Beechworth - Home sweet home

After 8 1/2 hours driving we arrived at Beechworth, it was soooooo cold it felt like snow. So off to the op shop to buy some winter woolies. Had a great night catching up with Jackie.

We arranged an appointment at the local GP to get a referral for Mark for treatment at Wangaratta. We obtained the referral but to no avail, as it could have taken nearly three weeks before Mark could have treatment at Wang. So yet another phone call to Frankston, they got him in for an appointment for the following Tuesday.

So home we go. Dropped the hire car at Wangaratta on the Saturday morning, Fran came and picked us up. After picking up Danielle we went out to Mum's for a BBQ lunch. Tara and Justin came up to Mum's on the Friday night, so after lunch Mark & I came home with Tara & Justin. We arrived back on the Peninsula on Saturday 13th October, cold and homeless.

Outcome of the holiday to following; including total kilometres driven, total time away, update of the bus, getting the house back, catching up with family and friends etc.

Thank god for the RACV

Wednesday 9th October, we left Coffs Harbour at lunchtime, after making the decision to head to Victoria. After four & a half hours of driving, we were cruising up a hill on the Pacific Highway, halfway between Taree & Newcastle, Mark was changing down from 5th gear to 4th. Yes, the bus got stuck in neutral. Not a good feeling sitting on the edge of the highway with no gears, the semi's flying past only inches away and we knew we weren't going to get very far.

Yes, another call to the RACV.

Broken down on the Pacific Highway, near Bulahdelah

Here we go again.

The RACV and the NRMA were fantastic. The RACV arranged two nights accommodation at a motel in Bulahdelah.

As the NRMA mechanic couldn't get us going on the side of the road, a tow truck was called and the bus was towed into the nearest town, Bulahdelah. The mechanic where the bus was taken couldn't fix the bus for at least 5 days and we needed to get back to Vic, so the RACV then arranged a chauffeur driven Fairlane to pick us up and drive us 70km's back up north to Forster to pick up a hire car. A total recovery was then arranged for the bus and trailer, which involved both being pick up and taken back to Mum & John's, for John to repair.

The alarm was set very very early on the Thursday morning, so we could head off before 5am, did I just type 5am. Yes, earliest time we have been up on the whole trip, but we wanted to get an early start as we were aiming at reach Beechworth.

Thank god for the RACV and Total Care.

Gympie - Coffs Harbour

2nd October - 9th October 2012

We left Inskip Point and headed into Gympie for Mark to have his blood test, then out the a free camp north of Gympie as Mark had an early appointment the next day.

After treatment we headed across to Somerset Dam, before driving south past all the theme parks and into NSW, moving onto Mullumbimby, near Byron Bay. The weather is starting to get colder, not nice after all the warm weather we have had.

Somerset Dam

Artwork heading through the Gold Coast

Beside ourselves

Our next stop was Evans Head, a very nice small seaside town. The caravan park fronts onto a surf beach and also runs along side a river, which had sandy beaches. Evans Head was very busy due to the end of school holidays. We jumped on the bikes and went for a ride around town and off to the fish co op for more seafood.

Evans Beach surf beach

The river

We stopped over a night near Grafton and stayed at a Caravan Park and Ski Park, there was Malibu's everywhere, a waterskier's paradise. Every vehicle that goes into the Ski park has their own pin for the boom gate, for security due to the money's worth of the boats, vehicles etc.

The bridge at Grafton

Emerald Beach

We moved onto Emerald Beach for a couple of nights, still trying to arrange Mark's treatment in NSW.

On Tuesday 9th at lunchtime, we were finally notified that the oncologist in Queensland wouldn't

refer Mark onto NSW. Mark should have had his treatment the following day, so we both made the decision to head for Victoria and try to arrange treatment at Wangaratta.

Inskip Point

26th September - 2nd October 2012
We spent the week out at Inskip point with Sue, Gavin & Mitchell. Danielle, Ben, Annabell, Kirsty, Simon, Blake, Conner came out and camped with us and Kegan popped in for a couple of visits. Got the boat in and caught some whiting, sand crabs and Mitchell got himself a large hermit crab.

Our entertainment one day, as Mick pulled in with his bus and it just sunk into the sand. We had our fingers crossed that we weren't going to end up in the same situation when we were leaving. Lucky we got out with no issues.

The tinny sitting high & dry.

Gavin, Sue & Mitchell

Me at Rainbow Beach

The coloured sands

One of the crabs caught. 

Our camp spot

Biggenden - Gympie

23rd - 26th September 2012

On Sunday 23rd September we arrived back at Biggenden to catch up with Fay & Stan.

 Mark & Fay in front of the shopping trolley

Fay, Mark, Barbara (neighbour) & Stan

After leaving Biggenden, we wanted to go back to Burrum Heads but didn't stop the night at the caravan park was nearly full and too crowded. Instead we keep driving towards Gympie and stopped over the next two nights at free camps.

Isn't this Queenslander beautiful, and currently on the market. Make a beautiful B&B

Cone shells collected at Burrum Heads

Wednesday 26th - Mark had treatment at Gympie hospital before we went out to Inskip Point (opposite Fraser Island)

Funtastic - Great Keppel Island

20th September - 22 September 2012

Stopped over one night at Armstrong Beach, for up the next morning and did a tour of the Sarina Sugar Shed, then drove down to Yeppon. Stopped at the Big 4 caravan park and went sailing on the Saturday on "FUNTASTIC". This catamaran was built by Hans & Dianne, it took them over 4 years to build in their backyard. They have sailed the world in their boat and only take 4-12 guest on board. They supplied morning and afternoon tea. We went snorkelling before morning tea, then cruised over to Great Keppel Island, spent 2 hours on the island. Hans then picked us up from the shore in the zodiac then once back on board we cruised around to another cove and did more snorkelling, afternoon tea, then up went the sails and cruised back to the harbour. Very rough one the way back, with just added to the fun of the day. An awesome day and only$70 per person, we left at 9 and arrived back at 5.30pm.

Hans in the zodiac heading back to Funtastic

 Mark fishing off the back of FUNTASTIC

Funtastic anchored off Great Keppel

Bowen - Mackay

13th September - 20th September 2012

We spent two nights at Bowen which was great, getting the kayaks back in the water. Out in the kayaks we had two turtle's around us. Then went out to Kinchant dam for a couple of nights, then up to Finch Hatton Gorge and Eungella National Park. We did  a lot of hiking around Finch Hatton and Eungella, beautiful places. Back to Kinchant dam for one more night before heading back into Mackay for more appointments and to try to co ordinate our trip further south.

                                                                 Finch Hatton Gorge

View from Eungella, road was extremely steep. At one stage we were going up in 1st gear. Really thick fog rolled in at night, felt like we were back at Kinglake.

Did the Rainforest walk at Broken River, were we saw a snake at the start of the circuit and then a goanna half way along the track, so Mark was made to take the lead on that walk.

At Broken River you can see platypus, we didn't see any but there was heaps of turtles in the water.

At kinchant dam, we fed Diane's girls (the peacocks and guinea fowls) they would eat out of our hands.