Saturday, September 21, 2013

Cooktown - Cotton Tree

Mt Molloy - Bramston Beach.Stopped to provision at woollies in Cairns, then dump at Babinda and on to Bramston Beach for a couple of nights. Took a photo of Ray (HW) fishing, nice.

Stopped at Innisfail River Drive CP for a week and rode around town and along the river down the south bank and out Coquette Rd via the Moresby Range National Park to Coquette Point. Some steep hills here but a nice ride with some good views.  Did some maintenance on the MH. Then moved on to Kurrimine Beach where I came across Ken and Carroll last seen in Chillagoe, small world. Stayed a week then on to Cardwell CP. Time to do the laundry and housework.

Bluewater then Home Hill. Stayed a couple of nights and fixed more minor maintenance issues with the MH riding back and forth to the hardware in town. Decided to stay one more night. Go for a ride watch the NRL then head south tomorrow. So rode to Inkerman Hill a 12km ride before pushing up (walking) the very steep 1km long a 200m high hill. Coming down was smoking the brakes, 24km return a nice workout.

Headed off about 9am. Dumped. Stopped at Proserpine for lunch then on to OConnell River ~50km south of Proserpine and about 2 km off the Bruce highway right on the river, nice just me here. I think it is part of the Eungella National Park but not sure. A smouldering fire rekindled for tonight, nice.

Anna on HW Facebook page says she is looking for a house sitter in Hervey Bay, I agreed. Mid October fits nicely with Bauple. I have previously agreed to do a farm sit at a macadamia farm in Bauple.

St Lawrence. Decided I will stay another night and look around town. Rode 10 km into and around town, not a lot to see. Mid arvo walked around the dry wetlands and then to the pub for a schooner.

Headed of early. Stopped for fuel in Rockhampton and lunch somewhere south of there. Drove a bit over 230 km but it was worth it as Calliope stop is really nice. Grass and shade. Might stay another night. Rode the 20 km return to town via the old bridge and almost disused highway just to see how big it was, surprisingly large and busy town. And they have bats.

On to Gin Gin and Bauple where I checked out the farm by bike. Should be OK for two weeks.

On to Cotton Tree booked into the the Cotton Tree CP, back on my site for a bit. Do the mail catch up with people all the normal stuff I do here then its back to Bauple to eat macadamia nuts for two weeks.
Innisfail looking from Coquette Point
Ray fishing at Bramston Beach
Inkerman Hill near Home Hill

Calliope free camp
Bats near the town at Calliope