Sunday, January 10th.
Woke up early without the kookaburra chorus and had a look round the camp. It really is deserted. There is one other lot of campers, some people in the lodges and that's all. We packed up and had a swim then the caves opened and we were given a first rate tour by a young man who seemed very knowledgeable about the cave system. They are limestone caves so similar to those near Malham and were discovered when some boys were chasing a bush turkey. They are mostly above ground in the cliffs and the most remarkable feature is a huge cavern called the cathedral which is used as a church for weddings and carol services and also, because of the acoustics, for musical events.
After the tour we had a Devonshire cream tea of all things (it was only 10 am) then tried to make up for it by a walk through the nearby dry rainforest. A dry rainforest is apparently when there is not enough annual rainfall as the real thing, and results in a less dense growth.
Nice to know someone is thinking about me!
From Byfield we drove to Yepoon for provisions and then made our way to Agnes Water where we had intended to stay at our favourite beach campsite. Sadly it was full, and, as it was getting later, took a place in the town of 1770. The site seemed to be full of Australians who had been there for some weeks, and who spent every January in the same place. It was packed with 4wds huge, huge trailer tents with add on awnings, tarps etc etc making vast empires! It seemed to be very much a male holiday with boats and fishing high on the activity list. It did, however, have a beautiful beach and a glorious sunset.
Monday 11th January
Departing from Sardine City early in the morning, we visited the Bundaberg rum factory- I had never heard of it but it is a household name in Australia.
We reached Harvey Bay in good time to secure a pitch on a beach side camp and spent the rest of the day relaxing on the beach, swimming from the super shallow beach (no stingers now we are further south) reading, exploring the town and booking up for tomorrow's trip to Fraser Island!
Woke up early without the kookaburra chorus and had a look round the camp. It really is deserted. There is one other lot of campers, some people in the lodges and that's all. We packed up and had a swim then the caves opened and we were given a first rate tour by a young man who seemed very knowledgeable about the cave system. They are limestone caves so similar to those near Malham and were discovered when some boys were chasing a bush turkey. They are mostly above ground in the cliffs and the most remarkable feature is a huge cavern called the cathedral which is used as a church for weddings and carol services and also, because of the acoustics, for musical events.
After the tour we had a Devonshire cream tea of all things (it was only 10 am) then tried to make up for it by a walk through the nearby dry rainforest. A dry rainforest is apparently when there is not enough annual rainfall as the real thing, and results in a less dense growth.
Our next stop was a picnic lunch in the lovely Byfield National Park.
Our guide in the caves had explained some of the landscape, in that the mountains rising suddenly out of the flat plains were the result of volcanic explosions. It was very serene and calm, with rolling plains of sugar cane interrupted only by the cane railway which crisscrossed the flat lands. Creeks and streams ran across the track, and , as we got into the park, the forest began to thicken. Various homesteads from the luxury to the not so great were to be seen dotted about the plain, the cows and sheep grazing in the fields. I rather liked this notice;
Nice to know someone is thinking about me!
From Byfield we drove to Yepoon for provisions and then made our way to Agnes Water where we had intended to stay at our favourite beach campsite. Sadly it was full, and, as it was getting later, took a place in the town of 1770. The site seemed to be full of Australians who had been there for some weeks, and who spent every January in the same place. It was packed with 4wds huge, huge trailer tents with add on awnings, tarps etc etc making vast empires! It seemed to be very much a male holiday with boats and fishing high on the activity list. It did, however, have a beautiful beach and a glorious sunset.
Monday 11th January
Departing from Sardine City early in the morning, we visited the Bundaberg rum factory- I had never heard of it but it is a household name in Australia.
We reached Harvey Bay in good time to secure a pitch on a beach side camp and spent the rest of the day relaxing on the beach, swimming from the super shallow beach (no stingers now we are further south) reading, exploring the town and booking up for tomorrow's trip to Fraser Island!
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