Well, after the excitement of the
late afternoon and Max’s efforts to imitate an Alaskan sled dog, he slept the
sleep of the dead that night curled up into the smallest ball he could create.
But all was well by the time the sun rose over Calliope River.
What a wonderful 24 hours it had
been, but we were now hitched and ready to go.
The Island View Caravan Park at Kinka Beach, some 20 kms south of
Yeppoon, awaited our arrival. So it was fond farewells to the Westerlands
and back onto the Bruce yet again. As we set sail for Rockhampton it was
somewhat daunting to read the highway distances sign and realise we were still
over 1,000 kms from our winter destination just south of Cairns.
Let’s press on. Today’s journey was
not to be terribly long....just over 150 kms is a moderate trip, but we did
have to traverse ‘Rocky’ in the process and we knew from previous experience
that this is one busy town.
As we made our way steadily
northwards, we were stunned by the number of vans being hauled in the opposite
direction. South, for goodness sake! Don’t they know that it is cold down
there.
We soon had mobile company of a
vastly different kind.
In this part of the world the sight
of these long coal trains rolling along the electrified track, with an eerie
lack of noise, to the port of Gladstone is common. Queensland’s coal deposits
are enormous, with more in prospect, although a number of the proposed new
developments are facing increasingly strident challenges from many
quarters.
Needless to say the government
is pushing back hard against the naysayers.....even with falling demand and
prices, coal royalties are a very important part of Queensland’s revenue. Time
will tell who wins out.
Despite the fact that the Tropic of
Capricorn crosses the east coast but a tad south of Rockhampton, we were
traversing what are known as the dry tropics.
This is cattle country.
For any crossing the newly completed
raised causeway over the floodplains just south of the city,
the importance of the beef industry
to Rockhampton is soon brought into sharp focus.
Focus is also the relevant description of the concentration needed by any towing large lumps of metal bearing most of their worldly possessions as they enter the southern suburbs. The Bruce Highway runs right through Rockhampton, so here we have the double whammy of the mix of highway and morning commuter traffic. What fun this is after hours spent in small towns and on the open road.
And, of course, there are more bulls,
thicker traffic
and yet even more tributes to the importance to 'Rocky' of big bovines.
One good thing about today’s journey
is that we did not have to traverse Rockhampton from one end to the other. Our
route to Emu Park and thence to Kinka Beach meant that about halfway into the
city we turned right off the Bruce
and shortly found ourselves on the
approach to the Fitzroy River bridge.
The Fitzroy, like its namesake in the
Kimberley, is a big creek. Old
Rockhampton, which we have yet to explore, was built alongside the river. As is
the case with many of these large coastal river basins, boat owners of all hues
take advantage of the moorings on offer.
But guess who was too busy to take in the views!
We were now approaching our city
exit. It was Emu Park for us.
One more right hand turn and we are out of here. When will these lights change?
But change they did and five minutes later we were back on the open road, heading north-west for the last 50 kms or so back to the coast.
The small seaside town of Emu Park is
one of our favourtites. Unfortunately the caravan park is not pet friendly. Had
it not been so, we would have stayed here in a flash. It was good to be on the
approaches to the southern end of the town.
Within a few minutes we were
descending the hill into the Emu Park CBD, where the bulk of Great Keppel
Island provides a constant backdrop to the east.
One final left hand turn and we were
almost there. And as you can see, there is no shortage of beaches between Emu Park and Yeppoon.
Again, as arrived at our new home
and hove to at the park
entrance, we had that old niggle.....of the many various parks in the Yeppoon area, had we made the right choice?
Looking back to the east along the
park entrance driveway it was not hard to see why this park is named as it
is.....Island View (the stain on the horizon is Great Keppel)
The wide open spaces in front of the
row of colourful park cabins allow those enjoying a quiet libation on their
front deck unimpeded views across the separating strait between the mainland
and this large island playground.
Ours was to be a view of a different
kind as we soon discovered. After the usual arrival formalities the first point
of difference we noted about this park was the large ‘assembly area’ building.
As this interior shot shows this place is set up to be party central, as we later discovered.
The route through the park to our site took us past more park cabins which line the street opposite the assembly area,
and on to a left turn at the end of the
entrance road where we drove past the park pools
and the main camp kitchen with its odd name, NAJBR (I forget to get to the bottom of this).
The park amenities block, quite humdrum in its outward appearance, is also to be found in this section of the park, and I’ll have more to say about this later.
The short trip to our site then took us up past the brightly coloured shed which housed the dump point
past the corner 'shack' of one of the
many park permanents and onto our site.
We had been told at the office that we had been allocated a large area, and indeed this was true, but large as it was with a double slab and oodles of grassed parking, the narrow roadway and proximity of permanent homes opposite did present a mooring challenge.
As we were backing on, the most obliging resident opposite came out to move his car which gave us just the wriggle room we needed. Being housed amongst park permanents can be a little unnerving at times, but here at the Island View they were an unfailingly cheerful and welcoming lot.
Now, as I mentioned earlier, we did not have a view of Great Keppel, but from our elevated site in the upper section of the park, we could gaze down over the lovely park gardens below. With all the space around us, this really was a ‘room with a view’. (and to our great delight, there were hardly any kids to be bouncing and shrieking on the pillow!)
Just beyond our parking area, a path lead down to the bottom section,
where, apart from the main camp kitchen, a second BBQ area was located. What delightful surrounds these are.
Now for the heads. I noted earlier
that the outward appearance was less than spectacular.
In fact Liz actually commented on our
arrival that this did not look entirely promising. But what a different tune
she was singing on her return from her first visit. “You should see them”, she
chirped. “They are marvellous”. Now I rarely wander into a toilet block with
camera in hand, for more reasons that one, but here I had to make an exception.
The entire interior of these facilities has been made over (with the glaring exception of the floors). All the walls are tiled, floor to ceiling, and look at this for an array of hand basins.
Quirky and colourful paintings decorate
the doors to all of the cubicles
whilst inside, huge square shower heads deliver what they promise...’a strong hot stream’.
And for a final ‘touch of home’, the shower shelves are far from the usual metal trays or wall fittings. Oh, no, here at Island View we have glass corner shelves no less. It was like being in the Hyatt International.
As we luxuriated here daily we did wonder just how long these bits and pieces would last, particularly given that this is a park which caters for young people with its pools and bouncing pillow. It will be interesting to see how things have fared if and when we make a return visit.
The sites here at the Island View
Caravan Park are on two distinct levels. It was soon clear to us that those on
the lower level, particularly near the pools and the heads, were occupied by
those who make this park their winter home away from home.
Pools....plural...this is not a misprint. This is the first park in which we have come across this. Neither is huge, but the sensible segregation which is applied here means that the 'grown-ups' can actually do a few laps without constantly banging into carefree cavorting youngsters.
This is quite a large park, and on the upper level we had plenty of company, although not at particularly close quarters. We had only one neighbouring site, but a short distance away the open, grassed sites of the main section of this upper level were well occupied.
This area backs onto the modest park lake
and would be an ideal spot for those
travelling in company to corral up together, as many did during our stay.
The upper level is also home to the park permanents, whose abodes ranged from these very flash little units
The upper level is also home to the park permanents, whose abodes ranged from these very flash little units
to more of what we had come to expect.
We had only booked in for five nights, but had arrived here on a Friday....perfect timing.....the park happy hour kicks off at 1700 hours, and here they are full on. We duly fronted at the appointed hour. Raffles, a jackpot card joker and a pool competition are the order of the day (or rather evening) here at the Island View happy hours. As I joined the line for the tickets
Liz had already made new friends (far left of photo) and was swapping travelling tales in no time.
As is standard at these affairs we all brought our own drinks, but here the park management supply the nibbles, tray after tray of them. I was delighted to note that they are obviously experienced managers and students of human nature, wise enough to bring them around to each group in turn. Here the park gannets (and every park has them) had to be content with only their fair (fare??) share as opposed to what often happens in less supervised circumstances when greedy gaggles congregate around the goodies tables shoulder to shoulder, tighter than a rugby scrum, and scoff on to the exclusion of all others.
We were a merry bunch by the time the raffle numbers were being called. No luck for us tonight, but we did have a most jolly evening.
I did briefly consider entering the
pool comp to chance my arm against all comers at the table beneath its unique
light, but common sense (I was tired from the day’s activities and pretty
relaxed by now) and the less than flattering comments about my skill with a
cue from my travelling companion, snuffed out this ambition almost before it
was lit.
As we watched the action unfold I soon saw that the absence of my name on the players’ board had been a wise decision.....half the punters here must have been able to trace their lineage directly to Cool Hand Luke. The coloured polished and numbered spheres on this table were disappearing into the waiting pockets at light speed and with alarming consistency (for those yet to try their hand).
When we finally toddled off to a scratch evening meal and a pretty early night, we were rejoicing in our pick of a park....this had been a very good start.
But, as has happened so often on this trip north, our good fortune did not last. The following morning the clouds gathered in great gloomy globs, the erstwhile coastal zephyrs grew bold and bared their fangs and we hunkered down for one very wet and windy day.
It was miserable,
but one of our company was not to be deterred....it was outside by hook or by crook for the ship’s cat. Mind you, he didn’t move much!
And, as always, the morrow brought a brighter day, and we set about drying out our slab flooring and other assorted damp bits and pieces before heading out to revisit Emu Park and achieve an ambition of your truly held since our last visit....a beer on the front verandah of the Emu Park RSL.
So let me leave the Island View Caravan park with a tale of two birds. As we were moving all our sodden bibs and bobs out into the sunlight we had a visitor, and a very intrusive one at that. This Blue Eyed honeyeater (no guessing as to how they get their name) obviously took exception to Max's presence on the slab and voiced his disapproval in no uncertain terms from the Cruiser's roof rack...for quite some time!
Not to be outdone in both colour and racket were the park peacocks. We had not seen birds of this exotic type in a caravan park since Derby in far north WA, and that one was white! Here the noisy cocks strutted their stuff in full colour with the solitary hen tagging along for the ride.
The lads were pretty active to boot. They could oft be seen with their magnificent tails in full open display, and for anyone who has never heard a peacock in full voice, believe me it is not a sound easily forgotten.
Why parks keep peacocks is beyond me, but then here the owners' son goes one better.....Marlon the pet pig used to be out and about in his early life but apparently now has grown to a size which is somewhat intimidating to park guests, particularly when he indulges in his favourite pastime of rooting through the belongings in caravan annexes....not something designed to encourage return business!
Next, Emu Park RSL and the stunning 100 year anniversary war memorial.
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