Mount Moffatt Easter trip, day 3 and 4



Got up reasonably early and the wind meant that it was a little chilly so we had a bit of a breakfast campfire. Had some coffee and cooked some bacon and eggs in a wrap for brekky. Got cleaned up and changed and headed off for a drive around nine am. We drove back almost to the entrance to the park to do the longish (roughly 6 Km) walk around the Looking Glass, The Tombs and the Chimneys. I took it relatively slow and flew the drone a few times. Even gave it a test to see if it could navigate through the lightly forested path and follow me. It performed fine and in bypass mode was able to go around trees and keep following me without any input from the controller. We paused at the aboriginal art site and rested in the shade. 

Then finished the walk back past the Chimneys and back to the car park. 

On the drive back to camp we took a different track and looped past the information Centre and Rangers buildings. The others headed back to camp and I continued on to look at the West Branch campsite. It's a quite nice open grassy area with space for quite a few campers. Then on the way back I took a side track down to the Incineration Site where some of the local bushrangers/criminals had burned a policeman's body to hide the evidence of his death. This track was much more interesting to drive than the main roads through the park. Then back to camp for a late lunch followed by a very lazy afternoon around camp. Then more nibbles around the camp fire, I ate too many nibbles and didn't feel like dinner, so we kept sitting around the fire for awhile. 

I got the tripod out as the galactic Centre of the Milky Way was visible in the sky as the nearly full moon had yet to rise. 

Then back to the fire where Josh and I continued chatting after the others had wandered off to bed. Finally, we crashed a bit after nine pm. 

Another early morning, although the wind had dropped off so it wasn't as chilly. Had coffee and another bacon and eggs roll and then did a leisurely pack up. There had been no dew overnight so the gazebo was nice and dry to pack away. Nik and Lukas wanted to get back home early so they headed off about six thirty am. The rest of us were ready to go a little after eight thirty am. After driving out of the park we took a different, slightly shorter route back to Injune. The road initially was a little narrower than the main road in but it ended being a more interesting drive. Kemsley needed some diesel in Injune whereas as Josh and I both with long range fuel tanks and were fine to get back to Roma. While he refueled I got caught up on what had happened in the world over the last few days when we had no internet. Then an easy run into Roma, where we all refueled at the United on the east side of town and had some lunch. Then it was a long haul back home. The others stopped for a toilet break a bit before Dalby but as I was heading to Caloundra rather the Gold Coast I continued on to Dalby and the headed north east out towards Yarraman, where I had a quick toilet and the drink stop. Then onto Kilcoy, Peachester, Beerwah, Landsborough and then the final drive into Caloundra. 

All up it was thoroughly enjoyable long weekend, the weather was perfect, there was lots to see in the park and the camp fires were wonderful. 

Bye Jeff.

Mount Moffatt Easter trip, day 1 and 2



Got up with the alarm at 5am and did the final packing of the car and headed off around 5:30 am. A nice easy drive up to meet the others at the Ampol at Blacksoil, along with about 40,000,000 bikers heading off on an Easter ride. Had a quick coffee and bacon and egg roll and when Kemsley and Lise, Josh, and Nik and Lukas arrived and refreshed themselves we started driving west. We had a reasonably easy drive except for a couple of clumps of caravans which seem to need to travel very close together, not leaving sufficient safe space for people overtaking. We refueled in Roma and had some lunch in the Park on the north side of the town. Then it was another nice easy drive to Injune where Nik had to refuel his Jimny and also, fill up a couple of jerry cans of unleaded fuel as he only has a pretty small fuel tank. Then we headed off to the national park via the back roads, a bit over half the 150 or so Km was via gravel/dirt roads some of which were in the process of being graded and upgraded. Then we made our way up to the Rotary Shelter Shed campground where we had managed to book all the camp sites for our group. We set up camp with a nice lookout to the North and watched the sun set with a cold drink and a campfire. 

It was then an early night in bed as we had been driving all day. 

We woke to beautiful clear blue skies with a cool north easterly breeze. After breakfast and a chat we went out for a drive to explore the park. First off was a short walk in to Lots Wife and then a slightly longer walk to Kookaburra Cave to view the aboriginal art work. 

Then onto Marlong Arch for another relatively short walk. 

After all this exercise we headed back to camp and had some lunch. After a chat we decided to go for a drive up to the Top Shelter Shed lookout to see if it would be a nice spot to view the sunset. It was indeed a nice spot, and we continued on this track out to the Mahogany Forest and then onto the end of the track at the Head of Carnarvon Creek. There was a muddy patch or two along the way. After that we headed back to camp and whiled away a few hours before gathering up the drinks and nibbles and headed up to the Top Shelter Shed to view the sunset. It was a very pleasant way to watch the sun go down. 

Then back to camp for dinner and a chat around the camp fire. And finally off to bed with a coolish wind blowing. The night sky was spectacular until the full moon came out and washed out the stars. 

Bye Jeff.

Nights camping with various cars

Over the last week or so, in my abundant spare time, I started going through all the photos I have taken since I got my first 4WD, the venerable old Suzuki Grand Vitarra back at the start of 2004. I've compiled a spreadsheet of all the day and camping trips I've done using the Suzuki, then the NS Short Wheel Base Pajero and finally the BT-50 and camper. In its roughly four years of active life the Suzuki was out camping 12.5% of the time (171 nights), this includes my three and a half month long service leave trip around Australia in 2005. I predominantly used the OzTent RV-2 with the Suzuki. 

Then came the NS Short Wheel Based Pajero, simply known as the Paj. I got way more adventurous with the places I could go when driving the Paj as it had more clearance and was simply a better 4WD than the Suzuki. It was out camping 9.1% (282 nights) of its roughly 8.5 year life. I had a multitude of possible ways of sleeping when camping with the Paj. The aforementioned OzTent, a pop up tent under the awning, a stretcher and swag also under the awning and finally a Coleman Instant Up tent. 

More recently, I have refined my camping setup with the Mazda BT-50, commonly known as Blute, and a Rhino Slide on camper. I have been using this setup for about 6.5 years. In that time I have been camping in Blute 14.9% of the time (355 nights), about 4.5 of those years I have been retired. The camper on the back of the Ute is by far the best camping setup I've used as it's extremely quick to setup and pack up, so it's perfectly suited to long trips where I'm moving every day. If I'm staying in one place for awhile I use a gazebo that not only provides shelter from sun and rain and March flies but also marks my camp site so I can drive around and have my spot to come back to. 

Blute has a few years of life left in it yet so my next travel and camping setup is being contemplated but nothing is decided yet. Just don't mention to Blute that I am thinking of eventually retiring it. 😊

NOTE.

- For comparison a normal job in Australia has four weeks of holiday leave per year, so if you were to use all those holidays camping every year that would be about 7.7%

- this also doesn't include trips where I have have helped other people transporting cars around and any overseas trips like a conference in Scotland and a trip to Antarctica.

Bye Jeff.

Sent from my iPad

Teewah beach March Trip, Day 2



Got out of bed about six thirty am. The wind had dropped right off, so the March flies were starting to swarm. Made some coffee then got the drone out for awhile to make use of the lack of wind. Did three flights with a fresh battery each time. First was a general fly around the camp taking some photos and videos.

 The bloody March flies make it hard to control the drone smoothly while taking videos. Then I did a hyperlapse flying up the beach to show the waves moving. Finally, Greg had seen some sort movement out to sea so I sent the drone out for a look. Didn't see anything but I got the drone out a bit over three Km and looking back the shore seems a long way away. 

Flew it back over the land and was flying it back to camp when I got a five minute battery warning so it's probably good I didn't push it further than the three Km. After brekky I pottered around camp for awhile waiting for the tide to go out. Took a few bird and reptile photos. 

 Then drove up to Double Island Point and went for a walk up to the lighthouse. Beautiful sunny day and that walk up the hill was hard work. Saw some turtles around the rocks but I didn't have the big zoom lens to take any decent photos. Got to the top and took a few photos then sat down to rest up for the walk back down and caught up with some emails and internet stuff. Then I walked back down, which is easier on the lungs but harder on the knees. Drove across the Leisha Track and found a nice shady spot out near the point to set up for a few hours of relaxing. Made some lunch and did some reading. Packed up and drove back to camp. Then spent awhile downloading images and videos from various cameras onto my MacBook Pro and freeing up space on the camera for more photos. Pottered around camp for awhile and read and may have even had an afternoon snooze. Then chatted to everyone for awhile over drinks before cooking up a steak and some veggies for dinner. Cleaned up and had a cuppa tea then had a game of cards and a chat before heading off to bed. More ocean noises that I never get tired of lulled me to sleep. 

Bye Jeff.

Teewah Beach March trip, Day 1



It was dad's 88th birthday so I fought with the M1 traffic and drove up to Caloundra to see mum and him for his birthday. Had some quite nice fish and chips for lunch and when he went for his afternoon nap I headed off back to the highway. Got in the wrong lane and had to turn north instead of south, 😊 so I just continued on and headed up to Cooroy and then  Tewantin and finally across the Noosa river on the car ferry. Stopped at the third cutting and dropped the tyre pressures down to 18 psi. Engaged 4WD this time and easily drove out through the rather soft sand. Just down the beach I saw a familiar looking Jayco pop top caravan, so I pulled up and had a chat to my brother and his wife. He can't/won't confirm getting bogged in the soft sand nor would he confirm getting towed out by a Hummer, unfortunately there was no photographic evidence of any of these alleged proceedings. 😊 I followed him down the beach which was nice and firm as it was close to low tide. At the north end of Zone 2 we found their friends and pulled in and setup camp for a couple of days. 

It was a full moon so I took some photos after heating up some chicken curry for dinner. 

We then had a friendly game of cards and chatted for awhile before heading off to bed with the sound of the surf lulling me to sleep. 

Bye Jeff.

Ballina & Northern NSW Beaches



Decided to take a little day trip down to explore some of the northern NSW beaches. Threw a few things in Blute and headed south. Lost an hour of my life going over the border, traffic nice and easy. Got off at the second Ballina exit and drove down to the car ferry across the river. $7 each way but it saves a long drive down the highway and back. Then over the river turned left and headed down to the mouth of the river. Parked up and wandered out to the end of the rock wall and back, about 3.5 Km all up. Took some photos and had a look around.

 Then back to the ferry and across to the main bit of Ballina, drove through the Main Street and onto the car park near the lighthouse, stopped and took a few photos. Then drove to the next little beach, Shelly beach, parked there and got a take away burger and chips from the restaurant there, a bit pricey but very nice. Also an iced latte. Sat down by the beach to eat lunch and watch the waves. 

After lunch drove north following the coast and stopped In To look at a few little beaches and to walk around and take some photos. Also had a quick swim to cool off as it was fairly humid.  Then onto Lennox Head where I stopped at the lookout just to the south of Lennox Head and watched a guy learning to fly a sail-type hang glider, he failed dismally. 

Then I walked up and over the headland taking more photos as I went. 

Was a bit tired when I got back to the car and drove down through Lennox Head, I was going to get a coffee at the cafe at the surf club but it was closed. I was then going to drive up through Broken Head and then onto Byron Bay and go and look at the lighthouse but I didn't want to deal with the people and the traffic and the parking so I just headed back to the M1 and headed north to home.

Bye Jeff.

Teewah Beach Camping Day 5



Woke up about five am for sunrise and there was some spectacular colours. Took a few photos and then went back to bed for awhile. 

Got up awhile later for some coffee and then made some bacon and eggs for brekky. The day was so calm, not a breathe of wind around so I got the drone out again and sent it out for another flight.

 Then I started the slow and boring task of packing everything up so I could head off home. There had been several hours of sun by this time time so the gazebo and toilet tent had dried off nicely. I had trouble with the toilet tent which is supposed to fold up flat after a few twists but I couldn't seem to get just the right twists, but I got it flat enough to stuff into the storage section in the camper and I'll sort it out when I get home and can watch a YouTube video or two on how to do it properly. Then with everything packed and me a sweaty mess I went for a quick swim to cool off, very pleasant. Back to the car where I got changed and ready to head off down the beach until I realized I'd misplaced the car keys. After about fine minutes of frenzied searching I remembered where I had put them when I went for the swim and all was good in the world again. It was about three hours after high tide so the run down the beach was pretty easy, but the exit at the third cutting was a little tricky as a car and caravan where stuck on the exit coming onto the beach. I had to maneuver around them losing my run up and coming to a stop in the soft sand. However, a quick reverse and then a little more acceleration and I was up and out. I pumped the tyres up to highway pressure and headed down to the Noosa river where I stopped off for some lunch. I kept going south down to Coolum where I stopped at one of the lookouts for a cold drink and to finish off my blog post for this trip. 

From here I'll drop into to see mum and dad in Caloundra on my way home. All up a very pleasurable way to spend the last five or so days. 

Bye Jeff.