Coolum Beach to Tin Can Bay

It is now my turn to write! (Dad is responsible for the captions to the pictures and I take no responsibility for them).

Dad ventured back to the big smoke for a night and left me and the kids (with the assistance of Nanna and Pa) in Coolum Beach.  Even with an extra 2 pairs of hands it was still lots of hard work.

We entertained ourselves at the Ginger Factory - great if you like ginger (i don't) or if you are 2 or 5, then a quick stop in at the Macadamia Nut Factory. We 'enjoyed' a train ride on a little steam engine and a boat ride in search for the 'ginger bread man'.  It was pouring with rain so this managed to keep the little ones entertained.

Once it stopped raining we checked out the local playground.  Rating on equipment was high, on ferral children and beer drinking parents also high.  (Just for the reocrd that was not me - i waited until at least 5pm before cracking one or two or three open.)

Anouk & Steve Anouk is in pink.

The highlight of our trip to this area was a visit to the Australia Zoo (about 45 mins drive south of Coolum).  Unfortunately we didn't run into Bindi (sorry Sienna) but did meet up with several of the beer drinking parents from the playground (I'm not sure if it was actually them but, if not, it was their closely related cousins).  The kids loved the crocodiles, elephants, tigers and especially the kangaroos complete with joeys in their pouches.  The croc show was entertaining but not at all informative.  Was it worth the outrageous entry fee?  Probably not. 

kangaroo at australia zoo and
two unknown children

On Sunday we packed up (i think we bettered our time by about 45 seconds).  It is something we are getting better at (I think this is true, but sometime I think I am saying it to make myself feel better).  Dad managed to remember to lock down the roof this time!

 

It was a short hop up the coast to Tin Can Bay; which is a tiny little backwater of a town near the southern tip of Fraser Island.  The people camping next to Nanna and Pa have been here for 11 weeks - Lord knows what they have been doing!

Playground at Rainbow Beach. Anouk
rating - 10.  Parent rating - 5.

We spent the afternoon checking out the coloured sands at Rainbow Beach (from a distance - it was high tide) and the playground - are you noticing a re-occuring theme? According to Anouk it was the best playground ever.  I'm not sure a 5 year old is very discerning - she was playing at the time, and not having to share any equipment with other kids.

We have an early start tomorrow with the hope of feeding the dolphins that come in every (or maybe most) mornings to Tin Can Bay - the reason for our stop over here.  Then its off to Bargara.  We need to get further away from those parents who are also each others' cousins.