September began in Longreach where we stayed at Apex Park free-site, which is situated 5 km west of town by the Thomson River. The site is Council owned and run and has toilets, rubbish bins and BBQs. No water and no dump-point, although these are provided in town.

The Thomson is an extremely muddy river with a temperate of about 15C. It feeds into Lake Eyre, should it reach there. Unfortunately the site is 'black-soil' formed by centuries of deposition from river floods. The merest hint of rain causes it to become immediately boggy and one such recent precipitation resulted in a Council JCB having to tow about 40 vehicles from the site onto the nearest roadway. So, given the above density of vehicles, one can imagine that the site is really large, which it is, and really noisy, which it became each morning and late afternoon.

Longreach started life as a modern town only a little over 120 years ago, with the coming of the railways to the West. Previously the huge property, Bowen Downs, ran north from the Thomson River. It was taken up by the explorer, Landsborough, and the Outback legend, explorer and overlander Nat (Bluey) Buchanan. The name Longreach derives from the 'long reach' or waterhole of the Thomson River, used by drovers as a place to rest their cattle and horses before heading 'further out'.

Longreach's abundant grasslands made many rich in the days of the 'golden fleece', when Australia 'rode on the sheep's back'. There was a dark time in the history of the region concerning the exploitation of shearers, whose labours were integral to the successful running of a sheep property. The shearers' strikes of the 1890s not only led to better conditions and wages for shearers, they also saw the start of the Australian Union Movement and the Labour Party. The strikes and accompanying violence also led to an antipathy between shearers and producers, the traces of which can still be noticed today.

The wealth of the area rose to a peak in the 1950s, when wool made £1 per lb. The Longreach of a half-century ago was very different from today. The landholders drove sparkling Mercedes cars or top-of-the-line Australian/American makes, the Longreach Club was members only, men only and very exclusive both in admittance and dress standards. Today Longreach is very different. Many of the old pubs are gone and the shearing teams are largely gone too, with the collapse of the wool industry and the change to cattle.

Longreach had 3 paramount attractions in which we were interested:

The Qantas Founders Museum, with a whole list of options - Qantas Museum Exhibition, Original 1922 Qantas Hanger, the 747 Restoration Tour, Secrets of the 747 Tour, and lastly the 747 Tour and Wing Walk. Historically, Longreach is known for its assocoation with QANTAS. The Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service was actually founded at Winton on 10th February 1921 but was soon moved to Longreach, where a hangar and the country's first purpose-built landing field were constructed. In truth it was only the 747 Tour and Wing Walk that really interested us, the moreso for the Wingwalk, but at A$90 we didn't feel it VFM (value for money). So we confined ourselves to taking photographs and walking the areas open to the non-paying public. Each and every tour had a price, with the entire package being out of our (and it appeared most of the others') price range. This was noted in the small number of punters milling around disconsolately. There appeared to be an absence of staff, which we found strange. www.qfom.com.au  or email .

The Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre - Devoted to Australian Outback history, the site comprises the Museum with 5 themed galleries, live entertainment including  audio-visual presentations and open displays, the Hugh Sawrey Art Gallery featuring outback artists, R M Williams' Cottage, a Wall of Fame and a Botanical Walk. We merely walked the public areas and landscaped grounds, as we had already visited The Drovers Camp in Camooweal. www.stockmanshallofame.com.au.

Lastly the Kinnon & Co shop in town, in order to book for the 'Thomson Bell' Paddle-wheeler Cruise. In truth we only subscribed to this on the recommendation of our neighbours on site and, although it was a pleasant evening, on balance we didn't think the A$60 pp was actually VFM. The 'Thomson Bell' turned out to be a small side-paddle-wheeler with the most appallingly uncomfortable slatted seating quite inappropriately placed, in that it was almost impossible to look forward without getting a crick in your neck. The cruise was short and uneventful, ie boring, although we hadn't really expected that much from such a river cruise. As darkness fell and we disembarked, we and another coach-load gathered around a camp fire for a drover's meal of beef stew and sliced bread, apple pie and custard, Damper and Golden Syrup (Cocky's delight that - cockroaches not Cockatoos) and Billy-tea or coffee. Actually it was all very enjoyable and there was certainly enough food, with seconds on the stew and tea. The Bare-foot Bush Poet who followed was amusing at times but difficult to hear and so we missed quite a lot.

Still, we can finally say we have experienced Billy Tea and Damper (flour and water baked on the campfire). Geoffrey, the camp-host, even demonstrated swinging the billy - 3 rotations clockwise followed by 3 anti-clockwise - and didn't spill a drop!

Actually Kinnon and Co run several tours, including a Cobb & Co Stagecoach tour, Clancy's on the Thomson (a million stars overnight experience), Starlight's Spectacular (the Legends Tribute) and lastly The Station Store. www.kinnonandco.com.au or email .

Tourist Information Centre, Longreach is – very friendly and helpful staff.

So from Longreach it was just less than 30 km to Ilfracombe, entering along Machinery Mile which is the main street. That name derives from the ranks of farm machinery of a bygone age lined along the road on the left side. We were there for one thing only and that was the Artesian Spa - CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE but with water still spouting into the pool from the bore piping. The swimming pool next door was also closed so, swallowing our disappointment, it was east out of town, just stopping to use the dump point, fill up with water and wash the 4x4.

On to Barcaldine, which proved to be a pleasant enough town but without great interest to us as travellers. The name Barcaldine originates from the Oban region in Scotland. Donald Charles Cameron, a direct descendant of the Campbells of Barcaldine Castle, was one of the first settlers here in the Barcaldine district. We filled up with diesel, rested in the park and photographed the 'Tree of Knowledge', which is a most extraordinary structure.

It would be impossible to write about the Tree of Knowledge without reference to the Shearers' Strike in the 1890s. Throughout the tumultuous months of 1891 it is suggested that the prominent tree near the railway station became an identifiable meeting place for the shearers. Once known as the 'Alleluia Tree' because the Salvation Army met there, this ghost gum became the centre of the struggle and became known as The Tree of Knowledge.

The Tree of Knowledge was included in the National Heritage List on 26 January 2006. In May 2006 the Tree of Knowledge was poisoned and never recovered, and hence the scenario described below.

As a future memorial, the dead skeleton of the tree was removed from its site and sent south for chemical preservation - a process that would take the better part of 12 months but would preserve the tree trunk, branches and root ball intact. This was an Australian first. The Tree of Knowledge skeleton would form the centrepiece of an 18-metre high memorial that would pay homage to the significance of the site. The concept was designed by Brian Hooper Architect and m3architecture in Association.

Suspended above the Tree are 3,449 timbers, representing the leaves and canopy of the tree as it would have been at the time of the Shearers' Strike.The ochre-dash coloured concourse surrounding the tree pays tribute to the areas where other Union camps were located, thus recognising the role other Queenslanders played in this massive struggle. It is also reflective of the original earth colour around the tree.

The root ball was salvaged and preserved and is displayed through a glass floor. This design feature gives the unique and dramatic effect of suspending the viewer above the root ball. Protecting the tree on the outside is a 'charcoaled' facade, providing a 'veiled' effect to reference a place of mourning and reverence. The facade is constructed of 1,464 timbers, bringing the total number of timbers in the memorial to 4,913.

Since its construction the memorial has received a mixed reaction - from one end of the spectrum to the other. From a distance it may look like an unfinished rainwater tank stand or a bird cage or a big black box but, up close and personal, the monument takes on an entirely different meaning. The events of 1891 were enormous, with a nationwide impact. The monument of the Tree under whose canopy these events took place had to be striking; it had to be large; it had to be a traffic stopper; but most importantly it had to effectively tell the story of those who had gone before.

Although there is a large free-site just east of town, we drove on to one midway between Barcaldine and Jericho and, being the only vehicle on site, had the best night's sleep for some considerable time.

The following day it was just 20 km to Jericho, where we had promised to meet some fellow travellers at Red Bank Community Park, a Council run free-site just east of town. What an idyll it turned out to be and we stayed for a full 5 days before driving on to Rubyvale. Secreted away in woods beside a creek, there are toilets and several taps providing town water. There is even a cold shower. Although quite crowded, space could be found by the creek itself, especially if you were prepared to wait until the inevitable morning exodus.

The birdlife was again remarkable and for the first time we were able to watch and photograph a pair of Australian Darters (Snake Birds) and mark the difference in plumage between the sexes. It was really strange to watch the birds walk into the water, leaving just the long thin neck protruding above the surface - hence the name. Equally to see them swim with the body totally submerged and only the neck ploughing through the water, like some submarine periscope. I even caught 3 Red Claw although, not being sufficient for a meal, these were released - rightly or not, as at Longreach on the Thomson there are notices instructing that all Red Claw caught are to be destroyed as they are an introduced species. Perhaps a future fellow traveller will catch and consume them.

And so finally to Anakie, Sapphire and Rubyvale on the Queensland gemfields and the third  'Bucket-List Point' for this journey: fossicking for gemstones.

Sapphires were first reported in the Sapphire Gemfields by Archibald Richardson in the 1870's. By 1890 commercial mining had begun in Retreat Creek in the present town of Sapphire. It was incredibly hard work, in an isolated spot in harsh conditions with a lack of water. However mining continued and by 1902 the area had been proclaimed a mining field and the mining towns of Sapphire and Rubyvale were formed near the main workings. Mines were dug by hand using picks and shovels in open pits or trenches. The early miners also dug square-sided shafts, which they climbed with their backs against the walls. In the early days the main buyers were Germans, Russians and other Europeans. After 1935 the Sapphire Fields went into decline until the 1960's, when a new phase began with tourists as recreational mining and fossicking became popular.

By 1970 an increasing price for rough sapphires led to large scale mechanised mining, which resulted in huge amounts of sapphires produced by a large number of miners and purchased by buyers from Thailand. During this period Australia produced over 80% of the world's sapphires. These stones were cut in Thailand and were sold around the world as 'Thai Sapphires'. High production continued until the early 1980's, when an increase in production in Asia and Africa led to a massive downturn in the Australian Sapphire Market which continues today. An active tourist industry was established in the early 1980's and separate areas set aside for fossicking, hand mining and large scale machinery mining. Of interest was that the road between Sapphire and Rubyvale was constructed and paid for by the mining companies in a 'quid-pro-quo', whereby they were able to extract the gravel from the road bed for exploitation. In the explored and prepared area they then laid the road itself.

1 carat=1/5 gram.

As tourists, we had decided to stay on the Rubyvale Caravan Park at A$25/night for a powered site. A bit steep we thought, especially as TV reception is poor to say the least, water is rationed and there is no dump point (for which you need to drive 8 km back to Sapphire). There is a good book swap at the camp office, while free books were gratefully accepted at the town library.

My back was still giving me a lot of pain and so, while Sandra explored the offerings at Sapphire and Rubyvale, I rested. There seemed to be lots of 'Grey Nomads' on site, the majority of whom were not digging for wash but rather buying it by the bucket from a variety of mining outlets at A$10-20/bucket. Obviously all this 'wash' (gravel) had already been sieved and the larger stones extracted but still we were shown several quite pretty stones which were cut locally at A$25/stone. Job's Comforters allege that the wash is seeded with small stones and this may well be the case.

In any event, Sandra had a fine time visiting the various mines and jewellery shops, as well as talking to fellow residents. With the exception of the few die-hard long-stay fossickers on-site, everyone was extremely friendly and eager to share their experiences. The exceptions were truculent and surly, but then an environment like Sapphire/Rubyvale, and indeed like Coober Pedy, is known to attract the anti-social loner. One such example actually has a mine where one can buy 'wash'. At the time of entering the caravan park and speaking to the owners we were warned off this individual, who is renowned for his rudeness. Interestingly, and to bear this out, later that first week Sandra watched him with a pot of paint, eradicating the names and adverts of his opposition on the signs scattered along the roadsides. Point taken!

With no sign of a symptom-free state in the near future, Sandra and I formulated a plan of action. We would leave the caravan park and drive the 83 km to Teresa Creek Dam to meet friends Helen and Morris from Iluka, NSW. We became friends and fellow travellers on our second trip and have stayed in touch ever since. Morris is an avid fisherman and this current trip takes in lakes and rivers with fishing and netting for Red Claw and Yabbies. Morris and Helen were only to be at the Dam for about a week but, with the school holidays scheduled from 16th September to 2nd October, we needed somewhere to get away from hordes of school children. Unfortunately Teresa Dam did not live up to that anticipation (and, with the departure of our friends on 23rd September, we exited our spot by the lakeside and moved Bush).

Now, I'm not going to deride the actions of parents who wish to camp and fish with their children in a rural utopia, but there did seem to be an ethos of 'do what you like so long as you don't bother me/us'. Enough said - oh, and that I have never had children, never wanted them, and really find their noise and ebullience wearing in the extreme. They were also raiding my crayfish nets!

Teresa Dam was A$10/night with no powered sites. On the lower level next to the Dam (Lake), there are open sheds you can park next to or pitch you tent inside. There are toilets in all the camping areas, although the showers are on the upper level, as is the dump point. There is bore water and drinking water at separate points. The Dam itself was absolutely huge, with Teresa Creek feeding in and navigable for miles upriver. No water was flowing over the spillway. Birdlife abounded and there were water birds everywhere, although not so many Lorikeets as at Rubyvale. The water-lilies were outstanding and cattle from the properties adjacent to the dam were to be seen partially submerged, as they cooled off or ate the water plants. No-one was fishing, as apparently the water temperature had yet to rise sufficiently. Still there was the Red Claw and they provided many a meal while we were there.

And so Bush we went - and what a change of pace and peace. We spent a week by Douglas Creek about 8 km from Teresa Creek Dam, just tucked away by the side of a quiet rural road and overlooking the Creek itself. It was alive with birdlife and we have added to our list an Australian Roller (aka Dollarbird), Crimson-backed Red-back Wren, Double-Barred Finch, and the 'piece de resistance' a number of Pacific Bazas or Crested Hawks. Fascinating to think that these prey on tree frogs, stick insects and praying mantis etc in the treetops.

Another strange incident was our evening with a stray goat that just wandered up to the caravan, obviously a lost pet, and adopted us. Wherever we walked outside the goat followed us. Fine, so long as she could see us, but should we disappear from sight she would start bleating. I chained her up overnight and then the next day made a round of the closest properties. No luck! So Sandra combined a shopping trip into Clermont with a call at the Council Offices and an employee was dispatched to collect the animal. We can only hope that she is claimed, as life in the pound is short should no owner come forward.

An interesting aside: as I and the Council Supervisor were standing looking down into the creek, for the first time in 3 journeys, I saw an Australian venomous snake in the wild - a 1.5m long King Brown Snake swimming across the creek and merging into the long tussocky grass on our side. Grass I had walked through earlier, leading the goat. Apparently it's mating season and the snakes are particularly venomous and aggressive. Actually one of the Black Snake family, it is Australia's second longest snake after the Taipan, of which there are 2 varieties. The King Brown can grow to 2.5m or more and its bite secretes a neurotoxin. Although not particularly strong, the snake can actually envenomate up to 150ml of venom at one bite - hence the danger. On the suggestion of our visitor, I moved the caravan and 4x4 away from the long grass!

And so we come to the end of another month. We intend to start the next month with a return to Rubyvale and a one-day Self-Drive Day Tour with Fascination Gem Fossicking (A$80/couple/day tour). You drive your own vehicle to the public fossicking area, about 20 km out, and spend the day digging and sieving. All equipment is provided, as is the day licence. On hand is a professional miner, who instructs on all matters of relevance - and this we shall detail in the next travelogue. If my back holds up, this will be the start of a week's fossicking using hired equipment, but if not then we shall just have to resort to buying buckets of wash, although this would not be our preferred option. Anyway, time will tell - and so shall we at the end of October.

Just to end by mentioning the new friends and travellers we have met during the month, at least those  we rate as 'special' and who we shall keep in touch with: Bob & Lyndis of Brisbane, travelling in a beautiful 5th Wheel, and Anne & Keith from Bundaberg, Queensland, travelling in a Coaster Bus.

Whatever the form of transport, we are all travellers.

Dr Bob in Oz - October 2011

So the month kicked off at Douglas Creek, just chilling and bird-watching with some photography thrown in. Sunday the 2nd and we were awakened by a small flock of Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos screaming in the large 25m Ghost-Gum just to our side. Actually we are well used to such 'alarm calls' but eventually, after about 15 minutes of absolute mayhem, I decided to go out and determine the cause of the agitation.

It was a koala and obviously they had decided it shouldn't be in their tree. This was very much the manner of the day as they intermittently hounded the unfortunate creature, which was well and truly 'up a gum tree' (please excuse the pun!!) They would attack either singly or as a group and then fly away for hours, only to return and start all over again. Obviously the koala had nowhere to go, as to attempt to retreat down the bare tree trunk would open it to immediate and overwhelming attack. For those of you who don't know, the Cockatoo in question is about the size of a chicken (chook) and its beak can sever a finger without really trying. The koala was still up there at nightfall but was absent the next morning. When stressed a koala keens like a baby and this one was really stressed, judging by the constant high pitched mewling when under attack.

Monday and, just worthy of note, was the owner of Kel the goat turning up to thank us for finding the family pet and turning it over to the council. As it turned out, Kel is a neutered male and about 10 months old, so just as well that the people 2 km away hadn't decided to adopt it as a milker. Not sure how many of you have watched 'Kath and Kim' (the Australian comedy) but Kel is named after, and bears quite a resemblance to, the effeminate Butcher in the series.

And so to Tuesday and the much awaited visit to Clermont and the Mine Tour (free) of the Blair Athol coal mine - Rio Tinto. Have to say that it turned out to be one of the best of its type that we have gone on, mainly due to the driver and guide, Graham. The bus tour runs Tuesday and Friday and Graham owns a local bus line. The mine itself is about 20 minutes from town and of course you don't actually leave the bus, due to Health and Safety restrictions. Still, the bus went everywhere and we had great views of the entire site from the lookout. Then it was out and past the 3 crushing plants, the drag-line (although we couldn't quite get to it), the collectors and conveyor belts and lastly the hopper feeding the train-wagons that ferry the coal directly to the port just south of Gladstone. (We saw this operation on the 2006/7 trip). 

The various technical details, tonnage per anum, history of the mine, type of coal, life expectancy, etc can be obtained from the Blair Athol webpage. It is forecast that the mine will play out in 2015-16 and they are already extracting a deeper level of coal than previously. It is interesting that there is a 30m over-burden of soil and non-industrial coal and then 30m of coal itself. Then there is another 5-10m of soil etc and then a lower coal deposit. The deposit itself lies in a basin, almost like a spoon and this is easy to mine with relatively short distances from drag-line to crusher. The coal is so clean that little washing is required, in fact only that sold to a local dealer (3% of output) for in-state sale and usage. The mine is so called as the original owner of the land was Scottish and came from Blair Athol in Scotland.

On the way back to town Graham detoured to show us the previous site of the town of Clermont, inundated in a catastrophic flood in 1916 with the loss of 65 lives. This is still the second most deadly flood in Australian history in respect of lives lost. As a result of the deluge 3 pianos ended up trapped in the branches of trees and one such (although only a model) is visible to this day. At the Flood Memorial the actual height of the water is recorded on a vertical column.

Back at the town library, which doubles as the TI/VC, we thanked all those involved in the 'Kel incident' and obtained some free books; always a bonus. Then it was the town Op Shop (Charity shop), where we were given a cup of tea. They must have realised we badly needed rehydration. A bit of shopping and we were out of town and back to Sapphire, stopping on the way to take some photos of an Australian Bustard.

It is sad to recount that Sapphire turned out to be a total and utter bust. We arranged the day trip with 'Fascinations' as we had intended - and 'Yes', we could take the caravan to the fossicking site. When Keith, one of the 2 brothers, turned up, he turned out to be rude and surly. Having driven 28 km we then found that we were expected to either abandon the 'van by the side of the road or try to drive down a bush-track through packed trees. That was enough for us, so we retraced our steps back to Sapphire. Well, we said the guy was a yahoo, and of course'GREEDY' as they wouldn't want to lose A$80, even though someone's caravan could get damaged.

The following day Sandra went to Armfest in Sapphire, one of the Companies selling buckets of wash (gravel), and had a fine old time sieving for sapphires. Well, she certainly came back with enough small fragments labelled 'Gem quality', 'Show & Tell', 'Star Sapphire' and 'Zircons'.Me, I wouldn't have given them the time of day, but it is special to Sandra, so we are sending the whole lot to a Company in Bangkok who will decide if any are worth cutting and polishing. They also manufacture jewellery, so we shall have to wait and see what will transpire. We'll let you know what the Company decides once the gem-stones arrive with them. Just as a PS: we do intend to return to Sapphire and Rubyvale at some time and to this end have met and discussed the matter with Mark, one of the local miners. When we return in 2013/14, and if he is still around, then he will show us the ropes.

So goodbye to Sapphire and a straight if awful highway to Emerald, 43 km away. Didn't form a great opinion of Emerald first time round and this second visit confirmed it. Scruffy, overpriced and crowded. And 'Yes', Van Gogh's Sunflowers are back on their hoarding near TI/VC. When we called in 2006 they were flat on the ground for re-painting!! We did some shopping and exited east towards Bedford Weir, which we were to visit for a few days. Just a mention of the weather - SCORCHING with high humidity and strong, gusting winds. In fact an Extreme Fire Warning is designated for this week-end.

Just 40 km east along the Capricorn Highway is Comet, the town named after the Comet River which runs close to the township. The river itself was named by Ludwig Leichhardt during his first expedition through Central Queensland, after observing 'a fine comet in a small clear spot of the western sky' in December 1844. Next to Whistle Stop Park, where you can see the tree trunk that Leichhardt marked with 'DIG' during his second expedition in 1846. 'DIG' indicated to those who followed that supplies were buried near the spot.

And so on towards Blackwater, turning north off the highway just before town to drive the 28 km to Bedford Weir. Now we had heard all sorts of positive reports about this campsite from fellow travellers but quite simply, after Teresa Creek Dam and Douglas Creek, it was a real anti-climax. We rested for a few hours and then made our way back to the main highway and on through Blackwater, Bluff and Dingo to Duaringa, which was our alternate free campsite and one on which we stayed in 2006.

Blackwater appeared to be a grubby unfriendly town and is the Coal Capital of Queensland. The town's name comes quite simply from the colour of the local creek and ground water. The town prides itself on its fine Japanese Gardens, which mark its 'twinning' with Fujisawa in Japan. (A few free junkets there I should think!!) The only other attraction is The International Coal Centre, completed in 2008 but closed when we passed through. We particularly disliked the anti-camping signs stating that such activity was anti-social and militated against a coherent society. (Obviously funded by the local Caravan Park!!)

Dingo, next along, is named after the native Australian wild-dog and a bronze statue of same graces the main street. Dingo (the town) is home to the annual World Dingo Trap Throwing Competition and is a good jumping off spot should you wish to visit Blackdown Tableland National Park, sign-posted off the main highway.

It was unfortunate that at Duaringa we were to lose the third caravan tyre - this one the spare from 2004 that we had fitted at Coober Pedy. The BP servo wasn't able to help us with a new tyre but for A$25 was good enough to fit our second spare onto the rim. We carry the second tyre, sans rim, on the roof-rack of the 4x4.

From Duaringa it was a further 70 km east along the Capricorn Highway before turning south at Westwood and spending the night at the free-site at Dululu. A strange little site, where the local Hotel has fitted a number of power points. In order to access these you go to the Hotel, pay the appropriate fee and obtain a key. It's A$10/night for power, shower and toilet but just A$5 if you only want power. We were quite underwhelmed by the site but decided to stay, as there were 2 blossomed and fruiting trees on the access road to the site each alive with Noisy Friar Birds and Figbirds, neither of which we had photographed before. The site did not allow the use of generators and there were several notices to this effect. A fellow traveller had already warned us about a local who was really anti about the site, to the extent that he/she would seed the area with faecal parcels. Sounds ludicrous I know but on the following morning, when I was litter picking the site as a thank-you, I discovered several plastic bags full of human faeces!! We only stayed the one night, although we did meet a lovely couple from just south of Brisbane, Trevor & Maria, who we may well call on when we are passing through.

From Dululu it was a further 80 km to Biloela, where we lucked on a Community Butcher with prices well below those in the Supermarkets. We filled up the freezer before driving on to our next overnight, behind a Village Hall at Lawgi. Rainwater and toilets and without power but verdant and quiet. I say quiet, although we were hit by a violent thunderstorm with lashing rain that lasted for several hours and negated the use of the generator.

The following day it was south through Monto where we filled up with fuel and then about a 100 km south on a gravel road heading east to Gin-Gin and the access to Bundaberg, where we were visiting fellow travellers Keith & Anne whom we had first met at Longreach and then again at Jericho. Gin-Gin has an excellent 20 hr free-site and we were able to park far enough away from the Bruce Highway to minimise traffic noise. Toilets and water are available.

We have visited Bundaberg before (2006) and so were there purely to visit Keith & Anne at their property in a Retirement Village in Bagara, some 15-20 km out of town on the coast. As with the last time we were here, we wild-camped on the river, undisturbed apart from traffic noise including that of the Cane Trains as they passed carrying sugar cane into Bundaberg for processing. Our 2 day stay in Bundaberg/Bagara was really enjoyable, with visits to Hummock Hill, a 300m extinct volcano cone just out of town, and the delightful beach at Woodgate, somewhere we may be staying with Keith & Anne on a future trip.

All too soon it was time to leave our friends travelling to Childers (of Flying High and Snakes Down-under - both visited in 2006) and on to Hervey Bay for our planned Whale Watching Cruise. As a result of a comprehensive Internet search we had already decided on Blue Dolphin Whale Watching Cruises; an excellent choice as it turned out. In relation to the various companies, the prices were all much of a muchness but Blue Dolphin's vessel is a power- and sail-driven catamaran, which we felt would bring us closer to the Southern Humpback Whales we were seeking; and how right we were.

Unfortunately by now the weather had really deteriorated, with densely packed grey clouds, a leaden sky and a chop to about ¾ metre. Undaunted we took our anti-seasickness pills and embarked at 07.15 on the 20th. WHAT AN EXCELLENT DAY - 5 Star from start to finish. A 2-person crew consisted of the owner/skipper Peter and Mel the deckhand, who assisted Peter and provided the food and drink. Although The Blue Dolphin can take 24 passengers, we only had 13 and what a diverse group they were. One young Australian couple, an Italian couple on their honeymoon, 2 young women from Paris, a Polish couple (he working out here on a short-term contract), a grandmother and grandson from Carlisle visiting a relative here in Australia, Us, Peter (Australian) and Mel (originally from Holland), who came here 13 years ago as a single Mum.

The Cruise was 7.30 am-3.30 pm with tea/coffee on request, an excellent lunch and then tea/coffee and nibbles mid-afternoon. In all we saw 3 mother and calf combos, with the first being the most reticent. In the case of the second group, the calf of about 15 tonnes was just supercharged constantly leaping from the water, breaching, and sky-hopping. The mother was far more restrained. However, it was the third pair which proved the stars and for these Peter actually turned the boat around, as we were heading for a sheltered anchorage and lunch. Both mother and calf were constantly breaching and to see approximately 30 tonnes of female Humpback leaping from the water only to crash back is something not to be missed. Some excellent photographs and yet another terrific memory.

Cost of Cruise - A$115 per adult. Cost of Caravan Park - A$63 for the 2 nights on a powered site, with discount for 1 Senior. The site was quiet enough but the bays were small with numerous collision hazards -power poles, trees and shrubs, water stand-points, etc. Wouldn't use it again.

After the 2 days it was time to leave Hervey Bay, driving south to pay a flying visit to Geoff at Mountain Creek, inland of Maloolaba. It was Geoff and his wife Marg whom we met in Venice in 2005. As a result of this happenstance, in 2006 we flew to meet them at Brisbane and to purchase the caravan and 4x4 we retain to this day. Unfortunately the Global Recession has not dealt well with them and their Supers (Superannuation) and Marg is now working both locally and in Melbourne, whilst Geoff is a Visiting Electrical Trainer. We were lucky to catch Geoff at home on a weekend break, although Marg is down in Victoria. Just a 3 hour stopover, including lunch at a local seaside fish restaurant, and then we were off again to Burpengary and Kratzman's Caravans, where we were to liaise with Peter in Spares over some much needed replacements. Unfortunately it was not to be, as Peter was absent having been struck down by illness the previous Friday. Still, having contacted him by email he is more than happy to ship our spares to an alternative address without charging for shipping.

So, leaving Berpengary earlier than anticipated, it was due west towards Dalby where we were to rendezvous with Les & Shirley, Ray & Liz (see Iron Knob and Port Augusta) and Bob & Lyndis (met at Sapphire and then Teresa Creek Dam). It was an amazing coincidence but on the first evening of this trip, and on a free-site, we met up with Ray & Liz in their motorhome and spent a really pleasant evening catching up. From there to Dalby we travelled together, with Ray leading the way in his somewhat faster vehicle. Dalby was but a fleeting stopover of a matter of hours, where we met up with Bob & Lyndis who were on their way to Toowoomba.

All too soon it was farewell yet again, with Ray and me driving the 70 km from Dalby to the 'block' owned by Les & Shirley way'out bush'. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT. I'm not sure what we expected but it certainly wasn't the lacklustre welcome and boring itinerary with which we were greeted. No power, no water, mosquitoes bigger than we had ever met before; so big in fact that on an ill-judged walk through the bush Sandra received 57 bites just to her back. Actually the walk wasn't ill-judged because of the mosquitoes, but rather due to the feral pigs prevalent in the area. So there we were stuck 'out bush' and virtually confined to the caravan, lulled by the sweltering heat and the sounds of myriad insects hammering on our mosquito screens. 4 days were all we could manage and then it was back into Dalby, only just beating a horrendous thunderstorm which would have flooded the gravel road and the minor road leading to the main Dalby Highway.

And so the month ends on a bit of a downer, although we feel sure we shall receive more heartfelt welcomes in Iluka, NSW (Helen& Morris), Paradise Point, Brisbane (The Legge family) and Andalusian Drive, North Maclean (Paul & Barb, where we shall be storing). The thing is we were really looking forward to spending a little time being 'back to nature'but it just wasn't meant to be. Ray& Liz expressed similar disappointment but they may still be there, having decided to leave the day after our departure and thus still there when the thunderstorm swept through. Time will tell, as we have yet to hear from them.

With two and a half months remaining, we wonder what November will bring. We're now in Nobby on the way to Warwick.

Dr Bob in Oz - November 2011

(to be continued)