Sunday 18 August 2013 – Rainbow Beach to Hervey Bay

This morning we were up pretty early, but didn’t rush as we knew we had only about 135 kms to drive today, so we didn’t leave the caravan park until about a quarter to ten.  Gave the car its breakfast energy drink and retraced the last forty kilometres of yesterday’s drive – back around Tin Can Bay to the turn off for Maryborough.

  Once on the Maryborough road we were pretty quickly in pine plantation territory again, and it carried through for a large part of the 60 kms to Maryborough.  And we thought we’d try Zola again today after her mental collapse the other day, and though she exhibited a bit of confusion for the first twenty kms, she soon hit her straps and got us here safely.

Sugar cane plantations were seen around Maryborough which appears to be a very beautiful city, with numerous heritage listed buildings and a history which dates back to its foundation in the mid 1800’s.  And along the roads we drove through the city, there was a predominance of Queenslander houses, in differing states of repair, and the well-maintained ones really lovely.

It was around midday when we arrived at our caravan park – the Fraser Coast Top Tourist Park.  It is quite small with only 41 powered sites, 6 units and 8 cabins, but has great facilities including a big recreation room with billiard tables, etc, and a really well-equipped camp kitchen.  The managers are really friendly, with the husband Gary escorting you to the site and directing operations when you’re positioning the van.

We took longer than usual to set up, as considering we are here for three weeks we wanted to put up the awning and the flys over the bed ends – not that we expect any rain, but you have to be prepared!  Also Grant has connected up the sullage hose and connected the water to the van – something he doesn’t usually do on one night stops.  On those occasions we fill the kettle from the taps or use what’s in our water tank, and let the sullage do its own thing once it has gone down the plughole.

The day was once again beautifully sunny and reached about 25 degrees here, so after we  set up we had a cuppa and something to eat before heading off to find a supermarket and stock up the pantry.  Once done, we went to the Happy Wanderer Caravan Park and caught up with my cousins Lauris and her husband Ray and Adrian and his wife Linda. We had a good old natter for about an hour and a half, then came back to our van.

Then there was a bit of excitement!!   Grant had just wandered over to the toilet when I heard ‘Knock, knock – anyone home’.  I said yes and walked to the door, to find Gary and another bloke there asking if I could move our car from where it was parked to just opposite, between two units.  I said: No worries – are we parked too far across?  (We had a vacant spot next to us).  Just then Grant came back so he moved our car.

  It turned out that the fellow with Gary had car trouble, and just waiting in the driveway a couple of van sites back was a big truck, with his car – a rather large twin cab thing with a canopy - secured on the back of its tray, and the big truck was towing a rather large caravan that had obviously (pre breakdown) been attached to the twin cab vehicle. 

Now as I have mentioned, this is a small park with quite a narrow road between each row of vans, and the driver of this rescue truck had to reverse the van into the space next to us.  With very precise directions from Gary, and pretty skillful driving from the rescue truck driver, the caravan was positioned with a minimum of fuss, but by now with about half the caravan park population watching on. 

Then the tray of the truck was slid back, the caravan owner started getting stuff out of his twin cab, including the washing machine, crates, bags and boxes – in fact everything they would need for what now will be an extended stay while their broken down vehicle is fixed.  And when that was done, the ramp was raised again and off went the rescue truck.

So now we have neighbours – carless – so luckily we are within walking distance to shops, beach, etc.

So that’s where we are at right now.  Tomorrow I’ll get some washing done and we’ll have a bit of a lay day, reading, making sock dolls, fishing, a walk along the beach – whatever takes our fancy.