26 June 2011 - Gracemere Caravan Park, Queensland

Tonight is our last at this caravan park and on power for at least a couple of days; how many can never be guessed because who knows what the days ahead hold, apart from the fact that there will be new places and new experiences. Camera batteries have been charged, cellphones are charging and the computer battery is charging as I type this. The crock pot has been packed away as have the loose parts of the microwave, so our departure in the morning should not be held up by such matters.

Yesterday, Saturday, dawned a little warmer than the days before after a night similarly less cold. My mother was celebrating her eightieth birthday amid food and family. We had arranged with Olly to purchase and deliver a web-cam to her as a gift, so that she could no longer say, “It’s so long since we have seen you!” We were aware that there is a two hour time difference, that Olly had to travel south to Tauranga from West Auckland with his family, including two wee boys, and that when he arrived there would be in excess of twenty other family members all eager to greet my mother. We hoped that in the middle of all that, there would be an opportunity to connect briefly with her and so demonstrate the wonders of Skype. As a result our plans for the day were very loose, to the point of dropping whatever we were doing to accommodate the convenience of the situation.

Lovely Kershaw Park

As it turned out, telephone calls, text messaging and then a brief Skype greeting all happened very successfully and efficiently, hopefully not disrupting their day too much and certainly not ours. And so by eleven o’clock we had lunch packed up and were off into Rockhampton, first to check out BCF (Boating, Fishing and Camping; a franchise here in Australia, at least in New South Wales and Queensland, that caters brilliantly for the likes of us who spend so much time outdoors). Chris is seeking a flat tank, preferably on wheels, for the purposes of a mobile grey water tank, such as we have seen caravanners use in New Zealand. A modified water tank of the right shape and with the outlets located strategically might just do the trick; it is a challenge that will keep him occupied for a while yet. BCF however were not able to assist so we headed to Kershaw Park which we had visited a few days previously, but this time beside the waterfall, a modified rock structure with water pumped so that it falls into a palm surrounded pool. It is the very best artificial waterfall we have ever seen, and was a delightful place to pause for lunch.

The Rockhampton Art Gallery was the next port of call. We arrived dead on one and were offered the opportunity to hear a talk by the curator of an exhibition launched the previous evening. The exhibition titled “Big Eye – Aboriginal Animations” was presented by Jenny Fraser, a woman who identifies herself as aboriginal from an area south west of Boonah, the carrot capital we stayed in. The exhibition is screen based and on-line, which is to us a strange concept. When I think animations, I think Mickey Mouse, Smurfs and Homer Simpson. The works, compiled by both Australian and North American aboriginal artists, that we observed, were mostly a series of stills with subtitles, many aimed at young people with messages targeting potential challenges and problems that are most prevalent in that realm. But was it art? Apart from this, the presentation was not inspiring. I am sure that Ms Fraser is passionate and committed to the artists she is working with, but her reserve did her no favours, coupled with the fact that her power point presentation was spoiled by the computer not functioning as she needed it to.

The gallery also had an exhibition titled “1888 Melbourne Cup”, which may have appealed more to those who feel Melbourne Cup rather than know of it as we do. There were also some wonderful works by greater artists squeezed into the stairwell and hallway, and no doubt even more stored away in the basement, all of which would have better impressed had they been hung in the rooms that were usurped by the projected images of non-art.       

This morning was even warmer than yesterday, about 14 degrees on rising. I set the computer up to send a birthday greeting to our two year old grand-daughter Isabella, or rather to her parents, and was delighted to receive the first Skype call from my parents. Olly was tutoring them and it was just serendipitous that we happened to go on line at that moment. I was on battery, without my magic aerial wire suspended from the ceiling, and so the contact was poor, hopefully not so much as to discourage future effort.

Today we had ear-tagged for a tour of the Capricorn Coast, and we were off soon after nine o’clock, north through the city and west 38 kilometres toward the seaside town of Yeppoon. We passed through rolling gum-clad hills from which we could see many of the volcanic peaks lying north; Black Mountain, Mt Jim Crow, Pine Mountain. I am constantly surprised to come across evidence of volcanic action in Australia; it is something that does not come to mind when one thinks of all things Australian. We walked about the town, which even on a Sunday morning, was busy with people enjoying the outdoor cafes. Despite that café culture and the wind blowing in from the sea, the whole place was still very simple and quite appealing.

We then drove on south down the coast to Rosslyn Harbour, a man-made harbour, home to the largest marina in Northern Queensland, a boast we were rather puzzled with. I would have thought that Cairns offered something more sizeable, however we will have to reserve further comment until we get there. The well sheltered harbour is shielded by a very strong wall topped by great chunks of concrete, so big I was unable to get a foot hold and climb up to get a view from the top.

Further south we stopped on the northern shore of the Causeway Lake, really just an inlet. A half-hearted market was in the process of being packed up, but a garage sale nearby rendered a rather ancient (1969) edition of the Readers Digest Complete Australian Atlas. You may well wonder why we bothered with such when we have so many maps and books already cluttering up our on-board library, but this one is topographical, a feature missing with all others.

We found a picnic table out of the wind, and from where we could see the caravan park that had been our second choice had we found the Grassmere one full or come on to the seaside in preference to the city. A charming spot but very crowded, so we felt vindicated by our choice of camp.

The Singing Ship

From there we proceeded further south to Emu Park, where we found the Singing Ship, a monument commemorating the area’s legacy of the historical explorations of Captain James Cook. Three fluted pipes stand tall as ship’s rigging, catching the wind, producing a musical sound, fortunately only heard on the grounds around the monument. It would drive you nuts if you were constantly subjected to it.

After walking up and down the street which offered little more than cafes and many many real estate offices, we decided to return to Rockhampton. Once back in the city we drove to the large Stockland’s Shopping Centre on the north side of the river, and indulged in some retail therapy before stocking up with groceries. We now have a DVD and some fishing gear to occupy us at some future time when we are at a loss to do otherwise. Watch this space!

Today had been less sunny than those over the last week, but warmer. Spots of rain fell on the windscreen at one point of today’s journey but thankfully never came to anything, and the washing was quite dry when we brought it in on our return. The forecast is for similar weather for the next week which means that we might actually believe we are travelling in more tropical climes. Fingers crossed.