Well we’ve had two wonderful
weeks with the Gleefuls and are now at Mount Surprise. This is how is went…..
Friday 20 July 2012 – Ravenswood
Showground
We stopped briefly in Charters Towers
on our way to Ravenswood and Roy went to do some shopping while I stayed in the
van to get Blog 5 done. (We parked the
rig at the back of a supermarket and got the gennie out and booted it up so I
could finish the blog). You wouldn’t believe it – Roy came back to tell me he’d
just run into Marina and Brian Power in town!!! My god, once again what a small world…
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| My Heart Starter |
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| Roy's Secret Weapon |
Saturday 21 July 2012
On our first day at Ravenswood, John
and Elly had us out in the bush showing us how to pan for gold. My, you
have to be very patient don’t you!! We found a few bits of gold
dust and we’re happy with that – but I can’t see how this is going to make us
rich. We had brought a picnic lunch and
ate it in the bush. The day was lovely
and warm - but the night got down to 5 degrees. After this first night we started using our air con – putting it
on reverse cycle and enjoying 18 degrees instead of 5 degrees.
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| Lunch time |
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| Our Fortune |
When we arrived back at camp we had
news that the Dunwich PO had been burnt down…
Sunday 22 to Wednesday 25
July 2012
For the next few days our Gleeful
hosts kept us busy by showing us the sights of Ravenswood, teaching us gold
panning in the goldfields, and touring to the Burdekin Falls Dam which is in
flood at the moment and spectacular.
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| Hunting gold |
Roy rang Bob to find out how he was
going (he was in hospital) and it turned out that he wasn’t allowed to go home
as was planned – he’d taken a turn for the worse. He sounded so sad, but always hopeful.
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| Burdikin Falls |
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| The Dam |
Each night we had a lovely big fire
to keep us warm. Dinner time turned
into a cook-off between the boys, a contest to see who could produce the best
meal. We had great company, great
music, plenty of food and plenty of alcohol (probably too much of that)!!
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| Tour Guide outside Railway Pub |
Rossie and Lyn Norris arrived
unexpectedly on Monday so Ross was brought into the cook-off competition
too. The Norris’ stayed for 2 days then
had to head back for work. (So sad - We
don’t have to do that anymore)!!
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| A Cook-off with the Norris' |
Roy and I lashed out and bought a
little twin tub washing machine in Charters Towers – we paid $70 more than if
we’d brought it from Brisbane, but we’re not in Brisbane so had to pay – it’s
the best thing ever – “Wally” the washer!!!! I love Wally…
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| I Love You Wally!! |
Thursday 26 July to
Wednesday 1 August 2012 - Molongle
We left Ravenswood with Elly and
John and toured down to Molongle for a week of fishing….
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| Last Day at Ravenswood |
This is a lovely little fishing
spot. It started as a Fishing Club and
got so big that it incorporated a van park.
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| Bund Wall - Molongle |
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| Molongle - High Tide |
My sister and brother in law, Lan
and Billy called in for a visit on Friday – they were in Bowen, on their way
back to Brisbane from a trip to the Cape.
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| Lan and Billy |
Billy’s sister died suddenly and
they had to get back home quickly. It
was a lovely visit though - I don’t see them often and it was such a surprise
when we found out they were so near.
Molongle is only just up the road from Bowen.. (56km)
Elly and I had a lazy week – not
doing too much and the boys went out in the boat when the tide permitted. It’s a tidal beach – so you can’t get out of
the channel on low tide. The days were
lovely and warm but the wind when it came up was cold and the nights were
cold. I hate the cold!!!
Roy and I spent one day exploring
the little townships to the north of Molongle up as far as Ayr. Alva Beach, Lynches Beach, Groper Creek and
Wunjunga – there are some great little places here.
The boys caught some nice Mackerel
and a big muddie. (I’m not allowed to say who caught what!). Once again – we ate like kings and had lots
of alcohol. (I’m getting as big as house). We met some really nice people and
one couple (Lotus owners) are going up to Ravenswood when they leave
Molongle. They will probably catch up
with Elly and John again, who will be back there by then.
Thursday 2 and Friday 3 August 2012 – Campaspe Ck Free
Camp
It was sad to part from our buddies
the Gleeful Gleesons, they have been the best company, we will miss them - but
time to move on. We’ll see you back at
Straddie in October guys – safe travels and happy gold digging! Don’t get rusty with your cooking skills
Johnny – the comp will be on when we meet up again!!!!!
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| Its on John! |
On our way out of Molongle, we came
across a poor roo that had just been hit and left to die. We stopped for it – but just as we did, a
car pulled up and the driver was the one who had hit the poor thing. He’d gone up the road to borrow a gun from a
local farmer to put it out of its misery.
This upset me for the rest of the day.
We spent 2 nights at Campaspe Ck
where we met some more Lotus owners.
Sandy and Geoff who had just sold their motel at Maroochydore to go on
the road in their Trackvan “Husta La Vista”.
Drinks and nibblies around their campfire – Geoff spent his time out in
the bush with his new Minelab… His new hobby. We might have to get serious with some kind of hobby too…
Saturday 4 August 2012 –
Porcupine Gorge
We stopped in Hughenden to get info
on what to see there – but not much, so continued on the Porcupine Gorge.
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| Morticia at Porcupine |
Here Lily
(the Lotus) got her first flat tyre.
We’d just pulled up at the Lookout and discovered the problem. A fellow traveller helped Roy to change the
tyre – nice fellow!! It was getting
late so we pulled in to camp for the night.
In the morning we had great expectations of trekking to the bottom of
the gorge and going for a swim in the rock pools. But I gave that idea up half way down….. I’m not only as big as a
house – I’m as unfit as one too….. We
pulled the pin about ½ way down. It was
1.2 km down – which meant 1.2km up.
(the thought frightened me – so we went back up). I’m pretty disappointed in myself – so am
giving the fitness thing a bit of thought!!!! That’s about all…..
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| Poor Lily |
Oh – and the Morticia problem still
exists…..
Sunday 5 August to
Thursday 9 August, 2012 – Planet Earth Van Park (Russells) – Mount Surprise
We travelled most of the day to get
to Mount Surprise - a long long day, so decided we need to stop for a few
days. This place advertised a Free
Snake Show (pretty unusual) – so this is where we’re staying.
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| Russells Van Park - Planet Earth - Mount Surprise |
It also has real coffee and free
DVDs for the guests. It’s lovely and
rustic here – the office is just a tin shed with a restaurant and
coffee/takeaway shop / museum and tour bookings (10 percent off tours), as well
as the snake show….. – and cheap!! We
have an unpowered site but can hook up to water if we want and can have fires
and boot up the genie. Bargain!!!!
We no sooner settled in, when the
owner, Russell gathered all the campers up for his Snake Show (in the
grounds). He gave us a talk on snakes,
snake first-aid and then you can have the snake around you neck for a photo
shoot if you want. Very informative…
There are 3 parks in town and the
population is 65. The primary school
only has 10 kids. It’s a lovely little
town. We’re decided we’re going to stay
for about a week.
We bought a sieve and a fossicking
licence from the local Post Office/Gem Store and set off to the O’Brien
Gemfields to make our fortune!!! Ho ho ho
We have no idea what a gem looks like so we’ve brought back everything
that looks pretty in the hope that someone can tell us that we are rich….
Roy was talking to the guy camped
next to us (how unusual)!! And woe and behold he knows the Gleesons!! He is a fellow gold hunter and met them 6
years ago at Palmer River. Bloody
Hell…. (his name is John)
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| Hard at it |
He was telling Roy that all the
regular Palmer River local miners have moved off their leases while a suspected
murder investigation is underway, he is one of the miners who has moved off his
lease. I thought this only
happened in the movies. Apparently
the property owner (where the gold leases are) is a crazy person and doesn’t
take to the miners being on his property, even though they have leases. Gunshots were heard and a miner is
missing!!!!! This is being
investigated.
Well, we took the pieces of precious
stones we collected from the gemfield to the local gem expert, and from a
bucket full, all we had that was anything at all was one little piece of topaz
the size of a little fingernail. At
this rate I don’t think we’ll be relying on gem hunting for supporting our
retirement. At least now we have a bit
of an idea what we’re looking for.
Better luck when we go out there again tomorrow…
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| Our Topaz |
BOB
We had some very very sad news on
Thursday morning. Our very dear friend
Bob Harland passed away on Wednesday night.
How really sorry we are Lynne.
Our sincerest condolences to you and your family. We will miss Bob
terribly.
RIP BOBBY – you’re at peace now!
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