We made it!

Our route marked in black

Finally we are at Rick's sister's house up the Range from Cairns. We have driven just over 4,000 kms since we left Melbourne, and around 730 kms from our former home in Adelaide, to Melbourne. Looking at our route so far, we still have a very long way to go if we want to see all of Australia; this is a VERY BIG country!

20-5-09: We made it to Emerald, then on to Sapphire where we stayed at the caravan park for 2 days so we could try our hand at gem fossicking. We purchased a bag of wash from Blue Hollow Mine and were shown how to wash and sieve the muddy stones and find some treasures. We scored a few small sapphires and zircons and are happy with our find.

One thing we had to watch out for in this area was the local livestock, which are unfenced and wander all over the roads; cows, horses and some odd looking chooks. (pictured below)

http://bluehollowmine.com.au/

22-5-09: We left Sapphire this morning hoping to reach Mackay before dark. We passed through varied countryside; Rubyvale, Capella & Clermont, then onto the Peak Downs Highway to Mackay, where we re-joined Bruce Highway. Photo below is countryside between Rubyvale and Capella.

This is the sign on a farm gate near Capella.

Wolfang Peak, on the Peak Downs Highway.

Mackay is a big town, surrounded by canefields, and there were a lot of coal mines in the area along the highway; saw more long coal trains. We drove 44kms further on to a nice camp ground at Seaforth; our first sight of ocean since we left Adelaide. Photo below is Winny parked at Seaforth.
Next day we drove a further 400+ kms through Proserpine, Bowen, Home Hill and Ayr; when we reached Townsville we headed out as fast as we could. It was like a city, with lots of traffic and confusing motorways. Well, it seemed hectic to us after all the distance we put in out the back of beyond. LOL

We found a nice free camp at Bluewater Creek, about 30kms north of Townsville, which was very popular that evening.

24-5-09: Left Bluewater Creek at 9.15am, through Ingham, stopped at Cardwell, which is the gateway to Hinchinbrook Island. This looked like a nice town, and we stopped long enough to try their famous Barra Burgers. Yum! (photo below)

This a view of Hinchinbrook Island.
After lunch we kept going; through Tully, which is supposed to be the wettest place in Australia, (but it was fine and sunny) Innisfail, which was devastated by Cyclone Larry in March 06, a major banana and sugar cane growing area. At last we arrived in Cairns. The traffic was quite heavy, and we copped every red light through the city. Finally we had the chance to see how Winny would handle the Kuranda Range, and she did a fine job; plenty of power up the steep and winding road.

Photo below is banana plants at Innisfail. They cover the bananas with coloured plastic bags.

So here we are in tropical Far North Queensland; supposed to be the beginning of the dry season, but it has been raining all day. Yesterday was sunny and quite warm, and we expect to get more of the same for the next 3 or 4 months.

Crikey!!!

Part of the tribute to Steve Irwin.

This looks like a tiger eating a bloke; tiger was actually licking the bloke's head!

Tigers; pic taken through tall glass wall I am trying to be short enough to qualify for a pony ride. LOL Croc at Australia Zoo.

Sunday we joined our niece and family for a visit to Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo. Though expensive, it was worth the visit. The young boys ran all day; don't know where they get the energy! We bade our goodbyes from the carpark, as we were already north of Caboolture, and found a free camp just off the Bruce Highway a bit further on, rather than back-track to niece's house. It was wonderful catching up with them, and we hope to stop by again on our way back down south later in the year.

Later that evening at the campsite........

"What's that funny noise" I asked.....................RAIN, said Rick. We woke up to more rain in the morning; set off at 9am northbound on the Bruce Highway, passing through Gympie & Maryborough. Stopped at Childers to re-fuel etc. I would have liked to stop here for longer as it seemed like an interesting town, and felt like we were quite high in the mountains. Actually, we have been surrounded by mountains all the way up here in Queensland; they must like mountains here............hahaha

We found a free camp at Gin Gin, where we needed a boat, as the rain was so heavy. When we woke in the morning it was still raining.

We left camp at 9am, another early start for us. Travelled north through towns Miriam Vale, Calliope, Mount Larcom, towards Rockhampton, where we decided to Go West (young man), towards Emerald along the Capricorn Highway, leaving Bruce behind.

I drove Winny for the first time today!!! About ??kms of winding and hilly roads to Duaringa. She wasn't as difficult as I had thought, so I will have another shot tomorrow. :)

Tonight we are free camped at a sports ground in the small town of Bluff, not too far from Emerald. The local lads are doing their footy training right now.

The coal trains are chuffing back and forth right across the road, and we hope to see the mines tomorrow, after seeing these trains all along our route today.

When we reach Emerald, and neighbouring towns, we hope to do some gem fossicking, as sapphires and other stones are commonly found in this area.

Still a long way from Cairns, but we hope to get there soon.

So far, we are enjoying this lifestyle, even though I would like to stop more often at places of interest. But we need to get to Rick's sister's place so we can help with his Mum, and sort out some other stuff.

Thanks for reading. :)