Almost there

Almost at journey's end. Both experiencing very mixed feelings. Looking forward to friends, family and home (and creature comforts), but very sad our big adventure is coming to an end. We have followed an interesting trajectory from Bourke to Nimbin via the Mt Kaputar National Park. We very nearly fell victim to the charms of Nimbin and its marijuana cookies. We briefly visited Byron Bay and Coff's Harbour, but came to the conclusion that for both of us the pull of the forests and hills is always stronger than any seaside - even as beautiful as Byron Bay. The Waterfall's way through the lovely towns of Bellingen and Dorigo took us back to Armidale. Yesterday we visited Dubbo's Western Plains Zoo and find our self today in the copper mining town of Cobar. Hay tomorrow, we are getting dangerously close to Victoria.

Silver Lining

If we hadn't had a particularly virulent dose of the Hocking Stuarts (see previous posts), we might still be swanning around Noosa, as it is we have had a delightful day exploring the Warrenbungles, and Siding Springs. The Anglo Australian telescope is enormous, impressive and to a layman like me ultimately mysterious. It gives me some odd sense of pride to look at the commitment of money and expertise to deliver what is apparently one of the finest optical telescopes in the world,and which still operates at the cutting edge of science. I don't quite understand the source of that feeling, since I didn't pay for it, couldn't operate it, and don't understand its achievements. Although I do feel a little sad that today we would never make such a commitment, because it would mean "A great big new tax !"

We went from the telescope to the national park, which in honour of our reason for being here, we renamed the Hocking Stuart Park. We also renamed a couple of the features, a craggy, forbidding, and partially eroded rock formation, we renamed Paulette Peak. A scraggy, untidy, weed filled valley, we renamed Samantha Canyon (or was that a pornstar ?) We saw our first Koala of the trip, who bounded across the road in front of us, making us both think for a moment "That is a funny looking kangaroo " We stood just beneath him once he climbed a nearby tree, and he just surveyed us with a look of complete indifference. We then set out on a 6 km walk, and when we passed a lady going in the other direction, told her to look out for the Koala. When we met her again, she described his behaviour, he had eaten furiously for 10 minutes, ripping at leaves and branches, but then he stopped all of a sudden, and immediately went to sleep. Sounds like me. A wonderful day was had by all - thanks again HS !

Too much excitement !

Well there has been excitement enough for all on the road, although perhaps too much for my blood pressure. Firstly, fun excitement as I travelled to Coominya, where I hired a light plane, and in the company of CFI John, flew it across the famous Wivenhoe Dam. It was interesting to be above the sluice gates, the timing of whose opening was so controversial during the flood. The aircraft was a Lightwing Sport, and although no worldbeater in the performance stakes (about the same as my Shadow, but requiring 100 HP to do what the Shadow achieves with 64 HP) it was comfortable, and felt solid and predictable, and I might have been interested in one until I heard of its price. Anyway, the flight was fun, and the scenery spectacular, and we both enjoyed staying in the picturesque Sunshine Coast hinterland. We were particularly impressed with the town of Maleny, which avoided the soporific tweeness of places like Montville, but exuded a slightly alternative feel, and provided us veggies with plenty of choices.

Secondly non-fun excitement, as we tangled with a dreaded organisation going by the name of Hocking Stuart (remember that name). We noted that the money for our rent had not hit our bank by the 15th of the month, even though it was due on the 2nd. In an email, Teck noted that he had not seen our tenants for a while. Charlie the gardener phoned, and mentioned that while trimming the hedge, he noticed that the day room had been emptied of the tenants furniture. Whats going on ? I called the estate agent, and said "What is going on ? have they done a bunk ? " I'll find out and call you back," was the response. We waited. We waited some more. I decided to be a little proactive, and phoned again, but the person responsible was busy, and would phone me straight back. She didn't . I phoned the supervisor. She was busy, but would get back to me, and by the way, have a nice day. She didn't and I didn't. I hassled the receptionist, but she said that they would not call her back either. I emailed, there was no response. I smelt a large, estate agent shaped rat, and when the message count hit 17 over 3 days, with not a single reply, hit the road bound for Daylesford, in a cloud of burning rubber (truthfully, with the hybrid equivalent of burning rubber, which consists of a slightly more annoying whine from the electric motor) Numerous stops when reception allowed, followed, without at any time talking to anyone other than the receptionist, a nice lady called Anne, who by now hated my guts. I contacted the Police, but before any action on that front, was finally called by Hocking Stuart, who said that the tenants had paid, but as a consequence of a Macquarie Bank stuff up, we would have to wait for the money. Further arguments to follow. We are presently in Coonabarabran recovering.

Dry Tropics

We were sitting in a cafe enjoying our vegetable and cheese tasting plate when we struck up a conversation with a fellow Victorian (known as cockroaches up here). She was from Wangaratta and had just been staying at Carnarvon Gorge which she highly rec commended. Acting on her advice, and that of the Lonely Planet which listed it as one of their favourite National Parks, we decided to make the necessary detour. I'm glad that we did. The surrounding landscape is scrubby and dry, and a little uninspiring, but the gorge itself is wonderful. It has a 'Lost World' feel about it as the vegetation changes from gum-based to palms and cycads. We walked for four and a half hours along the gorge, and made 22 river crossings (some easier than others), and then finished up at a resort serving delicious food. The wildlife was completely unafraid and one could approach to touching distance quite easily. We are a little blase about wildlife, still basking in our success at Platy watching at Eungella. We took a recommended walk in the Blacktown Tablelands, but unfortunately arrived shortly after a bushfire. Nothing more clearly shows the difference in outlook between the Aboriginals and Europeans, than their respective reaction to bushfires. I've read that when the early explorers were downcast by the results of a fire, the aboriginals were exultant "Soon be good things to eat" I am definitely a European. We moved on to Rockhampton, and have ended up staying a couple of days. The city is very interesting, set on a large river, the Fitzroy, from which it derives its name. The river is rendered unnavigable by rocky outcrops which suddenly appear, and English settlers added hampton to make Rockhampton - but everybody here calls it Rocky. Rocky has a wonderful Botanic Garden, which by chance nestles under the final approach to the busy airport. While I researched the many interesting examples of tropical flora, Cecile was able to get in some quality planespotting. We then moved on to a tour of the Capricorn caves.

I have been watching open mouthed and disbelieving the reports from London about the rioting. Now I might have become a card carrying member of a vegetarian, lesbian, macrame-weaving, tofu-marinating, hybrid driving fraternity, but I must say that I would like to see these rioting little bastards given a good birching. I saw one of these thugs interviewed, and after admitting that he had broken into a shop, stolen a computer, and then torched the place, he said that he had done it "Becos we ain't got nuffin, we feel pain in our hearts" He'd feel pain in a few other places if I had anything to do with it.

Townsville and environs

I must admit to having been a little prejudiced about far north Queensland. I suppose that my experience of the area was based upon visits to Cairns and Port Douglas, and this has proved to be a little unrepresentative. Cairns is unkept and generally down at heel, and while I like sleaze, I at least like my sleaze to be clean. Port Douglas is full of people who think that walking between the jewellery shops constitutes real adventure. However on this trip we have discovered Cooktown, a village full of history, with a wonderful setting, and Townsville which is a revelation. I must admit that I was predisposed to like Townsville due to the greeting that they organised for us. As we drove into town on the Bruce highway (more on that later) two FA-18's roared overhead, playing chasey on a low level pass, and then going around, and then final approach and landing. Cecile was very impressed. I might mention that the other highlight of her holiday so far was in Atherton, when we looked up from the bench we were occupying in the main street to see the unmistakable profile of a Spitfire overhead. Townsville is a real town with a well organised tourist industry, but plenty of other industries as well. It exudes a purposeful air, and its public spaces such as the Strand and Flinders street CBD look like they are a subject of pride for the residents. We visited the largest aquarium in Australia, and the Museum of North Queensland which has a wonderful exhibition of the story of HMS Pandora, the ship dispatched to capture the Bounty mutineers, which was wrecked on its return voyage on the reef near Townsville.
We had envisaged staying in Townsville for a night, but it has proved an ideal base to explore the surrounding rainforest, so we have been here four nights so far. We drove out to Wannuman Falls, which are the highest single drop falls in Australia at 268 metres, and we have managed to do a number of walks in the rain forest. The true wet tropics, which in Australia are limited to the coastal mountains defy the wet / dry dichotomy, and receive rain all year round. Tully boasts a record of 7.9 metres of rain in one year, this compares with Daylesford which has an average of 1.2 metres, but parts of the Daintree Forest get up to 10 metres per year.

Exploring the country around Townsville has forced us to tangle with the Bruce Highway which is an evil road. Very busy, but only one lane for the most part, with few opportunities for passing, I am amazed that there are not more accidents on this road. Every day we see frustrated motorists taking ridiculous risk in order to get past slow moving traffic. Today we observed a classic case of driving. An old Honda Civic was poodling along at around 85 km/hr, and leading a long trail of traffic, perhaps 30 vehicles in all. Although the road was relatively straight, because it was so busy, we could only convoy along in his wake. All of a sudden, one of the few stretches with an overtaking lane appeared, ans this considerate fellow planted his foot and sped along the dual carriageway at 110 km/hr (the limit is 100 km/hr). Once we had returned to a single lane he resumed his progress at 85 km/hr. The day before we had had a very scary incident on the same stretch of road. I was driving along with the cruise control set at 101 km/hr when I noticed a large truck which proved to be a 'b' double, steadily gaining on me. He came up behind me, at first maintaining a reasonable distance. After a few kilometres, he edged closer and closer to my back bumper, and started flashing his lights. I felt as though we were about to play out some scenario from Duel. Now I would gladly have pulled over and let him pass, had there been any convenient place on this poisonous road. I resolved to pull over at the first opportunity, but he would not wait, and on a straight stretch he pulled out to go round. Unfortunately those rigs are not built for acceleration, and he had only managed to draw level to me when traffic began to bear down on us from the opposite direction. His response was to put his left hand indicator on, edge into my lane, and sound his fog horn. I had to stand on the brakes to allow him to re enter my lane and prevent a pile up. He then proceeded to drive the next 20 kilometres into Townsville at 100 km/hr directly in front of me.

While Cecile relaxed doing the laundry, I went to the IMAX to see a film about the Hubble Space Telescope. I was interested to learn that the technology was invented by an engineer in Brisbane, and that the original concept used a curved screen, so the film is projected onto a dome, beneath which the audience sits in a semi recumbent position. The Townsville cinema uses this system . This seemed to me to enhance the experience, but apparently proved to expensive to construct, and the IMAX now opts for a flat screen only.

I cannot resist the temptation to close with a quote which I have just read from one of my heroes, Christopher Hitchens. He was writing about General Alexander Haig, who you will remember was chief of staff to Richard Nixon, and Secretary of State under Ronald Reagan. Hitchens said "Now nobody has a higher opinion of Alexander Haig than I do. And I think that he is a homicidal buffoon"

homebound - at snail pace

Having crossed over from WA to the Northern Territory and rejoining the Stuart Highway at Katherine, we feel that we are now more or less on the home run, but in a very lazy and haphazard way.

We do seem to cross the path of famous explorers. First at Newcastle Waters, a magical oasis, alive with birds, which saved the lives of explorer Stuart and his party in 1860. We veered West into Queensland and drove right up to the Gulf of Carpentaria, with a nod to Burke and Wills, and visited Normanton (model for Neville Shute "a Town like Alice"). Then through York Peninsula and up to deligthful, unspoilt Cooktown, where Captain Cook's Endeavour crashed on the reef, forcing Cook and his crew to spend seven weeks there. From there we had to turn back South, as the bitumen goes no further, but we were both seduced by Cooktown, a wonderful antidote to Cairn and Port Douglas. We made a romantic detour to Cape Tribulation (site of our honeymoon, can it really be thirteen years ago?)
The necessity to service our car made us take a detour through Atherton Tableland, which turned out to be a very happy accident as we have discovered a wealth of beautiful scenery, magical rainforest's, spectacular fig trees, away from the main tourist tracts. Hopefully, this is too high in the hills for the salt water crocs, although the fresh water crocs are making their presence felt (see the front page of the local rag above). And the snakes are still in evidence everywhere, in front of our car yesterday, almost under our feet this morning.