WE PUSH ON TO PROSERPINE (29 - 30 JUNE 2016)

On this annual migration north we were on a dual mission....one was, obviously, to reach our 'winter grounds' at Kurrimine Beach, and the other, to explore a number of potential new playgrounds on the QLD coast.

To that end, our next major destination was Alva Beach, some 20 kms Ayr and a good 400 kms from Cape Palmerston. Our larder and wine cabinet were looking less than replete after our sojourn at Palmerston, so we decided to split the trip to Alva Beach with a couple of nights in Proserpine, a town we knew harbours two good supermarkets and a well stocked bottle shop.

This meant that today we had to put just over 200 kms under our wheels. Once back on the Bruce Highway we were soon passing through the tiny highway town of Koumala, where the pub is renown for the quality and size of its offerings at the dining table. There is a very serviceable caravan park just behind the hotel, one we intend to use in the future for an overnight stop and a good feed in the pub.

The largish town of Sarina was now about 35 kms in front of us, but before we entered the fray of the early morning traffic we drove past this sign, and herein lies another travellers' tale.

One of the beach side destinations we had listed to explore was Armstrongs Beach. It's praises had been sung loudly on one of the TV travel shows. This glowing report was complemented by the park description to be found in the latest 'Queensland Caravan Parks Directory'. 

"Relax at our beautiful boutique oceanfront park amongst the abundant wildlife. Enjoy the serenity and the friendly atmosphere our park is famous for. Experience the best of saltwater fishing, prawning and crabbing right on your doorstep."

I had been pretty excited by all this. Wisely, as it transpires, we did a recce on a day trip from Cape Palmerston. Having driven past what appeared to us to be a somewhat non-descript and tired looking park, where those in residence were jammed in like sardines, we were left wondering just what 'boutique' means as an adjective used in these circumstances. In any event, this place proved a major disappointment and was immediately crossed off our list of prospective playgrounds. We were immensely relieved we had not booked in.

Sarina soon came (traffic lights!)

and went (more traffic lights!)

After the medical mayhem of a few nights past, we had become unexpectedly familiar with much of this town. It is one we plan to revisit for a few days in the future but for now we pushed on through on our way to the next large town of this region, Mackay,

where the sugar mills were belching smoke and steam in a frenzy of activity. 

There was a very good reason for this. Cane harvesting and the subsequent extraction of the sugar usually kicks off in this region in early June. Once the cane cutting begins, the action is frenetic and highly organised. Those who operate the mills allow eight days per season for rain interruption.....days when the cane fields become too sodden to allow the heavy cutting machinery to do their thing without becoming hopelessly bogged (we had actually seen the results of one miscalculation...not a pretty sight).

And this year? Well, by the time we had reached the Mackay region the entire season's quota of 'rain delay days' had been exceeded before a single truck had been emptied into the waiting hoppers of the mills. To date some 12 -14 days had been lost, and it only got worse the further north we travelled (more of the rain story later).

Apart from the fact that the growers were left waiting for their income, this delay causes a much larger problem. Cane farmers work on two crops per year, but it is critical that the batons of the second crop are planted in time to allow the cane to mature before the extreme heat and humidity of the 'wet' sets in. The rain delays now being experienced in getting the first crop off meant that many growers will not be able to set a second cane crop this season.....life on the land, eh!

The Bruce Highway skirts around the Mackay CBD, and well before we had reached the centre of town, it was the left lane for us.

Hauling out of Mackay we could see yet another local sugar mill in full swing 

and then there was another familiar sight greeting us....road works on the Bruce Highway! I have to say that we are far less peeved by any delays these cause than we used to be.....we had noticed some vast improvements in the condition of the highway on this trip north.

Within the next hour we had finally and formally entered the Whitsunday region, where the delights of Airlie Beach and the nearby offshore islands such as Hayman, Daydream, Hamilton, South Molle and Lindemans offer tropical treats of white sands, warm waters, swaying palms, balmy weather, fine food and wine and fun-filled days and nights for all to enjoy.....all at a price, mind you, and providing it isn't raining.... which this year it did....a lot! 

There was to be no rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous at play for the Marshies (it is decidedly not our scene in the first place).....two nights in the much more modest surrounds of the working town of Proserpine was our lot for this trip.

We were folk on a mission. Re-supply was the order of the day for us. In we went along the highway to the far end of town

where a left turn took us past the still dormant Proserpine mill (it fired up the following day)

and on to the entrance to the Proserpine Tourist Park.

The park here is owned by the local council, as became immediately evident. This less than welcoming sign said two things...one we were in cyclone country and two, the council would have nothing of any claim for damages.

The grounds of the caravan park are co-located with the excellent facilities of the Proserpine swimming pool

and the park booking staff also manage the comings and goings at the pool.

Once checked in we drove the short distance along the entrance roadway past the few camp cabins and the ablution block

to our site, which was conveniently located directly opposite. That was about the only convenience we had here.

The sites in this section of the park are somewhat narrow. If we had planed to settle in for a longer period, the border hedge would have needed a good clip to accommodate us. This lack of maintenance was something we discovered typified this park, but we were unconcerned.....for us we merely needed a place to lay our heads and do some shopping.




Having said that, however, I must comment that one did not lay one's head here much beyond 0600 hours when the chap cleaning and otherwise attending to the the pool right next door seemed to have elevated unnecessary clatter and racket to an art form. Had we been staying longer, a world or two would have undoubtedly been exchanged.





The ablution block here at the Proserpine Tourist Park housed good facilities, as did the camp kitchen, but here there was a small snag.......it was well outside the park (the kitchen that is).

This was all a touch confusing, but again, did not bother us....we had no need to use it in the short time we were here.








As we had suspected on arrival, the back end of the park caters for some transients, 















but is also the the home to quite a number of 'permanents', many of whom seemed to have boats












which were larger than their vans and annexes.












As with all parks which allow for this class of resident, some arrive with, or develop, a distinctly odd sense of perspective.











Hardly a high risk property I would have thought! 








In summary, we were comfortable enough here (although we harboured no thoughts of making this a park in which to spend the winter), and the park did have the advantage of being with walking distance to the town centre. This came in very handy on our second evening when we treated ourselves to a pub crawl along the main street, and on the recommendation of the staff of the park office, dined cheaply and well at the town's Metropole Hotel. I've not bothered with photos etc. and invite any who are desperate to discover the secrets of Proserpine to refer to my previous blog (August 2012).