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  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    We will startvtaking photos of the cyclists attempts to repel magpiesThat is smoke on the hills, they are back-burning to make a fire-breakPart of the esplanade

    Yeppoon at night

    16 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    When we drove through Yeppoon on Friday evening, we commented that it was the busiest place we had come across beyond Brisbane. OK, there may have been an influx of people going on to the island for the music festival, but it still looked busy.

    We had been recommended a Thai restaurant on the esplanade. We walked the mile to Yeppoon and came across a tree where Lorikeets were gathering for the night; the loudness of their chatter was quite extraordinary.

    The meal was lovely, the esplanade was full of people out eating and the beach still had families walking along it.

    As we walked past the tree with the lorikeets in, Bun said she couldn’t see any. I stopped under the tree to spot the little rascals when one pooped on me, in the eye and down the shirt. A lovely end to a lovely day 🤮    Leer más

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  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs

    Yeppoon - Ospreys, Bats and Sea Shells

    17 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    When we left Yeppoon we thought we’d look to see if the ospreys were on their nest. We found one hungry sounding young osprey. The birds have been coming back for many years so the lights upon which they nest have been permanently fenced off.

    There is a fruit bat colony that nests along the main road. During the day the bats can be seen hanging there, occasional wafting their wings around to stay cool. How black bats stay cool in these temperatures I don’t know. They are a sight at night as they gather together on the wing before flying off.

    Lastly we visited Shell World to see an amazing collection of shells from around the world. With there being such strong restrictions upon collecting sea shells, it made me wonder why some elements of our past, that are no longer generally accepted as being appropriate, continue to be on display, while others are banished. This shell collection was started in the 1960s when a club was formed of local shell collectors. The numbers grew and individuals bequeathed their collection to Shell World. It was fascinating to see sections of shells and how some were polished. Rather like the Natural History Museum, after I’ve seen a few thousand of one item, I get a bit a bit blind to the variations.    Leer más

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  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs

    Capricorn Caves

    17 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Sometimes the most unexpected places deliver a treasure. I have visited a number of caves since I was a young boy. I have been lucky enough to go pot-holing, plus we have the internationally acclaimed caves at Wookey Hole where we have taken the kids.. I was not expecting these caves to astound me.

    We decided to go to these caves because they have good reviews. They are technically above ground. “The caves developed in limestone which was formed from corals growing in shallow waters around volcanic islands. After becoming exposed on land, the limestone was dissolved by acidic rain and underground water.” “Riddling the Berserker Range some 24km north of Rockhampton, this vast cave complex is one of the Capricorn Coast's foremost attractions. Technically not subterranean (they were formed by water working on the limestone of an ancient reef, thrust upward by tectonic pressure) they contain cave coral, stalactites, dangling fig-tree roots and little insectivorous bats. “

    The deepest we went was approx 2m below surrounding ground level. The local fig trees have roots that will search down 100m or more to find water. They penetrate the rock as the thinnest of roots and then, as they grow, they can break the rock apart.

    So why special? One of the caves is called the Cathedral cave and weddings can take place in there. There is a natural alter, a fig tree root comes down appearing like a bell rope and a stalagmite below the root looks like a fallen and broken bell. We were told that the acoustics are “better than the Sidney Opera House”. Certainly it made no difference in which direction the guide was speaking, her voice was totally clear. She then played “Hallelujah” with a very subtle light show that included periods of total darkness. Darkness that does not allow you to see your hand in front of your face. The combination of the music, the acoustics and the darkness were stunning and something that I will always vividly remember.

    The story were were told is that it took 5 years to map the caves in the late 1800s. During that period the explorer (was first discovered in 1881 by a Norwegian migrant john Olsen) had candles and matches but the matches didn’t work in the caves due to the damp. If the candle went out, then the explorer had to retrace his path, in the pitch darkness, back outside. I wonder why he didn’t use a Tilley Lamp - invented in the early 1800s?
    We left there later than we had hoped. All advice is not to drive after dusk as the wallabies, Roos and emus (camels too) come out of the surrounding scrub to eat the grass on the road verges, crossing at their will. The chances of hitting on is far higher in the evenings. We looked fr a nearby camp ground and decided upon St Lawrence Recreational Ground. The site has good reviews. We arrived after dark, drove past it because it was poorly signposted and then when we drove in, we wondered what we had let ourselves in for. We were certain that “Duelling Banjoes” (the theme tune to the film “Deliverance) was playing somewhere. The site was a huge expense of dirt with a building at its centre. Tree was only one car parked in the corner. Do we go or do we stay? We stayed ....    Leer más

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  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    Just looking at your breakfast, you can leave it, i'll keep an eye on it for you - honest
    BreakfastJust a little .... pleaseAll by myself ....He never gave me anything

    St Lawrence Recreational Ground

    18 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Had we arrived during daylight, we would have seen what an endearing campsite this really was. As we arrived in darkness, all we found was a vast empty space with one other car parked with a tent pitched next to it. Darkness, shadows and imagination didn’t make for a peaceful night’s sleep.

    When we woke up (early) we walked around the site. Kangaroos and wallabies roamed around. The site was exactly a recreational ground used for events. There were large kitchens and a bar. There was a horse race track. The camping area was simply the car park and the local town utilising the space, the toilets etc, to make money when it wasn’t being used for anything else. The town of St Lawrence was a few hundred yards away on the other side of the rail tracks. We had showers (had to pay $1 for 3 mins), and then I made breakfast

    We set off to St Lawrence to refuel. The town is a single, very wide street, but the street has planted areas between the two lanes. As we drove along and reached the end of the street our hearts sank as there was no sign of a fuel station. We turned down the other lane and decided to drive around again and stop at the store to ask them where the fuel was. We pulled up behind a big lorry to find he was refuelling from a single, very old pump. Bertha’s fuel tank is on the off side, so on a one way street I wasn’t sure how I would fill her up as the pipes were certainly not long enough to go around her. When I asked the driver filling his lorry what to do I could just see the disbelief in his face, he must have thought - what an utter drongo, “go up the road, turn around and come down the wrong way”. Obvious when you think about it.    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs

    Mackay

    18 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Once filled up, we set of to Cape Hillsborough via Mackay.

    On the way, as we passed Clareview, we saw signs for a dugong sanctuary 1km. Bun really like dugongs but has never met one, so the thoughts of seeing them “in the flesh” was very exciting. We turned off and drove on down the road along the coast until we had gone way further than 1km. We stopped to ask a local who told us the sea was the sanctuary, the bay at Clareview was the sanctuary and they could be sen in the sea at high tide. It was low tide and the sea was several hundred meters away. Slightly disappointed, we got back into Bertha and drove back to the main highway - “Bruce Highway”.

    We stopped for a coffee at “Flaggy Rock Cafe”. I hoped it would be like the Hard Rock Cafe it playing a local form of “flaggy rock”. No, it’s name after the to w of Flaggy Rock. Other than the joke crocodile and the lovely flowers, all that can be said is that they can’t make a decent coffee. We generally drink iced coffee, these are not difficult to make. Some places call them iced latte, others, iced coffee. The range of syrups, ice creams, creams etc that can be added is absurd. To be clear we always state, coffee, ice, milk, nothing else. Invariably the “nothing else” is interpreted as a squish of vanilla syrup or similar and that is what they put in today’s coffee.

    “Sitting in the middle of the Queensland coast, the Mackay region stretches from secluded islands off the coast through golden sand beaches and into lush sub-tropical rainforests. The historic town of Mackay is filled with 1920s Art Deco buildings and public artworks, as well as a vibrant dining precinct. See wallabies on the beach at Cape Hillsborough National Park, dive with shy platypus in Eungella National Park or throw a line in at some of the state’s best fishing spots.”

    We went to see two things, the mural depicting the history of Mackay, and the Orchid House.

    The mural was on a long wall and was quite interesting, but was very difficult to read as the words from different stories were intermingled with others. It’s interesting to see that,in my eyes, Australia doesn’t appear any more comfortable with its own slave trade and persecution of the indigenous people than Britain is with its part in the slave trade.    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs

    Cape Hillsborough

    19 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    “Verdant rainforest, rugged hinterland and clear rock pools provide unique habitats for some of Australia’s most iconic and elusive wildlife.

    Even the wallabies love the beaches around Mackay. In the Cape Hillsborough National Park, wallabies and kangaroos congregate in good numbers to fossick through the sand at sunrise.

    But you have to be on the beach by 04:45!!!! I’m supposed to be on HOLIDAY.

    I wasn’t sure what was more interesting to watch, the wallabies and Roos, or the crowd that outnumbered them many fold. It was an experience, but I don’t think I’d do it again.

    We watched the red-tailed black cockatoos in the trees and the two adopted grey kangaroos boxing before setting off to Airlie Beach.    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    Patiently waiting
    Nom nom nomLeave some for meIn case hou are wondering .... yes it did😂

    Airlie Beach - Bird Feeding

    19 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We arrived via a coffee in Prosperpine (they make v good coffee, sushi and carrot cake), found a site, went and booked a trip for tomorrow to the Whitsundays - where someone on a similar trip recently has a foot bitten off by a shark and his friend lost a lot of his calf .... ) then feeling the birds, then off for a walk around one of the marinas and find a beer.Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    All dressed up in ant-stinger suit before snorkelling3The whitest sand on any beachWe bought ourselves a yacht - just need to learn to sail itAll 4 feet accounted for. PhewEnd of a long day

    The Whitsunday Islands

    20 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    All of the excursions basically do the same. Go snorkelling, then to Whitsunday Island to see the best beach in the world, then go home, Various amounts of food and beverages are served on different boats. We decided to go on a small sailing yacht with a maximum capacity of around 24 and only 13 booked on it, rather than a larger catamaran that could take 80 with 78 people booked on it.

    I’m not sure what the experience was, we didn’t sail because it was not sufficiently windy, the snorkelling wasn’t terribly exciting compared to what we have seen before and the food wasn’t anything special. However, the whole day was lovely, the crew, the other passengers and the white sand on Whitehaven Beach was amazing. We saw dolphins and turtles while motoring to and from the island. We saw the coral spores that have recently “bloomed” and have made a brown scum on the sea surface. We a.so played at driving the boat - what children we were.

    Whitehaven Beach is a 7 km stretch along Whitsunday Island, it is known for its bright white sands, which consist of 98% pure silica. Local rocks do not contain silica so it has been suggested that the sands were brought to the beach by prevailing sea currents over millions of years.

    Unlike regular sand, the sand on Whitehaven Beach does not retain heat making it comfortable to walk barefoot on a hot day. This sand is also very fine, and can damage electronic equipment such as telephones and cameras, although it is good at polishing up jewellery.

    Georgie from Airlie, will tell all who gather and listen, that the beach's sand may have been used to make the glass used in the Hubble Space Telescope in the 1970s. However NASA has not yet verified this claim made by Georgie. They say that a resident from Airlie Beach is not an academic source. (We were told that this did happen).

    We stayed another night at the same campsite    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    "The Big Mango"
    Artwork made from rubbish taken from the seaJust hanging about on this boulderNo snorkelling today2Public vinegar, not for chips, but in case you get "stingered"They don't tell you untill you are half way round and wearing flip flops!!2View from our pitch ... not too bad?

    Bowan

    21 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Left Airlie Beach and found a local market that had sprung up because a cruise ship was about to send all of its passengers onto dry land to spend money. Looked around the market, into town, bought Bun a hat, onto Woolworths (supermarket), into a camping shop to see if they had a spare catch for our fridge as it has opened while we have been driving and spewed out a lot of its contents.

    Bun drove to Bowen where we first stopped at “The Big Mango” 🥭 which is what Bowen is known for. Compulsory to have a mango sorbet ... that I thought was pretty tasteless and would much prefer a piece of fresh mango.

    The information centre was not terribly informative. They told us that none of their beaches were protected by stinger nets (stingers = jelly fish). When Bun bought the “Welcome to Bowen” information booklet that we had been given elsewhere and showed them the map showing the stinger nets and they realised this was an up to date booklet .... well it didn’t make any difference as they don’t have any stinger nets. Lots of phone calls were made to ensure that the booklet would be corrected before the next print, but that didn’t help us as we don’t have any stinger suits.

    We found a campsite next to a good snorkelling beach. The site was almost empty and we found a great pitch overlooking a sheltered bay. Unfortunately the wind was blowing such that the snorkelling beaches looked like surf beaches. Maybe tomorrow will be calmer?

    We walked around the headland, up to the lookouts and back in time to sit on the beach with a beer and watch the sun go down. Why doesn’t everyone carry their house around with them to make the most of these opportunities when they arise?    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    Ouch!
    The salt flats outside BowenWhat i see from my rear view mirrorEverything covered in the red dustMount Coolon HotelBillThe barThe barTown Centre

    Off to Mount Coolon

    22 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Up early and walked to the snorkelling beaches only to find that the waves were still to big and the sea too murky. We walked around the beach and collected any rubbish we came across, fishing lines, hooks, plastic etc. Back to Bertha to pack up. Drove to the beach in front of where we stayed and went for a swim and a sunbathe.

    While we were wandering around, Bun managed to step on a twig that had massive thorns on it; one went through her flip flop and into her foot. We have two first aid kits and both were pretty useless. We managed to clean the wound and put a plaster on it, but it was not disinfected so we needed to improve our kit and buy some TCP or similar ... oh, and obviously mend Bun’s foot.

    We found a cafe overlooking the marina and planned where to go next. We have a flight to Lady Elliot Island early on Thursday, so need to be at Hervey Beach by Weds night. Do we carry on north and then race back, or go inland to see what happens there? We decided to go inland. Next stop will be Mount Coolon Hotel on the way to the gem fields.

    We started off by missing the turning we wanted to take onto Highway 77. An impressive name, better than Route 66. We turned back to find the road and set off down it. The directions were simple, travel for 120km and then go straight across the roundabout, then travel for another 80km and turn right.

    We were concerned that the road may not be sealed, ie no tarmac. After 140km we found that it wasn’t. We w ere on the red earth associated with inland Australia. The road was “gravel” but smooth. We managed speeds of around 50mph and everyone was comfortable. The sun was going down and we could see great plumes of dust approaching as a vehicle came towards us. We’d already had our first experiment of a 4 wagon road train on the tarmac roads, goodness knows what it would be like on a gravel road. Fortunately the vehicle was simply a large SUV (ute - utility) and the wind was blowing across the road away from our carriage so all was well.

    The red clay gave way to a harder and whiter clay that had been baked into ridges. We had read about corrugated roads and, at times, it felt exactly like that. It was good to turn off the road and pull up outside the hotel. We’d travelled about 200km and gone back in time 70 years..

    There was bloke (Bill) sat outside the bar, he was waiting for his wife. He installs cattle handling equipment and this area is big in cattle. The farms average 60,000 acres with one of over 360,000. The drought is causing all of the farms to reduce their stock levels.

    Liz, the owner of the hotel told us where we could park. The site is free of charge but offers electric plus toilets and showers. It’s becoming increasingly common for the areas suffering from economic challenges ie drought, to offer free sites for the grey nomads as they bring revenue into the area from eating at the restaurants, buying groceries and fuel. We have stayed in one other free site, but that didn’t offer any amenities.

    We hooked up and decided to spend the evening in the bar. We chatted to the locals. Their language was as colourful as their lives are tough. Expletives, including words no longer widely used in England, were so frequent that they made up almost the entire sentence. Most of them worked on “The Stations” where the farm/homestead is. Some work as “musterers” who work freelance to master the cattle, this is don on horseback and trials bike, sometimes assisted by a helicopter. They also have to sort the cattle etc. The cattle sound a bit wild and not too amenable to being bought in, sorted, castrated, tagged etc. Kat, one of the girls in the bar, works doing contract fencing, outside in the heat all day. None of them gets paid much, but they do get their board and lodgings. All in all it was Avery entertaining evening and Bun had some of the best fish she’s eaten (sweet lips - that was the fish).

    We went off to be at about 10. We heard the utes leave just before midnight. In the morning, one was parked on the other side of the road with a pair of feet hanging out of the window. One of the girls had decided to sleep in her car.    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs

    Mount Coolon Hotel

    23 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    When we got up and prepared to leave, we went to thank Liz for her hospitality and tell he how good the food had been. Although we were keen to leave, we accepted a tour of the hotel and to be told about its history - see photo.

    One bedroom had been the flying doctor’s consulting room when he visited each week. He would bring a nurse and perform minor surgery if required. Another bedroom had been the room where the gold was bought from the prospectors and stored in their vault. Outside there were various bits of machinery form days gone by, plus the chimney built with local, hand-made bricks.

    The business has been up for sale for a long time. They have rooms in the hotel and rooms outside “Dongas” that are two rooms built into a portacabin. There were. Number of these. The hotel has been full for many weeks, more than 20 dinners, breakfasts and packed lunches. There are more workman coming to the area as they look to tarmac the road - hooray 😀. We were told that the dust from the road was a major factor in fatalities.

    We set off with 60km of dirt track ahead of us. Our speed varied from 25kmph to 50kmph. Sometimes it felt like we were just running across a continual cattle grid. Sometimes, when we did come across a cattle grid, that felt oh so smooth. There were the occasional tantalising stretches of a few hundred metres of tarmac before reverting back to the corrugated clay. It was horrible. I accept that most vehicles going down the road don’t have cutlery, glasses and plates jumping around in the back, making a real din. But we did. Did I mention it was awful?

    Eventually we came to the end of the gravel road and then turned onto Highway 7 with our fingers crossed that we would not have to take Bertha down another corrugated road again.    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    Iced coffee break

    King of the Road

    23 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    We were looking for an iced coffee, but no cafes to stop at. Carrying the house around with you simply means - pull into a lay-by. When we found one, most of it was already occupied by a 3 waggon road train. Time to go and ask about them and see if I can have a look around inside.

    This engine was 19 litres and delivered more than 3,000 bhp. 16 gears, weighs 40 tonnes empty. Each wagons was approx 20 tonnes, depending on what he was hauling. With gran he was over 100 tonnes full. With 4 wagons he was over 120 tonnes. He couldn’t tell me how far it would take him to stop in an emergency.

    He worked 14 day on, 7 days off. For 14 days he lived in the truck. Behind the cabin was a good sized bedroom. He also had kettle and microwave. The view from the driver’s seat was great.

    I took it for a quick spin and returned it to him .... I wish.

    In my rear view mirror the ordinary trucks are pretty intimidating, I haven’t had a road train come up behind me yet. They are huge and many are just a wall of chrome. Beautiful to look at, but frightening to think of what carnage would happen if 120 tonnes went out of control.    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    2
    The red soil in parts of AustraliaBertha with the awning outA Gala, a noisy birdLots of Galas, lots of noise 😒

    Capella

    23 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    Capella is simply a place to stay between A and B. The site had decent reviews.

    When we arrived the site was almost empty. We chose a pitch and made the most of it by putting out the awning for the second time since we’ve been travelling. We are almost getting proficient at that task. We had a quick swim, did some washing, domestic stuff etc, then walked into “town” to find a local beer.

    Whatever Capella has to offer, we couldn’t find it. We did find a pub and we sat enjoying a beer. Back to Bertha for dinner and an early night as we have a long drive tomorrow to get us to Carnarvon Gorge.

    The metal sculptures refer to the Armoured Corps and how they earned the right to wear emu feathers in their hat. The story on the sculpture differs slightly in that it states that a couple of the soldiers caught an emu, took some of the feathers and put them in their hats. This started the tradition. The other story goes ....

    The Emu Plume

    Slouch hats worn by members of the Armoured Corps are adorned with Emu plumes, a tradition that originated with the Queensland Mounted Infantry during the great shearers’ strike in Queensland in 1891. During this time, the Queensland Mounted Infantry were called out, as soldiers to aid the Civil Power.

    As time permitted, the soldiers would participate in a sporting activity where they would ride their horses alongside the emus, plucked the breast feathers, and placed the feathers on their hat. The Gympie Squadron was the first to wear the feathers, a fashion soon followed by the regiment.

    The Queensland government permitted the Regiment to adopt the plume as part of its uniform in recognition of its service. In 1915 then Minister for Defence Sir G. F. Pearce granted all units of the Australian Light Horse permission to wear the plume , which they refer to as ‘Kangaroo feathers’.

    Emu tufts of approved design and dimensions are now worn by all members of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps as an item of dress. All Royal Australian Armoured Corps personnel were given authority to wear Emu plumes in the slouch hat, brim up or down in 1996, this was extended to all personnel serving in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps Regiment in 2000.    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    Looking up a 15m shaftLooked better in real life - the emerald holding wash above the bedrockBats!Oooohh Betty!

    The Gem Fields

    24 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We left Capella and headed for the gem fields with towns such as Emerald and Rubyvale- although we were told that Rubyvale was actually named after someone’s daughter, there aren’t any ruby gemstones there.

    We visited an old mine and went on a very interesting tour. I’m not sure that I would have had the nerve to mine as they did. Again, we were given another experience of being plunged into absolute darkness to reinforce the challenges they had ... along with cave-ins etc.

    There were a number of colonies of micro bats (rather than giant bats such as flying foxes and fruit bats), with a number being on their lonesome. We were told that they may be “lookouts”; if they were, they weren’t doing much good.

    The temperature had recently exceeded 40c in the area, so we were pleased it had gone down to a more reasonable mid-30s, but still felt hot. We could imagine the guides fighting one another to get back down the mine where the temperature remains a good bit cooler.    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    The Australian Bustard?4

    Journey to Carnarvon Gorge

    24 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    The journey from Rubyvale to the Carnarvon Gorge is approx 302km. Unfortunately, there is no signal for Vodafone in Rubyvale, so Google Maps did not work. Never mind, I had planned for such an eventuality and have a satnav app called Sygic, this already has the maps downloaded. Unfortunately, it didn’t get the route very accurately, short by about 100kms. It was only a conversational “how far is it to Tarkarakka Bush Campsite?” When paying for fuel, expecting the answer of 7kms down the road, but being told “Carry on this road for 60kms, then turn right and it’s along there in 40kms”. Our promises to be at the campsite before the office shut at 6 ... we’ll we failed. We failed so spectacularly that we just enjoyed the drive, the setting sun and took in the scenery. The last 40kms were great as it was getting towards dusk and the animals started coming out. The farmland was also not fenced so cows stood in the middle of the road.

    Kangaroos and wallabies have no road sense at all and it is now obvious to me why there is so much roadkill. Rather like deer, they appear from nowhere and jump straight in front of vehicles. Even at the speed we travel at, we have come close on a couple of occasions to hitting one.

    Our favourite new marsupial is called a “pretty wallaby” with eye shadow etc. We thought they were rock wallabies, but apparently not.

    We arrived at the camp at around 6:35, found our “late arrivals” information and then went to our pitch. Probably only 10%full, we had plenty of space. Looking up we saw a steady stream of bats, flying foxes in their thousands. We could hear them .... and smell them too.

    Last year there was a fire in the gorge and the bats, who had contentedly been living in the gorge, left and are still seeking a permanent home. They are not liked by many people because they are noisy and quite smelly. They roost in the trees near the camp. The camp has a scheme to try and move them on that involves bird scarers etc, a fine balance when you are trying not to upset the campers!

    Early to bed as we have to go hunting for platypus early tomorrow.    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    2

    Takarakka and platypuss hunting

    25 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    The alarm was set for 5, but I was awake before that. We dressed to protect ourselves against mosquitoes 🦟 as we would be down next to the river watching platypuses, or so we hoped.

    We sat and waited and walked up and down the bank. We were entertained by wallabies and kangaroos, but not platypus. Some told us that their friend had seen them just before 5 the other day. Tomorrow will have to be earlier.Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    2Echidna
    Cave paintingsThe entrance to the amphitheatre2The lengths some people go to ...Washing weary feet in the streamLooking up in the amphitheatreThe moss gardens

    Carnavon Gorge

    25 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    I could bore you with so much information about this lovely gorge (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnarvon_Gorge) but will stick to the photos. It’s difficult to select just 10.

    We walked the stated 22kms return to the Cathedral Cave. While the paintings are amazing, I found the amphitheater and other natural places ore special.

    Bun was thrilled to find two achidna stumbling around.    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    1Achidna not, he came in to get away from the storm 😂
    1A platypus

    Refuge from the storm

    25 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We walked out of the gorge at about 4:30. For the last 20 minutes we had been hearing thunder rumbling around.

    Back at camp I went to the kitchen area to do some washing up just as it started to rain. Within a minute the rain cam down hard. I continued with the washing up (the kitchen area is a corrugated iron roof on legs under which there are benches, sinks and BBQs) when Bun came to join me - she does t like thunder and lightening.

    I stoped washing up as the rain was coming in and the sinks were near the edge. Then an achidna wandered in and through the kitchen, quite bizarre.

    The rain turned to hail which hit the iron roof like golf balls.

    Across the site we saw a wallaby running towards the kitchen area it came skidding in and stood in front of us. It would have only been more comical had it tuned around and said “it’s blood wet out there”. It stood with is, waiting for the rain to ease. I thought it could have helped with the washing up but, as the wallaby pointed out, she hadn’t created the mess. Another wallaby came and stood under a tree just outside the kitchen area.

    After 20 minutes the storm had abated, the wallabies went back to munching grass, I went back to my washing up and Bun went down to the creek to try and spot platypuses!    Leer más

  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    Flying Foxes roosting near the campsite
    4

    Journey to Mon Repos

    26 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Mon Repos is the home for a newly refurbished turtle sanctuary and education centre - they educate the public, not the turtles. It’s currently breeding and nesting season so turtles are coming up to the beach to lay eggs. We thought we’d go there to watch this.

    The journey was 641km, not far shy of 400 miles. Bertha is a 1995 truck with a Winnebago accommodation unit on her back. She runs really well and is delightful to drive in a rather old fashioned way, akin to driving my old 1965 Hillman Minx. Manual gears, gear changes to go up hill, no cruise control, a/c that cools rather than chills the air; coupled with the fact that she is not aerodynamic, she is subject to crosswinds and the funny areas of turbulence that spring from nowhere, driving her requires a lot of concentration. We started at 9:00 and arrived at 6:35 having stopped twice for fuel and a very brief shop to get some dinner. By the time we arrived at Mon Repos, we knew we’d been driving all day.

    The creeks we had driven over two days before, now had water in them. We also had to go across a shallow river ford. We passed a memorial to the crew and passengers of a plane that crashed in the war.    Leer más

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  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs

    Mon Repos

    26 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    This was one of those experiences when I wasn’t sure whether I was part of the problem or the solution. AUS $23million had been spent on refurbishing the education centre. The information was great, beautiful videos about radio-tagged turtles and their journeys and photos, information sheets, interactive things for kids etc.

    The process is that we were all collected from a car park that is situated about 1 mile from the centre using a shuttle bus driving with no lights on. Once everyone arrived outside the centre (around 7:00) we were allowed in via a process of checking tickets etc. There is a small cafe, gift shop, education stuff etc. We were divided into two groups. I was told that there can be up to 60 people in each group. We were badge numbers 31 and 32 of group 2. Then we wait until a turtle comes up onto t(e beach where rangers are patrolling to spot them. Once a turtle is up and found a nesting spot, the group are taken to watch. The public cannot approach until the turtle is nesting as she won’t abandon her nest after she has started laying, but may abandon it if simply digging it.

    There were a lot of rules, no torches, no taking photographs until told, no devices that illuminate (smart-watches, phones etc)) stay behind the ranger, do as you’re told.

    The risk is that no turtles come onto the beach. I’m not sure if you lose your money 😩. More likely, they don’t arrive until 11 or 12:00 by which time everyone has spent their life savings at the cafe or gift shop and the young children are so fractious that there is a lynch party out to take them from their parents and lock them in a cupboard.

    Fortunately the first group were called at about 7:30 and then our group around 8:00. We were taken out of the centre and told that we would have to walk along a walkway, down to the beach. Be quiet, no torches etc. We spent a short while to get our “night vision” and then set off. A short way along the walkway there was a strobe light that flashed and immediately blinded you if you’d been looking in that direction. Night vision totally lost, we walked into each other, trampled the old and infirm underfoot until we could see again when .... flash - another strobe light. Who designed this? After a series of regaining night vision and then being blinded, those of us who had not fallen by the wayside stumbled off the walkway onto the beach where we regrouped.

    We were taken along the beach and handed over to another ranger. Taken further along the beach to a big blob that we were told was a turtle that had dug her nest and conveniently had laid an LED light in the nest! All of us had to stand behind her (she was facing up the beach), with the front row kneeling, the next row standing, the short people at the back not seeing anything and getting frustrated.

    Once she had finished laying we formed a circle around her while the ranger and an assistant bought eggs around for us to try, well, touch, eating turtle eggs is frowned upon.

    The rangers each took her measurements for precision, checked the tag numbers, called HQ and were told to re-tag her. I put tags in our sheep’s ears and that makes me wince, but a tag in a turtle fin, ouch. I think it made her eyes water too. The rangers were quick to point out that their eyes always run, making it look like they are crying.

    She flicked sand over us as she buried the eggs and scampered down to the see with us all trailing behind her.

    There were a lot of anti-plastic, anti ambient light messages etc. There is a lot of conservation and attempts to ensure the eggs have the best chance to hatch, being relocated if laid in a bad place, and that the hatchlings get to the sea. As we walked back being intermittently blinded,

    Back at the centre we were given information about the turtle we had seen, how many times she had laid eggs etc. They mate with multiple turtles and store the sperm. They then beach to lay eggs 3 to 6 times at approx 2 week intervals, during a laying year; each time having to haul themselves onto the beach and dig a hole. She may lay again after 3 or 4 or more years.

    It struck me as a bit of a circus that I was contributing to. I just wondered if I was contributing to their survival or their demise. If I was that turtle I would never go back on land again.    Leer más

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  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    Is Bun trying to make a point?
    Fields of gingerBundaberg Barrel, home of ginger beerI couldnt take a picture of them all. The stubby bottle with a tear off lid is their trademarkMrs Kalki Moon, she made a very good G&T, well it was past 6pm in England 😊

    Bundaberg

    27 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    “Bundaberg is an Australian city on Queensland's coast. It's known for Bundaberg Rum, and the Bundaberg Distillery offers museum tours and tastings. Bundaberg Botanic Gardens is home to the Hinkler Hall of Aviation, dedicated to solo long-distance pilot Bert Hinkler. Nearby on the coast is Mon Repos Regional Park, home to sea turtles, and offshore is Lady Elliot Island, part of the Great Barrier Reef.” It is affectionately known as Bundy as in Bun & Andy .... see, BUN from Bunny + NDY from Andy 😂

    However, we decided to visit Bundaberg Ginger Beer factory and a different rum distillery.

    Apparently the name Bundaberg is trademarked, alcohol for the rum company and non-alcoholic for the ginger beer factory. No one else can use the name, except, I guess, the town.

    Ginger is grown around the area and can be seen when driving around .... we were wondering what the crop was in amongst the sugar cane files.

    Bundaberg Ginger Beer is a family owned business started in Bundaberg in 1960 when Neville and Gladys Fleming together with their son Cliff & daughter-in-law Lee Fleming purchased Electra Breweries (Bundaberg) Pty Ltd, a bottling and fermenting business. During the 1970’s & 80’s most of the company’s focus revolved around the local market, manufacturing and selling franchised drinks in Bundaberg and Maryborough but production of their Ginger Beer expanded in the 1980’s when they secured distribution in Australian and New Zealand supermarkets. In 1995 they changed the company name to ‘Bundaberg Brewed Drinks’ developing a distinctive, local brand. They also introduced the ‘Brewed to Be Better’ promise, highlighting the key point of difference, brewing. They currently brew 15 different drinks and have two specials, one for Christmas and another to celebrate the CEOs longevity in the business.

    The tour was self-guided, but very interesting. At the end you get to sample all of their drinks and take a self-selected six pack away with you. It was an interesting way to spend an hour.

    Kalki Moon is a rum distillery that was started by a guy who had worked as the distiller for Bundaberg Rum. He then became an advisor to the rm industry and then decided to set up his own business with his wife. It is based in an unflattering industrial unit and employs about 7 local people. Kalki is the name of their house - the name Bundaberg had already been taken! We were shown around by Mrs Kalki Moon. Her passion was unmistakable. They have been brewing rum for 2.5 years and have sold .... none. In Australia, rum has to stand in the barrel for two years before it can be sold. Distilling rum was not a full time job so, while the rum was maturing, what to do with the still? Gin. They started their own brand of gin creating cash flow etc. They set out with the aim of producing Australian gin to compete in price with the imported gin. Their sales pitch is “the only Australian gin under $50 a bottle. Last year they won an international award in London for this gin. They also produce two other guns, plus a liquor. Obviously I couldn’t take any photos having sampled so much of their produce!

    We then went for a walk around the Bundaberg Botanical Gardens. These were slightly disappointing as the lakes were almost empty and the plants suffering with the drought. The Japanese and Chinese Gardens probably looked great with a lot of water.
    After that we set off to Hervey Bay to be near their airport for an early flight to Lady Elliot Island on Thursday.    Leer más

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  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    How did i do a selfie ofbthe plane?OMG - looks beautiful.What! No beard (Andy that is 😂). All prepared for diving.Its OK, we had a 12 yr old in the co-pilot seat incase the pilot couldnt fly. He learnt on his X-Box

    Off to Lady Elliot Island

    28 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We stayed last. Ignite at the Colonial Resort in Hervey Bay. There are pictures of peacocks wandering around - a bit worrying as they can be loud birds. I didn’t hear any birds, but that could be because I was tired and have become accustomed to the birds singing at all hours. The site is run by YHA, a bit tired, many backpackers, cheap and with a “bistro”.

    Up early, off to the airport. Boarded a toy aeroplane and off we went.    Leer más

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  • Andy n Bunny BriggsAustralia via KLAndy n Bunny Briggs
    Contemplating paradise
    Does this make my bum look big? Sexy bandana to stop my head burningWho had their mask too tight and has been left with a ring around their face?After dive cuppa to take the taste of salt awayAn eel

    Lady Elliot - Day 1

    28 de noviembre de 2019, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    OK, so we arrived at approx 8:50 and we were taken into a compulsory safety briefing - don’t walk across the runway if a plane is using it, don’t step on any of these things as they will kill you, don’t leave your food unattended as the birds will eat it, don’t walk on any coral and, if you walk around the beaches at night, don’t flash torches around as you will disturb the turtles who are coming up to nest - WHAT? We paid for a turtle spectacle yesterday and we can get one for free today? Oh, by the way, please complete this medical questionnaire and sign this disclaimer to say we have told you not to tread on any of these things ... and did we mention the sharks? Anyway, we have 30 hours in paradise, what to do?

    Lady Elliot Island, home of the Manta Rays” - exactly why we were there, to dive with the mantas. Straight to the dive centre. Bear in mind we can walk around the island in less than an hour, so nowhere is very far from anywhere.

    We were asked if we’d like to participate in a refresher session in the pool at 10:00? We’d done one in Swindon before we left, but I don’t think I can get enough refreshing, so yes please. Where’s our luggage with our swimwear? In the arrivals lounge ... well that room there called the arrivals lounge. Completed the refresher, need something to eat before we go diving. We didn’t have long so needed to balance the need to be hydrated and to have eaten, with not having eaten so that we sink like a brick, get cramp and be sick - although I’m reliably told that scuba breathing regulators do allow you to be sick through them without cutting off the air. This also attracts lots of fish 🐠- oh joy. We shared some pumpkin salad and the best triple cooked sweet potato chips Bun has ever eaten.

    Back to the dive centre, dress up in a full, black wetsuit in 34C, it’s hot. Carry the kit to the trailer, get into the carriage and off.

    The group of about 14 divers were split between the two dive instructors. The dive was disappointing because, unfortunately, the mantas were not “at home”. Fortunately, the other group who dived at a slightly different location didn’t see them either. We saw a number of turtles, a shark, lots of other stuff, but no mantas.

    Back to the dive centre, wash off the kit. Check in, off to room for a shower, then a walk. We have to be at the lighthouse beach to watch the sun go down at 5:30. Then off for dinner, then off for a guided nature trail. Then a walk around the island to see if we can spot a turtle. Is this what they call a holiday? No peace for the wicked.    Leer más

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