We're heading west!

This might just be a short post, as we are in the car and heading for Mount Suprise as I type.

In the last post we were on our way to Paronella Park. We ended up staying at the Park, as it was free to stay when doing a tour. We did however have to stay in the over flow area (the car park), as it was full in the main van area. Paronella Park was fantastic! The girls had lots of fun. We arrived late on Saturday arvo and sorted a quick dinner and an unpack, then we headed in for the evening tour. The park looked beautiful at night and the story behind the man who created it all was just amazing. If you get a chance, google Paronella Park and have a look. The next morning we did a day tour and then went off on our own exploration through the grounds. After our adventures, we headed north to the coast again.

We arrived in beautiful Palm Cove, which is north of Cairns and stopped there for 3 nights. It was very windy, but other than that it was a beautiful spot and our site was a ripper. The solar and battery system is still serving us well....as mentioned previously, water is going to be our only restriction.

Monday we headed into Cairns to try to see a doctor (my throat was still persisting) with no success and to sort some more things for the van. We also went down to the water front where there is a great swimming area and the girls braved the cold for a dip. Cairns is a beautiful city and we could easily enjoy a holiday up this way in time to come.

Yesterday we ventured to Mossman Gorge and it was beautiful. The rainforest is so precious and my highlight was seeing a Ulysses Butterfly.

I predict the journey ahead will have lots of dust and not so much vegetation!

Paronella Park at night

Our first family game of Sequence...love this pic!

More of Paronella Park

Some of the locals

I could only imagine the fun that would have been had at this place in its day!

Sunrise at Palm Cove

Mossman Gorge suspension bridge

They had lots of fun boulder hopping...

While I once again played with the camera

The crystal clear water

Cold they told me

Immy forever clinging to her Daddy

And some cuddles for a big girl too

Rollingstone

So this spot is just as terrible as the last! Beautiful beach, calm water, great park and this time we even have Grandad and Shan's company.

On Wednesday we moved the van up here to Rollingstone Beach Big4 and then headed into Townsville to knock a few things off the list. A list I hear you say....yes I am thinking the same thing! I wouldn't have thought there would be lists whilst on holidays either. One requirement though was my 8 week x-rays, so fingers crossed all is going well there. Being able to ditch the boot would be fantastic. Once home, we enjoyed a yummy dinner with the neighbours of the bream we had caught at Alva Beach.

Yesterday flew by, with the morning being about washing and trying to sort out the van. The accessibility to the girls' school work and games was not great and a redesign of the storage was required. Who would have thought I could redesign not even 2 weeks into a trip in a caravan! We then all headed to lunch at Mystic Sands Golf Club and then home for me to have a huge sleep (I had a terribly sore throat). Girls and Daddy had a swim and then after a walk on the beach at sunset, we shared dinner with Grandad and Shan. Fresh prawns and an array of salads....yummy! The girls then enjoyed a movie in Grandad's bed, while we introduced Dad and Shan to Sequence (a card game). Today has been pretty much the same....washing of bedding whilst we have the facilities, Paddy and the girls had another swim and I finished off the moving of schooling etc. We are just about to head down to the beach for some fishing and a play.

Tomorrow we will head north again, with the destination unknown at the moment. It will be somewhere in the vicinity of Paronella Park though, which was RACQ's top thing to see in the Queensland top 150 and also recommended by friends.

Some of the locals - Red Tailed, Black Cockatoos

The Girls

Polly Pockets receive a beach adventure

Soaking up the serenity

Yep, we still like each other

Three kids playing silly!

Sunset at Rollingstone Beach

Guess Who with a view

Let's have a go at this blogging thing!

Wasn't I right in saying the foot would be the hold up!

So we left our house on Saturday the 4th, leaving it in good hands with a lovely Samford family. We travelled a long way that day....all the way to Everton Park! Our destination was Grandad's house for a week. Then by Sunday the 10th of July we were packed and ready to go and drove off on our family adventure.

First stop was Cotton Tree to farewell family and to test out the set up. The next trip was a bigger drive to Bundy and a stop at my relatives. That night we managed a quick bit of sight seeing, driving up to the Hummock to see the cane burn offs at dusk. We then got ourselves up to Rockhampton for an overnight stop and then made it up to Airlie Beach. The weather wasn't great, but the park's facilities were fantastic. The girls had a ball on the jumping pillow and playgrounds.

After a week on the road and approximately only a dozen "are we there yet", we parked at Alva Beach (east of Ayr) for a few days. It was a great little place, with the caravan park only a short bike ride to an amazing beach. We managed quite a few fishing trips, with the girls snagging a whiting each the first day and then Libby pulling in a great flathead, while I bagged three bream the next day.

We then moved on to our current destination....Balgal Beach, which is about 50kms north of Townsville. This is our first free stay and I would have to say it has the best location to date. The solar and battery sytems are serving us well here, but we will need to be more sparing on the water, as we ran out after only 1 1/2 days. Lucky there is water at this site!

Tomorrow we will move only a stone's throw away....north to Rollingstone, to spend a few days with my Dad and Shan.

Farewell Samford

Hello Cotton Tree

Lunch at a rest stop and a budding photographer

Hummock outlook - Bundy

Quick bit of school work for Lib

Horse Shoe Bay - Bowen and another budding photographer

Daddy and his girls beach combing

Me playing with the camera....the boot doesn't do beach combing

Alva Beach and a big girl fishing, even casting herself

The morning catch

Paddy and his pink rod!

The usual chores

The view from the free stay at Balgal Beach

Searching for shells in the distance