Off to the Isa

Monday 19 April. 

We are feeling very sad to leave Kerryn and Olivia today. We have had a wonderful time with them on the Sunshine Coast. Olivia is back to school today. We hope she makes the transition from an action-packed and emotional school holiday period. We swear she has grown considerably in the six weeks we have been here. Lovely age and she’s a fabulous kid, if occasionally a bit Jeckle and Hyde with her moods. 

Cooroy No Worries RV park and Hidden Valley macadamia farm are two fabulous new finds for us to return to next time we bring the van up here. Norbut the emu was a great source of laughter at Hidden Valley. Colin thought he had made a hit with Norbut putting his head over Colin’s shoulder and kneeling down. Turns out it’s breeding season 😂🤣. Norbut set fire to his feathers reaching over someone’s gas stove to grab bacon and eggs.

The Burnett Highway takes us to Biloela once we leave the Bruce Highway soon after Gympie. It feels good to be getting going on our long caravanning odyssey and into the routine of daily driving and exploration. Towns today include Gaynda, Eidsvold and Monto.

The scenery today is characterised by undulating  land supporting grain crops, and pasture for lots of poddie calves. Farmers are clearly restocking their cattle herds this year. 

We enjoy the quieter roads and the healthy bright greens of the paddocks and bush visibly benefitting from recent heavy rains. There is evidence of both fires and floods,  including bridges being built higher above rivers that had flooded and closed major roads. Also sadly, closures of small businesses in little towns such as Kilkivan, no doubt due to COVID impact on movement and tourism. 

Clear dry weather is pleasant after the humidity back near the coast. Warmer days and cooler, drier nights. 

Tuesday 20 April

Our stay at Queensland Heritage Park Biloela has been peaceful. In the morning bebore we leave we take a look at and a sniff 🧐 of the historical collection housed at the former Biloela Railway Station.we are travelling north on the Leichhardt Highway till we turn west onto the Capricorn. Familiar territory as we head to Emerald for the night. Emerald was our nearest town when we volunteered at Skye station in 2013. Only three hours to do a big shop or go to the dentist! Our seven year old distance education student is now a tall 15 year old and his sister a lovely young woman finishing high school. 

The landscape palette has changed to eucalyptus blues and yellow to cream grasses. The occasional glimpse of red earth. Waterways are full which is great after years of drought in the Capricorn region. Towns we pass include Duaringa, (gateway to Central Queensland Highlands, oldest town here and named after a type of Strinybark), Dingo (on the junction of the highways), Blackwater (coal - tons of it, enormously long coal trains over 3 k taking it to Gladstone) and Comet (named after its river and boasting an art school).  Everything is super-sized. The road trains, trains and machinery (See the grader on the back of truck).