Partly cloudy, but not bad. Midday, let’s do something. Oh, if we must.
So we are off to River Heads and Kingfisher bay. The Place where the ferry is caught to Fraser Island.
A huge dip in the road suitable for note and display but alas , a very poor after thought out the back window just doesn’t do it justice..
Good old ‘Queenslanders.’
A good young non Queenslander.
Self adoration.
The Ferry. Anchored, I think.
My two lady colleagues. Jan on the left is our host, tourism advisor and health walking instructor.
The rules on Fraser.
Fourth rule down. Seats must face front or rear. You know what that means? NO Troopies!
What’s that dot.
Zoom to the sea eagle.
Same.
A boat launch landing.
Great old buildings.
Back in town. What is this?
It’s a coffee cart. A Gypsy coffee cart? I’d like to see the operators ‘clobber.’ Violin background music and band-era’s on the head. Thank god we’re not going where he is.
We stop for bread. This vibrant, iridescent, candy red colour I have only ever seen on Mazda.
Googled it . It’s ‘Soul Red Crystal..
Next I am forced against my will to go for a healthy walk. Looking for any distraction, I spot this rather uniquely constructed letter box stone post.
We virtually never go for a walk without our guard, Chilli the wonder dog.
Not bad for a Slow Sunday.
Late so we have a scrub up and a simple meal. Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon on toast. Movie. My goodness. The red wine bottle is empty. It must be time for bed.
Yet another sunny day and a walk is scheduled for 8.30am. Yes. A walk. On purpose. (!?)
We depart at a civilised 8.40pm. It’s a 15 minute walk without dawdling. We don’t dawdle, but we do stop and look from time to time. This little house has a picturesque garden and advertises full time plant sales. The yard was a good advert.
We reach the beach a couple of minutes late and play throw the stick in the water for Chilli the wonder dog. On the way back, I spot this ‘hibiscus’. Beautiful.
N.B. Hibiscus Plant Description Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Wikipedia. Family: Malvaceae Genus: Hibiscus; L. Kingdom: Plantae Order: Malvales
Almost home and we come across ‘a magnolia.’
Damn. It’s like spot the bleeding flower, isn’t it.
We get back even though Chilli was flagging a bit. Then again being fair, she is 13 years in human terms which is 91 in doggy years. I won’t make that let alone be doing a 15 minute each way walk with a few minutes of chasing a stick in between.
I love that humorous suggestion, ‘Do dogs bring the ball back because they think you like throwing it?’
So she makes it back and decides to try out Anne’s new cow hide. It was road kill and it took Anne about an hour to skin it. I was impressed. That new Victorinox knife really proved it’s worth. You think it’s a bit messy cleaning up after baking. You want to try cleaning up after that.
I didn’t see this but Anne must have swiped the camera. Hang on. That’s right. I heard the music while in repose watching the TV.
We do shopping as there are visitors this afternoon. Fellow South Australians, although they have been here so long, I don’ think that counts anymore. A pleasant afternoon with K & S then a movie. Rocketman. Very, very good. Then …
Another sunny morning. Mixed day today. Slow morning but at 12 noon our local time here is the Funeral podcast in Adelaide for my dear Cousin Mal Henderson. We tune in but their volume is very low so we have to bend over and get or ears about 6 inches from the speakers on the join of the laptop.
It was a very good presentation of Mal’s extraordinary and full life thanks to Kay. 34 years and you would know your spouse very well. Furthermore the delivery of script provided to the the funeral director was very well done. The service was over an hour and with what Mal had achieved over his lifetime, the hour was barely enough.
We only saw the service with view of the pews but there must have been so many outside unable to get in, because the procession after to place a sprig of Rosemary on his casket seemed to go on for ever. It was touching that the armed forces provided a bugler as is the way with returned servicemen.
Friends and family were asked by Kay to make a brief statement about Mal for the funeral director to read out. There were at least twenty of them. This is what I provided …
‘Leith Carroll on Cousin Mal Henderson. It was suggested I should keep my comments short. How on earth can anyone do that when talking about my Cousin (Cuz) Mal Henderson. He always called me ‘Cuz’ and I called him ‘The Oracle’ because he had a story and the right advice for just about any situation. Suffice to say, the world with all its problems can now relax. Mal’s up there and I’m sure he’ll be able to sort things out. He’ll front up the Boss and start with, ‘Now listen up. I’ve got something I want to tell you.’ Yes. Mal’s on the job and they will be hanging on his every word, just like I did. It was always better when Mal was there. See you later Cuz.’
The day goes on and Chilli stands (lays) vigil. The vigil paid off because we took her for a 20 minute walk.
Anne admires Jan’s kitchen, particularly the island.
The rest of the day passes.
It was Chili Con Carne by us tonight after showers. We start watching Die Hard but it was a big ask after a full day, so …
We wake to a beautiful sunny day and the warble of magpies … I guess they are magpies? Do others warble?
We are in a Court so, only local traffic and by 9am, we hadn’t had any. Just the ‘warbles.’ Lot’s of it.
The van is perfectly placed adjacent the front door.
I guess this is a ‘peek-a-boo.’
Lovely colours in the front yard.
I thought the red lilies had another name.
N.B. Lycoris radiata, known as the red spider lily, red magic lily, or equinox flower, is a plant in the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae.
Anyway, very pretty.
A warbler obviously terrified of humans. He and friends were on the scavenge in the back yard and are so bold we had to shut the screen door or they would have gone inside.
I wondered how you can tell the difference between Male and Female.
N.B. The male and female are similar in appearance, and can be distinguished by differences in back markings. The male has pure white feathers on the back of the head and the female has white blending to grey feathers on the back of the head.
OOPS. Apology. When I listed ‘Male and Female’ above, I guess I should have listed, ‘Male, Female, Non-binary and Other.’
This is friend, Mr G and I introduce ‘Chilli’ The wonder dog.
Chilli shares Jan’s house along with two big fluffy cats and they all get on well together. Chilli is I think 13 now but you can’t keep a good dog down. She is very perceptive so there are two words that cannot be said and have to be spelled to avoid an excited performance. Those words are W-A-L-K and B-E-A-C-H.
This is Chilli charging into the brine without fear or hesitation when the ball was thrown .
She returns with the prize.
This process has to be repeated many, many times.
No retrieval here. Just looking for crocodiles.
All safe. No crocs found yet.
In the mean time Chilli continues on her mission.
Now what’s so interesting about this ute? Have a squint.
Friend Mr G is going to drop Chilli home.
Jan drives us around town and I am amazed at the size of the place now, as opposed to 25 years ago. I have a vague recollection of a quiet esplanade and a tackle shop I bought a rod from back in January 1996. I keep looking for it and every now and then I think, ‘That might have been the building.’ But no.
Not a bad table and chairs on the footpath.
We decide on fish and chips for lunch. So we get the family pack which is three pieces of cod, a large chips and a large bottle of drink. So I order. It sounded like the start of a joke. ‘The three pieces of fish …. One grilled, one crumbed and one battered please.’
While standing in line I talk to a quite mature man who knows the area. I tell my story of the Tackle shop. He says, ‘That would have been the one along there about two or three blocks. It was near the corner of the Esplanade (we are on) and Zephyr Street. It Got moved around the corner and down the road a bit.’ Really? What is it’s name?’ says I now excited. He says, ‘Tackle world I think. I reckon it was bought out by a chain.’ I thanked him, well pleased.
We had our lunch a la park over the road …
… then took a drive down to Zephyr Street. A we go around the corner into Zephyr, I look out the side window and see the side of the two storey building facing the esplanade where the tackle shop used to be.
We go up to the next main street and turn right. A few blocks along and there is Tackle World. Well I have had a little closure on one curiosity of our trip up the coast all those years ago.
No. This isn’t a real whale. It’s shiny metal but is does look a classic breach.
Sunny, cool-ish morning. We vacate 10.45am a mere 45 minutes late. We are getting better. No park dump point so about five minutes north to Lions Park which has a dump point AND potable water AND public toilets AND it is a free camp AND this Indian bike arrives. Looks old. It’s only a couple of years old.
Woolworths, BWS, coffee, diesel and we are ready to head off to Hervey Bay to see our daughter. We set off about 2pm.
N.B. Back in around 1997 when we lived in Darwin, a friend called from Adelaide and said a fellow member from his gym is moving to Darwin and can we look after/help/give her a hand/keep an eye on her. We were happy to do so and Jan B became a friend. However because we did drive her around etc she called us mum and dad and we called her daughter. By the way vintage of all three of us would exclude such a relationship. Terms are symbolic only.
In transit for about a two hour trip.
Stop at Childers for a walk around and stretch. Nice little park with plaque of explorer settler, William Howard.
There they are again.
I don’t get it. I think the punctuation is wrong. Should it be ….
‘Why do we have lockdown? When vaccinated, you can still catch it and still pass it on.’
OR …
‘Why do we have lockdown when vaccinated? You can still catch it and still pass it on.’
Does it say the same? It is a bit confusing. Is it not?
Bloody road work again/still.
We arrive, unhitch, connect up water etc, witness a bit of a spooky sunset and adjourn inside to eat, drink and talk over old times.
It was a fun get together, but, believe me, it was also a tiring day so, till tomorrow, it’s ….
Up. Sunny. Still no internet so this blog and the last two days had to wait till tonight. Message from Phil. Going straight through as keen to get home. We can see him later on when we get more south.
My how very clever. Frog says, ‘I’m here till I croak.’
Our spot. Anne wearing a towel over her head to either, avoid bird droppings, disguise herself from the crowds or has just washed her hair and is drying it. Either all, one or none of the above.
Anne took this one. Well spotted darling.
So just who was ‘Big Artie’ and what was his relationship with this windmill? It could be the name given to the mill, except there is a photo of Artie. Big Artie that is.
Now we pull into the servo because the sign says, Diesel: 151.7 per litre.
So I am filling up and Anne says, ‘It says 153.7 on the pump.’ So I suggest she goes and asks them. She comes back and screams, ‘Stop!’ I quiz her she says, ‘This is not Diesel.’ (As per the bowser immediately below.)
‘….. It is Ultimate Diesel!’ (as per the bowser below. This is the one I was using)
I responded, ‘Well it has got the magic word Diesel in it and I cannot take it out the tank, so I will finish the fill and we will have Ultimate Diesel and see if we can tell the difference.’ I go into pay. I reminded them my wife had come in to ask what the price difference was for. I said, ‘I googled ‘Ultimate Diesel’ and apparently it is distilled by virgins.’ Blank looks back at me. I always like to see that confusion between the two thoughts of ‘surely not’ and ‘he googled it’. Blind faith in google can make people vulnerable. I said to the chap behind me, ‘Well it’s worth 2 cents to have virgin diesel, isn’t it?’ He agreed. I left and wondered how long they would discuss it and which one of them would be the first to google Ultimate Diesel.
N.B. If you DO google Ultimate Diesel, you will get info about a tune up. If you google, ‘difference between diesel and ultimate diesel’ you get….. Diesel vs premium diesel …. What’s the difference between standard #2 diesel and premium fuel? A premium diesel has a higher cetane number, better lubricity and includes detergents that provide injector-cleaning capability versus standard #2 diesel. … Detergents keep fuel injectors clean for optimal engine performance.
Sounds like some fancy foot work. By adding a few drops of injector cleaner per 100 litres, they charge an extra 2 cents a litre.
Wait! … Up in the sky! … Is it a bird? … Is it a plane? Yes. It’s a plane.
A C130, better known as a Hercules or a ‘Herc.’ Trivia. The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. First flight: 23 August 1954; 67 years ago. Number built: Over 2,500 as of 2015.
Closer to the ground, what is this as we leave the ‘Ultimate’ servo. Is that an old long wheel base Datsun? could be. See the generic photo of the yellow one below. bends a bit different. If this belongs to one of the attendants I spoke to, they are probably still debating the virgin diesel.
Curbside Classic: 1972-79 Datsun 620 Long Bed – The Long, The Short And The Ugly | Curbside Classic.
Ugly? Well they said it. I didn’t.
Freedom! Vote 1 United Australia Party?
Oh, please. Are you blatantly trying to capitalise on the current hoo-ha of the chanting twats, or do you still have a weak spot for Braveheart and Mel Gibson? Freedom? It should be Freedumb!
Lots of trains here but …
… This one forgot it’s carriages.
… and this one isn’t even a train.
It’s a car with rail wheels.
Lot’s of places we would like to go and spend the day, …. like …
… the Raglan Tavern.
Let’s play, ‘Identify that moth.’ No Let’s not.
We stopped here for a coffee. The coffee was OK but the floor show was better. I don’t think the guy jack knifed at the bowser with the fifth wheeler had ever driven before. It took him three shots to get to this unworkable position. I guess it didn’t help with double trailers zigging and zagging around him. He ended up giving up and I saw him parked around the side in deep thought. He just needed a longer hose on the pump. About 20 metres would be ideal.
Now this guy should be happy he survived the operation. I am sure he must have had a lobotomy.
What makes me think that? Look carefully. He has crossed a double line to overtake me just 50 metres from an overtaking lane. If he had waited say, 15 seconds, I would have swung into the slow left lane and he could have sailed straight past me without even turning the steering wheel. He is a major BDM. (Brain Dead Moron)
Now, to Miriam Vale. A lovely little, old, neat, appealing town. It has a free camp with a dump point and a short (3 minute) walk to a public toilet.
Then we spot this through a window in a little arcade.
This nice young girl has just opened her Manicure, Pedicure business with a big foot spa chair as per the two Anne had in Dili. Good on her. Go for it!
Thinking of joining?
Tranquillity walk? Next to us? Us? Tranquil?
By the way. Spelling? I thought it was only one L but I get corrected to two ‘L’s’. Is that the US spell check or what?
Road work you would not believe.
SO we are supposed to be avoiding fatigue by trivia questions answered a km or two later on. Cake named after Governor?
Lamington. (?) N.B. The Lamington, Australia’s famed dessert, was actually invented in New Zealand and originally named a “Wellington”, according to new research published by the University of Auckland. … Historians had believed the Lamington was named after Lord Lamington who served as governor of Queensland between 1896-1901.
Bert Hinkler? N.B. Where was Bert Hinkler born. Bundaberg Central.
The GPS takes us on a merry jaunt through the countryside.
But irrespective of the GPS we find the van park anyway. The staff have a sense of humour. This is on the back of the toilet door.
Mens toilet. ‘Mangoes’
Womens. ‘Shegoes’
Shouldn’t it be Mangoes and Womangoes or Hegoes and Shegoes?
Wait! What’s that on the back of that car?
TATA??!!? Bloody TATA!
They had the mighty TATA 4WD’s in East Timor. Made in India.
You always knew if a TATA had been up a hill you are going up. This is because of all the rocks on the road. Every time a TATA wanted to stop on an incline, someone had to hop out and put a rock under the back wheel.
I was in one when the the driver had trouble getting the 4WD to drive over a red house brick. NOT joking.
I always figured it was a shonky bit of work by an Indian high enough up in the United Nations to be able to steer a decision to get TATA’s rather than Toyota or Nissan or any other 4WD that actually worked. Either for pride in country or something a little more ‘basic.’
A nice little park a bit tight but not impossible to negotiate and we could stay connected.
Nice enough day but heating up. Anyway, Finally on the road around 10.30am.
What’s this? A ‘P’ plater with somewhere between little and no brains. Overtaking as he approaches the solid ‘Do not overtake’ line on a blind corner. I estimate by the time he gets past the car he is overtaking, he will either be half way around that bend or dead.
Now, helpful suggestions to stay awake. Play Trivia.
What’s the highest mountain in Queensland? Not the faintest idea, nor do I care. I’ll have a stab. Mount Boring? Mount …. errr … Mount Palaszczuk!? No? I thought she might have had a crack at getting something named after herself by now. No. Something more suitable. How about, the Annastacia Swamp, or the Palaszczuk Meat Works, or …. the Palaszczuk Correctional Services!? There’s some irony in there somewhere.
Another abandoned car? Are they keeping count? Trying to beat last year’s number?
Oh, here we are. The blind leading the blind. I think they want to win this year’s much coveted ‘Twat of the Year’ award. As I see it someone pulled off the shoulder but didn’t check to see if there was a shoulder there. So they or their mates come back with a trailer and while their parked status is not that much better, they failed to work out how they would get it on the trailer. So now what? Gone to find another mate with a winch? Not heard of RACQ? No?
Another overtaker. Over double lines that is. keep it up BDM and you will need an UNDER-taker. N.B. BDM means Brain Dead Moron.
In the big town of Rockhamton. Thank goodness. We found the Square Dance Centre. We’ll double back once we are settled in.
Not every day you see Brahman cattle on a roof.
This is way past a church. More like a Cathedral. Better for the really serious sinners.
Now this was on the Van Park reception and ironically, it sums up the lady manager quite well. For those without any bush knowledge at all, it is a rabbit trap with the triggering plate marked ‘Press for Service.’
I made lunch so, my now standard, Turkish bread roll with at least four slices of ham, two slices of cheese, one top and one bottom of the ham and quite a few slices of lettuce to take the curse off the evil stuff. Oh, and real butter of course with the salt in it to harden the arteries. Whoops. There’s more evil. Should have put another lettuce leaf on for the evil butter.
It’s hot here and we should just plug into the power and watch something with the air conditioner on. Nope. Anne wants to do the washing. Bugger. I can’t relax because I feel guilty if she is working. So awning out for our larger clothes line etc etc.
Peace. Friend Phil calls. He is on his way down from the cape and wants to get to Rockhampton tonight. Here (this park) has no cabins. and closes before he will get here. I call others and it’s long weekend and nothing around.
So back to her highness here at the park. I ask, ‘Nothing else is available for our friend. There is plenty of grass around our van site. Can he come in after hours, put his tent up adjacent us, I can run out a 12 volt lead for a fan and light to him. He can fix you up, money wise, in the morning and you have my details and card number for security?’ ‘Nooooo. We don’t do that. No.’
Thank you. You’ve been very helpful. (and please, oh please do go for a walk in the morning and break your leg and wave to us for help while we are driving away. I would really like to say, ‘ Noooo. We don’t do that. No.’)
Am I getting cranky in my old age? YES! …and loving it!
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Where did the name Gracemere come from?
The name Gracemere comes from “Grace”, the name of Thomas Archer‘s wife and “mere” which is a Scottish term for lake. They also located a suitable landing point for supplies on the nearby Fitzroy River, which later became Rockhampton. … Gracemere State School opened on 20 February 1871.
Who was Thomas Archer?
Thomas Archer, CMG (27 February 1823 – 9 December 1905) was a pioneer pastoralist and Agent General for Queensland (Australia).
The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George was founded by King George III in 1818 and is awarded to British subjects who have rendered extraordinary and important services abroad or in the Commonwealth.
The Classes of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George include GCMG (Knight or Dame Grand Cross), KCMG (Knight Commander), DCMG (Dame Commander), and CMG, the later standing for Companion of St Michael and St George
We wake up and check the street out. The neighbour has their ‘in house’ Ibis’s cleaning the yard of bugs. An early work start for a Sunday.
Last night I didn’t take photos so thought I would get the host family and the freeloaders together. L to R Me, Anne, Mick’s wife Christine, pretty little Stella, the pending guitar and key board virtuoso Patrick and the maestro Mick.
Mick takes us on a spin around the area to show us what we are missing out on. I can see it is an idealistic pseudo paradise. Not too many people wouldn’t love it. The ocean is omnipresent and speckled with islands.
This young girl caught a crocodile on her morning swim. They breed ’em tough up here.
The Bucasia equivalent of The Blues Brothers.
A man with more money than sense.
Mick’s walking stick inherited from a rellie, made during the days of the Raj, I dare say. It reads (with maybe a few bits missing) ‘Sir Jefferey British 1941 East India Hillpig-Smyth’ N.B. British raj, period of direct British rule over the Indian subcontinent from 1858 until the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947.
Look at this perfect avenue creating a perfect canopy. Amazing.
This is the rising entrance to the famous Eimeo Pub.
Photographic proof.
We secure the isolated cliff promenade table. I swear it starts to feel just a little like Capri. Mick observes my worst hat and even worse multicoloured, mirror ‘Tac’ glasses and assumes I just got dressed in a hurry.
More proof of where we are.
More paradise.
Back to home base and Mick shows us his pride and joy. A triumph Bonneville he has painfully restored from bits and pieces. He says when he got it, it was just nuts and bolts and bits and pieces in a box. I have fixed up a motor bike way back and I was quite proud of it. This has not been ‘fixed up.’ It has been FULLY RESTORED. Every bit of it looks brand new. A credit to him.
Time to move on. I take photographic proof that I broke the law and parked in a bus stop. Not really that severe a crime. Mick says he is sure there are no busses from Saturday afternoon (when we arrived) or Sunday (when we spent most time here.) Besides I figured we left half of the stop clear, so for it to be inconvenient there would have had to be someone to pick up or drop off and in the unlikely event it had to stop, it could sort and pull off the road a bit. Anyway, that is what I would have or will tell the judge if it is reported.
On to the Servo. Another new one. We are not inconvenienced by having the van on. Don’t know if anyone else was. Hang on. No. We don’t care.
Hand on. I am blocking people. Just for a moment, let’s imagine I am in my teens or twenties in current day. “I HAVE MY RIGHTS!’
Looking good. ….
Anyway, on the road again.
Yet another pranged car. Lots of ’em.
A series of warning signs for unsuspecting visitors.
Beware giant sleepy lizards trying to cut down trees to block the road.
Beware giant sleepy lizards attacking trucks.
And last but by no means least, the omni-present and always dangerous huge and deadly DROP BEARS! These three aggressors I can only assume grow to their size due to the tropics. Drop bears in the temperate south area are just as aggressive but marginally smaller and you have at least a 50/50 chance of survival. Not up here. Here they kill you and wreck your car as an after thought.
We arrive at our camp. The Waverley Creek rest area. It’s beer O’clock so I decide on which neighbour to bore with our adventures till dark.
Then we reap the benefits of our cost to set up for free camping. Up goes the sat dish and we are the only ones out of around 25 rigs that has TV.
Hot showers, pasta and red wine for meal and a relax till bed time. The only thing missing. No internet. We have Telstra but not strong enough to hotspot the internet. Bummer.
FYI The lady next to us in Proserpine in the conquest RV was ‘Kay’ and not Cathy.’
Saturday, 2nd October 2021
Sunny. We wander around and get away late after a visit to the park to use the ‘facilities, which takes us past Persephone again. By the way that is pronounced NOT as per-sef-own but ‘per-sef-own-ee.
No. This is Not a special toilet for consenting adults. It is the subject of vandals who removed the ‘uni’ from ‘unisex.’ Then again, I am assuming that. Maybe it is the former?
This young chap is ‘Vincent’ named after the famous Dutch painter.
Us with Vincent and his travelling partner ‘Kay.’
Lots of road word or at least evidence.
What’s that?
This appears to be a road works car and trailer. Or an ex- car and trailer.
Kolijo Community Store where we lunched on very unhealthy but tasty items and coffees. The other side of the river is the tiny town of Caleb and this side is the marginally larger but still tiny town of Kolijo.
… and what’s this?
You can’t see it but the front left wheel is parallel to the ground.
and this? The army trucks have waited for their mates dragging the chain.
Closer.
Flash car. Love it.
… and this?
Again it is leaning to front left. What’s with this road?
In Bucasia to visit Mick McGovern from Dili. While doing a turn around we ‘duck’ down a street and this spot obviously attracts ducks and other flying feathered friends.
We have a lovely BBQ with Mick and family and friends. This guy is a late arrival.
Possum.
Getting late for us caravaners so to bed. The van is in the street and half over a bus stop but the word is no busses on this route Saturday afternoon or Sunday.
A great get together. Perhaps tomorrow morning I will remember photos.
We wake at this great free camp of Guthalungra. By the time I poke my head out, a few have already gone.
That’s us cunningly parked across the road from the toilets.
Pristine. The lady who is contracted to maintain this block and the adjacent garden is devoted and thorough. Don’t stay anywhere else than here if passing.
They are very popular in the area. I m pretty sure she comes every day.
And a good little park with tables, chairs and shelters.
But now it’s on to Bowen.
Now I didn’t know the film Australia was filmed in Bowen. Apparently it was chosen for its wide streets and was transformed into Darwin. It has several very big vacant blocks that could be decked out with separate sets.
… but it’s full time reputation is built on tomatoes ans mangoes. This is out the front of the Information Centre and they said this is the small one. I guess we didn’t get close to the big one because pretty sure we would have seen it.
It has a sound shell…
… and lovely old buildings many of which are PUBS!
We saw the ‘famous ‘ bakery advertised on the way in and hunted it down.
How would you pronounce it? Jochheim’s. (a quick google suggests perhaps German.)
Their pie floater is not Adelaide’s, but it was tasty with two squirts of mash potato either end of a beef pie and the pie on a bed of basically mushy peas but quite tasty suggesting some thought has gone into it and is going down the Adelaide method to a certain degree.
Anne’s quiche was pretty damn good…..
… and we pass the Larrikin Hotel.
On to the museum ($5 ea.) but not bad. Nice lady leaves a little early and Allan stays at least 30 mins past closing time for not so much us but another family who came in on the death knock. I guess Allan made the supreme sacrifice of a volunteer to stay past time for the sake of the $20 from the family of four. He didn’t seem to mind and was very informative.
The Jeannie Dove brought the settlers to Bowen who consisted of 8 crew, 27 ‘first class’ passengers of which were 7 men, 7 women and 13 children. 28 steerage passenger 24 white men and 4 aboriginals. On the deck was water tanks, furniture, freight, livestock of 5 goats, 7 hogs, 7 sheep and 15 dogs.
The ‘Spitfire’ was there a while before checking the spot for settlement suitability.
Aboriginal memorabilia.
Mantle clocks. I may tell the story sometime.
Colour coordinated, but still a few years too late for practicality.
More pioneer memorabilia.
A Kerosene tin used as a draw.
Butter churn.
The sign shows that the equipment was made in Bath, England and Anne is showing that she has been to Bath, England.
The Australian Navy commissioned a naval ship named BOWEN and the town presented this plaque to the ship.
The Bowen.
Due to our 18 years in East Timor, anything we see with East Timor on it gets coverage.
On our way out we stop to gas up. The servo looks very new. I quiz the young lady serving and she tells me it is only 3 months old. I say as a throw away line that none of the food packets have had time to expire so I could buy with confidence. She could be forgiven for not fully following my obtuse conversation but did assure me that they get new items in regularly. I’m sure she is right.
Yes. On the way out we spot cow hides for sale on the side of the road. It went from’No. I don’t need one’ from Anne to ‘Which one?’ I reminded her it will be going into a semi-detached bluestone cottage built around 1880 and perhaps a neutral one would be the best. But this guy won. Well not really. He lost big time a little while ago.
Road.
In Proserpine.
Proserpine is named after Persephone. In Greek Mythology she is the Goddess of Spring/fertility. She is also the Daughter of Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture, and of Zeus. By the way, the Romans word for Persephone is Proserpina, Hence Proserpine.
Anyway, It seems Pluto, the god of the underworld came up from his smelly underground stamping ground, took one look at Persephone, said, I’ll have some of this for sure, snatches her and takes her below to be goddess of smelly town. Mum, (Demeter) finds out and gets right up her husband Zeus, because it’s his fault of course, (?). He is told, ‘Fix it! … NOW!’ So Zeus drops in on Pluto and has a bit of a chat to him and they decide she can stay with him for one third of the time but she has to come back to mum and dad the other two thirds. That is why the weather is a bit dirty for 4 months a year (while she is in smelly town) and good for 8 months when she is up with mum and dad. If the statue in the park of her is any reflection on the truth, Pluto wasn’t all that particular.
This is all from the main man settling a lot of Queensland, the Explorer George Dalrymple who was into Greek Mythology hence Queensland also has places like, Demeter and Mount Pluto.
Persephone.
We are at the RV Park in Main Street, entrance next to Saint Catherines Catholic Church. Enter down the side of the church. No toilets but potable water and a dump point. Beer o’clock was with xxxCathyxxx CORRECTION … Kay from the next door Conquest RV and trusty hound Vincent.
All the usual stuff, only the screw is loose holding the TV bracket so a job in the morning.
