for lunch at the Calen hotel the home of the big thongs.
Calen General Store was full of old and new. Unfortunately the chickens out the front were sold Kevin and Casey. As we wondered around there were hundreds of boxes containing everything you could think of. It looks like they ran out of room and started boxing everything up. They had patterns from the 50's, crocheted table cloths utensils and anything you could want or need.
We went for a drive up to Eungella National Park to see a platypus. We got to see 2 but they were very quick and I couldn't get any photos. The drive was very steep and twisty I am glad I don't normally get car sick but this was even a test for me.
We stop at the Sky Window Lookout and the view of the valley was amazing.
On the way back down we stopped in at the Pinnacle Pub and had a pie. I had a pie with mushy peas it was good. The pie was large and yummy.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Calen and surrounds - part 2
July 15, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
As we had 2 weeks in the area we were able to visit a lot of the surrounding area. Drove into Mackay a couple of times and the drivers there are crazy, no logic and saw many near accidents.
We visited Seaforth and went to the markets. I love small town markets try to go everytime we can.
We went to Eimeo Hotel (it has the best view of any pub we have been to).
Lamberts Lookout was amazing on the distance (I mean on the horizon but unfortunately not in my photo) you can see about a dozen ships waiting to come into Port to pick up the sugar that is processed at the mill.
We visited Halliday Bay, Ball Bay and Cape Hillsborough (we didn't see any kangaroos though we also weren't there at dawn). We really need to look at the tides when going to beaches we would love to see a high tide.
There are so many beautiful places to see and we only see a fraction of them.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Oh Deere Farmstay - part 1
July 16, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Oh Deere farmstay was a brilliant couple of weeks we were originally going to stay a week but when the Stone Stomper was ready to be posted we added another week.
Oh Deere is a working sugar cane farm that when doing the tour you learn everything you need to know about the farm and sugar cane. We got to taste fresh squeezed cane juice and chew on some sugar cane, very sweet.
Karinda and Dale have a John Deere replica museum in the love shack.
Everywhere you look is John Deere paraphernalia or is green and yellow (the love shack). It is amazing what is out there when you look.
Farm dog Jas was our welcoming committee and new when to come for food (though she is the most polite dog I have seen). She even has her own high vis shirt. Her favourite place is with Dale while he is working on the farm or playing in water.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Brandybottle
July 29, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Spent 2 nights at Brandybottle. It is a golf course with a small caravan park between Mackay and Rockhampton.
They have free golf sets if you feel like playing a round.
We went back and had a look at Sarina where I got my first AZ jab. Found a great butcher there and stocked up as much as we could. Sarina have a big cane toad. (Some of the big things are not as big as I thought they would be.)
We went for drive to Clairview. We seem to have the nack of going to beaches when the tide is out in this case a long way out.
Another great pub was found which of course we visited.Read more
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The things you see
July 31, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
We left Brandybottle going to Rockhampton and needed to get fuel.
We pulled up at Puma Marlborough and the sight we saw was mind blowing.
3 large animated sculptures in a line the tow vehicle s all getting a fill up. They only just fit under the awning.
Not sure what I would think if I saw them coming down the road towards me.Read more
TravelerLove the photos.
8/12/21Reply
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Rockhampton (Gracemere)
July 31, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Spent 4 nights in Rockhampton visiting the local area. We went to Yeppoon, Emu Park, the markets, botanical gardens and the zoo.
We had a great stay. There was a Covid scare the day before we got there thankfully no lockdown.
Gracemere caravan park has a great CP kitchen and fire pit a good place to have happy hour.
There are some beautiful old buildings in Rocky. We got to go to our first ALDI (on this trip). I love going to ALDI.
Yeppoon was very pretty but really set for tourists I really liked Emu Park we saw the singing shipRead more
TravelerYou have stayed at some really nice caravan parks.
8/17/21Reply
TravelerThanks we try to pick parks that have character
8/17/21Reply
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Rockhampton Botanic Gardens
August 3, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
The Rockhampton Zoo sits on the grounds of the Botanic gardens. Before the zoo opened we wandered around the gardens. We specifically went to the war memorial and the Japanese garden.
The gardens are truly beautiful and peaceful.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Rockhampton Zoo
August 3, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
We went to the zoo and had a great time. The chimps were one of our favourite exhibits.
As we walked around reading the signs we found many of the animals are in the zoo as they could no longer survive in the wild.
A couple of the exhibits were closed, but still a lot of animals. The weather was cool but not cold (love walking around and not sweating).Read more
TravelerMark and his friend ……..
8/17/21Reply
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Mount Larcom
August 4, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
We spent 2 nights at Mount Larcom. About
30 km west of Gladstone.
We went to the Mount Larcom pub for dinner which was only a 650 metres from the caravan park so we decided to walk to dinner. I didn't mention that it was up and down 2 hills (Darwin people think about 3/4 of the size of the Darwin High hill). The walk there was ok but coming back i thought Mark was going to have a heart attack. We both made it.
They have a lookout in the caravan park where you can take a photo of Mount Larcom at sunrise, however at sunrise the temperature was only 8° so we took a photo in the afternoon.
We drove into Gladstone to do some sightseeing.
Gladstone is a working export port. They have made upgrades to include a cruise ship terminal and beautification of the area.
We went to Round Hill Lookout to get 360° views of Gladstone. AmazingRead more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Gin Gin
August 6, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
On the way to Gin Gin we saw signs for fresh cooked prawns and decide to get some. We pulled into the Shell servo and got enough to make a couple of rolls. The strangest places are selling fresh food.
We stayed at Gin Gin Showgrounds for 4 nights. Was a bit cold but loved it. We visited the markets and the Fred Haigh Dam.
We didn't do a lot but enjoyed just being there.Read more
TravelerLove the sunset at Gin Gin nearly as good as a Darwin sunset 😂
8/23/21Reply
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Bundaberg - Elliott Heads
August 10, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
We ended up spending 2 weeks in the Bundaberg area. Caught up with friends and people we didn't expect to see.
Elliott Heads is about 20 km out of town right on the beach (thanks Nicholle Talbot for the recommendation). The park is on the beach with the friendliest managers nothing was too hard. We tried our hand at beach fishing and as per normal we caught nothing, we will try again.
I feel like we have been all over Bundaberg. We have seen Coral Cove, Innes Park, Bargara, Hummock Lookout, Amandine Lavender, the rum factory, ginger beer factory, Riverview, the zoo, the markets a couple of times, Tinaberries, Botanical Gardens, Hinkler Hall of Aviation, a number of pubs and of course shopping.
We met up with several friends one we didn't know were living in Bundaberg. Jan Tennyenhuis and Tricia Bradley, John and Gwenda McAliece. We then run into Rod and Shirley Parker (from my Leanyer days) in a shopping centre and then caught up with them for coffee. It was great to catch up and make new friends also.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Bundaberg Rum and Ginger Beer Factories
August 16, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
We spent the day doing probably the 2 things Bundaberg is known for. The rum and ginger beer factories.
You only see a museum at the ginger beer factory that has displays of the brewing process and the best part is the tasting at the end. Who knew there were so many flavours.
We had been to the rum factory 28 years ago. The museum before you meet the tour guide is amazing. Once you meet your guide all devices with a battery are locked securely away before entering the factory. (It is a highly combustible area no risks taken, even had to take off our watches and leave the car keys in the locker)
The whole factory is surrounded by an electric fence.
We finished the tour with a couple of tastings I am really not a rum drinker.
Well worth a look especially if you are a Bundy Rum drinker.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Bundaberg Zoo and town
August 20, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Visited the zoo we love looking at the animals.
We spoke with a keeper as he was putting some food in a cage for George the cockatoo. He explained that they are trying to get the animals used to going into smaller cages for snacks so that when they need vet checks it is less stressful for them the chasing them to catch them.
I love driving around towns and seeing the old different architecture. (Something Darwin didn't have)Read more
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Botanical Gardens and Hinkler Hall
August 23, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Our last day in Bundy and we went to the Botanical Gardens which includes the Hinkler Hall of Aviation.
Several interactive components in the aviation hall. I tried the glider simulation and the flight simulator (failed at both) a lot of fun though.
Found out that they relocated the Hinkler home in the UK. Dismantled it brick by brick and then rebuilt it on the site. Lovely old house that you can walk through. His original home in Bundaberg was burnt to the ground. (Bundy boy)
When we finished in the hall we had a small look at the gardens. Lots of ducks but I didn't have any food. We saw the Chinese gardens which was beautiful.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Howard - Gum Tree Lodge and Bush Camp
August 24, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
We arrived at Gum Tree Lodge for a 7 night stay on Tuesday and on Thursday we extended for another week.
We were able to get a deck site on one of the ponds. It is so relaxing.
Howard is about 30 min from Maryborough and Hervey Bay. It is a great place to be based.
We have checked out the pub, the bakery and the butcher all have excellent food. I have fallen in love with the bread at the bakery it is truly a thick sliced great for toasting. There is a drapery and a magic shop both are amazing.
There is a 2.8km walking track around the property which is good exercise.
We love sitting on the deck and watch the ducks on the pond.
We go to the communal fire every afternoon and have a chat.
We have already been into Maryborough and Hervey Bay but they will be in another blog.Read more
TravelerLovely looking camp site. Enjoy 😊
9/1/21Reply
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Maryborough - Story Bank
August 26, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Story bank is in the building where the author of Mary Poppins was born.
In the day the building was a bank and the manager lived up stairs.
The building still retains all of the old architecture including the vault. (Mark locked right at home behind the bars).
As you wander through the rooms there are lots interactive displays.
So much I didn't know about the author and books written.Read more
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Hervey Bay
August 28, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
We visited the Pier market and walked the 2.4 km return Pier. There were lots of people fishing. Beautiful beaches.
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Childers-Clockwork Curiosity
September 2, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
We explored the vintage toy shop and it had a lot of the toys that we both remembered.
The carnival room was a sight to see. Every ride moved. Mark liked see the walkman and the ABBA cassette as he had both.Read more
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MarkTula Exploring Oz Traveler
Childers
September 2, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
We visited Childers and for a small town there are numerous sights to see. The Military and Memorabilia Museum, Palace Backpackers Memorial (very sad), Old Pharmacy, Historical Society Village (we didn't get to see as a school group was there and under Covid no one else could be there) and the Clockwork Curiosities (vintage toy museum) see another blog.
The architecture in the town was amazing lovely old buildings.
We first stopped at the Military and Memorabilia Museum. It was started by the family (still run by the family) with an ancestors WW1 uniform and medals and has grown to so much more. I took a few photos but there is so much to see that it would take the better part of the day to do. (I have discovered a new interest in military memorabilia)
The Palace Backpackers Memorial is truly sad and beautiful at the same time. No photos are permitted.
We visited the old pharmacy. There is the original cash register on display which in the day it cost £67. The pharmacist was also building houses at the same time and the cost of building a house was £72.Read more
TravelerBrings back memories, it is years since we have been in Childers. Cannot remember the year, I know the children were young and before the backpacker fire.
9/17/21Reply
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