Wednesday 27th June - Mark is currently in having his third chemo treatment at Mackay. After he has finished we are driving north, destination maybe Conway Beach near Airlie Beach.
I'll update in a couple of days.
PS Weather is picking up - sunny & currently 25.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Seaforth - Cape Hillsborough
We arrived back into Mackay, staying again at the Premier Caravan Park. Mark had his second chemo treatment at the hospital, before we took off north of Mackay to Seaforth.
Seaforth is a small seaside town, beautiful beach, but once again we hit the coast and the weather is against us. Rain and cloudy, but we were still able to get out on the bikes and a couple of walks. Heaps of birdlife and they knew whose camp to visit. The rainbow lorikeets were all over Mark.
Seaforth is a small seaside town, beautiful beach, but once again we hit the coast and the weather is against us. Rain and cloudy, but we were still able to get out on the bikes and a couple of walks. Heaps of birdlife and they knew whose camp to visit. The rainbow lorikeets were all over Mark.
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| Rainbow Lorrikets |
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| Whistling Ducks |
After two nights at Seaforth we went 12 km's down the road to Cape Hillsborough, an absolutely beautiful place, where the mountains met the beach. We stayed here for three nights, still got the rain, but was able to do three out of the four hike available in the area.
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| Mangrove Walk at Cape Hillsborough |
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| Beach at Cape Hillsborough |
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| Rainforest walk at Cape Hillsborough |
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| Mark feeding a friendly brush tail possum |
Mark didn't read the rules about feeding the wildlife. This possum stayed with us for over an hour, getting a nice feed.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Kinchant Dam
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| Kinchant Dam |
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| Mark, Fay & Lorelle |
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| Mark, Fay, Dianne & Bling |
Kinchant Dam has an open air pub, with a massive fire pit, which is going 24/7. Drinks are very pricey, at $10 for one can of scotch and cola. There was bands playing throughout the weekends and we were just staying below the pub, so we could enjoy the music from the campsite.
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| Kinchant Dam Pub |
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| Great spot for a drink |
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| Our campsite at Kinchant Dam |
We camped right on the edge of the water and had a friendly duck that would come in for a feed morning and night.
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| This duck adopted us |
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| Mark at Kinchant Dam |
We all went out fishing, Mark & I had no luck with the fishing, but Kevin caught a barra and a sooty grunter. We had the boat and the kayaks in the water the whole time. Weather is fantastic, sunny and about 23 every day.
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| The Wheeler Family |
During our time at the dam, we caught up with Diane & Kevin's family.
We spent 10 nights out on the dam, as Diane lent us her car, so when Mark needed treatment we drove back into Mackay with her car. We certainly had a fantastic time catching up with family.
Mackay
We collected the bus on the Tuesday and were back on the road by 1pm. Arrived at the Premier Caravan Park, which is only a good 20 minute walk down to the Mackay Hospital, about 5pm.
The next couple of days we were in the hospital with Mark having blood test, CT scans and an appointment with the oncologist. So during this period we either walked or cycled wherever we needed to go. Mark will now be having chemo every Wednesdays, so we are going to hang around Mackay for three treatments, then one at Townsville and then 5-6 at Cairns.
We headed out to Kinchant Dam on the Saturday.
The next couple of days we were in the hospital with Mark having blood test, CT scans and an appointment with the oncologist. So during this period we either walked or cycled wherever we needed to go. Mark will now be having chemo every Wednesdays, so we are going to hang around Mackay for three treatments, then one at Townsville and then 5-6 at Cairns.
We headed out to Kinchant Dam on the Saturday.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Rockhampton - Capricorn Coast
Left Calliope, travelled through Rockhampton and headed towards Emu Park. Stayed a night at the caravan park on the water. We had wanted to go out on a 17metre cat "Funtastic" that we had been told about that the cruise went through the Keppel Islands, but on calling to book they weren't going out for at least another week, due to strong winds etc. When we arrived at Emu Park we could understand why they weren't going out the winds were strong and the water was brown, not the cystal blue colour that the locals kept tell us it is normally like.
After Emu Park went through Yeppon and onto the Capricorn Caves, north of Rockhampton. As we pulled into the Capricorn Caves entrance, Mark knew something was wrong with the clutch as he had the clutch to the floor and the bus was still moving forward. We had the maintenance guy at the cave give us some brake fluid, as the fluid levels were down slightly. We then went down to see the local mechanic, who informed us that the master cylinder was on its way out. But he thought we would be able to get the bus to Mackay.
We decided then to stay for two nights, until Sunday as there is heaps of roadworks along the Bruce Highway, due to all the recent floods and we thought there wouldn't be any roadworks on a Sunday.
The Capricorn Caves and caravan park was amazing. There is a cathedral cave where they hold weddings and opera's. Staff went out of they way to help us, amenities, camp kitchen area is great, we had fires each night down at the camp kitchen and got to met some wonderful fellow campers. We would rate the park 10/10, great spot, but the weather still isn't kind to us, overcast and rain.
We took off on Sunday morning and got down into the town of The Caves and had no clutch, so yes had to call in the RAVC?RACQ, who have been fantastic. The RACQ ute came and picked up the trailers and me and Mark came back into Rockhampton with the bus on the tow truck. Not a pretty sight.
The RACV were great, they arranged a taxi out to the airport to pick up a hire car and accommodation at a caravan park at Rocky.
As the bus was going to be out of action of at least a day or two we decided to check out the Koorana Crocodile Farm, which was awesome. The farm breeds for meat and skin and we both got to hold a two year old croc. Then I had to try the croc pie for lunch, which was beautiful. Back at Rocky for the night and hopefully the bus will be ready tomorrow, so we can take off to Mackay.
After Emu Park went through Yeppon and onto the Capricorn Caves, north of Rockhampton. As we pulled into the Capricorn Caves entrance, Mark knew something was wrong with the clutch as he had the clutch to the floor and the bus was still moving forward. We had the maintenance guy at the cave give us some brake fluid, as the fluid levels were down slightly. We then went down to see the local mechanic, who informed us that the master cylinder was on its way out. But he thought we would be able to get the bus to Mackay.
We decided then to stay for two nights, until Sunday as there is heaps of roadworks along the Bruce Highway, due to all the recent floods and we thought there wouldn't be any roadworks on a Sunday.
The Capricorn Caves and caravan park was amazing. There is a cathedral cave where they hold weddings and opera's. Staff went out of they way to help us, amenities, camp kitchen area is great, we had fires each night down at the camp kitchen and got to met some wonderful fellow campers. We would rate the park 10/10, great spot, but the weather still isn't kind to us, overcast and rain.
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| The Capricorn Caves Capel |
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| Lorelle & Mark at the capel |
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| The bridge walk |
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| Our first breakdown - not a pretty sight |
As the bus was going to be out of action of at least a day or two we decided to check out the Koorana Crocodile Farm, which was awesome. The farm breeds for meat and skin and we both got to hold a two year old croc. Then I had to try the croc pie for lunch, which was beautiful. Back at Rocky for the night and hopefully the bus will be ready tomorrow, so we can take off to Mackay.
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| Croc at the Koorana Crocodile Farm |
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| Mark with 2 year old croc |
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| Lorelle with the croc |
Boyne Island - Calliope
Monday 28th May - Wednesday 30th May
We took off from 1770 and headed off to Tannum Sands - Boyne Island, thinking it was a small seaside township but instead found a huge metropolis. We stayed a night along side the Boyne River then set off on Tuesday to Calliope, stayed at a free spot for two nights beside the Calliope River. In the afternoon we were greeted by Brian, (Patrica's step daughters partner) Mark & I had met Brian and Laurel while we were staying down at Capel Sounds (Rosebud) and thought we might catch up somewhere along the line, but amazing to find we have pulled into this area both on the same day. Brian & Laurel came down later for a drink and a catch up. Hopefully we might catch up again in Cairns.
We took off from 1770 and headed off to Tannum Sands - Boyne Island, thinking it was a small seaside township but instead found a huge metropolis. We stayed a night along side the Boyne River then set off on Tuesday to Calliope, stayed at a free spot for two nights beside the Calliope River. In the afternoon we were greeted by Brian, (Patrica's step daughters partner) Mark & I had met Brian and Laurel while we were staying down at Capel Sounds (Rosebud) and thought we might catch up somewhere along the line, but amazing to find we have pulled into this area both on the same day. Brian & Laurel came down later for a drink and a catch up. Hopefully we might catch up again in Cairns.
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| Calliope River |
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