Bowen to Townsville

The tourist highlight of Bowen -
a mango that is green at the top
and over-ripe at the bottom.

As some of the readers of this blog and New Idea may be aware, the film "Australia" (you know, Nikki Kidman, Hughue Jackman etc) was filmed in Bowen.  But the similarities do not end there.  The film cost millions of dollars, was seen by almost no-one and was a huge disappointment.  Ditto Bowen.  It has a few nice beaches around near Horsehoe Bay but one of them is a nudist beach (think the 70 year old man with leathery skin and no tan lines kind of nudist beach - I swear I did not know it was a nudist beach until I got there - mum reckons the 15 signs saying "nude beach" should have tipped me off) and there is a major resort built over the top of them.  There is not much else going on despite large sums of money obviously being spent by the council - witness the huge number of road works going on in the town.

Two sharks and a boy

So we headed further up the Bruce Highway not expecting much from Townsville, the self proclaimed capital of North Queensland (as the sign into town tells you).  And the Big 4 Caravan Park only just lived up to those very low expectations.  Although we have the best spot in the caravan park it is next to a block of flats housing the mother with the foulest mouth in Australia.  I don't even know what some of the words she uses at her kids mean. Nana and Pa are miles away from us - thank goodness - because they are parked on the highway,  The caravan park is in the middle of nowhere - with a petrol station out the front - and about 10 kms from town.  We could have stayed in a park right on the beach on town but I was in charge in choosing the park here.  I think we may now all have been sacked from that job. (Anouk still ranks it a 10 because it has a jimping pillow).

Unforunately, Anouk's face is not
distorted in this shot - it really does
look like that at the moment.

Anyway, although the carvan park here in Townsville is generally pretty crap, Townsville is a real surprise.  I was expecting run down derelict buildings and bogan after bogan.  But is a lovely place with a fantastic view out to Magnetic Island with a great mix of old and new buildings.  Its clear that a lot of money has been spent on the place and it really shows.  Today we went to the acquarium and checked out the "Culture Fest" being held on The Strand. Not exactly sure about the cultural exchange (actually I am sure - there wasn't much other than the cultural exchange occuring via that American superheroes jumping castle and Anouk and Isaac) - it was more like a poor man's Rye Carnival.  Anyway, I am prepared to forgive them that litle indiscretion.

That was an improvement over how the day started.  In the 10 minutes that mum went to have a shower, Anouk managed to fall over and smash her face on a rock.  No permanent damage but she has a very swollen face.  Yvette also managed to have a blow out during the same 10 minutes.  Mum is now banned from showering.

Anouk sends a big hello to all her friends in the Butterfly room.  Although she is having a great time, she is missing them all very much.  Except when she's on the jumping pillow.