Grumbles

Tuesday 22nd September 2015.

 

I am feeling that we done the wrong thing by coming home when we did.  It has been cold with a fair amount of rani since we came home.

We have both had some type of illness that causes a lot of dry coughing and headaches.

 

After about a week at home we went to Lansdown Road Cundletown (about 8 km north of Taree)  and property sat for 12 nights.  It was nice to have a nice rural scenery to wake up to.

We used to come home for a few hours during the day and go back at night and sleep in the motor home.

 

During this time I upgraded this laptop to Windows 10.  Big mistake.  Microsoft had said that this computer was compatible with Windows 10.  I now know that Toshiba say that it is not.

Have now wound it back to Windows 7 Professional and still can’t get the CDDVDW to be recognised. Have tried many suggested fix's with no success.  Am now considering buying an external one as our Asus tablets do not have CDDVD driver.  A big thank you to Microsoft (if you are eaves dropping) for stuffing things up yet again.  I am not letting the tablet upgrade after reading a lot of comments on the net about the trouble that Windows  10 is causing.  I think that I survived a lot better than some.

 

Trusting you are all well.

Regards,

Des & Bev.   

To Home

Wednesday morning 2nd September 2015

Home at Taree. (And b...dy cold!) 3 deg. overnight!  7 deg. at &.30 am.

We arrived home yesterday at 1.00 pm.

Smoke signals were sent from the top of Middle Brother Mountain at Johns River to announce our imminent arrival at Taree.   Thank you who ever arranged this gesture.

The trip from Macksville was fairly slow owing to the vast amount of road work being carried out. There were long stretches of 80, 60 & 40 kph stretches with some lollipop men thrown in for luck.  This resulted in our best fuel economy for the whole trip, 8.39 ltr/100km or 33.67 mpg.  Actually, there are big road works happening from Brunswick Heads to just below Ballina.  Because we went inland from Grafton we did not see what is happening from Grafton to the Raleigh intersection where we re-entered the highway. More works started there   and continued through to south of Nambucca Heads, Warrell Creek, Eungai and nearly to Clybucca.  Can’t say that no money is being spent on the Pacific Highway!

We travelled a total of 15,868 km. used $2,415.75 worth of diesel at an average cost of $1.407 per ltr. Returning averages of 10.90 ltr/100km or 26.10 mpg. .15 cents per kl.

The cheapest fuel was at Ceduna @ $1.209, the dearest at Renner Springs and the 3 Ways @ $1.74.

Well I had better get back to doing something usefull now.

Best regards from Des & Bev.

To Gumma Crossing Reserve

Tuesday morning, 1st September 2015

Gumma Crossing Reserve

Yesterday we travelled from Nymboida, (where the hydro electricity station no longer operates), through more of our favourite winding roads through hilly country.

Passing through Billy’s Creek, Dundurrabin and Tyringham before arriving at a lovely spot for morning tea, Frank Gilbert Memorial Park, at Bostobrick.  This is on the old school site of 1918 to 1970.  By now the temperature had dropped to 11.5 deg. Bostobrick is about 14 km west of Dorrigo.

After morning coffee we went on to North Dorrigo and had a chat with an old fellow about the earlier times here and learned that the mill was completely gone now and only an area of bladey grass remained.

All of the old railway steam engines and carriages are still in the railway yard at Dorrigo.  A lot of the passenger carriages have had heavy “plastic” coverings put over their roof.

A lovely lunch was had at the Dorrigo Hotel before leaving for Bellingen. We thought about staying at the showground there but opted to go to the Old Butter Factory for a banana smoothie. YUM! We then continued on to Gumma Crossing Reserve about 7 km east of Macksville.  We had stayed here wit Mike, Sue and Rosie about 2 1/2 years ago.

There have been improvements done here with a dump point, cold showers, solar lighting in the toilets, BBQs and fire pits.  Only $12 per night for 2 people.

Time to enjoy some sunshine now !!

Regards,

Des & Bev.

To Nymboida Canoe Centre

30th August 2015.

Nymboida Canoe Centre.

We departed Ocean Shores at 9 am today and our first stop was the Ferry Park rest area cafe for a lovely cappuccino.  They make what is probably the best on the highway.

As usual, when we visit Grafton we call on Tom & Jodi at the Fitzroy Motor Inn.  We found out today that they had left about 2 years ago!

Our plan was to come to Nymboida to see what was up this way.  It is about 35 km along the Armadale Road from South Grafton.  There is about 40 acres of camp ground here among the gum trees.  Powered sites $25, unpowered $20.  There are a number of various sized cabins/cottages, toilets and hot showers, picnic shelters and fire pits, BBQ, shop with free WiFi. & probably more. There is a great walk along the creek/river where canoeing & kayaking, rubber tube events are conducted.

Something like a bigger version of the area at Ellenborough.

Not sure if this email will go out in the morning if I stop at the shop on the way out.

Goodnight for now from Des & Bev. 

To Ocean Shores

Friday 28th August 2015

Ocean Shores NSW

We left Kyogle yesterday morning in light rain.  This persisted until just before we joined the Pacific Hwy. south of Brunswick Heads.  There was some fairly heavy rain during last night also.

The road which we took out of Kyogle led to Nimbin, the site of the site of the 1973 Aquarius Festival.  There are some of the original attendees still residing there.

The road consisted of more of the type that I mentioned in earlier emails.  Even the icon on the navigator had trouble getting around some of the corners!

There was little improvement after we left Nimbin when we travelled through Turntable Creek, The Channon, Clunes, Dunoon & Bangalow on the way to Ocean Shores.

Staying with friends Pat & Stan for a couple of nights and visiting rellies Coral & Kevin tomorrow.

Will say goodnight now and off to bed.

Good tidings from US.  

To Kyogle NSW

Kyogle showground.

Wednesday 26th August 2015.

Well, this is the next episode since Maleny.

Yesterday we travelled from Maleny to Kilcoy for a mosey around and then to Esk for lunch.  After lunch we travelled the Esk to Gatton road.

Gatton must be the vegetable bowl of this area as there are fields & fields of lettuce, cabbage, carrots, onions, tomatoes & beans etc.  Everything is sooo green.

After leaving Gatton we travelled on the Gatton to Clifton road to Heifer Creek (Thiess Memorial) camp spot. The pic of the deep cutting shows the first big excavation job carried out by Thiess brothers.  It was a nice little camp spot with Windyloo toilets, plenty of space & garbage bins.

This morning we traversed another steep, winding, narrow bouncy road until we joined the New England Highway to Warwick.  There we had morning tea with a friend who worked with Bev, and his wife.  After fuelling up at 120.5/ltr left Warwick travelling through Killarney before crossing the Qld/NSW border.  After the border and Legume we joined the Mount Lindsay Road to Kyogle.  Once again this road presented us wit yet more of the same as we had this morning, except, NSW really upped the ante by adding ROUGH to all the earlier mentioned.  (Mike, Sue & Rosie will recall some of this road.)

Anyway, we arrived safe and sound here at the showground where it has plenty of grassy space, water & power, clean amenities  all for $15 ($10 unpowered) for the night.

Well that just about sums it up for today so I will say cheerio from us for now.

Des & Bev. 

To Maleny

Monday 24th August 2015

Maleny Qld.

Well, the weekend has come & gone, so have our big traveling days by the looks of it.

Saturday, Tiaro to 1512 Tin Can Bay Road via Gympie 84 Km.  Monday, Tin Can Bay Road to Kandanga 42 Km. Monday, Kandanga to Maleny 76 Km.

Saturday morning we had a good look around Gympie before going to Nigel’s parents place on Tin Can Bay Road where we were again made most welcome.

Peter & Nigel came up from Brisbane and stayed the night, so a lot of family chit chat went on in that time.

Peter & Nigel & us all left about 1.30 yesterday and when we arrived at Kandanga we found a lovely little RV park which is looked after by the local residents.  A great spot to camp.

Today we have travelled via Imbil, Obi Obi, Mapleton, Flaxton & Montville before arriving at Maleny.

The poor old Sprinter thought that she was a mountain goat for a few kilometres to ay as we climbed the George Wyer Scenic Drive.  There are hills there that have gradients of 9 & 10 % incline.  I had to use 2nd gear, almost to the floor, up the steepest part.

Had the most shocking cappuccino ever at the bakery in Mapleton.  Could only drink 1/2 inch of it even with sugar.  I gave it back to the waitress, but did not get a refund.  Bev drank hers with some sugar.

Spent some time looking around Montville and bought a couple of things before leaving for Maleny.

We had come here to try and catch up with an old friend from away back in Taree who had moved to Landsborough North.  Unfortunately, when I phone, he had moved up to just above Gympie.  I should have phoned ahead when we were up there at the weekend.

We are now trying to decide which way we will go from here, so you will have to wait until the next episode to find out.

Cheerio for tonight from Des & Bev

To Petrie Park, Tiaro Qld.

Friday 21st August 2015

Petrie Park. Tiaro, Qld.

The last 2 nights we have been staying with friends at Elliott Heads who we met at Judds Lagoon on an earlier trip.

They had moved up here from Rainbow Flat, near Taree.  Thanks again David & Irene for your hospitability.

We came via Woodgate Beach this morning to have a look at Andrew & Isobel's home there. We were advised that we could park in their driveway for the night if we wanted to, as they are also away touring the country.  Thank you also A & I for the offer, but as we were running a bit early and have to meet Peter & Nigel  along Tin Can Bay Road out of Gympie tomorrow we came on to Childers and fuelled up at $1.209 (cheapest yet!) had lunch then used the dump point.  Continued on to here so as to shorten the journey in the morning.

Regards,

Des & Bev. 

Near Bundaberg Queensland

Tuesday 18th August 2015

Well here we are at Sharon Nature Reserve tonight. We had intended to stay here last night but plans change through the day yesterday.  We arrive at Bundaberg from Gin Gin at about 9.45 yesterday.  Went to West Bundaberg, a fair way out of town, to have the first Aldi fix for a lot of weeks. None since Victoria!

Then it was back to visit the Bundy Rum distillery. Also checked out the shops at the Sugarland shopping centre before going out along the Childers road to Wallum reserve for the night.  That was a bit further away from the road than we are tonight.  Actually, we have campet at both of these sites previously.

Tomorrow after noon we are going to Elliott Heads to visit friends who lived out of Taree a few years back.

Will have more news at a later date.

Des & Bev

Some Rockhampton pics...