Week 8

Sunday

Our friendly Information Centre recommended a day trip to Eungella ('yungella') which is about 70kms west of Mackay.

After travelling through 50kms of sugar cane (that's a lot of sugar)

 

                       Cane Harvesting has just started

 



we had a steep climb up to Eungella National Park

Pioneer Valley from Eungella N.P.

 

Just 6kms down the road we found Broken River which is a natural platypus habitat. No platypuses seen today, but we did see a huge one metre long freshwater eel;

 

 

Huge Freshwater Eel

 

On the way back to Mackay we decided to eat our lunch at Iluka (Town )Beach.

The good news was we only had to share the entire beach with one other family.

The bad news was, the tide was out and the water was over a kilometre away!

 

Iluka Beach

 

Monday

Lawn Bowls at Nth Mackay Bowls Club again (gee their venue is amazing) and Nola and I had a win against the bowls organiser for the day and his partner, but missed out on the 'lucky draw' (free meal).

Tuesday

'On The Road Again' after our week at Mackay. Airlie Beach is just 150 kms up the track so we arrive around 11:00am to book into Flametree Tourist Village. Set in about 6 acres tropical gardens between Shute Harbor and Airlie Beach.

Unfortunately Airlie Beach is going through major road works in the shopping precinct and it's
A REAL MESS

 

 Main Street, Airlie Beach

 

Thursday

After a rainy night  we decided to check out Cedar Falls near Conway National Park. Amazing

 

Cedar Falls

Friday

 

 

We decided to walk around to Abel Point Marina from Airlie Beach (and back) which is approx. 3kms. This was an easy walk even for us, with only one hill to climb.

 



 

Airlie Beach

 



Blue Lagoon Swimming Pools

 



 

Abel Point Marina and Sunken Yacht (Venus of Portsmouth) from Jan 2013

Abel Point Marina

 



 

Our site at Flame Tree Van Park

 

Saturday

 

Airlie Beach Weekly Markets opened for business at 7:00 am, but we didn't get there until 7:30 am

The coconut palms are dropping some fruit, so the local council called in the 'Chain Saw Boys';
 



 

Coconut Harvesting . . . with a 'Chain Saw'



On Saturday night we went onto Skype to talk to Jake, Ella & Keira which was really special. Whilst we were talking to Ella and Jake, little Keira was trying to press every button on the keyboard!

Apparently after we logged off, Keira was still saying . . . . . 'More Nanna'

 

Skype Session with our Grandkids