Our First Week!!!

Well, here we are!

After a very long time spent planning, making lists, modifying things in the caravan, and buying all the things we need for life on the road, packing up the house as well as packing the caravan, finally, on Saturday the 20th July 2013, we excitedly hugged and kissed our family and friends who had come to see us off. Millie was certainly happy to finally get in the car and leave, as she has spent a few months watching me packing everything into boxes, along with the furniture slowly disappearing around her. Not to mention she knew the caravan was out the front, so that must mean we are going away! She is already a well-travelled little girl and loves the car and the van. At 8.30am we set off with Mark loudly tooting the horn as we waved goodbye.




Our son Scott, me, Scott's girlfriend Hayley & Mark



Me, our daughter Kaitlyn & Mark

Me, our wonderful friend Lorraine & Millie





Our very good friend "Little Lizzie"

With long time great neighbours Russell & Belinda

YES!! The day is here!

The first day was quite surreal as we can’t get our heads around the fact that after such a long time of organisation the day was actually here!!! We were actually driving off!!! It’s going to take a couple of months to realise that this is going to be our way of life for quite a while…not a bad thought at all!!!

Our first destination was Narrandera, and as we didn’t want to drive through Melbourne city to get onto the Newel Hwy, we took the scenic route via Cockatoo all the way up to the Vic/NSW border at Tocumwal.

Mark was quite pleased with the way the car towed, although he did seem to comment on every single Service Station’s price of Diesel! Then he would tell me the price of the one further back, either dearer or cheaper. He has explained to me many times about how much our car uses litres per 100kms and how it works, but as I am not very good at that sort of thing, plus the fact that to actually do this trip around Australia, we will need fuel, I just laugh at his need to point the prices out when it really doesn’t make much sense to me.  One can only hope he doesn’t do this constantly for the next two years…Maybe it’s a bloke thing! My simple philosophy is this: if ya need it, ya get it! Not rocket science! We had a good run, although with rain showers and cold weather along the way. For the last hour or so, we could see a magnificent rainbow to our right, with very deep colours and a delight to look at.  Mark commented that my late Uncle Ray was giving us a sign. I love rainbows and along with butterflies, they have a deep meaning for me. We arrived at the Narrandera Showgrounds, and the rainbow was still there so I had to take a photo of it.

Check out the colours!

The cost to stay overnight was $15. Not a bad place, but very cold and we certainly needed the heater which warmed our van in no time at all. Very cosy! There was a small circus also in the Showgrounds; however it was far enough away to not be a bother. Not the nicest toilet blocks though, the shower was more like a concrete horse stall, but it did the job and as it was so cold I certainly didn’t linger. We had pre-cooked lasagne and veg for dinner and relaxed.

The next morning we left at 9am, again another good run and stopped in Gilgandra for the night at Benny’s Caravan Park, a place we have stayed before. It is only a small caravan park, but very well kept and peaceful. Lots of Galahs and Cockatoos in the trees chatting away made it feel we were well away from normal suburbia. A yummy dinner of fish and vegies then Mark settled into relaxing with the television and I enjoyed reading a book on my new Kindle.

Day 3,  and on the road by 9am, hitting the Qld border at Goondiwindi about 2.30pm and travelling as far as Yarramalong Weir about 80kms from Toowoomba.

Lunch at a Rest Stop

Coming down through the steep descent was slow going, not just because of the steepness, but due to all the works going on from the dreadful floods. One whole side of the huge cliff face and roads had been washed away. You just don’t realise the enormity of the damage of floods when you see it on the news; in reality it brings it to life. We wanted to set up camp for a few days, so rang the number in the Camps Book and I spoke to a guy from the Toowoomba Council who assured me it was open for camping and there was no set time limit to camp. After a very long day, with dreadful roads that made us bounce in the car, we finally arrived at the turn off to drive along very flat open farmland that was extremely waterlogged.  The farmland seemed to go on forever. One part of the road was covered in a large amount of water and I was a bit concerned about driving through it, but all was okay. Upon arrival at the Weir, we were disappointed to find the camp area extremely muddy and wet, so we set up camp on higher ground up near the pump station for the night. Another couple in a caravan had not long arrived and they had also spoken to the Council and received the same assurances as us. Also, a sign clearly stated a time limit of 72hrs. Hmmm, seems someone doesn’t have their facts right!  Not to worry, we got comfy in the van and heated up pre-cooked chicken & veg soup for dinner. The next day Mark went for a walk and found a grass area above the camp we could set up in. I was a bit undecided on this, as it wasn’t the warmest due to a cold light wind, even though the sun was shining and the place didn’t feel right. I felt like we were camping in the middle of a gigantic paddock of farming land! And I just couldn’t seem to get warm.

Yarramalong Weir

After some discussion and a bit of research on the internet, we decided on our next place to stay, Bli Bli on the Sunshine Coast, near our good friends Chris and Katrina, who live 10 minutes away at Mount Coolum. We will stay for a week. The price difference in caravan parks along the beach versus a bit inland was around $110! They charge between $42 - $46 per night! Criminal! We packed up to go to Kilcoy Showgrounds, a 3 hour drive away and left at 1pm.

The Showgrounds were $16 per night, with a really lovely large grassed area, very clean amenities and a friendly Caretaker. We ended up staying 2 nights just relaxing and soaking up the lovely sunshine. As I really hate the winters in Melbourne, I have so longed for the sun and some warmth. I felt like I was finally beginning to thaw out! We actually wore T-shirts and Mark even got a little sunburned on his face. We found a lovely fruit shop in Kilcoy, with all sorts of goodies and bought a 500gr punnet of the biggest, most delicious strawberries. They were so tasty and sweet that Mark decided to go for a walk to buy some more!  I sat outside and did a crossword while enjoying them. Hmm, sun, strawberries & sunshine…Bliss!



Camped at Kilcoy Showgrounds with all our washing hung up. Chinese Laundromat!

Our mobile home on wheels is very homely & comfy to live in!



There was a lovely walking path behind the Showgrounds with several small lakes teeming with assorted birdlife. I took Millie for a walk, decided to go back for the camera, and as I walked onto the grass I stood on a cluster of stinging nettles! Ouch! It felt like a million tiny shards of glass! Mark came to the rescue with Stingose but for the next few hours I would get an attack of stinging. Note to self; even though you are wearing thongs Lil, watch where you step!

The walkway and lakes behind us at Kilcoy Showgrounds

Unfortunately we also noticed we had a leak under the sink! The hoses for the tap had not been done up tight enough; pots, pans and the shelves were full of water. We had to empty the cupboards and poor Mark had to try and get under the small space to repair it! Not an easy feat ,but with my help he managed to repair it.

We also decided to do some washing in our new beaut Twin Tub washing machine. We are very impressed with how easy and quick it is to use, plus it doesn’t use much water. It was very pleasant out in the sunshine doing our laundry, and with team work we soon had our washing hung up to dry. It will certainly save us money by not having to use Laundromats and we can do our washing when we want.

We got talking to another camper who told us that he and his wife had just spent 2 weeks up at Isisford, near Longreach, camping along the river. The local council only charge $10 per week which includes flushing toilets and hot showers. As our aim is to free or low cost camp, we definitely wrote that one down! They had also been up to Broome and free camped at Quandong right on the beach. Apparently they were only going to stay for 2 nights, but ended up staying for 5 weeks because it was such a beautiful spot and they made friends with people already camped there. Another we have noted in our Camps Book!

Mark happily cooking our dinner

After 2 pleasant days at Kilcoy we drove on to Bli Bli, about 90kms away. We are currently staying at Bli Bli Riverside Village Caravan Park. The park is on the Maroochydore River and it is quite pleasant here, mainly permanent residents and about  6 sites for travellers.

There are many ducks waddling throughout the park along with tame magpies. Millie decided they must not be allowed near us lest they steal her biscuits! They have now realised she is on guard duty and walk under the awing when she is in the van, cheeky things.  Chris and Katrina came to visit and it was lovely to see them, even though they had been to Melbourne in March for a quick visit. The next day we drove to Maroochydore and walked along the beach at Cotton Tree. Millie enjoyed having a run on the beach and paddling in the water. We sat for a while looking out to sea, with Mooloolaba to our right and Noosa way up in the distance on our left.

Saturday we dropped Millie off at Chris and Katrina’s as they had invited us for dinner and then went up to Eumundi Markets, about 25 mins away. I just love this place and it’s the 3^rd time I have been. The energy of Eumundi is so vibrant and alive. The market is a delightful feast for the senses, with mouth-watering aromas of many different types of freshly cooked foods, wonderful stalls displaying their wares of sculptures, crystals, jewellery, psychic & tarot readings, guitars, didgeridoos, bird feeders that look like miniature houses, shoes, bright & colourful clothes, hats & handbags, and just so much more… it’s difficult to know what to look at first! It is certainly not your average market, that’s for sure. I truly recommend anyone visiting this area to go and visit!

Having a drink with the locals!



Mark getting way too friendly with the locals!!!

Delicious Seafood Paella...Look at those prawns!

Mark and I ate delicious Asian Noodles, Seafood Paella, Icy Sorbet of Mango and Strawberries and simply could not resist buying hot macadamia nuts in cinnamon and sugar syrup! Delicious!!!

We went back to Chris and Katrina’s and enjoyed a lovely time with them as we always do. Katrina made us a delicious dinner of sweet and sour chicken and the boys enjoyed a beer or 5 followed by scotch and coke…just their usual catch up! Chris tried to convince us all that one of his mates had told him that apparently Darwin has so many crocodiles at the moment that they are walking down the main street! Katrina rang this mate to verify but was unable to speak to him, but Chris later retracted and said “they may as well be walking down the street”! Hmmm beer talk and exaggeration perhaps?!

Awww......Chris & Mark

Today is Scott’s 23^rd birthday! Happy birthday to our son!    I was awake at 6.30am, as I have been every day since leaving home.  I had already had a shower, gotten dressed and was sitting outside with a cuppa and typing on the laptop when Mark surfaced at nearly 8.30am. Needless to say he was just a little seedy from all the drinks with Chris. After a shower and a cuppa he was feeling good. We rang Scott to say Happy Birthday; however he was also feeling seedy and answered the phone with a croak. He had stayed in the city at Crown Casino as a treat from his girlfriend Hayley; they and a group of friends had gone out for dinner and drinks at P.J O’Brien’s at Southbank.

We had a chat with the guy next to us here in the park and then he and Mark went off to help a lady put up her gazebo for her carport. Ever the maintenance man! At least it keeps him busy and occupied! He met her yesterday on his way to the toilets; he was gone so long I thought perhaps he had fallen in! Apparently her and her husband came over here for a holiday 14 years ago from New Zealand and loved it so much they never went back! Her husband has since passed away and she is comfortable living here.

There is a Pheasant that keeps showing himself here at the park. He either sits on the roof of vans or up in the trees and seems quite tame and not scared at all. He or she, is a very beautiful bird with many different colours throughout his feathers; hopefully I can get a photo. I also chuckled to myself when one rather cross duck was following another, loudly gabbling away to it. Maybe it was the wife telling the hubby off for a misdemeanour!

We have had a lazy day today, not doing much. I have spent a few hours adding info and photos to this blog, so I do hope you all enjoy it so far.