MAY - NOV 2014
Here we are again, it's just so time consuming doing nothing and it's hard to tell when your finished doing it.
We left the tablelands on 28th April heading South with no real plan in
mind.
Mick and Maries beautifull house at Tinaroo
Hard to leave this very comfortable location but here we go
As we approached the Mission Beach turn off Wendy said " Lets
swing past the beach we haven't been in here for awhile" and so began
a month stay in the council park at North Mission. Somewhat basic
amenities but a glorious location right on the beach. The first week
was excellent weather with lots of beach walks, fishing from the clump
point jetty and generally laying back.
The remainder of the time was interspersed with some rainy weather but still a very pleasant place to be.
Mission beach from in front of caravan park
Lauren and Ryder visit us in Mission beach but Blue still has to peel the prawns
Left Cairns again on the 19th June and parked up at Rowes Bay Caravan Park in
Townsville, a great spot right over the road from the water and handy
to everything. This park doesn't take bookings , we were in a holding
section for two days before getting a very good spot.
Blue delivered an engineering course for the first week and tidied up
some T.A.F.E work in the second week. We visited Magnetic island for
our first time unfortunately in school holiday time which resulted in
spasmodic Public transport in hot conditions but it was a good
day out with lots of walking.
From our walk on Maggi
The war museum and the redeveloped Kissing Point headland also provided interest.
We were given tickets to the v8's racing and spent a day amongst the rev heads , noise, and smells.
Headland kissing point , Magnetic Island in background
Another part of the Kissing Point redevelopment
Crazy bikers at the V8s, almost jumped out of the picture
Blue has some more of the skin stuff attended to and has a graft on his
nose, was lucky to get a spot with a plastic surgeon who also offers a
session of laser treatment at a later date if interested, Blue is
interested and will return for this later.
We depart Townsville 26th July for Moranbah to be present for the birth
of second grandchild "Conner" who is born in Mackay on 11th Aug.
At the beach in Mackay BC (Before Conner)
Same day Kale and Grandma
Conner Brand new
And again later, Good chance Granma will miss this little guy.
Grandma had her 56th in Moranbah too
Kris and Ally have bought a nice house in Moranbah and even nicer now
Wendy and Blue applied not inconsiderable painting skills to the
enclosed section under the house. All back to Moranbah after the
arrival of Conner. Everyone was glad to be home. We drive back to Townsville Sept 2nd for the Laser treatment.
It's done under GA and about 70 spots were attacked, Blue looks like
war wounded not to mention the sheets at the motel. We stayed an extra
day in Townsville for recovery.
Sept 3rd we are informed of Lauren and
Ryders engagement, Congratulations to them both on this wonderful news.
The Proposal
Sept 5th back to Moranbah. Depart Moranbah Sept 11th Moura 1st
night , Kilcoy 2nd night. arrive Deagon (Brisbane) 13th and
park van in Gossys back yard on cabbage tree creek, very comfortable
lodgings, thank you Goss.
Sept 14th attended the Deagon races a very hot and dusty affair.
15th we caught up with traveling friends Lee and Claudia who have just
arrived from Melbourne with a new van and having an annexe fitted in
Brisbane on way through to Townsville.
Crab pots on Gossys Jetty
Sept 28th Wendys niece Elisha and her fiance Nick are married, very
nice service in the Greek orthodox church and a fantastic reception at
the Victoria park golf club.
Lauren and Ryder fly down for the wedding and announce they are having
an engagement party of the 8th Nov and of course we must attend.
Greg and Elisha down the aisle
wedding party
We were there too
Oct is spent catching up with the sights around Brisbane, Somerset and
Wivenhoe dams , various country markets, Bribie Island , and a visit to
Blues old friend Viki in the Nerang valley and on to Kingscliff beach
where Wendy spent family holidays, way more developed now as is the
case with most of the coastal towns and beaches.
Surfers Paradise , not for me thanks.
Oct 30th set off driving to Cairns, arrived 31st, Laurens 27th birthday
and the birthday of 8 puppies for Bella and Tyson. Never a dull moment..
Multiplication it's the name of the game.
The Party on the 8th is a great night, pig on the spit and all the trimmings, congrats again well done.
Engagement party
The old and wise at the party
engagement cake cutting
For a few days after the party we spent some time catching up with friends and refreshing our
acquaintance with the tablelands where we are considering as a place to
settle in future.
Nov 12th depart Cairns for Moranbah to attend Kales birthday on the
16th. The party is a Pirate theme and a very hot day , The water
canon was a relief from the heat.
Ahhhhhhrrrr
Even pirates have Mums
The good ship "Blow it up"
Conner has a drink for Kale on his birthday
Nov 17th drove back to Brisbane, Goss arrives from his swing in
Gladstone next day and his friend Bernadette flys in from Melbourne.
We visit the Brisbane Jazz club on the river for a night out before we
hook up and move to Broken head in NSW, just south of Byron Bay..
(Finally over the border)
Hard to Take,
squeaky sand and no stingers or crocs
Only 40m to the beach
We spend a few days exploring the area, Byron Bay 10 mins north, Lennox Head just south
Ballina 30 mins south, Evans Head and Iluka further south and 45mins
west to Lismore through the Richmond Valley, all nice country.
From Lennox towards Ballina
Same headland back to Lennox
Byron bay to light house, windy today and $4 hour to park, not used to that.
It is now close to Xmas and bookings in parks are very tight, we will
be leaving here on the 12th and have secured a spot at Wooli, 180 Kms
south in the Yuraygir National park and quite close to Grafton. South
of Yamba and north of Coffs Harbour.