September 2014

Fine and clear and 27 degrees in Goondiwindi today, while St George was fine and clear and 28 degrees.

We were on the road by 9:30 am for another relatively short trip of 200 kms from Goondiwindi to St George. We stopped for morning coffee at Weengallon Rest Area. The traffic this morning was relatively light with a few road trains heading east, but none going west with us today. While we were having a coffee four road trains in a row went past on their way to Goondiwindi.

Morning coffee at the Weengallon Rest Area

One of the many road trains heading east

We arrived at Pelicans Rest Tourist Park in St George just after noon and checked in for one night on a drive through site. The park is a Top Tourist Park and appears to be relatively new with very good facilities.

Pelican Rest Top Tourist Park

Drive through site 9 at Pelican Rest Tourist Park at St George

The Pelican Rest Tourist Park is filling up

After lunch we went to visit the Visitor Information Centre, buy some fuel, and take a wander around the town. Sir Thomas Mitchell crossed the Balonne River in 1846. The town now boasts a population of 3, 800 and is a prosperous centre of a cotton, sheep and wheat industries based on irrigation from the Balonne River. St George suffered severe flooding on three occasions between 2010 and 2012. The town gained national attention with the election of local accountant Barnaby Joyce to the Australian Senate following the 2004 federal election. St George lays claim to being the fishing Capital of inland Queensland with Murray Cod and Yellowbelly

Balonne River at St George

Flood markers on the Balonne River at St George

Today's weather photo - we struggled to find some cloud

Jack Thompson Weir

Spillway of the Jack Thompson Weir on the Balonne River

Forecast for Warwick was intermittent clouds and 20 Degrees, while Goondiwindi was sunny and 26 degrees.

Frosty will be pleased to know that we were up early this morning and on the road just before 9:00 am. Our trip today was a modest 200 kms, stopping at Oman-ama for a coffee, then again at Inglewood for newspapers. We arrived at the Goondiwindi Top Tourist Park just after noon and checked in for one night on a drive through site. The caravan park has a dam at the back of the park which probably explains all the warning signs warning of snakes.

After lunch we drove into the Town Centre for fuel and a look around.

Site 78 at the Goondiwindi Top Tourist Park

The Dam behind the caravan park

A Cormorant dries its wings

Beware of Snakes - the signs are everywhere

Gunsynd - The Goondiwindi Grey

Bridge over the McIntyre River

Goondiwindi Main Street

Victoria Hotel in Goondiwindi

Full Moon - but a tripod would help

Forecast for today for Southport was cloudy and 22 degrees with the chance of a shower.

We were up early this morning to finalise packing up for our trip to Warwick. We were lucky that there were no showers while we were packing up. Frosty came over about 7:30 am to complain that he had been up since 6:30 am waiting to see us to be on our way. After breakfast we completed our pack up and were ready to move at about 9:45 am. We said our goodbyes to Frosty and Marg and were on our way by to Warwick by 9:50 am. We will see them again next year. David received a couple of phone calls from his daughters to wish him a happy Father's Day

Our route today involved backtracking towards Brisbane on the Pacific Highway before taking the Ipswich Motorway and heading west towards Toowoomba. Just past Ipswich we turned south-west on the Cunningham Highway. Soon after passing Ipswich we began the climb towards Cunningham's Gap which involved about 20 kms of slow winding road (2nd gear and about 50 kph) as we climbed up the Great Dividing Range and through the Pass. We stopped for a morning coffee at Worrill View Rest Area and eventually arrived at Kahler's Oasis Big4 Caravan Park at about 1:00 pm.

Worrill View Rest Area

Looking west to the Great Dividing Range from Worrill View

After checking in and setting up on a drive through site we decided to unhitch and spend the afternoon exploring Warwick. First stop was the Information Centre for maps and suggestions for an afternoon in town. Warwick is located on the Condamine River and is an important farming centre in the Darling Downs. The early prosperity of the area is reflected in the substantial sandstone buildings in the town centre.

Criterion Hotel, Warwick

Warwick Town Hall

Warwick Post Office

Thomas Joseph Byrnes - a former Qld Premier

Not sure how they find the crossing

Hotel Imperial in Warwick

Abbey of the Roses

After driving around the town looking at the old town centre we drove south east to see the Falls Route near Killarney. By the time we got there the weather had deteriorated to showers and rain that got worse as we climbed into the hills.

The Falls Drive from Killarney

Countryside near Killarney

After stopping at Dagg's Falls and Queen Mary Falls we gave up on continuing to Carr's Lookout as the rain was getting worse. We returned to Warwick via Yangan to complete a scenic drive.

Daggs Falls

Queen Mary Falls

Spring Creek above Queen Mary Falls

Fine and 22 degrees today.

As the forecast for tomorrow is for showers, we decided to pack up today as we leave for Warwick in the morning. We timed ourselves and it took about 2 hours to dis-mantle and pack away our new annexe, the mats and all the rest of our paraphernalia. As we are heading inland tomorrow we filled our jerry cans with diesel, and also got a gas bottle filled up. Finally David checked the oil, water, and other fluids, then torqued the wheel nuts, checked tyre pressures and air-bag pressures.

We are now all set for the trip south. We are going via Warwick, Goondiwindi, St George, Lightning Ridge, Bourke, Mount Hope, and Echuca on our way the Melbourne. We catch the ferry back to Tassie on 22 September.

No photos today.

Once again fine and 21 degrees - but a cool breeze off the water made it feel much lass than that.

Today we walked up to Southport proper and caught the tram along to Surfers Paradise. The trams are relatively new and are being well patronised by locals and tourists alike. We were able to use our Go-Cards - touch on and touch off - approximately $2.00 each way for us seniors.
We walked up Cavil Mall to the waterfront for a few photos before retreating to Kitty O'Shea's Bar and Restaurant for an inside table out of the breeze, a couple of drinks and a bowl of wedgies - Kilkenny of course for David.

Which way do we go?

I think that they are all facing the driver

A tram at Surfers Paradise

Di at Cavill Mall in Surfers Paradise

Surfers Paradise

Less that 4 years to the next Commonwealth Games

Surfers Life Guards on duty

Surfers Paradise Beach

Surfers Paradise Skyline

Hard Rock Cafe at Surfers

Our tram approaches