Cracow, Eidsvold and Marlborough.

Cracow, nice camp spot with power and hot showers for a donation and a funny night at the pub watching the State of Origin with a good result.

During the gold rush of the 1930s Cracow had a population of about 3000 people but now its 10 or less and most of the buildings have since been taken away.  The Golden Plateau gold mine, a few km south west, was reopened in 2004 and employs a couple of hundred people who commute from Theodore and elsewhere.

A short trip to camp on the banks of the Burnett River at Eidsvold. Not a lot of water in the Burnett atm. Monto for fuel, Biloela for provisions, and on to Dululu for the next night. Next day zoom through Rockhampton and on to Marlborough for a night.

Cracow Pub  - the bar.

Burnett River Eidsvold - early morning.

Wandoen and Glebe Weir.

Change of plans now heading more north-east rather than north-west. Bit of back tracking required but hey that's OK. Will make it to Cracow by Wednesday night to watch the State of Origin, game one, on TV in the pub. Was a fun night last year even though, as I recall, Queensland lost.

So North-east from Jackson to Wandoan and overnight in Waterloo Environmental Park. No power and only bore water, but a quiet spot with a nice view. Taroom for coffee and lunch the next day then Glebe Weir for two nights with power for just $7/n. Again with water views, I will be coming back here again, nice.

Wandoan - before sunrise.

Glebe Weir.

Surat, Roma and Muckabilla

Not a long way on to Surat. Set up at Fisherman's Reserve for the night. Next morning is market day down along the river walk in town. Thinking fresh home grown veggies but found only bling. So walked the streets trying to get warm and snapped the cemetery photo and the couple sunning themselves along the way.

The thing I find interesting about the headstone is that it does not mention the mother of the child, go figure. The dedication reads, in part, "To the memory of Samuel Carleton Gordon Brown, third child of Samuel Brown, of Coovrefn? Moonie River, died 10th February 1872 aged 20 months and 27 days" then some very hard to read quote probably from the bible. So where is mum? No mention on the grave stone and not in any graves near by.

Roma for provisions. Love street art and the horse in Roma is not an overly bad example. Then on to Muckadilla for the night to camp. Ludwig and I have shared camp spots before.

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Samuel Brown

Street art in Surat

Street art Roma. Mane flying but horse standing still?

Muckabilla - Ludwig gets about.

Glenmorgan

25km west of Meandarra is the town of Glenmorgan and Monty's car museum, very interesting especially if you are a petrol head.

There is camping with power, water and showers in town as well, all for a donation. Only a pub, The Bottle Tree Inn in the back streets, and a general store and not much more. But 7km out of town is the Myall Park Botanic Gardens 130 hectare Australian semi-arid zone flora park.

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Monty's

Step back to the 1920s

Nice.

I know its here somewhere.

On to Meandarra.

Met up with a sundowner on a bicycle at The Gums (corner of the Leichardt and the Surat Development highways) who I offered a lift on to Meandarra.

At Meandarra the council has an enticement to stay in town a bit longer, pay $10/n for two nights and get the next two nights free. This includes hot showers, power, water and a nice view of the Brigalow Creek. Or camp further down along the creek without power for free.

The MH service went to plan as did some bicycle maintenance. The weather started to deteriorated to drizzle and rain on the four day but that was OK as the current creek level is proof that more rain is needed here atm.

Meandarra, according to the info signs along the creek walk, says it is aboriginal for 'place of water'. Somewhere else I saw it was named after a pastoral property. But my fav is down the main street where there is a memorial that suggest that it was named because, when asked who lives here, a local said 'Me and Darra'. Darra being his dog.

Meandarra boasts a very good ANZAC military museum, well worth the entrance fee. It is the only museum permitted to use the title ANZAC outside of the Canberra museum. The council guy, collecting the camping fee, suggested it is a five million dollar museum in a fifty dollar town. He was smiling :-)

Me and Darra

Me and Darra in front of the museum. 

The Trek North - Linville.

No hurry leaving Cotton Tree.  Spent a lovely morning enjoying good coffee and good company in the park before departure.

Made Linville before dark and found a comfortable spot for the night. The weather deteriorated and the next day found myself driving in fog and drizzle all the way over the Bunya mountain range. It was near Dalby before the weather cleared to a sunny day with scattered clouds.

Linville first came to prominence when the railhead was established in 1910. With the rail, cattle and local Blackbutt timber were able to be shipped to Brisbane. In 1911 the Moorabool Hotel, built in 1904 near Toogoolawah, was moved to Linville on bullock wagons. This historic building and some of the old rail memorabilia are still to be enjoyed today. In 1993 the line was officially closed and is now a very scenic rail-trail to Moore (7km) or Blackbutt (23km). Good free camping is also available across the road from the pub.

Linville Hotel - still trading today.

National Outrigger Regatta - Mooloolaba.

My anticipation is running high on the last day before leaving. But first one last photo op at the beach taking shots of the Outrigging Nationals held at Mooloolaba. So many fit enthusiastic people and you've got to admire the shoulders on the ladies, no padding here, nice.

Extract from the AOCRA newsletter:

Australia is on the International outrigging map, with AOCRA expecting 100 six-man crews, and competitors from New Caledonia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands and our latest member - Norfolk Island. This year’s Marathon Titles will provide a competitive platform for all divisions to see who will be 2015 National Champions of junior, novice, Adaptive, men’s and women’s, from 8 to 80 years old, in both short and long course events.

Lots of boats, even more paddlers. 

Finishing the first 10km race 58 started some DNF.

Heading West.

Parts arrived as promised with a few other online impulse buys. The mornings are getting cool so yeah its definitely a signal to move. Jacks up Sunday.

Have decided the route will be via the inland and away from the coast the overnight temps along the way could be bracing.

First stop Linville then Meandarra. The MH is due for her grease and oil change and I know the tip at Meandarra has an oil collection facility, having done a service there before. That should see us good for another 8000km and able to get serious about plotting the course north.

Cotton Tree again

Yep back at Cotton Tree.

Some things needed attention. There is a downside to being a landlord, I've just realized.

May as well stay till the pinion seal arrives from the states. Originally was going to get it here to Oz then have it forwarded to a PO wherever I happened to be. The pinion seal story so far.

Not finding it burdensome keeping busy here at Cotton Tree. Been outrigger canoeing on Sunday and then again on Tuesday late arvo early evening. Would love to take some action shots from the boat but there are two problems. Getting the camera wet and can't stop paddling to take the snaps as there are no passengers out there. Its go go go.

Coordination is important - it comes with practice.

Eumundi - Kandanga - Kenilworth

Stopped for the night at Eumundi, just up the road from Noosa, at the market car park and RV stop. Nice facilities for those who need them. Market Day is tomorrow, Wednesday, so good timing.  People started arriving well before dawn, stall holders I expect. Then the customers mainly around 10am. Undeliverable! Hundreds of cars, lots and lots of people and its a Wednesday? What's it like on Saturday?  Walking around revealed only one or two veggies stalls and the rest is coffee, hot food, bling and other useless stuff a male living in a motorhome does not need. Interesting all the same, lovely trees.

Then on to Kandanga to stop at a very nice free-camp in the middle of town. And its just a short walk to the pub, butcher and general store. A nice stopover but only if the 'generator guy' is not there :-)

Next overnight is at Kenilworth to get 'the cheese'. I would drive miles to get this Queensland Swiss. The Kenilworth Cheese Factory sells lots of varieties and have a tastings area for their cheese and other products.  Worth a stop over and a walk up and down the main street as well.  Nice town good stopover.  Showgrounds OK for the night.

Good grief, May already!

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The before shot.

All quiet before the crowds.

The after shot, about 10am.

Kandanga free-camp.