Brisbane was a great few days with family. I had the luxury of using an automatic washing machine again and caught up with washing all our linen. It was such a treat to sleep in fresh sand free sheets again. The kids had a blast playing with their cousins and enjoyed having a TV to watch.
We left Brisbane and headed to Tin Can Bay. Just outside Gympie we noticed a few cars beeping thier horns. Both Peter and I commented to each other "wonder who they are beeping at".
It was a little further down the road, when we made a fuel stop, that we found out what the honking horns were all about. Our bike rack on the back of the van is usually horizontal. It was now more a 45 degree angle facing downward toward the road. Our bike wheels were cm from touching the road. Peter (who made the bike rack) had an explanation for the reason behind the broken bike rack. I was driving too fast and the bounce from the van had bent the rack. After me explaining we were driving on a bump free highway, I put all my effort in arguing the point and we made a truce. We still have no TRUE explanation for the broken bike rack.
Instead of heading straight to Tin Can Bay we had to made a detour to Gympie and drop the rack and bikes off at our friends house.
Tin Can Bay has population of 2000 people. This quiet little coastal village was beautiful. It was here that we had the opportunity to feed wild dolphins. Zac was very enthusiastic about the experience. Levi was not so happy to be woken for the event at such an early hour in the morning. It WAS 7.00. It cost $5.00 each person to feed the dolphins and was well worth the money.
The weather at Tin Can Bay was very different to what we are used to. The day would start sunny, within 10 minutes of sun it would be raining, then sunny, then rain. It would continue like this all day and night.
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon so we thought we would go pump some bait at low tide. We arrive at our destination, got our equipment all organised and headed for the flats. After about 15 minutes of pumping the wind rose, the clouds moved fast and it poured down rain. We continued pumping till we were freezing cold and the rain was stinging our face. The kids love it and were estatic with our fresh bait.
Camp kitchens seem to be a great place for meeting new friends. We met a lovely couple and their sister who were also heading in the same direction as us. We were amazed at how fast they set up there tent. We swapped travel,life stories and mobile numbers over our morning cuppa and I am sure we will see them again.
While staying at Tin Can Bay we drove to Rainbow beach adn then on to Inskip point. It is here that you drive along the sand to catch the barge to Fraser Island.
The kids are getting better and better at making new friends. At the start of our trip they were a bit reserved at going up to other kids and introducing themsleves. They will talk the ear off any new adult. Levi is now more comfortable with introducing himself and Zac follows behind him. Big brothers are awesome!.
We left Tin Can Bay after 2 nights and headed back to Gympie to have a night with our old friends Scott and El and their 4 kids. Scott is a champion and had fixed our bike rack for us. He had cleverly re inforced the racked really really well. Sadly my bike has not recovered from the ordeal and has two bowed wheel rims. Our family bike rides are again on hold. We had a great night of laughs and reminising.
The next day we met up with one of my oldest and closest friends Kylie and her partner Neil along with their two boys. We followed them out to their property about a 10 min drive outside Gympie.
Our first impression of this place was WOW. Everything is green and lush, the veiws are AMAZING. I have never been to Tasmania, but this is what I picture it would be like.
Our first stop before the house was a huge shed fitted out with conveyer belts, cool rooms and a granny flat. The property used to be used as a cannery. We must have seen at least 20 SNAKE skins. Some were over 6 foot long. Fortunately we seen no live snakes, this came a few days later. Peter and I were walking up to the van and I had taken the first step to enter. It was than that Peter told me not to move. I instantly removed my other foot off the ground and onto the step before I asked him what is was. It was a black snake with a light pink belly about half a metre in length. The snake did not last to see the mornning. We have been extra extra extra careful since that encounter.
We then ventured further up the hill to the house. OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!! WHAT A VIEW!!!!!. I have taken numerous photos but nothing can explain the pure beauty of this place.
The houses and sheds have not been utilised for years, hence the friendly wildlife. There is evidence of huge landscaped gardens that would have been magnificent in there time. We have been slowly pulling back vines and bushes to find numerous concrete paths and steps that would have previously been used to walk and work around the garden. This place has so much history and Kylie and Neil are finding out more and more each day.
They have huge amazing plans for this place and I look forward to returning later down the track to see what they have created. We will be here a few more days before heading off to explore Bunderberg.
KEEP SMILING :)
Designed to bear the extra weight of long-distance loaded touring but also makes a decent bike for casual road riding when you are not carrying a load. Bikes Brisbane
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