Kinda sad to leave Eungella because it is so beautiful, but we discovered we’d chosen the coldest site in the camping grounds, and the excitement re Hamilton Island was building, so down the mountain we went. I forgot to mention that in the rainforest around our camping spot the fireflies came out each evening. Quite a treat!
Cane harvester – up close and personal.
Off to the mill.
We used to live in Mackay, so it was a bit of a trip down memory lane – not that we actually went in to Mackay, taking the shortcut from Mirani across to Mt Ossa. But the countryside was all very familiar – cane farms, cane trains, mango trees, lush tropical bush – and warm! We were very nearly killed here – we were stopped at a railway crossing with the cane train coming when two trucks came from the opposite direction and didn’t notice the red flashing lights or the cane locomotive just about to enter the crossing. The first truck got through OK, the second one only just missed the train – everyone involved, including us, got a helluva fright. If it had hit it would have pushed the engine straight into our car. I guess our number isn’t up yet.
We had a look at the house we lived in in Proserpine – it’s in really poor condition. Just outside Proserpine we stopped for coffee at a new coffee plantation called Whitsunday Gold. Jolly nice coffee it was too!
True love!
Do you like this hat?
On to Airlie Beach and the Flametree caravan and camping park to reserve our spot for the night. Average!
Back into Airlie for a look-see and some shopping. I love the atmosphere of Airlie. It’s young and buzzy and really screams out ‘tropical island holiday’. Can’t be a better feeling than that.
Back at camp we cleaned out the fridge, and turned it off – only had a couple of tomatoes, some bocconcini and the butter to give to the French travellers in the campervan beside us. All cleaned up and clothes for the island sorted for tomorrow. Went out to dinner at d’lice seafood and rum bar. It was a Trip Advisor recommendation and yep, the seafood and rum was good. Trip Advisor is very useful.
To see a few more photos, mostly of the cane harvesting, click here.