Mitchell

Provisioned in Chinchilla. The original plan was to stop in the backyard of the Federal Hotel in Wallumbilla, it's off the highway but looked too busy. Not caravans but trucks, big mothers that are noisy when they start up in the middle of the night. So on-on to Muckadilla. Have stopped there before and upon arrival thought better of it. Time for change: let's try Mitchell and camp on the Maranoa River. Far more picturesque and a new experience. Might stay more than just the night, nice.

So camping at Neil Turner Weir with a handful of caravans, and there is masses of space. It seems in-season it's very popular here. An entry in Wikicamps back in July says there were 70 vans here. Hmm, something to be said for being out-of-season.

Today's trivia: Did you know the waters of the Maranoa eventually flow into the Murray River? True! Mind you there are other rivers and some minor tributaries involved. (Not much going that way at the moment).

Home tonight.

Linville - Jandowae

Jandowae: camped here 2 years ago and oh what a difference now. Then it was a full lake and a sunny day as against now an empty lake and a dreary overcast windy day. My first sign of drought after dropping down from the Bunya Mountains.

Maroochydore - Linville

Staying in one place for nearly 2 months, not healthy! But been waiting to have the MH inspected (heavy vehicle requirement) for rego purposes. Poor excuse I know. But I'm on the road again and loving that feeling.

No rush getting ready, provisions etc. although some bits were done in between showers of rain. Away by 10am with just 125km planned for the day. An easy run up the range and picturesque even in the drizzle and mist. A leisurely stop at Peachester, shotting the breeze with the locals in the cafe, enjoying lunch. Then Linville via the D'Aguilar Hwy and camping across the street from the pub at the old railway station. Will do my bit and inject some small amount into the local economy. The least I can do for the community that provides a very nice campsite.

It's late arvo and I'm injecting funds into the local community (my choice via the pub) and talking to the publican as you do (no one else there). He's playing the 'lucky tickets' and I relate a lucky tickets story from years ago at the Garradunga pub near Innisfail. He says there is a story in the Courier Mail newspaper today and it says the pub is near Ingham. Sure enough, he's right there is a story about the pub in the paper, but hey I know that pub is just north of Innisfail. Moral of this story: don't believe all you read in the paper and don't believe your local publican. He's probably taking the other side of the argument just to keep you there, drinking.

Linville Train Station and camp

Pub 

Courier Mail Newspaper

Milestone -T4T blog

~300 posts and 13,000 page views.

And lots of pvs from overseas, nice.

This weeks snapshot of traffic volume and origin.
(Courtesy Google)

Pageviews by Countries Entry Pageviews France 46 United States 45 Australia 11 China 10 Brazil 9 Indonesia 6 Vietnam 5 Sweden 4 Ukraine 3 Spain 2

Maroochy River

Lots of activity in the river and along the beach at Maroochydore.

The council is spending lots of dollars 'replenishing/renourishing' (Council's words) the beach by dredging sand from the river. The plan is to pump 100,000 cubic meters of sand from the river to deposit on the beach and increase the current flow past Cotton Tree Park and Cornmeal Creek. A pipe runs from the dredge out along the river bed, then via the caravan park and about 1km, to disgorge the sand and water on the surf beach.

From the link-google-photos, you can see it's not the first time and probably not the last time we will be seeing the dredge in action. Over time and after storms the sand on the beach is carried away and most of it seems to end up in the river again. The river and its course are apt to change month by month but what is most noticeable is the continual buildup of sand.

But life goes on regardless: sunset and sunrise here can have you spellbound.

Replenishing the beach

Dredging the river.

Sunrise.

Sunrise.

Moon on the rise.