Hi friends and family,
Welcome to the adventures of the vonGavel Bacchus Family.
Join us as we travel to tropical north Queensland with Alice the Camel (our camper trailer).
We hope you enjoy the ride!
Welcome to the vonGavel Bacchus Family Adventures. Join the train and enjoy the ride. We are on a family holiday to the centre of Australia in Sept/Oct 2014.
Day 1 June 7 Canberra-Sydney-Katoobma-Wollemi National Park-556.4km
Up and off at 5:30am. Kids excited to be up so early. Drive to Sydney for an appointment at 9:30. We were then off for real on our adventure. First stop Katoomba to see the Three Sisters. Went for a walk down and up a steep staircase.
The Legend
The Aboriginal dream-time legend has it that three sisters, 'Meehni', 'Wimlah' and Gunnedoo' lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe.
These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry.
The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle.
As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witchdoctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witchdoctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come. (http://www.bluemts.com.au/tourist/thingsToDo/threeSisters.asp)
Continued the drive north east up to Woolemi National Park. Set up camp in a beautiful campground called Dunns Swamp.
Day 2 June 8 Wollemi National Park-Mudgee-Walgett 488.1km
Day two started with a beautiful walk down to Dunns Swamp in Wollemi National Park.
Wollemi National Park is the second largest park in NSW. Dunns Swamp is formed by trapped waters of the Kandos weir built in the 1920s on the Cudgegong River to provide water for the local cement works.
The area is formed from sandstone that was deposited 200 million years ago. Our walk took us to an Aboriginal site where we saw hand stencils that may be over 1,000 years old. The hand stencils are made by using the mouth to blow a mixture of ochre and water. There were also amazing rock formation called pagodas. These were great for climbing on and exploring.
It was then back to camp for pancakes.
The kids love their pancakes made into shapes. See if you can guess where the inspiration came from for this one?
Wollemi National Park is the second largest park in NSW. Dunns Swamp is formed by trapped waters of the Kandos weir built in the 1920s on the Cudgegong River to provide water for the local cement works.
Dunns Swamp - Wollemi National Park
The area is formed from sandstone that was deposited 200 million years ago. Our walk took us to an Aboriginal site where we saw hand stencils that may be over 1,000 years old. The hand stencils are made by using the mouth to blow a mixture of ochre and water. There were also amazing rock formation called pagodas. These were great for climbing on and exploring.
Aboriginal Hand Stencils
It was then back to camp for pancakes.
The kids love their pancakes made into shapes. See if you can guess where the inspiration came from for this one?
The Three Sisters ?
Arrived in Walgett safe and sound. 36 Euroka Street. This will be the last visit to the von Gavel family home of 42 years. Our time here will be spent helping Gisela (Greta's mum) pack up and get ready for her move to Canberra.
Where is Walgett ?
- On the Namoi River near the junction of the Barwon River, close to Lightning Ridge
- 705 km north-west of Sydney
- population 1,800 people
History
Explorers John Oxley, Charles Sturt and Thomas Mitchell passed through the area at various times before pastoralists moved in and the town was gazetted in 1859. The late 19th century saw a boom in the wool industry and Walgett served as a port for paddle-steamers working the Murray-Darling river system. The fertile black soil plains of the region support farming and grazing including wool, cotton, wheat and sheep. Walgett is the gateway to the opal fields of Lightning Ridge, Grawin, Glengarry and Sheepyard. (http://www.visitnsw.com/town/Walgett.aspx)
Day 3 June 9 - Walgett
Today we had fun picking oranges and mandarines from Nanny's garden.
We also wrote our initials in some wet cement !! Now Walgett will remember us forever.
Day 5 June 11 Walgett-Moree 222.4km
Drove through the many cotton fields to get from Walgett to Moree.
Caught up with Greta's sister Lizzie, her husband Peter and kids Madeline and Max. Had a great time swimming in the hot thermal pools that draw their water from the Great Artesian Basin.
Day 6 June 12 Moree - Byron Bay 510km
Arrived in Byron Bay quite late (6pm). Lucky to get the last caravan site at Clarkes Beach Holiday Park.
Beautiful spot right on the beach.
Beautiful spot right on the beach.
Day 7 June 13 - Byron Bay NSW
Today we went up to Cape Byron Lighthouse. The most easterly point of mainland Australia. Went for a great walk out to the eastern tip of Australia and played on the beach.
Greta and Sullivan walked all the way from our camp site while Chris and Jules drove up in the car.
Greta and Sullivan walked all the way from our camp site while Chris and Jules drove up in the car.
Day 8 June 14 Byron Bay-Surfer's Paradise-Brisbane 182km
Left Byron Bay a bit wet...oh well, the tent will dry out on the next stop. Stopped in at Surfer's Paradise to see an old friend of Greta's, May Truscott. Had a great lunch and visit.
Made it to Brisbane and stopped in for the night at Diana and Mike Patchett's place in Manly. I know Diana from our days in Yellowknife many years ago when she was Diana Seymour. Mike cooked us a great Indian feast and we ate outside in their beautiful back garden. Their boys Harry, Sam and Nelson were also there. Their 4th and oldest son Max works up in the Whitsunday Islands.
Day 9 June 15 Brisbane-Elanda Point (Great Sandy National Park) 175km
Left Brisbane to head for the Australia Zoo. The zoo was great and a fun place to visit for the day. Sadly, Steve Irwin "The Crocodile Hunter" died a few years ago from a sting ray encounter.
There were lots of crocodiles and alligators to see as well as other animals like snakes, tigers, birds, kangaroos, koalas, wombats and elephants. The highlights were the croc show in the crocosium and feeding the elephants.
Next stop was the Big Pineapple in Woombye, Queensland. Not quite like Greta remembered it from her childhood, but fun to get a photo!
There were lots of crocodiles and alligators to see as well as other animals like snakes, tigers, birds, kangaroos, koalas, wombats and elephants. The highlights were the croc show in the crocosium and feeding the elephants.
Made it to Elanda Point which is in the Great Sandy National Park just north of Noosa.
Day 10 June 16 Elanda Point
Today we hung out at our campsite, flew kites and threw our boomerangs. Cooked a great chicken feast on our BBQ.
Day 11 June 17 Elanda Point-Rainbow Beach-Childers 251km
Got up early today and went for a motor boat ride on the lake.
Packed up and started our trip to Rainbow Beach. We went for a great walk on a huge sand blow. The sand had lots of different colours in it. An Aboriginal legend states that an ancient aboriginal rainbow god threw himself into the sand cliffs in a fight over a woman, colouring them forever.
Packed up and started our trip to Rainbow Beach. We went for a great walk on a huge sand blow. The sand had lots of different colours in it. An Aboriginal legend states that an ancient aboriginal rainbow god threw himself into the sand cliffs in a fight over a woman, colouring them forever.
We made it to Childers to stay with old friends of Greta's - Trudy and Charlie. We had a great time remembering stories of Walgett and the old caravan days. Sullivan and Jules had the most fun playing with their little dog Freddy!
Day 12 June 18 Childers-Agnes Waters Town of 1770 220km
Drove the short distance to Agnes Waters and the Town of Seventeen Seventy. This is where Captain Cook first landed on "Queensland Soil" and is said to be the birth of Queensland.
We went for a fun ride on an amphibious craft called a LARC (Light Amphibious Resupply Carrier). These were from the US army and had been used to service the lighthouses in the 60s. This company had two of them and used them to run tours. It was great fun.
We went for a fun ride on an amphibious craft called a LARC (Light Amphibious Resupply Carrier). These were from the US army and had been used to service the lighthouses in the 60s. This company had two of them and used them to run tours. It was great fun.
LARK
Agnes Waters has a beautiful beach. We stayed in a beach hut right next to the beach. It was very cozy, kind of like a big waterproof tent (with a en-suite out the back !!)
Day 14-16 June 21-23 Rockhampton
Today Greta and Sullivan flew back to Canberra so Sullivan could run in his cross-country race! He qualified for state championships so was keen to race.
Jules and I went exploring today. We went to a great little wildlife sanctuary called Cooberrie Park.
It is a great little park with lots of native animals. The favourites were the Koalas of course.
It was then off to Yeppoon which is the costal town just north of Rockhampton on the Capricorn Coast.
Jules and I went exploring today. We went to a great little wildlife sanctuary called Cooberrie Park.
It is a great little park with lots of native animals. The favourites were the Koalas of course.
Being a Monday it was a quiet day in the park...we were the only ones there! We had our own private reptile show!! Check out these great videos.
It was then off to Yeppoon which is the costal town just north of Rockhampton on the Capricorn Coast.
Day 17-18 June 23-26 Rockhampton-Finch Hatton Gorge, Eungella National Park (Mckay) 390km
Picked up Greta and Sullivan at the airport in Rockhampton after their return from the short side trip to Canberra for Sullivan to run in his state cross-country race. Sullivan came 2nd....yeah Sullivan.
Left it a bit late leaving Rockhampton but made it to Finch Hatton Gorge, Eungella National Park just west of Mckay. We found our destination just as it was getting dark - Platypus Bush Camp and wow! it is great. Wazza owns the place and has been building it up over the last 20 years. It is in low level rainforest and is just beautiful. There is a swimming hole, platypus viewing pool and some great walks to the nearby Araleun waterfall. There were some other kids there so that was fun for Sullivan and Jules.
There were numerous short crossings to get over the creek. The kids loved it and we all thought we were pretty cool to drive our city 4WD through the river!
Left it a bit late leaving Rockhampton but made it to Finch Hatton Gorge, Eungella National Park just west of Mckay. We found our destination just as it was getting dark - Platypus Bush Camp and wow! it is great. Wazza owns the place and has been building it up over the last 20 years. It is in low level rainforest and is just beautiful. There is a swimming hole, platypus viewing pool and some great walks to the nearby Araleun waterfall. There were some other kids there so that was fun for Sullivan and Jules.
Araluen Falls
There were numerous short crossings to get over the creek. The kids loved it and we all thought we were pretty cool to drive our city 4WD through the river!
Day 19-21 June 26-28 Finch Hatton Gorge-Cape Hillsborough National Park 95km
Made the short trip up the coast from Mckay to Cape Hillsborough National Park. We stayed one night in a beach hut accommodation at the nature park and then two more nights camping at Smalley's Beach. A beautiful spot. Warm, sunny and 24 deg.
Greta goes for six!
Beach at Hillsborough National Park
Home away from home...
Fishing at Smalleys Beach
Greta goes for six!
Day 22-24 June 29-July 1 Cape Hillsborough to Airlie Beach and Whitsunday Island 125km
We left Cape Hillsborough and headed for Airlie Beach. Stayed the night at Club Croc while we got our "real camping" stuff ready to head out to Dugong Beach on Whitsunday Island. Caught the "Scamper" island transfer boat out to Whitsunday Island. We stayed on Dugong Beach and it was beautiful....remote paradise! Have a look at the pictures. It was great. The kids really enjoyed paddling the kayak and had a great time exploring our little bay.
Click Here to continue the journey...and see the second half of our trip.
Ready to snorkel wearing the "stinger" suits to protect them from the stinging jellyfish!!
Sullivan kayaking in the setting sun.
We went for a great hike up to Whitsunday peak. It was 4 hours return and the view was amazing.
All good things must move on to the next good thing. From Airlie Beach it was off to Ayr (200km) for a quick night stop as we continued our way north. Stopped at the Big Mango for a picture.
Click Here to continue the journey...and see the second half of our trip.
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