2010 On the road

Rainbow Beach, Fraser Island, Tweed Heads, Casino

A friendly visitor as a start

Well hello once more, this time we are coming to you from Casino no not the gambling place but Casino NSW, we have moved out of QLD without much of a change in regards of the weather and both Bianka and I are getting pretty cheesed off with it, we did have a few nice days but the rain is still persistent, then again so is it every where else, only consolation is it is warmer here than down south.

Since my last blog we stayed at Rainbow Beach where a few silly people tried to drive at the wrong time of the day ie. High tide and this is the result,interesting thing is that there were 2 cars and the next day the yellow van had disappeared

Nissan Patrol and Yellow Toyota Van

This is what the waves can do to a Nisson Patrol

No yellow van and the patrol is being buried

We did a day tour to Fraser Island great day and well worth doing, we were picked up by four a wheel drive bus from the RBB then on to the ferry.

Ferries to Fraser Island

Moving along the beach

Comfortable seating

twenty minutes later then down the sandy beach along the water ( glad it is their bus and not our prado what with the salt water and sand etc.) some good solid sand but also some not so solid, 60+Ks north to Central Station to drop off some people and take some on board,

The inside track on Fraser Island all sand

then into the interior for a walk through a Rain Forrest,

Rain Forrest

Rain Forres

Rain Forrest Mushroom Growth

a swim at Lake McKenzie

Lake McKenzie beach

A joy to swim in crystal clear water,

A paddle on the beach very white sand

and incredibly it is the cleanest clearest fresh water I have swam in, very interesting remembering that we are on an Island sarounded by salt and ocean etc. some interesting facts rain water is collected he high in the hills (and yes there are quiet big hills here all sand) that water can take 60 years to filter through the sand before it will reach some of the lakes dotted around Fraser island or lake McKenzie the one I swam in, it was warm really nice.

Back to Central Station for a nice hot lunch, then 30 more Ks up the beach to an old Cruise ship the Maheno Wreck,

Cruise ship the Maheno Wreck,

this foundered there a long time ago obviously for photo shoots, don't know what they will show once it has rusted completely away and it won't be long.

Stopped at the Cathedrals the coulerd sands

Photo shoot at the colored sands

then for a swim this time at Eli Creek

Tour buses everywhere

Walkways at Eli creek

which runs into the sea again the water was fresh and warm, by this time it was almost 3pm and we had a 90Km drive back along the beach we were lucky enough to see a few Dingoes on the beach,

Dingoes on the beach

back to the ferry, after a great day.

Leaving Rain Bow Beach we headed for Esk and stayed there for almost a week, rain and more rain to the point that lake Wivenhoe nearby

Lake Wivenhoe full to the brim

The gates and Spillway at Lake Wivenhoe

Massive amounts of water being drained

this creates a spray 50 meters high

Spray from the release of water

Almost like having a shower

Spray seen from the road

is the lake that supplies drinking water to Brisbane, the river is so full that the Brisbane river spills over and floods and

Flooding of the Brisbane River with all that water going out to sea

floods outlaying areas, this time with so much rain they managed to controll it, thus some great photo's .

It was here due to a pretty severe rain storm that Ian and Merilyn Dryden lost their awning.

The park in Esk with lots of water

This is what a little rain can do

After our stay here we headed south again for our rendezvous with Judy and Max in Tweed Heads and spent a pleasant week with them sight seeing ie Nimbin, Brunswick Head both Hippy communities from way back and still is today ,managed to catch up with Wanda and Teresa over a nice Bbq.