Hervey Bay QLD

Thursday 11th July

Today we left Elliot Heads and travelled south to Hervey Bay. We had booked ahead into Pilbra beachside Caravan Park which was next to the free water park but sadly was closed for maintenance. 

Great park right on the beach with what looked like new amenities with a huge family bathroom. The boys love staying at parks that have family bathrooms as it usually means they can have a bath. 

The view from the beach back to the caravan park

Looking up the beach toward Scarness 

Friday 12th July

We spent the morning doing some shopping and having a look around town. After lunch out we came home and put A to bed while J and I explored the beach and found a big crab shell which J happily poses with and has kept as a treasure from his time in Hervey Bay

Saturday 13th July

We decided that with 14kms of path around the foreshore it was an excellent time for J to loose his training wheels. So after a quick session around the park he was off and flying and rode down to Scarness (with us yelling behind to slow down) for morning tea. 

It was good to have some slow days and not do a lot of sight seeing. We would have loved to be here in whale watching season but as I've already said we need to leave things to do for when we travel again.

Next Stop......Sunshine Coast at Caloundra

Elliot Heads QLD

Tuesday 9th July 

Leaving 1770 we travelled 150km to our next stop. Elliot Heads, which is on the coast of Bundaberg approx 20km from Bundaberg. We had booked into the Elliot Heads Holiday Park for 2 nights on recommendation from the travelling family we met at St Lawrence. This is a council run caravan park and once again being on the coast it was full. The site we had been allocated was very tight with huge tree on the right hand side and the concrete slab on the left and vans in front. After several goes and almost ready to find somewhere else as it was such a tight fit we finally backed in. A little disappointing considering when I booked I did mention we had a 25ft van. We payed a reasonable $27 a night for a powered site and the boys were free as under 5. Amenities were clean with a key to get in. Across from the park was the beach with a great walk and to the other side was the Elliot river with boat access. Besides the Kiosk and 2 playgrounds there is nothing else here so best to do your grocery shopping prior to coming from Bundaberg.  

View of the park from the beach foreshore 

A decided he wouldn't sleep today so we did the old "put child in the car and go driving" which as expected worked. We drove around Baragra then to Bundaberg. We had talked about doing the tours of the Bundaberg Rum distillery factory and the Bundaberg Ginger Beer factory but decided the cost really outweighed the benefit we would get from them with 2 little boys. A was still asleep anyway so it was drive by photos. Oh well we really do need to leave things to do when we travelled again can't do them all in the me trip.

Bundaberg Rum Distillery and the Big bottle of Rum

Bundaberg Ginger Beer Factory

Wednesday 10th July

Today we decided to stay around the caravan park and let the kids play at the beach. We started off at the playground across from the park on the beach foreshore before heading to the playground near the river then down to the river to play in the sand and for a swim. The weather was lovely at 21 degrees but the water was cold but that didn't deter my 2 children. We like to play spot the Victorian children! They are usually the ones swimming.  I was told the fishing is very good and we met a family by the river mouth throwing in a few lines. 

looking from the river to the mouth and the surf 

The boys playing on the edge of the river

Only Victorians are brave enough (or silly enough) to go swimming in winter . 

Overall a great little caravan park another to add to the parks to come back to when we travel again ( that maybe when we retire) We do wish we could spent a little longer here but we are on a tight schedule to get back to the Gold Coast for As medical appointments 

Next Stop.....Hervey Bay

1770 QLD

Sunday 7th July

We left Kinka beach and headed to Rockhampton to the head South along the Bruce Hwy to Seventeen Seventy (1770) travelling 277kms. 1770 is the second site of The HMD Endeavour and Captian James Cooks landing (first landing in Queensland). The town was originally named Round hill but in 1970 changed its name to 1770 to commemorate the bicentennial of Captian Cook's visit on the 24th May 1770

We had booked for 2 nights at the Top Tourist Captain Cook Holiday Park between Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy. A great little park away from the hustle and bustle, in a bush setting with a 900m bush track to the last surf beach heading North in Queensland. The park had clean amenities, a camp kitchen and a pool. We payed $44 for Sunday night (QLD school holidays) and $36 Monday night then got our 10% discount for being top tourist members. The boys were free as under 5. 

After setting up we went for a late lunch in Anges waters then a play at the playground at 1770 

Then a nice walk along Bustard bay and the boardwalk

and a play on the surf beach back at the caravan park as A had a early sleep on the drive down.

Monday 8th July

Today we spent the day at 1770. First stop the playground as you come into town. The a photo at the Captain Cook monument and a drive up the hill to see the coastline.  

The boys at Captain Cook Monument 

We had an early lunch back at the caravan park then A had his sleep. We decided to eat out for dinner to booked in for an early dinner 5.30pm to watch the sunset over Bustard Bay at the Tree House restaurant in 1770.  Beautiful meal with a spectacular view. 

The sun setting over Bustard Bay

The view from our dinning table at The Tree House resturant 

There really isn't a lot to do here besides fish, surf ( it's has northern surf beaches Australia) and relax. Would be a great spot for school holidays when the boys are older. You can take a day trip out to Lady Elliot Island but like all cruises we felt the boys were just a little too young to fully enjoy it. Both 1770 and the larger nearby town of Anges Water are very much tourist villages therefore its best to do your grocery shopping before heading in as the 2 supermarkets are very small and don't stock a lot.

So the concludes our time in 1770 one that has allowed Jmes to contunue his learning about the discovery of Australia by Captain James Cook

Next stop......Elliot Heads (the coast of Bundaberg)

Yeppoon QLD

Saturday 29th of June

Today we left St Lawrence and headed south 215km down the Bruce hwy to Yeppoon via Rockhampton. While in St Lawrence I had rang and booked in at the Top Tourist Island View in Kinka Beach 15km from Yeppoon towards Emu Park. Given it was still school holidays it was a great surprise when the nightly fee was only $34 a night with kids under 5 free we then got out top tourist discount of 10% as well.

The park, as most are along the coast, was pretty much full, with mainly Victorians escaping the cold but Paul, the owner, put us out on the overflow area as we have a bigger van. Before booking in he took us down to the overflow area to make sure we were happy. It was a great spot close to the amenities room around us for the kids to kick the ball and play without being jammed in like sardines.

Looking from the overflow area to the amenities

The overflow area, still with power water and tv cord, just no concrete slabs a little sandy but plenty of grass cover.

The park has old but very clean amenities, a small playground (swings and a see saw) and a pool. It is across the road from the beach and the bus from Yeppoon stops out the front.

The beach in front of the caravan park with Great Keppal island in the background but you do need to take a cut lunch when the tide is out 

Sunday 30th June

Whilst surfing the net to find out what's to do in the area, I came across the Archer Stream Railway Museum in Rockhampton and today was their family fun day. $2 per adult for entry children free and $2.50per person to ride on the steam tram. They had the local pipe and drum group playing, Star Wars characters to entrain the children, balloons and vintage cars on display.

J outside the station

The boys on the tram

Needless to say with 2 boys both very much train mad they had a ball. 

After a quick bite to eat we headed to the Rockhampton bontanical gardens and to visit the free zoo. Wow, the zoo wasn't what I expected, with dingos, reptiles, a large walk through bird avery, koalas, 3 chimpanzee enclosures, wombats, and kangaroos. Well worth the stop is you are driving through Rockhampton

Monday 1st July

Monday we walked around Yeppoon, then in the afternoon we caught up with a lovely family whose 2yo also has several congenital heart defects which I had met via the Heartkids Australia Facebook book page. Heartkids is a charity which supports families with children with congentigal heart defects/disease. Did you know that congentigal heart disease (CHD) is the biggest killer of children under 5 in Australia? One in every 100 babies in Australia are born with a congentigal heart defect. Many needing life saving surgery before their 1st birthday . A has 3 congenital heart defects and will require surgey in the next few years. We have an appointment with his cardiac surgeon from the Royal Children's Hositpal in Melbourne when we return home in Septemeber to discuss a surgery date.

For more information on congentigal heart disease and the work Heartkids Australia do or to donate please visit there website http://www.heartkids.org.au/ 

Tuesday 2nd July

The morning was spent once again looking around Yeppoon while we the landcruiser was being serviced. It took longer than expect so the little boys and I caught the bus bak to the caravan park for lunch and afternoon sleeps

After the boys woke we did a mad dash into Rockhampton to have a look at a new car which i had found on carsales website. We hadn't planned one buying one till a little closer to home and I would drive it home but this was was exactly what we wanted and even trucking it back to Victoria we saved money (plus time) compared to similar cars in Melbourne. Many thanks to Luke from Ian Weigh Toyota for all his help. 

Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 3-6th July 

We didnt really do a lot over these days, Rob finialiesed the car. Domestic chores where done, the kids played with another travelling family, many trips to the beach and just sit back and enjoying life.

We did take a drive up to Byfield National Park but the weather turned and started to rain up there so we turned around and headed back to the caravan park (andof course the sun was out) We also did the walking track at Bluff Point in the Capricorn Coastal National Park ( not far from Kinka Beach towards Yeppoon) up to turtle look out. Rob was the only one who briefly saw a sea turtle in the ocean below.

Overall our time in Yeppoon area was great we stayed 4 nights longer than we first booked in for. Certainly a Park and a place we would love to return to if we are ever up this way again

Next stop.....the small town of Seventeen Seventy (1770)

St Lawerence QLD

Monday 24th of July

Since it's now Queensland school holidays we decided to try and sit some of it out free camping, as most caravan parks on the coast upped their nightly rates to high season with many parks. So we consulted our Camps 7 book (also known as they travellers bible) and the smartphone app WikiCamps and settled on a great free camp at St Lawrence recreational reserve (Camps 7 QLD 87) which is between Mackay and Rockhampton. On our way we see some great signs, thankfully my children don't read yet. We missed the first sign which said "Are we there yet"

So 300km later from Airlie beach we arrive. It's a great free site 5kms of the Bruce hwy with clean 3 minute hot showers for a $1, drinking water a lovely undercover area and bbqs and plenty of room for the children to ride bikes. They have 2 sections one for generators which is to the left of the toilets and a non generator section to the right and you can camp here for 7nights. We set up camp in the generator section. 

Our campsite

The non generator section (we were at the left hand edge of this photo)

Looking back up to the amenities and the undercover concrete area and the no generator area

Now there really is nothing to do here, the town which is about 1km from the rec reserve consists of a Post Office, a Hotel, a police station and a General Store which also sells fuel so it's wise to make sure you do a full grocery shop before arriving. There is a small playground in town as well but not really suitable for young kids. 

The rec reserve backs onto wetlands and there is a walking track that takes you out to a shelter where you can sit and watch the bird life. 

The wetlands at sunrise

Another travelling family joined us to sit school holidays out so J made a new friend with Ned who was also 4. 

The Thursday we headed back up the Bruce highway to Carmila to have a look at the other free camps we past. Carmila Beach (Camps 7 QLD 83 ) is right on the beach but sites a tight narrow and very sandy and I suspect it would be a midgie (sandfly) haven. Flaggy Rock community centre (Camps 7 QLD 84) looked really good with lovely green grass a playground and a small swimming pool but you need to be self contained ( have your own amenities, water and be able to take away your black and grey water waste) and it has a 72hr limit. We stopped for morning tea at the Flaggy Rock Exotic fruit gardens and homemade ice cream before heading to Clairveiw for a play on the beach and rock pools then fossicking for shells 

We ended up spending 5 nights here at St Lawerence. We witnessed some amazing sunsets

It was good just to sit and do nothing and the boys had to make their own fun. The nights without power did get a tad cold (5,6,7 degrees) but we were toasty in our thermals but the days were magic usually around 23-24 degrees. The only downside was midges (sandflies) loved me.

Defiantly a spot to call in and spend a night or five if your travelling up this way, it is very popular with travellers anywhere up to 50-80 vans a night but plenty of room

Next stop......Yeppoon