11 May, 2015 by Explorers

Day 3: Iluka to Harwood

The big excitement for today is that the bridge that carries the Pacific Highway across the Clarence River at Harwood is too low to allow masted vessels to pass underneath. Hence the bridge can be raised with 24 hours notice. So today at 2.30pm we have the supreme power of stopping all the traffic on that very busy highway while we float graciously past. Should I be lazing on the bow with wine glass in hand as I simulate the Queen’s wave, or not?

Leaving Iluka was easy – I took her out, and though I was nervous the careful instructions given to me by the Skipper were followed to the letter and worked a treat. We just needed to round a couple of bends in the river to get the ‘fare winds’ from the right direction and up went the sails. Ahhh the bliss of turning off the motor and sailing – it’s pure joy. The winds were gentle and we probably didn’t exceed 3Knots but that took us at the perfect pace to enjoy the river and river bank as we went. Lots of lovely homes were built close to the banks – mostly on built-up pads. I wonder how they go when the river floods.

Classy riverside homes between Iluka and Harwood.

There were various industries along the riverbank too, such as slipyards, sugar cane farms and the sugar mill. The majority of other river traffic was prawn trawlers – and there were a lot of them! It was interesting watching them working. The river at the moment is the colour of chocolate with lots of flotsam from the recent heavy rains the district experienced. The locals tell us the river is much higher than usual and flowing very fast. Apparently the trawlers can’t work as far up the river as usual because the current is too strong for their nets.

Bit hard to see, but there’s at least 7 prawn trawlers working the far side of the river in this photo.

Wasn’t long before the Harwood Bridge came into sight and we had about an hour and a half to put in before it opened. We looked around for a place to pull over and found the Big River Sailing Club just before the sugar mill. No jetty, but a lovely little sandy beach beside a well-tended lawn leading up to their clubhouse. We pulled Top Shelf in and had a picnic lunch on the lawn.

Whiling away an hour before the bridge is booked to be opened for us. Prawn trawler in river. Harwood

Eventually it was time for the bridge to open for us so we motored on over, the bridge man waved hello, stopped all the traffic and waved us on through. No I didn’t have the glass of wine in hand!

And up she goes! When the light on the control room turns green we can go under that part. Harwood Bridge

The Harwood island pontoon is just the other side of the bridge so we were tied up securely in no time at all. Took a walk around this delightful little town (doesn’t take long), back for a drink at the Harwood Hilton and a delicious meal onboard.

Sunset view of the Harwood Bridge from our mooring on the pontoon.

For more photos from today’s sail please click HERE.

10 May, 2015 by Explorers

Day 2: Yamba to Iluka

Mother’s Day! If I can’t be with my beautiful children today (which I can’t) then here is the next best place to be. The weather is perfect and the river looks magic. High tide isn’t until about midday, so we had the morning to fill in. We went for a lovely walk, about 5K, to the end of the breakwater and back again. Nothing quite means sailing more than dolphins frolicking in the waves – and they were there aplenty, if not very photogenic!

Lovely views of the Yamba boat harbour on our walk out to the breakwater.

Mid-morning we rigged – hmmm bit rusty – thankfully Steve thinks out every step carefully as we go and the mast went up without a hitch. The boat ramp was pretty average – no ramp pontoon, and no easy place to pull her ashore once in the water (so we can board) makes life difficult. However we managed and pulled her over to a nearby jetty where we tied her up before heading to the marina coffee shop for a well-deserved coffee.

Then off we set! Yay – on the water again! Not far to go today – 2.25 nm to be exact, which took us all of 50 minutes motoring. There’s an artificial ‘wall’ in the middle of the river which is only just above water level – you have to be on the ball following the navigation aids and charts to go between the two towns.

Iluka is another fishing village, as is Yamba. The fishing trawlers were all moored over in one section of the marina, with the yachts anchored randomly within the marina walls. However, for we lucky ones who can pull up our keel, there’s a nice new pontoon with mooring available for at least 6 vessels in about 1 meter of water. I love being able to just step off the boat!

Moored securely for the night at Iluka

The biggest surprise was the pirate ship anchored in front of us as we came in! Turns out it is the Notorious, a replica of a 15th century caravel which has been handcrafted over 10 years by its owners. The builder was inspired by the legend (or history) of a sunken Portugese ship which had been visible until the mid 18th century off the coast in Victoria near where he lives.

The caravel, Notorious.

As it was still early afternoon we went for another walk around the foreshore along the river. Lovely homes, lovely parks, great caravan park with river frontage and a fabulous walkway – a credit to the local council. There’s also a World Heritage Listed walk around the headland which takes about 3 hours return, but after our walk this morning we weren’t up for it – next time!
Back to Top Shelf, cook a BBQ for dinner on our Magma BBQ which is attached to the back of the boat and then off to bed for an early night.

BBQ at sunset. Iluka

This fabulous protected harbour at Iluka is just perfect for us. Top Shelf is on the pontoon. Notorious, the caravel, is anchored inside the walls.

For more photos from todays adventure click HERE

Pugsley is on guard protecting us from pirates at Iluka

9 May, 2015 by Explorers

Day 1: Home to Yamba

Today we finally left to begin a cruise Steve has wanted to do for several years now – cruising the Clarence River in northern New South Wales. The Clarence is Australia’s second largest river stretching 400km from source to sea. The area navigable by yachts is the final 100K, from Grafton to Yamba. The Clarence tourism association has produced a booklet titled Sailing and Cruising Guide Yamba to Grafton, which we have found useful – though I could give them some suggestions on improvements if they asked.

Between our last sailing adventure and this one Top Shelf has received new underwear – a new trailer. We finally have a trailer that keeps us legal regarding brakes and weight distribution – and Steve assures me it’s now a pleasure to tow her. I, unfortunately, have yet to do a towing course and don’t have the confidence to tow yet. The new trailer has meant we can pack the boat ready for launch before we leave home – previously everything with any weight was carried in the car and needed to be transferred on arrival.

It’s a 400K drive from our place to Yamba – not that far, but far enough when you’re towing a boat. We choose not to launch unless it’s high tide, and as there was no chance of us catching the high tide today we left about 10am and took our time driving down, arriving about 3pm.

The parking area at the Yamba Boat Harbour Marina was pretty good, and quiet, so we decided we’d park the night there and sleep on board in the car park. Went for a walk around the marina, then back to the Yacht Club clubhouse to meet up with a fellow Noelex owner, off to the pub for a counter meal and back to the boat for a good night’s sleep.

Leaving home on a beautiful May morning.

1 May, 2015 by Explorers

Days 9, 10, 11: Ka Ka Mundi to home

29th April

The weather forecast is for heavy rain beginning this afternoon and lasting a couple of days. Salvatore Rosa is impassable in wet weather so we decided to head towards home instead.
We spent most of today lazing around and catching up on minor things – clothes washing, hair washing, cleaning the stove … not too exciting. Took another walk to the springs – the water is so sweet and pure!
Then off to Springsure to catch up on emails and Facebook before settling back into the free camp at Staircase Range for the night.
Surprise – there was another van there – the first time we’ve shared a campsite (other than with Bryan and Trish) since the first night.

Distance travelled: 156K

30th April:
It started raining last night and has pretty well rained all day. We left our campsite early and had breakfast at Rolleston, then onward and eastward to Moura before camping at the Monto Information Centre for the night, another free camp provided by the Council. Explored Monto for a while, particularly the cafe and the pub – well they do say when the Council is generous enough to provide a free camp that you should frequent the local businesses! The camp is behind the un-manned Information Centre on vacant land. The public toilets (clean) are close by, and it’s a short walk into town. While not salubrious or picturesque it was quiet (after the pub closed at 10pm) and convenient.

Distance travelled: 360K

A prickly pear covered in fruit. Lots of these along the roadside.

1st May:

The rain last night was still pretty gentle, but the forecast is pretty bad for today with it getting very heavy after lunch as a low comes down the coast. We left early wanting to get home before the worst hit.
As it turned out it the majority of the 5-hour drive was in the rain with it sometimes being quite heavy, but no water over the road. We stopped briefly at Gayndah for more oranges and a cuppa before arriving home at 1pm.

Gladstone, centre of our citrus industry and, of course, the Big Orange.

Gayndah, centre of our citrus industry and, of course, the Big Orange.

Distance travelled: 400K

All together a fabulous trip, with good friends, good drives, good food, good bushwalking, great countryside and an excellent campervan.

Total distance for trip: 2086.9K

28 April, 2015 by Explorers

Day 8: Staircase Range to Ka Ka Mundi

After brekkie We headed for Springsure, just 20K further on. Here we refueled (taking ages – hope this problem gets a solution soon!), filled the water tank at the Information Centre, got some info there and went to the Spar supermarket for eggs. We were down to 20% water in the tank – good to know we can comfortably carry enough for a full week including showering daily. And we read our emails, caught up with Facebook and rang family. Not having internet is good for a little while, but we’ve become so dependent on it that it is truly appreciated when you get it back after going without for a while.

It seems every country town out here has a windmill in its park, and Springsure is an exception.

It seems every country town out here has a windmill in its park, and Springsure is no exception.

Heading off from Springsure we left the highway after 50K, heading south towards Ka Ka Mundi. The road serviced the cattle stations along the way. There can’t be much money in cattle judging by the very modest station homesteads. The countryside was open, undulating grasslands stretching to the Great Dividing Range seen in the distance. it was quite striking against the cloudless deep blue sky. Most of the road was unsealed, but in very good condition, maintained for the cattle trucks I guess. The last section before the park was through Yandaburra, one of the cattle stations.

Priscilla enters Yandaburra station.

Once in Ka Ka Mundi the road condition deteriorated, but wasn’t too bad. We put Priscilla into 4WD to be on the safe side, only needing it in a few sandy sections. Not too bad really. The campsite was about 12K inside the Park.

And here we are at last.

Ka Ka Mundi is in a remote section of the Carnarvon National Park. It had sandstone escarpments which we found to be weathered quite uniquely – different to the other parks. There were many caves in the escarpments formed in startlingly white sandstone.
About 250metres from the campsite is a spring – Bunbuncundoo Springs. The Aboriginals who used to live here before European settlement believed this spring held healing powers and would bathe their sickly children in its waters. It’s a lovely spring, quite fast flowing considering the predominantly dry countryside. The little brook fed by its waters is lush with tree ferns and coral ferns. Quite an oasis. The aboriginals also believed the caves around the Spring were home to Eunjies, contact with the spirit form of them leading to illness. Hence they didn’t wander from their campfires until daybreak. Neither will I!!

See the water gushing out of the Bunbuncundoo Spring.

Those caves – are they really home to spirit creatures?

We sat beside Priscilla after dinner gazing for ages at the beautiful sky filled with stars. No lights to detract for many, many kilometres around – what a treat!

To see the photos for this section of the trip click HERE.
Distance travelled: 158K

Here’s a map of the routes we took getting to the National Parks:

From Theodore to Ka Ka Mundi via Lake Murphy and Robinsons Gorge

27 April, 2015 by Explorers

Day 7: Robinson Gorge to Staircase Range

Today we farewell Trish and Bryan as they head home. We all left just after breakfast parting company at the turnoff into the Park with Trish and Bryan heading south and us north along Glenhaughton Road. The Hema map had a choice of several unsealed roads we could take. The road wasn’t well maintained and it needed 4WD for most of it and we travelled pretty slowly. It took us about 5 hours to get to the Dawson Highway during which time we didn’t see another vehicle or human. That said though, it was on the whole a really lovely drive.

Definitely a road less travelled.

Thanks little man. Got it!

Once on the highway we still had 140K to go to Springsure and another 2 hours to get to Ka Ka Mundi – too far after all that concentration needed for the first part of the trip. We looked for a camp and found a free camp just outside Springsure at Staircase Range Cutting. It’s just off the road, but well out of sight and has a fire place and a concrete picnic table. The historic cutting it ajoins was carved through the rock in 1905 by Chinese labourers using hand tools. Hard work!

Staircase Range historical cutting.

Despite being quite close to the road we weren’t disturbed during the night as there is very little traffic after dark.

To see the photos for this section of the trip click HERE.
Distance travelled: 302K

26 April, 2015 by Explorers

Days 5 & 6: Robinson Gorge

Saturday 25th

We decided to do the two other walks today, one this morning to Shepherds Peak and one this afternoon to the Lookout then spend tomorrow doing nothing all day. Sounds good.

The steep climb up Shepherds Peak was worth every one of the many calories expended getting there.

Shepherds Peak is a sandstone plateau about 2K from camp. An easy walk to get there, but quite steep to climb to the plateau. Listed as a Class 4 walk it was tricky in places and demanded full attention. Steve stepped on a loose rock crossing one of the crevasses and took a tumble sustaining only hurt pride fortunately as a huge boulder blocked his descent down to the bottom! On top the views over the park and gorge is excellent – 360 degrees. Again with sheer cliff edges and lots of crevasses it’s not a place you’d take children.
We spent quite a while exploring the plateau and taking photos – every view was so rewarding. AND we got phone cover so checked emails and phoned family.

Shepherds Peak. Can you see us on the far cliff?

Back to camp for lunch.
Robinson Gorge Lookout late afternoon. We toyed with taking wine and having wine o’clock watching the sun set over the gorge, but with a 2K walk back to camp in the dusk we thought we might be cutting it too fine. And there was also the access to the gorge here which we thought we’d like to do. So off we set sans vino (mixing my languages there maybe).
Again wonderful views and well worth every step. The gorge floor looked so interesting and inviting to explore. We took a look at the access to the gorge and decided we’d really like to spend lots of unhurried time exploring down there so put it off until tomorrow.

The northern end of Robinson Gorge.

Back to camp for the usual – campfire, wine, chat, dinner.
We’ve been very lucky with the weather – chilly mornings and evenings but glorious cloud-free days. The sky at night is just a million stars – even a shooting star!

One worker; one supervisor! Campsite BBQ at Robinson Gorge

To see more photos from this section of the trip click HERE.

Sunday 26th

After breakfast we all headed back to Robinson Gorge Lookout to explore the gorge floor. This is the only place you can get down the gorge cliffs. Needless to say it was very steep and we went down much of it backwards. However National Parks has cut foot-holes into the sheerest parts of the sandstone to make it do-able. There was also a steep sandy part too that we slid down – going up this bit was tough.

Conveniently carved stone steps. Photos always make it look less steep that it actually is!

On the gorge floor it felt like we were in the Journey to the Centre of the Earth where the plants were unique and it felt so different from ‘up there’. We scrambled over rocks and logs and got to the water’s edge and followed it, with lots more scrambling and climbing for a while before heading back. The climb back up the cliff, while strenuous, didn’t seem as difficult as the climb down, apart from the loose sand section.

The gorge floor. Challenging to explore.

We were back in plenty of time to shower before lunch, then more relaxing. Played 500; chicks vs cockrels, with chicks winning convincingly, naturally.
The boys organised another fantastic campfire to cook our meal on and relax by until bedtime.

To see more photos from this section of the trip click HERE.

24 April, 2015 by Explorers

Day 4: Lake Murphy to Robinson Gorge

Our convoy at the turnoff to Robinson Gorge.

Robinson Gorge is a bit further west of Lake Murphy along the Glenhaughton Road – a good dirt road. The last 16K on Currajong Rd into the park however were 4WD only. There were some rough patches but on the whole pretty good until just immediately before the campground where the road goes down a rocky and washed out hill to a dry creek crossing packed with rocks. A little thought to our track and Priscilla was through it without a bother.
Another excellent National Parks campground similar to that at Lake Murphy.

Distance travelled: 66K

Another excellent National Parks campsite. Note: This is the road into the campsite – down this hill and across the stony gully at the bottom.

Another well-maintained and pretty campsite.

“Winding for 14K between sheer sandstone cliffs up to 100m high, Robinson Gorge is one of the main features of the large and remote Expedition National park. Robinson Gorge is unusual – it begins as a broad, shallow basin before narrowing to a deep pool in a narrow gorge only six metres wide near its southern end.”
There are 3 walks to do here, so we decided to get started on them today. First one is the 6.5K return walk to the Cattle Dip, which is actually the very narrow end of the gorge with the deep pool. It does resemble a cattle dip! Most of this walk was along a road, which we could have driven, but we all felt like a bit of exercise. Being sandstone the cliff edges of the gorge are sheer and crumbly. The Cattle Dip was viewed from the top of the cliff and looks very inviting. We’re pretty sure we saw either a turtle or playpus in it – bit hard to tell as it’s a long way down and no way to get there.
Back to camp for campfire and dinner.

The very narrow end of Robinson Gorge, known as the ‘Cattle Dip’ for obvious reasons.

23 April, 2015 by Explorers

Days 2 & 3: Isla to Lake Murphy

Still in bed when we got the call from Trish and Bryan, who had setup their camper trailer at Lake Murphy yesterday, saying they were on their way over. When they arrived we took a good look at this lovely gorge and walked out to the lookout along a ridge that seemed to protrude into the gorge. This gave us amazing views of the gorge on both sides. I can highly recommend this spot to travellers as it’s only 1.3K off the highway.

Isla Gorge information board.

Bryan wanted to refuel so we all set off for Theodore, then took a scenic drive around to the west of the highway, past Flagstaff Hill at the western end of Isla Gorge National Park, to end at Lake Murphy Conservation Area.

Delightful drive between Theodore and Lake Murphy.

As I’d been the one who planned the trip, Trish and Bryan felt they’d been sold a pup when there was no water to be seen in the Lake, particularly as they were camped here for 3 nights. I knew that, must have neglected to tell them. They insisted that we should have the joy of walking to the ‘lakes’ edge. Yep, totally covered in waist-high reeds or something.

A lake of weeds.

Back to the campsite for wine o’clock, a great campfire and a catch-up.
Total driven: 140K

Sunset – note sun on tops of trees.

April 23rd

Guess where we are?

After a lovely slow start to the day we set off on the 4K circuit walk mid-afternoon. The plant-life in the park area is quite different to the countryside we have travelled through with Dawson Palms and River Red Gums predominating. A pleasant walk.
The campsite here is excellent. Very large campsites each with a wood fire and picnic table cordoned off from the next by logs. Grassy and well maintained with clean drop toilets and tank water. No other campers here during our stay – they don’t know what they’re missing!
Another campfire tonight, campfire talk and off to bed.

Setting off on the circuit walk.

To see more photos from this section of the trip click HERE.

21 April, 2015 by Explorers

Day 1: Home to Isla Gorge

In October 2013 we explored Carnarvon Gorge and did all the bushwalks there (see the blog entry for that month). We enjoyed this so much that I thought it would be good to explore the other National Parks within the Sandstone Belt hence the purpose of this trip. We have limited time so only Isla Gorge, Lake Murphy Conservation Area, Robinson Gorge, Ka Ka Mundi and Salvatore Rosa are on the itinerary. Trish and Bryan, the friends we walked Carnarvon Gorge with, are also joining us for the first 3 parks.

The week before we left was very busy preparing for this trip. While it’s been planned for a long time, preparations didn’t get underway as we had the joy of our visiting family with their new babies to keep us very preoccupied. Because the majority of this trip will be in National Parks with only one opportunity to shop I decided to precook all the main meals and bring them frozen. For my future reference 5 meals fitted in the freezer – more would fit if I’d chosen similar sized containers and fitted them to the freezer. Another 5 frozen meals were put into the fridge.

The park at Nanango.

21st April: Kilcoy to Isla Gorge National Park
We left home around 7.30am in Priscilla, with Nanango our first stop for breakfast. This town provides a lovely park and picnic area with a working windmill and a typical gold miners mine head and equipment displayed.
Next stop Gayndah for lunch and to buy some oranges – after all, this IS the centre of Queensland’s citrus industry. Here the Council allows a 20-hour stop-over for the travelling public with clean showers and toilets. Great facilities Gayndah, well done.
Onward to Eisdvold to top-up the fuel tanks and have a chat to the lovely man at the Information Centre. The Information Centre is a part of the RM Williams education centre – would be good to visit when some presentations are on. RM Williams’ first property is midway between Eisdvold and Theodore.
We’re having problems refueling. The diesel seems to foam at the mouth of the inlet and it only dribbles in from the bowser taking ages and ages to fill the tank – might have something to do with the long-range fuel tanks. We’ve asked Trakka about it and will see if they have any ideas.
On to Theodore via Cracow. Cracow is a gold town with a working goldmine. We didn’t stop. Closer to Theodore we started to see cropping – particularly a tall spindley weedy-looking crop which we later learned was mung beans. Fancy that! The sorghum fields were also very pretty with their red heads of grain just waiting to be harvested. However the major crop is cotton and has recently been harvested. These fields are all irrigated from the Dawson River via an open-channel irrigation system which runs alongside the road for many kilometers.
From here it was a short drive down the Leichhardt Highway to the Isla Gorge turnoff and to our camp for the night. We very much enjoyed watching the sun set over this spectacular gorge – but we’ll look at it more tomorrow when our friends join us.

The sun is setting. Note the ‘island’ in the middle of the gorge.

514K today – a big drive, but handled well by swapping drivers every two hours and having decent, long breaks along the way.

To see more photos from this section of the trip click HERE.