Going bush

Bloody air con not fixed high pressure house has to come from Brisbane can't be sent direct to mechanic so has to do to dealer in Townsville. (Seriously).
anyway all things being equal the part will arrive Friday and then it can be fitted and re gassed hooray.
so for the next two days the Geeens are going to a working cattle station outside of Mt Isa. There won't be any coverage so the blog won't be updated again until Friday.

(Above kids in massive copper pot from the mines)
so the kids will get the chance to see a real cattle station at work.
check back in Friday!

What a hot date

What do two travelling hip people do for night time entertainment.....
why they hang outside the phone box for free wifi of course!

Pretty it ain't

No one would ever say amount Isa is pretty. It's a proper working town and they make no apologies for this. It is built on mining and so they literally built the town on top of the mine. You can see the mine from everywhere. Nothing here is for show or movie o look nice it's all about function.
miles our mini miner had a great time on his mine tour this morning with Steve, big crusher (our car) is still in verdict on air con Unknown.

our caravan park has a pool so the hottest part of the day the Green circus has been taking up residence by the pool. There's no glass fencing and fancy tiles here but it's ice cold (as if you would have pool heating when it can reach over 40 degrees) and a welcome relief from the midday heat wave.

Noo shares his thoughts

we saw this mountain I was so excited that we saw it. It was a little bit radioactive at the bottom in the lake. it was so cool I loved it ⛰⛺️🏕⚒🔨🛠
by noo ( from voice activation)

Wild camels!🐪

On our way to the old open cast mine next to the Mary Kathlyn ghost town we saw these guys. We had a second encounter on the way back from the mine.
Xx Eloise🍉😛😋😜

The good life

loving tonight's free camping just outside Mount Isa. Car booked to have air con fixed on Tuesday hooray. Big kids doing some school work Angus playing throw rocks in the lake, I don't think there will be a stone left unturned!

Star light star bright

View from our caravan of the night sky and the first star and planet (Venus)

Where on a road to nowhere

40km outside Cloncurry at the side of the road the sun is setting and the bush is magic.

And check out the replica of the largest croc ever caught 8 metres long

The mind boggles.
so much space and light and a sense of open vastness it's hard to not feel your spirit sore.

Fish and chips worth waiting for

When Eloise earned her school medal we said we would have a celebration dinner and she wanted fish and chips. With everything going on it didn't happen and we promised on the trip we would have them.
well last night we came good on our promise and had, what I think we're the best f & c's I've ever had. Freshly caught barramundi and the fattest most delicious chips ever.
To top it off we watched the most glorious sun set over the gulf of carpentaria, divine. I don't think I'll ever have fish and chips as good again!
We came home and showered with some friends; 2 geckos, a frog and a giant grass hopper. I love the warning sign on the back of the toilet.

When we left Sydney I had nothing but heat on my mind and without the air con (which can't be fixed till mt Isa) it came as a bewildering shock to wake early this morning freezing cold. I had heard it's cold at night but I was freezing, I pulled out my duck jacket this morning crazy.

.

Harry Potter⚡️

Loving the Harry Potter Audio books we have listened to number 1 and 2. We are now listening to Harry Potter and the prisoner of Ascaban. Thanks nana and grandpa!

eloise xxx

Digging for treasure

Today we went to Obriens' creek 50km from the town of Mt Surprise far North Queensland. There we tried our hand at fosicking, noo bearing a pick axe looked quite determined to strike it rich. After 2 hours of hard work, laborious digging we concluded we were not going to be paying off our mortgage anytime soon!
rewturning in the now called sweat mobile (due to the lack of air con) the kids bought a little bag of gems.

The one upside to the air con not working is with the windows down the rushing air drowns out any discord and squabbling from the back seat. I didn't know until today that it is possible outside a sauna to have sweat cover your whole entire body!

We're not in Kansas anymore!

Today started just like any ordinary nomad day. Woke up in beautiful little town in the Atherton table lands (and honk kangaroo valley ish) then we stopped at a few falls and magnificent view point. Then all of a sudden the lush grass is gone and its bush real Australian bush. The road is straight and there is nothing around. My phone service is none existent and we don't see a car for half an hour. We are officially bush.

I On our way to the lava tunnels

At undura and there is a puff of steam from the front of our bonnet and then...
we pull over nothing obvious car not over heated. Not a single other car I the road so I don't bother to find cover I just start to pee and oh great there is a car coming!
we continue on our journey and start to notice the car feels very hot and that's because we no longer have working air con. So it's now the old fashioned kind, put the window down and shout at each other.
its the first time in Australia I've ever felt alone, isolated, vunerable. We also related we had missed a turning yes Prue you were right a paper map is necessary as you dont always have coverage!
finally we have arrived at mount surprise we missed the lava tunnel tour and we meet a couple at the pool in the caravan park bemoaning our air con and the said "we haven't ever had it in our car" so miles from a mechanic tomorrow could be bloody hot and we will no doubt have to use our new style of air con!

The above pic is the curtain fig we saw this morning in the Atherton area.

Dropping out

Well back to civilisation after being out of range during our stay at Cape Tribulation.
we stayed at the Cape Tribulation camp site pure bliss. Steve and I had our first date night in forever. There was a gorgeous bar serving pizza so the kids snuggled up in the caravan whilst we dined we had them on the walkie talkies and a direct line of site.
The Daintree was definitely a highlight. Not wanting to sound like a hippie but you could feel the history and deep magic of the rainforest. We visited the local store with a swimming hole behind the kids had bread to feed the little turtles and they saw an eel (this was the point at which I declared it too cold for a swim today).
we finally did our reef experience it wasn't the warmest day and poor Angus began to develop hyperthermia but not before he saw a big green turtle, blue star fish and an array of colourful reef fish. Was so proud of him he did really well.

we did loads of beautiful walks into the rainforest and of course time to chill out on the beach.

Rain, rain go away

Yesterday was very wet we have moved just half an hour from Cairns as it will be too wet in Cape Tribulation we are kind of treading water waiting for the weather to clear for our snorkel on Sunday. Still it meant we could get some school work done.
another rainy day (ahhhh) but slowly the weather is improving so fingers Crossed and then we can move on to drier places.
kmow your in the tropics because the insects are crazy.

Spent half an hour yesterday pulling spikes out of my fingers From touching a seed pod thankfully miles has 20/20 vision and excellent dexterity from all that Lego -now put to practical use!

Something for everyone

What a day, finally we have our car back so we decided it was time to escape the happy world of the big4.
so we took ourselves to Kuranda part of the Atherton table lands.
The village is a kind of alternate Byron bay of the 80's. Eloise met Amber who inspired her to get a dread lock which is very cool.
Angus was delighted by the Kuranda railway and we watched the passing of the two diesel trains pulling the passenger train.

Miles and I enjoyed the beautiful butterflies of the largest butterfly sanctuary in the Southern Hemisphere.

Finally we finished off with a canopy walk
The Djabugandji Bama (Aboriginal people) are the Traditional Owners of the area known as Djirri Nyundu Nyrrumba, which includes Barron Gorge National Park
Where the falls are located.

Celebrating in style

Just cause we are celebrating my birthday in a caravan doesn't mean we can't do it in style. Thanks L&J!!

Happy birthday to me

A wonderful birthday celebration miles from home. Still in Cairns at the big 4 holiday park. After lots of hugs, kisses and beautiful handmade cards we had a family brekkie. Steve did try to set the caravan on fire, by igniting the kitchen towel on the outside burner but in the end he only burned a whole in the umbrella!
The weather isn't fantastic but we played table tennis, mini golf and basketball.
the car is ready so we now have our wheels back so we can escape happy world and do some exploring around Cairns tomorrow .

With the weather this week a bit too windy and wet for snorkelling our reef trip has been postponed till Sunday and then rain hail or cyclone we will go!
thank you to wonderful friends and family for all the lovely bday texts and calls feeling the love xxx

Fun, fun, fun

Too much water is never enough running, sliding, slipping and best of all early bed. Angus could barely keep standing last night.
A quick trip this morning into Cairns for supplies (Angus got his first snorkel set) and looked at the backpacking empire, cheap accommodation and tattoo parlours. Steve and I contemplated getting "big Bessie" tattoos but you can't take kids into the parlour so maybe next time!

Cruising

Well the car has gone and should be ready Monday afternoon relief. Kids only left the pool and wet area to eat and then go in the go carts! So much fun!
i think after 4 days here I'll have had enough Big 4 fun to last a good while!

ps who doesn't love a man in a pink helmet.

Trouble in paradise

The gods are shinning on us today. No sooner had we pulled into our first Big 4 ( caravan park crossed with Disneyland on steroids) and unhitched Bessie then the car wouldn't start. Turns out it's the alternator and being that it's Friday the car won't be serviced till Monday. When I told the kids they nearly fainted with excitement before grabbing their sun tips and dashing back to the pool/fun slide Aqua party!

how we are ever going to convince them to stay in a road side 1 star caravan park ever again I don't know. Fingers crossed the car can be fixed in time for our new Thursday reef dive booking!
when I think of all the hot horrendous places we could have been broken down I know that this whole trip has been truly blessed thank you our guardian angel.

Today we saw a sugar cane train pulling empty carriages.
Blog by Angus 🚠
Typed by Eloise 🍉

Pure gold

Are at Dingo beach. We are having a great time even though the water is a bit murky.
We are enjoying the view after driving up an extreme track!
This is pure gold, there is nothing else to say.
Xx Eloise 🍉

🚡

Utfyrygtryrtyryryydhfufhfb thug. Gfbfbf hgfhr Hogg Fong hhc yggfhghfhfb vhfhshdh 🚟🛥🙁😒😩😞😞😤😡🤗🙁😎😞😞🙁🙁😒🙁🙁😑🙁😑🙁😑🙁🙁😁☺️😁☺️😁🙃😘😆☺️😅🙂😅☺️💗😆😎😆💦🚡🎉😛😎🚡😛💗💦😤😤💦😡💦💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💤💤⛅️☀️🌤☀️☀️☀️🌤⛅️☀️🔥🔥⛄️⛄️☃☄

• Blog by Angus
  

Snoopy and fairy floss!

When in Sarina visiting the sugar cane processing plant we walked by the Museum and saw this letter box.

It is very cute and I wish it was mine!

On the tour of the sugar cane processing plant we got to try all kinds of sugars and syrups and at the end we got to see fairy floss being made and then we ate it.

We had the best day ever, thanks mum and dad!

#Funniest tee ever

Xx Eloise 🍉

Snoopy!

This is the awesome letter box of museum in Sarina near the sugar cane processing plant.

We went on a tour of the plant and got to eat cotton candy so all is well!

Xx Eloise 🍉

Snoopy!

This is the awesome letter box of museum in Sarina near the sugar cane processing plant.

We went on a tour of the plant and got to eat cotton candy so all is well!

Xx Eloise 🍉

SHARKS!

After seeing this sign at Clairveiw the Greens were slightly frightened (especially mum)

But really how can sharks swim here on these rocks?

Xx Eloise 🍉

Paradise (maybe)

After arriving at St Lawrence we illegally set up camp, shhhh don't tell anyone. We we watched the sun go down but then any trace of the paradise we had just seen was gone... The mozzies had come out so we ran in a frantic hurry to the caravan and took cover there for the rest of the night to scared to go out to get the lovely ripe pineapple from the car. Of course some mozzies got in and we were lucky to wake up in the morning without a bite at all! I think the nights tramas were worth it for looking at this view and eating pineapple!🍍

Xx Eloise 🍉

Fff

Ggg

Gfhgvfggghgggfgdhggfgccfghgggggggggfhgvvdc hcf cjhgfgfydhhdbdudhhxghdggdgyyegegeggegegdgsgsfczccsggdfdfdfdgdfhhrudhrgdhrbrhdgdgvdvrvdfddrvfvfgegdyshshsdgfjsisghhfhfh fbbc. Check fgfhfydgf fgfhfydgf get hrhdggdgd
blog by Angus

Whine

Over people and crowded caravan parks so the vigilante Greens are parked here by the river. Which is illegal (oh ah) we felt so cool and were praising ourselves for finding such a magic spot, but once we had enjoyed the magnificent sunset the whine of a million mosquitos alerted us to a mosquito plague. We literally ran to the caravan slapping each other. The screen closed we then proceeded to kill one hundred mosquitos in a slapping and killing frenzy. The battle over I asked Steve "what are we having for dinner," and he said "whatever you like, so long as it doesn't involve being outside" -"no stir fry from the outside wok stove then?" -"ah no"

So we are locked in the van like prisoners too afraid to leave for fear of the mosquito bombardment that awaits beyond the thin mesh which is our only protection.
still mosquitos or people they can be whiny and irritating in equal measures!
im sure the morning view will be worthwhile!

Another day in paradise

Yesterday we spent the day chilling and travelled down the road to spend the morning at Agnes Water. The last surf beach in Queensland. Then returned to 1770 for a quiet afternoon watching Miles in his element, I don't know what grown up job you do when you love damming. That's what he spent all afternoon doing on the beach with his trusty assistant Angus.
Thanks for all the comments from everyone sharing their own memories of 1770 especially liked picturing mum and Donald moored here on their own adventure North.

We then watched the sun slip from the sky as day became night and an enormous blanket of stars seemed to be pulled across the night sky.
grateful for a such a precious, simple happy day.

Bird sanctuary 🕊

On our way to 1770 we stopped at a flying high bird sanctuary at Apple tree creek outside Childers. As we entered many Australian birds met us but then we walked into the huge 'Walk in cage',there were birds swooping everywhere. Along the way we met Macaws,Peacocks,Owls,Bleeding heart doves , an Emu and more. We even saw these strange guys

We also saw these beautiful birds as well.

Sadly we had too leave to soon so we said goodbye to our new feathered friends. On the way out I bought a peacock feather.
😋😛😜

Xx Eloise 🍉

Bird sanctuary 🕊

On our way to 1770 we stopped at a flying high bird sanctuary at Apple tree creek outside Childers. As we entered many Australian birds met us but then we walked into the huge 'Walk in cage',there were birds swooping everywhere. Along the way we met Macaws,Peacocks,Owls,Bleeding heart doves , an Emu and more. We even saw these strange guys

We also saw these beautiful birds as well.

Sadly we had too leave to soon so we said goodbye to our new feathered friends. On the way out I bought a peacock feather.
😋😛😜

Xx Eloise 🍉

Good morning paradise

Here we are at 1770 beach where Captain Cook made his second landing, and I can see why so beautiful. But where there is beauty many will follow, its out first really packed caravan site, like my mum would say "every man and his dog". But posse (reference to my fiends) there are many older and more cranky then me so when the next door German back packers chatted at night,our olds told them to be quiet at exactly 10pm! Slept like a baby as there is a very hush hush policy. Makes me think of some nirvana like commune living where the elders keep everyone in line and everybody is so friendly and amiable.
But when it's a popular site they cram you in we had to park Bessie in a spot that makes your average Woolworths car space look wide and spacious. We had a thing or two to teach even the seasoned caravaners, walkie talkies are our secret to keeping our marriage together and parking 20 foot of trailer! Many were impressed (yes stevies idea of course)!

Rugged outdoor man

How does a man who now drives a 4WD open a tin when the cheap tin opener doesn't work? With a pair of pliers of course! Luv ya work Stevie xx

House keeping

Even big adventurers need to do a bit of house keeping. So after an amazing day at Fraser Island. Highlights being breakfast on beach in our pj's, first time 4WD on beach (me and Steve), amazing views and natural beauty.
We spent this morning cleaning up and filling up. Hit the road and now off to seventeen seventy beach after a quick trip to wollies.
thought in the blog I would share funny

Insights into life on the road. Everyday in the van is like a moment of having Alzheimers, "where is my...." As cupboards get opened and closed frantically.
To wake the kids each morning I open 3 curtains to the lifeless lumps of sleeping bags inside!

Marley's cousin

During our adventures over at Fraser Island we met our first dingo while driving! What luck. He took one look at us in our huge 4 wheel drive and scurried away into the bushes,but luckily we got this picture!🐺

It is cloudy but we're still having fun 🌥☁️

Fraser Island here we come

One barge ride and we are set for a day on Fraser Island, that the Butchulla people called k'gari meaning paradise.

It's raining it's pouring

Last night it rained cats and dogs but this morning it was beautiful and clear. Just as well as I had a lot of stuff to dry, after it rained on our bed! At 3am we awoke to discover we had left the hatch open and a deluge of water was pouring onto our bed!!! Rookie mistake.
After leaving Brisbane we drove and stopped to replace our tyre, it's not easy to park 20 foot of trailer so we pulled up a few streets away and Steve and Miles rolled the tyre down the streets and back up. That job done we headed for Perigean Beach to visit my mentor and Pilates educator Amanda. She has the most gorgeous Pilates studio, unfortunately due to getting slightly lost and not being able to u turn (weird they even have u turn traffic lights) we were only able to do coffee. Despite the fact that Amanda is caffeine adverse she took me to the best coffee place in town. She is an inspiration having carved a new life and venture for herself it took lots of courage and I am super in awe. Thanks for catch up.
we headed then to tin can bay (Lorenza I can hear you laughing) was actually very nice but the caravan park was fully booked. It was 6pm and we were all so tired and the kids ratty (oh no here comes a non Hollywood moment). The owner of the park told me you need to book at least 2 weeks ahead and that we probably wouldn't find anywhere for the night, but we could try Rainbow beach half an hours drive away. Feeling like I wanted to cry and maybe scream we pulled in at 7pm to Rsinbow Beach caravan park and hooray thank god a site and its divine here. It's no wonder then that we forgot the simple act of shutting a few ceiling hatches.