Monday, 29 June 2015

Lake Elphingstone......135 kms east of Mackay

Friday26thJune.... Arrived at what is supposed to be one of the best free camps in Qld and boy I was disappointed!!! A few people have boats and fish the lake for redclaw!

On the way,looks like a giant termite mound but is part of the Gemini Mountain range between Claremont and Moranbah ...

 

 

Buck pondering.....lunch stop,in the van so the flies don't eat your lunch!!!!

View from our van over lake..Table and chairs ! My shoes getting some sun and air!!!!

 

No grass but a mat will suffice...Friday night sat around the fire bucket with another couple,cooked our snags and chops on a grill on top of bucket,nothing like a bit of protein for dinner!!!!

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Yes a prickly pear growing in the gutter of the shed used by the water ski club.Apparently the area is owned by the mines and the miners bring their families to picnic and ski at the lake .

Heeps of people free camping,some stay for weeks!!!!???? New toilet block has been built with a solar panel to have hot showers for campers but......amount of people using the toilets has created a problem,the septic is seeping out and down the hill,not good!! Apparently they get cleaned weekly by someone but nothing has been done about it!! We think if every camper was charged a small fee it would go to the upkeep and clean it up!!! Looks are deceiving ,I don't think we will be visiting there again!!!

Sunday28th June..... On the road to Mackay

Arrived at park just after 9.30 am,manager Mick,said "did you guys wet the bed???!!!" Open park,we're on a huge slab of cement,caravan as well,left the awning in,bit windy,tomorrow's another day! Few showers of rain,24 degrees so it's fine! 3 loads of washing ,in the dryer and I'm now relaxing back on the bed,iPad in hand!!!

Rain seems to have gone,still a bit windy but Moose and I take a walk around the park!! Lots of upgrades being done! We don't normally stay at Big 4 parks but a lot of them are taking pets now.

2 pools,waterslide,mini golf.....they cater for families and children! A few around seeing it's school holidays in Qld and yes they are in the pools swimming!!!

Last of the clouds across a small lake inside park area which Mick tells me,yes you can fish and if your lucky you could catch a barramundi,they like you to catch and release!!

Monday29th June......off to explore Mackay....

Drove out to the marina and Harbour beach and had a walk around....

Overcast and windy but surprisingly warm!

 

 

One of 2 tugboats!

Restored lighthouse!!!

Look what Buck found,offshore racing boat....

2 -300 horsepower Evinrude motors on the back!!

Harbour Beach.....bit rough out there today!! No swim for us!

 

Another day in Mackay.....Lagoon Walk and through Botanical garden...

This walk links Mackay with the old wharf area...

 

 

Shag on a pipe !!??

 

Lots of man made waterfalls.....

 

So green!

 

 

I like the leaves....

 

Presume water is recycled out of lagoon...

Couple of school aged boys on holidays on their uni- cycles!!!

 

 

Beautiful tree specimens !

Water hens,but great colour !

I couldn't find the name of this tree....

Close up of the flowers on it !!!

We're wondering when the rain might go away !!!???

 

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Lake Maraboon Holiday Village.....Emerald

Monday16th......Well the hunter isn't doing well,9 on Sunday, 1 on Monday and this morn,another 5! He's changed his strategies ,hopefully tomorrow will see more in the pots!! The older couple next door had a few so we pooled our resources and had a redclaw curry,I made it from scratch including the paste and we had it in the camp kitchen last night,pretty damn tasty if I do say so myself! Rain appeared again today with a lot more expected tomorrow!!! Still around 23 degrees so no complaints!

Wednesday and the rain has come,not a thunderstorm as predicted but the country around here will love it!!

 

With the rain .....one of the biggest bugs I've ever seen emerged swimming in the puddles!!!! He measured around the 3 inch long mark! Wow!! 7 cm for the educated people!!

I'm so glad we're on the high side!!!

Happy camper....

Nice size...

Bucks shoe for comparison!!!

40 all up!!!

I blanch them in salt water ......

Buck cuts them down the back and peels out the meat....into the freezer they go!

Thursday 18th June...... Gorgeous sunny day!!! T-shirts and singlet temp perfect!!! Buck came back with around 20 today and ........

One of the tiniest crabs I've ever seen!!!

One of our neighbours showed us his party trick,put the redclaw ,head down bum up and stroked its arse!!!!

Well bugger me,it's asleep!!

Amazing!!!

To all of my bike mates,I found a new BIKE RACK!!! I told him and he told me to go and wash my hair so I said,right your on my blog!!! Nice fella!!

Friday 19th ............Friday 26 th........still getting redclaw,staying extra 2 Days then off to Lake Elphingstone towards Mackay!!

The park put on a happy hour and it was enjoyed by all,cheap booze and some nice nibblies....

 

I wouldn't have given it a chip but....

 

One of my favourite birds!!

Look what pulled into the park.....caravan is 1962 and the Chevy's body is original but it's all modern underneath..Special!

 

Well girls.....at long last,no more squatting in the grass!!!!

 

 

It's a pisser!!(literally)...... One size fits all,comes with plastic carry bag and one tissue!!! Can be cleaned for multiple usages,(not the tissue!!) tried it out,just gotta make sure it's suctioned on as leakages can occur !!!!