Biloela to Fraser Island

1 with Bridget and David enjoying pre dinner drinks on Stoneleigh above their homestead with superb views looking south
2 Leaving Bridget and David at Stoneleigh
3 on the ferry from Hervey Bay to Fraser Island
4 Looking to Fraser Island
5 and the 4 wheel bus we drove round the island in, an extaordinary island of shifting sand - and literally all sand -with enormous and varied vegetation and forest full of wildlife.

Plain Creek to Biloela

We left Plain Creek mid afternoon and were lucky to have filled up with gas in Charters Towers the day before. The Belyando gas station (last gas for 200 or more km) had had the same power cut that hit Plain Creek and we'd have had to return to Plain Creek for the night. As it was, we reached Claremont by dusk and managed to get our tent put up in yet another superb council run caravan/camp site before dark. These sites have good laundary and camp kitchen facilities, so we always manage to buy ready meals at local supermarket and microwave. in tent and reading with our head torches by 9 , enabling early starts st dawn with usual back exercises and breakfast first.

We reached Bridget ( G's 1st cousin - Colin's younger daughter ) and David's 1,400 acre cattle property outside Biloela mid afternoon taking in library ( catching up on emails )in Emerald on the way.

1.Stoneleigh homestead.
2. David loading `lick` to deliver to his cattle as a feed supplement pending good rain.
3. Mustering cattle into the yards following a failure by yours truly to secure a paddock gate the night before. David kindly said he needed to do it anyway , but not convinced .
4. David on bike - horses out , bikes in - returning cattle to correct paddock.
5. Harvey and Ink revelling in ` a job well done `

Plain Creek, Charters Towers

We left Townsville mid morning after getting new passenger door lock for Catherine's car which continues to go like a dream. What a fabulous trip that car is giving us. Just couldn't be doing half the things we're doing without it . Arrived Plain Creek ( 80,000 acre cattle property ) 100 or so km south of Charters Towers by mid afternoon . A booming little town Charters Towers has become and very different from the day Mary and Robyn visited the cottage hospital there 35 years ago following an O/D on mangoes !
1 M with Cammo ( Reid & Robyn' 2nd son ) and his fiancee Carmen and son Mattie.
2 Mattie found his way into our tent and was much at home there. Note Cammo lighting the barbecue.
3 M shovelling sand from the creek by the cattle yards 12 km or so from the homestead prior to mixing cement.
4 M digging out an old wooden post in the yards prior to pouring cement for installation of new metal posts.
5 M with Cammo and Shady after completion of project. Hope some positive contribution from G & M , but not certain.

Townsville and Magnetic Island

Three days and nights in Binnie's ( Reid & Robyn's younngest daughter ) garden and we made the most of our stay there with a fascinating trip out to Magnetic Is

1 The view of T'ville from Castle Rock
2 She made it !
3 A deserted Horshshoe Bay
4 At last spotted a koala in the wild
5 Horseshoe Bay from ` the forts` on top of Magnetic Is

Mt Coolon, Birralee , Bowen and to Townsville

We left Carnarvon early and managed to make it comfortably to Emerald where we spent the night in another of those wonderful state run campsites. Then on next morning
to Bowen right on the coast but via some v remote country passing by the Belyando Crossing and Ibis Creek where M and I have such lovely memories of our 2 months there with Bruce and Delia 35 years ago.

1 The Mt Coolon pub ( Ibis Creek's ` local ) - hasn't changed one bit. Not much of a welcome !
2 The ringers' quarters at Birralee - where , 45 years ago, and on my gap year, I stayed when working for Pioneer Sugar Mills who owned this magnificent cattle property 20 K west of Collinsville. Tried to trace old ringer pals including Wally Grucock who fleeced me regularly at 3 card brag - I found his brother.
3. Breakfast by the pool at this campsite at Bowen - the sea again after what seemed like months in the bush.
4 Bruce and Jeannie Pott - a v experienced equine vet in Townsville for whom both Meghan and Duncan worked. Their daughter Jane visited us at Parkley Craigs.
5 Binnie outside her Townsville house and the garden where we spent 3 nights in our tent.

Carnarvon National Park

After camping at Injune campsite , we managed to get an early start arriving at the beautiful National Park before 8. Set up tent in the most comfortable of campsites and hiked way up the Carnarvon Gorge tsking in aboriginal art all the way. Had 2 days and 2 nights there before setting off for Collinsville and the coast.

1 Note the joey's leg - looks uncomfortable and dreadfully hot , but it seems to work and Mum gets around pretty well.
2 Aboriginal art going back hundreds and perhaps thousands of years.
3 Gorgeous swimming hole - otherwise billabong - temp - well ... not unlike the Lui ! Too cold for M
4 Spectacular view from high above the gorge
5 Gum tree perhaps 500 years old

Charlotte Plains to Miles

Photos from bottom
1. Leaving Reid & Robyn on the deck ` upstairs ` at Charlotte Plains
2. M with Alice and my latest 2nd cousin twice removed ( M has diff getting head round that one ) Tia.
3. M, Ted and Ann before canoe trip on Dogwood Creek right on their own property Mirrabook.
4. 3 generations , 2 nd cousin Ann ( Chookie ) with Alice and Tia.
5 Chookie and I in one canoe ( tipped with interesting results !) and M and Ted in the other ( far more skilled ).
A lovely stay in Miles ( and a great Historical Soc museum ) before heading for Carnarvon National Park