The Gibbos' Tour of Oz: We're Back........Glass House Mountains, Tin Can Bay, Fraser Island.

long time no blog…… it is now 16^th July, 5 months since we began.

We have finished our jobs on the Gold Coast and Brisbane and we have started our journey again.

Brisbane was a nice city to work in, very pretty, but the commute from Gold Coast on the train was bit of a killer, 1 hour 15 minutes one way. I did get lots of reading done and with the free wifi on the train I skyped Mum regularly, which was cool. The people I worked with were all very nice and the 3 months went very quickly. Dave enjoyed his work too and he also met some really nice people.

Our 3 months staying with Dave’s Aunty Jane went so quickly because we had so much fun there. Thanks Jane for letting us stay with you, we had a great time. And thank you Michael and Bec for some great nights/early mornings…. although my liver doesn’t want to thank you :) he he he

Brisbane sunset from floor I was working on.

my lunch park

sunset from Currumbin Life Saving Club

Broadbeach early one morning

Michael & Dave (Go Maroons!)

Jane & Jo

The Girls out for Yummy Thai

After a few tears and big hugs, we left the Gold Coast on 3^rd July, heading for the Glass House Mountains, with our ‘home on wheels’ behind us. It was sooooo good to see our van again. Our drive wasn’t a big one, baby steps after 3 months off from towing, just a two hour trip. We came off the Bruce Highway onto the Steve Irwin Way and headed into a town called Beerburrum, on the way to the caravan park we’d picked for the night. Imagine a piece of steel 4 inches by 2 inch by 1 inch in a tumble dryer…..that’s the noise we heard coming from our Silver Chariot!

“Oh Golly Gosh, what is that almighty racket” said Dave (the cleaned up version for G rating). Luckily there was a Mechanic just down the road, he suggested it could be the turbo charger, about $2000.00 and he wasn’t free until the following Thursday, 8 days away. Whoopee!! Anyway, we only had a few kilometres to go, so we slowly soldiered on and limped into the caravan park at the Glass House Mountains. The owner, Steve, came out to greet us because he could hear our car from a fair distance away.

Anyhoo, through the very kind help of Steve, being a local and knowing the local businesses, we got our car looked at and fixed in just over a week. It was a flywheel and only cost $800.00 and it is now running beautifully,…..touch wood. He also took us into Town on the odd occasion when we needed any supplies, or we’d been in each other’s company for too long.

Mt. Tibrogargan with Banrock House in Front

We walked to Mt. Ngungun one morning and then climbed up it, stunning views of the area and the other mountains. Lots of Macadamia farms. Another day we walked into the town of Glass House Mountains bought a puzzle book and some naughty delights from the bakery and visited the Information Centre.

views from top of Mt.Ngungun

the hat was the only thing jaunty at this stage!

Scribbly Gum

Home at Glass House Mountains

Bush Turkey

We got our Silver Chariot back last Thursday and we were off! Up to Yandina we went and visited the Ginger Factory….Yum Yum Yum! Went across the road to the Nut Works and tasted some chocolate coated Macadamias.. Yum Yum. Off to the Big Pineapple to see an independent brewery…. weird! Jo’s driving now…. and off to Montville, a very pretty town in the hills with lots of old buildings full of shops and lovely views of the coast. After we had mountain goated up the street, we left Montville and headed for Maleny and the Cheese Factory Yum Yum Yum bought some of their Camembert and it was demolished in an evening. (it did go to a good cause……..our tummies!!) We headed back to camp after that happy with our car and our bellies, a good night’s sleep.

Friday we were out and about bright and early, off to Mt. Beerwah and bit of a walk around the bottom of it and then to Mt. Tibrogargan and a walk to a look out there. We then drove to the coast and went from Caloundra to just before Maroochydore. The main road along there was very much like the Nepean Highway going through Frankston and Mornington, shopping complex after shopping complex. We got out at Minyama and walked to the lighthouse which had lovely views out to the ocean and across to Mooloolaba. We then drove down to Bribie Island, Dave had bit of a fish at the bridge, drove across to Woorim and then Bongaree on the island and then came home. That night, Steve came over to our camp for bit of a yak and we got to hear his stories about his time as a Teamster. He used to break in horses and drive a horse drawn wagon (teamster) and he now restores Cob & Co. Coaches (as well as run the caravan park) and is very passionate about it all. Wonderful to meet people like that.

Mt. Beerwah

View from Jack Ferris lookout

So, now it’s Saturday and we are set to leave and journey a little but further north. Van’s hooked up the car…..and she tows magnificently…..touch wood. Woo Hoo! We make our way to our next caravan park, just past Gympie at a place called Goomboorian. And we make it!!!! All is good.

Sunday we are out and about again, off to Tin Can Bay a very nice coastal village. We got there about 8amish and there was dolphin feeding going on and a Dragon Boat Race event was to start too. We did a little Wild Flower Walk…. I would imagine it would be lovely when said wild flowers are in bloom J Dave got a bit arty farty with the camera and nature shots. We drove around to a quieter point and Dave had bit of a fish.

bottle brush

Tea Tree (paper bark)

Wild Flower Walk

Banksia

Tin Can Bay

Off to Rainbow Beach we went, another nice coastal town, bit more touristy. We then drove to Boreen Point, which was delightful. We stopped there for lunch and had bit of a walk along the edge of the lake, Lake Cootharaba. Very pretty place. On to Noosa Heads, where Dave had bit of a fish again, apparently something was following the soft plastic this time. We walked along the beach and watched the surfers ply their watery trade. Driving through Noosa there were people everywhere and I’m pretty sure the people swimming at the beach were from Victoria, it wasn’t warm weather.

Leaving Noosa we headed for home and drove to Cooroy then Pomona and through Kin Kin and Wolvi. Absolutely beautiful country. Highlight of our day it was. Hilly fertile country with little old towns in between. Early to bed that night because we had booked to do a tour the next day on Fraser Island… woo hoo

Sea Eagle at Inskip Point, before we even get on the Ferry to Fraser Island

5am Monday morning, Ipad alarm going off and Jo quietly asking Dave to turn it off please…. and we’re off.

Left our car at Rainbow Beach and were picked up in this 4wd beast of a truck which holds about 16 people, a nice small group. Off to Inskip Point we went and onto the ferry across to Fraser Island. It was a bit cloudy and drizzly at the south of the island, but as we travelled north, the day became sunny. The tide was out so we drove along the beach all the way up to Maheno Wreck and Eli Creek(one of many freshwater creeks on the island). We saw a dingo walking along the beach as we drove past as well as a baby whale that had washed up and was being buried by the rangers. Imagine the stench of that in a few days, phewwyy!

At The Pinnacles (example of coloured sands) looking out at the ocean we saw a pod of whales splashing about.

We spent some time at the Maheno Wreck, apparently in the 1930’s people used to have weddings actually on the boat, reception and all.

After that we came back down the coast, turned right into Eurong and drove inland to Lake McKenzie. We were back seat baddies and there was some major 4 wheel driving going on. Due to genetics and my mother’s short legs, my feet didn’t touch the floor of the vehicle and so as we negotiated the odd bump on the 4wd track, I was literally air borne about 2-3 inches above my seat. It was ace!!!! I got a little bit of the giggles at one stage, we were just bouncing and bobby around like corks in the sea. I would recommend at no point during this tour do you attempt to pick your nose, it could end in a fatality.

Stopping at Lake McKenzie for an hour we walked around it’s edge. A huge freshwater lake with a sandy beach, very pretty. We then had lunch, in an enclosure!! yes, because of the dingoes and people having fed them in the past, all food near the Lake must be prepared and eaten in a fenced area. Also, other places on the island where you can camp, there are strict rules about preparing and keeping food. Dingoes only become a problem when people try to feed them and they then get used to that as a food source. Lunch was provided by the tour guide/driver Mark and Dave and I had fish, which was cooked beautifully, and salads etc. We spoke to people on the tour from Phillip Island and Leongatha….small world.

After Lunch we drove through different forest areas of the island on the way to Central Station. Magnificent trees and lush vegetation, I was in my element. At Central Station there is a boardwalk through a Rain Forest area and along another fresh water creek, once again, stunning! It was a big day and a wonderful day. Thoroughly enjoyed it. We came back along the beach and caught the ferry across to the main land, picked up our car and drove home…. happy as two pigs in the proverbial.