August 2016

The weather this week was generally fine and sunny with temperatures in the low 20s.

On Tuesday we caught the train into Brisbane to meet up with David's brother John who was in Brisbane for the day after a visit to the Sunshine Coast. We stayed at the Jen Hotel which is located next door to the Roma Street Railway Station. The added benefit of the Jen Hotel is that it is only 10 minutes walk from Brisbane's Mall. We had dinner together at the Hotel and caught up again for breakfast next morning. After a walk down to the Mall in the morning we caught the train back to the Gold Coast - using the Gold Coast train to Varsity Lakes and the bus from the station back to the caravan park took just on 2 hours each way - much easier than battling the Pacific Highway.

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday we walked over to the Burleigh Surf Club each day for a drink before returning to the caravan park, sometimes a cold drink and sometimes a coffee. We have it down to 35 minutes walking over the top of Burleigh Head to the Surf Club, and 27 minutes walking back to the caravan park around the bottom track.

On Sunday we decided to drive up to O'Reilly's Rain Forest Resort at Green Mountain in the Lamington National Park. The Resort is located about 35 km south from Canungra on a very narrow and winding road with many one way sections. About half way up to the resort we passed a tourist bus that had broken down on its way up the hill. On our way back down the mountain a few hours later it was still waiting to be rescued. The Rain Forest Resort was established by the family of Bernard O'Reilly who rescued two survivors from a plane crash in the National Park in 1937.

During a stormy afternoon on 19 February 1937, a Stinson three-engine aircraft travelling on a regular service between Brisbane and Sydney crashed into the Lamington Ranges in bad weather killing four of the seven on board outright and sparking a search that failed to turn up any wreckage. Nine days after the crash, Beaudesert grazier Bernard O'Reilly set out on foot to find the Stinson wreckage. Through his superior bush skills he found the crash site and, to his surprise, two survivors in desperate need of medical attention. After making them comfortable, he left them to organise a rescue party, but found another of the survivors that had died trying to get help.

In 1987 a movie was made starring Jack Thompson and Richard Roxburgh dealing with the crash and the rescue of the survivors. The model of the Stinson aircraft that was used in the film is now located at O'Reilly's Rain Forest Retreat.

John and David at the Hotel Jen.

Hotel Jen in Brisbane.

An old Roadstar van in the caravan park.

Home made tear-drop camper.

Tallebudgera Creek.

Palm Beach weather photo.

A bush turkey in the Burleigh National Park.

Another turkey riding a segway in the Burliegh National Park.

Wedding party lining up for photos at Burleigh Head - Richmond supporters perhaps?

Surfer at Burleigh Beach.

Burleigh surf boat crew on Tallebudgera Creek.

The view from the Lookout on the way to O'Reilly's Retreat.

Yet another shot from the Lookout.

Di at the Lookout near O'Reilly's Resort.

Di at the Lookout.

O'Reilly's Rain Forest Retreat.

Bird-life at O'Reilly's Resort.

Very smokey to the west from O'Reilly's Plateau.

Statue of Bernard O'Reilly with the two survivors of the crash.

The story of the Stinson crash in 1937.

Di in front of the Stinson model used in the movie.

It was fine and mainly sunny this week with temperatures in the low twenties.

On a walk around the caravan park on Monday we noticed a houseboat on trailer doubling as a caravan.

On Tuesday we drove over to Surfers Paradise for a walk along the beach-front and a drink at Kitty O'Sheas. That afternoon Brendan came over to the caravan park for a couple of happy hour drinks. Lyn was in Melbourne for a couple of days, but they will be leaving on Saturday in their caravan to meet Chappy and Lee at Marree.

On Thursday we were feeling at a bit of a loose end so we headed off to Robina so Di could re-acquaint herself with a few shops.

On Friday there was a bit of excitement in the caravan park when a large breakdown truck came in to take away a caravan. It had a broken spring-set which prevented it from being towed to a repairer. Later in the day we noticed the houseboat out on the Creek in its proper element.

On Saturday morning we met up with Kirrily and Ian for brunch at Oskars in Burleigh Heads. They were staying up at Southport for a couple of days. After brunch they came over to the caravan park to see why we like Tallebudgera Creek so much. In the afternoon Di and I made a quick trip to Cararra Markets and dropped in to Pacific Fair on the way back.

Saturday saw us doing the tourist thing driving up to Tambourine Mountain for a bit of a walk around, after which we drove down the goat track to Canungra for a coffee on the way home. At Tambourine Mountain we checked out the German Cuckoo Clock Shop, where the most expensive clock was a Comitee Navigator Clock at $24,000 would you believe.

Surfers Paradise Beach with Coolangatta in the distance.

Burleigh Head from Surfers Paradise.

Commonwealth Games will be at the Gold Coast in April 2018.

Surfers Paradise sign at the end of Cavill Avenue.

A houseboat in the caravan park.

Houseboat on its trailer.

Not often you see a caravan being winched onto a breakdown truck.

Aussie Traveller off to the repairer to have a broken spring-set replaced.

That houseboat now in it right environment.

Saturdays weather photo at Burleigh Heads.

Kirrily with Di at Oskars.

David and Ian at Oskars.

Di with a couple of white magnolias at Mount Tambourine.

The German Cuckoo Clock Shop at Mount Tambourine.

Comitee Navigator clock - $24,000 would you believe.

A red magnolia at Tambourine Mountain.

View from Tambourine Mountain.

Waiting for the lights to change at the top of the goat track to Canungra.

The weather started fine and sunny this week but in a few days time we are being threatened with another East Coast Low. This time it will move from the mid coast of NSW up the coast to Queensland. Last time it started in the north and worked its way down the NSW coast.

On Monday we did our usual walk to Burleigh going over the top of Burleigh Head and back around the bottom path. After lunch we removed the washing machine and moved the hoses to allow us to re-balance the machine by adjusting the feet, The machine had been banging and thumping when spinning the water out, but we think that we have solved the problem.

Monday's weather photo at Palm Beach.

Oskars Restaurant at Burleigh Heads.

Gold Coast Canal Maintenance crew emptying bins on Tallebudgera Creek.

On Tuesday we decided to go for a drive and went firstly to Coolangatta and Tweed Heads and then on to Fingal Head which is across the Tweed River from the Coolangatta/Tweed Golf Club. The township comprises mainly run down holiday homes and has little in the way of services - a shop cum Post Office and a caravan park. Then it was on to Kingscliff for lunch and a walk around the caravan park. The caravan park is located on the beach and was almost full with only tent sites available. The sites are generally quite small, very crowded with a great number of unoccupied permanent vans in various states if dis-repair. Not exactly a top destination. We continued on to Hastings Point where we checked out the two caravan parks - a very smart looking Big4 Park with excellent facilities and a park run by the Tweed Council - like Fingal Head and Kingscliff - not so good.

Weather photo from Tweed Heads.

A competitor in the Sydney to Southport Yacht Race passing Fingal Head.

Kingscliff Holiday Park - only tent sites left.

A Sydney - Southport competitor making his way past Kingscliff.

Kingscliff Holiday Park - packed with vans.

Wednesday was reasonably sunny and we went to shops in the morning, and after lunch decided to pull down the porch at the back of the van as the forecast was for winds gusting to 70 kph when the low arrived that night. After lunch we again went for a walk to the Burleigh Surf Club for a cool drink before returning to Tallebudgera.

The strong winds arrived at about 4:00 am followed by heavy rain soon after, something over 25 mm for the night. Thankfully the wind was from the south and while the van rocked and rolled a bit there was no damage to the awning or the annexe. It stayed breezy for most of the day so we drove down to Point Danger between Coolangatta and Tweed Heads to have a look at the surf conditions. It was still windy with an occasional shower, so we did a quick walk about between showers for a few photos and made our way back to Tallebudgera.

Thursday's weather photo at the Point Danger Lighthouse - more bad weather coming.

Sand pumping infrastructure at Point Danger.

These blokes are getting a close look at the waves.

Di at Point Danger.

Plenty of surfers in the water at Point Danger.

Friday started out a bit windy with an occasional shower but ended up a nice sunny day. Brendan and Lyn picked us up from the caravan park and we went down to Currumbin for lunch at the Beach Shack Cafe. Brendan and Lyn are counting down the days as they leave to meet up with Chappy and Lee in just over a weeks time.

Saturday was also a bit mixed with a southerly breeze and the occasional shower, After a late eggs and bacon brunch we headed back to the Carrara Market but Di was out of luck as the they did not have her size in the blouse that she was after.

Generally fine and sunny this week with temperatures in the low 20's - we can cope with that!

On Monday morning David went over to help Brendan transfer a roof rack from his Range Rover to his Ford Ranger. They had to install new tracks on the roof of the Ford Ranger then bolt the rack to the tracks - as always it took about twice as long as expected.

On Tuesday evening we accompanied Colin and Merle to the Burleigh Bowls Club for the Tuesday Special - Lamb Shanks.

On Wednesday evening we were joined for a happy hour by Phil from Aspendale Gardens in Victoria who is a fellow Trailblazer owner who is staying in the Park at the moment. He does not move very fast though as he came from the Broadwater Park at Southport, and his next stop is the Big4 Park at Hastings Point. He says that he lives somewhere near you Frosty!

On Thursday we were joined by Brendan and Lyn for lunch and spent time talking about their plans to catch up with Chappy at Marree to do the Birdsville Track in time for the Birdsville Races.

On Friday afternoon we walked over to the Burleigh Surf Club (our club) for a drink or two and watched the girl's surf boat crew preparing for a training row.

On Saturday we went to the Gold Coast Caravan Show at the Racecourse and caught up with Brendan and Lyn again. We bought another small table - we now have 4 tables - last week we had just 2, but I suppose that they will come in handy although I am not yet sure where they will travel. Lyn bought a Honda Generator for Brendan who was not convinced that they needed one - but then he does not use the juicer, or the blender, or the hairdryer.

On Sunday it was back to Carrara Market as Di had decided that there were a few scarves and things the she desperately needed.

Wednesday's weather photo on Tallebudgera Creek.

Thursday's weather photo on Tallebudgera Creek.

Dredge moored in Tallebudgera Creek.

Lots of sand to be pumped from Tallebudgera Creek.

We are about to walk over the top of Burleigh Head.

Dredge and mooring barge at anchor in Tallebudgera Creek.

Friday's weather photo at Palm Beach.

Bowling at Burleigh Heads.

The girls boat crew preparing for a training run.

Preparing to launch the surf boat at Burleigh Beach.

The surf boat crew on their way.