Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Beaches and Rainforests



Day 4 and about 1400 kilometres. We’ve seen some beautiful rainforest and beaches already and the weather is so bloody WARM! We’ve been sniggering smarmily because apparently the weather back home is horribly windy and hailing. 
We spent the first night in a caravan park at Woolgoolga. We’d planned on going further but it was getting dark so we pulled into a powered site. The next morning on our way out we took a quick drive up to the headland because Steve hadn’t seen it before. It’s a magnificent view, over 180 degrees; the photos don’t really do it justice.

From Woolgoolga, we headed up to Coolangatta for a quick catch up with my dad. As usual, the Turkish pizza restaurant was delicious and we left there with very full bellies! 
That night we pulled into a free camp area near Landsborough called Jowarra Park. It was really nice and shady with lots of bush turkeys wandering around. We had a little fire there and Steve pulled out his didgeredu for a little play. The next morning we followed a short walking trail through a patch of rainforest  There were some MASSIVE old figs and rose gums. The kids really enjoyed it. I can’t wait until we get up to the Daintree rainforest; they’re going to love it!
This strangler fig looked amazing;

Once the kids had had a bit of a run around, we jumped back in the car and headed towards Noosa, but we ended up at Coolum beach. Not much swell, but the boys went in for a quick surf anyway. The kids also decided that a swim was in order. 



We then drove the coastal road up to Noosa Heads; what a beautiful drive it is too. We’ve been blessed with gorgeous warm sunny weather and the ocean was sparkling azure blue. We had to head into Noosaville to buy a few things for the van; some light globes and a new battery. We had a borrowed one from a mate and it died the night before. Well, we thought it died. Turns out it was just a fuse but we needed to buy our own one anyway. 
We found another free campsite in a small town called Tiaro. It was gorgeous too; right on the banks of a the Mary River and we woke up to the sounds of the bush birds. Steve got up really early this morning to get some sunrise photos and saw a platypus! He didn’t get a picture though because by the time he’d set the lens up properly the little fella had gone. 
The kids had a good morning playing down near the river. 

Now we are back on the road heading toward Yepoon. We’ve decided to get a site in a van park tonight; I need to do some washing and we’re all in desperate need of a shower! 

5 comments:

Katy said...

Looks brilliant! A lot warmer than Adelaide ! Enjoy x

Ariad said...

oh, it looks beautiful! I love the beaches near Woolgoolga. There is a free camp ground called Wedding Bells just out the back we used to always stay at. The Daintree is soooooo beautiful, I'm jealous not to be coming with you ;)

Kat said...

wow australian names are such a hoot! I love them all. They sound much more interesting and magical than my home town of horseheads.... Glad to see your having fun! and wonderful of the weather to be so kind to you, hope it keeps up. Enjoy the rainforest, lucky!

ps thought the platypus was extinct?

Blessings,
kat

karisma said...

I love the forest picture! Beautiful!

Kel said...

Thanks Katy. Certainly a lot warmer than NSW Central Coast too. It's going to hurt going back home!

Kat; I think the Platypus is endangered. Certainly not extinct though personally I've never seen one in the wild.
The names are funny! I guess a lot of them have been adapted from the indigenous words.

Ariad, we could have stopped in and picked you up on the way through ;) The boys want to stay at Coolum for a few days on the way back down; maybe we could meet up somewhere?

Karisma, I have to give credit to Steve for that picture. My camera died so I've been poaching pictures from him he he he!

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