TANNUM SANDS-LAKE MARABOON

To-day, Friday 29th May we left Bargara Beach

Caravan Park to spend the next few nights with

our friends Carol & Len back in Bundaberg. We promised to go the the Sugarland Tavern on Sunday night for a seafood buffett dinner, which we did and was really good. We also went to the markets again in the early morning to stock up on fresh produce, before we headed off on Monday morning to Tannum Sands, about 30mins. Drive south of Gladstone.
We booked into the Tannum Beach Caravan Village where we parked and got ourselves setup before meeting our neighbours,

Robyn & Geoff who are from Murwillumbah, N.S.W. not far from our own home town.

They invited us to join them for happy hour around their campfire. Well, that was the start of a good friendship. We continued to have drinks around the fire along with sausages cooked over the coals. The next morning D’Arcy was feeding the birds & because there was a magpie with a fishing line caught around his leg he decided the best way to catch it was with his cast net. When the moment was right he threw it and with the help of Geoff they cut the line loose. His foot seemed to be deformed, but over the next week he came around for food and it seemed to improve a little.
Wednesday saw the first State Of Origin football game, so we had a bbq & then watched the game on our big screen tv. Of course they are N.S.W. supporters and we Qld. Still remain friends even though Qld won.
Friday night we headed off to the Tannum Beach S.L.S.C for dinner and a raffle was being held so D’Arcy bought some tickets and one of them won a meat tray, so the next couple of nights it was bbq’s again.
The foreshore of Tannum Beach is beautiful. The bird life very variable around our camp spot. We have kookaburras, ducks, magpies, wild turkeys, kangaroos and even foxes, although I personally didn’t see one. There is good biking & walking tracks around & I also saw quail one morning on our bike ride. There is a small lake with lots of different bird life. The kangaroos are just beautiful and right in the middle of suburbia with some being really huge.

Didn’t want to get too close, didn’t know how friendly they would be.
We took a drive to Lake Awoonga, only about 40min. drive west. It is stocked with barramundi and other species of fish, but apparently now is not a good time because of the cold weather. Season starts at end of September and goes through to April/May, but a chance to see the dam and decide that we wouldn’t venture out and camp there at this stage. Maybe later in the year. There is a houseboat & leisure hire also picnic & bbq facilities. Another very pretty spot. Although the caravan park is a bit ordinary.

Refer to http://www.lakeawoonga.net.au/

In Gladstone there is the Aluminium Smelter which we could view from Tannum Beach. Aluminium is produced using bauxite from the opencut mines around Queensland.
Had a breakdown with our wireless modem. Took it to Telstra in Gladstone and was told it had to go back for repair, which would take about 6 weeks. Well, we can’t do without communications, so had to buy a new one. Not what we needed at the moment.
Monday night 8th June, had the pleasure

of Mike (D’Arcy’s son) come and stay with us,

as he was working in the area. Unfortunately,

his day was very busy so didn’t get to us until about 10.30pm. It was still good to catch up with him. He was able to come back again for lunch the following day before he had to head off and catch his plane home. Also, helped me out with a p.c. problem while he was here. Sorry Mike, but thankyou.

Wednesday, 10th and we were packed up and off again by 8.45a.m. heading for Fairbairn Dam, Lake Maraboon, via Emerald. Travelled north to Rockhampton approx. 135klms. Before turning west onto the Capricorn Highway, where we stopped after another 84klm. at Duaringa rest stop for lunch and a break before continuing onto Bedford Weir for an overnight stop. After going through Blackwater for 2klms. we turned nth. for 25klm. to the campsite, which we thought would not have too many travellers. How wrong we were. On arriving the caretaker came to guide us to a spot to park up and invited us to join everyone for happy hour by the fire at 4.30pm. A bit before our 5.00pm starts, but what the heck it is getting really cold now.

We’re serenaded by a traveller with his guitar

with his dog by his side. During his break,

the joke telling started.

There was probably between 20-30 people.

Happy hour turned into 2.

As our trip the next day was only a short one,

and the morning was fairly cold, temperatures

getting down to freezing in some areas, we

didn’t rush off for our journey onto Fairbairn Dam.

The road surface on the Capricorn Highway

is not the best for most of it. A little bumpy.

On arriving at this park which is a Top Tourist Park, we were guided to our site by our host Geoff , who proceeded to get trees trimmed for our van to fit comfortably. The park is managed by Geoff and Andy who are very accommodating. We then discovered our tv had jumped off its bracket. Luckily no damage as it is still working. Then along comes another staff member with a hose and power cord for us to use. Although we have our own they said to use theirs as it is in a spot that is used by vehicles. Very populated by vans too and our friends Robyn & Geoff are here also.

Our first night was spent around their fire

again with sausages cooked on extended forks,

given to us as a gift from them both. A beautiful gesture and much appreciated.

We also had chicken & steak, tomatoes & onions slowly cooked over the coals. Dessert was marshmallows courtesy of Robyn. Because this is red claw crayfish country, D’Arcy & I went into Emerald to buy a few pots to try our luck at catching some of these. Emerald is only 18klms from here.

The park has a restaurant and Friday night is buffet, $20 per head for a 3 course dinner. Pumpkin soup, plus a variety of meals, followed by pavlova or choc.cheesecake. Of course D’Arcy wanted a bit of both . A wonderful night.

Keep you updated from Lake Maraboon..........