Roma to Maroochydore and storage

Drove into Roma and was astounded to find everything closed.  Sunday, need to keep better track of the day of the week.  Walked about took the place in and headed off again. Now headed east on the Warrego Hwy.  As I get closer I get more focused on reaching my destination.  Hmmm, destinations not always a good thing!

Stopped at Wallumbilla showgrounds, power, water and a dump point, nice.  Next day still heading east stopped at Miles for a cuppa, a busy town but good for a rest stop.  But drove straight through Chinchilla, not a lot to stop for there.  Reached Kumbia on Bunya Hwy after having lunch road site at Dalby.  Dalby is good for provisioning but does not entice me as its big and busy with mining vehicles everywhere.

At Kumbia, a small free camp in town, I met Roy and Margaret from Canberra.  They tow a 30 foot van with a 20 year old Suburban.  The Suburban has the same engine as my motorhome so we got talking about the foibles of the vehicles and maintenance etc.  Ended up down the pub for a few and Roy expounded the virtues of Canberra as a tourist destination and gave me an open invitation to stop at their place, when next in Canberra.

Next morning north-east to Kingaroy for lunch before turning south-east down the D'Aguilar Hwy stopping the night at Kilcoy showgrounds. Seems now I'm delaying arriving back at Maroochydore.  Next morning flushed the holding tanks in preparation of storage.

Arrived back in Maroochydore, on Wednesday 6th.

More photos on Instagram, search using the tag #16south.

Kumbia Hotel 

 Carrollee Hotel at Kingaroy

The Stanley at Kilcoy

Clermont - Theresa Dam - Expedition NP

Pretty much drove straight through Clermont without stopping so keen to stop for the day at Theresa Creek Dam.  This section of the Gregory Dev Hwy was much as had been described to me, boring and in the southern section before Clermont, undulating up and down sometime violently.
Stopped two nights at the dam the weather being so nice, mostly clear sky light breeze and high twenties.  Was going to go paddle boarding on day two but the wind came up in the afternoon, so just relaxed.
Wanted to knock up some kms so planned a big day driving as the wind was strong and coming from the east. Took the road to Rubyvale, now sealed, on to Emerald to provision.  Then Springsure, Rolleston and down the Carnarvon Dev Hwy to The Expedition NP.
Stopped for the night at Lonesome Campground in the Arcadia Valley about 16km off the hwy but awesome.  Met three fellow travellers, two American girls and a Greek bloke, and traded travel stories around the campfire.  They were adamant they wanted to see my blog, it will need work before that happens.  Made a cuppa for the girls before heading off, it was -3 overnight and difficult to get warm.
Dora's auto park, parking brake system, started playing up so I had to change out the RGS, grovelling under her on the roadside.  Thats the third one in four years.  Will order several replacements switches from the states this time.

 Theresa Creek Dam

 Looking to main section of Expedition NP.

Lonesome Campground down there somewhere.

 2.5 km section of steep, narrow, winding road into Lonesome Campsite, but sealed

More of the view from the lookout

Blackwood National Park

Blackwood NP a great stop for a cuppa, walk or overnight camp.  Travelling up or down the Gregory Dev Hwy its about 180km south of Charters Towers.  You need to keep a sharp lookout as its easily overlooked, maybe a benefit?  There are no facilities whatsoever so its well suited to the freedom camper.

Blackwood National Park

About 180km south of Charters Towers

Innisfail and all places south.

Time has come the walrus said to speak of many things...  No actually its time to turn around and head south. Didn't quite make 16south, more like 16.5 south at Gordonvale but thats OK

Stopped one night in Innisfail at the wharf car park, OK for one night and did some provisioning next morning before heading for Murray Falls NP.

Murray Falls has a big campground and the sound of the water cascading over the falls was ever present, really nice, some good viewing platforms and walking paths make it a great stop over.

On to Cardwell CP, no pie this time, then Paluma NP and Big Crystal Creek a night at each.  Dumped and provisioned in Townsville and had the urge to keep going on to Reid River.  Charters Towers in the morning walking about rubbernecking then south on the Gregory Dev Hwy to Cape River rest area for a night.  OK for the night but the smell of baking road kill prevailed most of the time, yuk!

Click on an image to enlarge

Murray Falls.  note the swimmers.

Murray Falls walkway to the falls viewing platforms

Murray Falls spacious campground

Wooroonooran NP and Lake Tiraroo

Gillies Hwy.  Not done that before! 19km of steadily climbing, winding road with magnificent views back to Gordonvale and the Goldsborough Valley NP where we had stayed for two nights.

Had some concerns about getting Dora into the camping area at Goldsborough as it was hard to get definitive information regarding the road and tropical overhang but we made it with the roof intact.  Lovely spot, worth the drive.  Stayed two nights and did some easy walking and difficult bike riding, very nice. 

On to Lake Tinaroo for three nights stopping off at Yungaburra along the way, interesting town.  Met up with some work mates/friends from yesteryear at Tinaroo, Dave and Deb, Ron and some new friends Martin and Sue.  Did some bushwalking and had a pleasant time shooting the breeze and reminiscing around the fire.

Headed back to Innisfail via Millaa Millaa in the rain.  Had a good tour of some good national parks and campgrounds.

Notes to self:

I like camping in National Parks.

I like good company.

Going up the Gillies is good but going down would cook the brakes.

 Goldsborough camp

 The Gillies look back to Gordonvale

Bushwalking with friends