Yeppoon to Cape Hillsborough

When you have been in a caravan for a while, one's inner bogan tendencies tend to emerge.  All of sudden, a flanelette shirt seems the most sensible option to tackle cold mornings.  And going four wheel driving and driving along the beach are really good fun.  Even Pa, who does not like to get his Landcruiser dirty, tackled beach driving for the first time in his life.  It is good fun.  Never really got to do the four wheel driving though becuase they were burning off at Byfield National Park.

Kookaburra coming in to
share afternoon drinks.  Simone trying
to look relaxed but actually flinching.  Note
that she is not nude.

On the other,Nana and Pa, got to do some four wheel driving on the journey to Cape Hillsborough - caravan in tow - thanks to a GPS which has a rather wicked sense of humour. Indeed, the ongoing battle between the map, the GPS, the road signs and one's own intuition (which, sensibly, I tend to ignore given my appalling sense of direction)  ia an interesting battle.  The GPS tends not to care whether one has a caravan in tow so does not mind taking you down back alleys with pot holes and caravan eating bends.  If the speed limit is 100 kmh then, apparently, that is the fastest way to go.  And if you ignore it, it is so insistent that its way is tbe best that you almost feel apologetic for ignoring it.

Anyway, that brings us to Cape Hillsborough Nature Resort.  Calling it a "resort" is a bit of a stretch and putting "nature" in the title ends up making it sound like a place for nudists.  As I discovered, its not.  Apparently a "nature resort" and a "naturist resort" are different things.  Good thing to learn early in the trip.

Pa and kids starting the walk at Cape

Hillsborough

Kids checking washing ...and,
on yeah, a ' roo doing what
'roos do - nothing. 

Anyway, what it is, is about 50 kms north of Mackay and for me, the highlight of the trip so far (despite the lack of nudity) and definately on the list of "Places I Have to Go Back in 20 Years and Wonder Why I Thought it was So Great the First Time".  Anyway, in order to remind myself in 20 years time why I did think this place was fanstastic was because it is in a national park with heaps of wildlife - wallabys and kangaroos hop through the park and laze on the grass and kookaburras that join your table at happy hour.  Its a bit more of a camper's place than the earlier sites wtih a few more bugs and creepy crawlies but nothing too dramatic and you can buy Bundy and Coke at the bar.  Its right on the beach with coconut palms and amazing mountain scenery.  The walks are rated in the top 10 in Australia by National Geographic.

Isaac and Nana on the walk up to
the lookout.  I still cannot believe
she made it.

Talking of the walks, they are pretty punishing - particularly with a 11kg one year on one's back.  But before I get too excited about congratulating myself, 2 year old Isaac managed one climb that felt like it was almost straight up at times.  It was very impressive effort by him and the walk leader, Anouk.

Anyway, two days was nowhere near enough there. 



A hot chick and her mother checking out
the scenery from the look out.

Kids having a little lie down after the walk
up to the look out.  Perhaps I should not
have made Anouk carry Yvette the whole way...