We went out for the day for a drive around to see some of the local sights and the first destination was Gropers Creek some 15kms from the camp through cane fields. Not an exciting destination with no shops except the kiosk in the Caravan Park. Surprisingly the park was crowded might be the school holidays or workers commuting to Home Hill. The only people that I saw were a couple of men casting nets from the jetty, it seemed time consuming and needed skill to wind up the weights and cast out the nets. As soon as they were cast they were hauled in and it started off again. Not for me, one cast would be enough but they were keen but had no fish in their buckets.

The next area to be explored was Ayr and we drove around looking for the beach, in the end I went into a shop and asked the assistant, she was brilliant and gave me a street map of Ayr and maked off the route to take. So off we went to find the Lynchs Beach , another quiet little township similar to Gropers Creek with no shops or fuel outlets but we did see a council workman mowing the grass near the beach. Then back to Ayr looking for a lunch snack and a walk around the town.

We weren't finished then 'cos Paul wanted to go to Clare to see some camping areas that he frequented some 25 years ago and an agricultural college from the same era. Needless to say we found neither and Clare is a very small community but it has a Post Office and Police Station together with acres and acres of sugar cane. Scarcely worth a 60kms round trip but then we weren't in a hurry to get back to camp.

I have now hard wired the new 40amp battery charger direct into the house batteries and left the 16amp one to service the cranking battery when needed. Started the job early and finished it when we returned.   John

This touch of paradise in central coast of Qld

is very unique  beautiful beaches and the  very quiet township of Home Hill .

With Ayr close by

however  the campers here need to make their own entertainment .

no camp fires are permitted in the Show Grounds camp area  

however $10 per nigh is ok. 

Having a good camp radio is a bonus

as the radio program is very good 

John is our photo journalist and navigator .

The nights are somewhat coolish 

Yep .... We hope to stay here until Monday

Hoping  all the time to meet up with  other GN who use this forum.

cheers from. Paul

Glad the radio works well Paul.  You certainly did a good job there.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Here we go for another trip

Off we went today, Friday, to Funny Dunny Camps6 #49 via the Wunjunga signpost 5kms south of Inkerman. Camps correctly say that there is 15kms of dirt road and it had put me off in the past but the road is almost as good as tarred. You can't miss the camp on the side of the road and passed there is the little township of Wunjunga with surprising good housing but again no shops or fuel and with a deserted air about it.

The camp is supposed to be 4 days in 14 but the camper we talked to had been there for a couple of months and all around were signs of campers who had not recently arrived. The main interest there is crabbing and fishing, it must be popular because there were hardly any spaces left to camp. There is camping there by donation and I was looking for information as to how come the name, found the answer and posted the pic.    John

my van wrote: massive cane fire taken at Home Hill  today 4/07/14

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Another great day of exploring the Home Hill and 

Ayr region. The three of us .

Trying hard not to miss the critical points of interest.

the big snake  60m long , the original  settlement site of Ayr 

at the month of the river. Etc.

There are hundreds upon hundreds of caravan people here in the area .

We have exhausted the list of to see places  in this Home Hill, Ayr  area. 

Markets on Saturday Home Hill and Sunday at Ayr .

A whole week in this town  has been well worth the stay.every 

caravaner should stay here for a week at least.

Many of the shops are set above ground  level in account of flooding ,

not good for disabled campers.

Next place we hope to visit is Townsville 

cheers from Paul

Hope you got a Pic. of the big Snake Paul.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Sheba wrote:

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Hope you got a Pic. of the big Snake Paul.

Cheers,

Sheba.

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 Yes Gayle he has various pics of the big snake, I forgot my camera and ended up taking many on Paul's phone.

Paul puts up posts on his iPhone and has more patience than me with the tiny screen and may have problems with photos.

John

Gday...

Is this the one?

Cheers - John

You can't get away from the biggies, here is one in Townsville....

...and he keeps an eye on ya too...

Thanks John the very one.

Wow that is sone snake ....!

i wouldn't like that  sucker in my bed .

Thanks for that John.  Think I prefer that one to the Townsville one.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Well the situation here is very relaxing  indeed ,

no cane fires as yet today.

Really top music on the radio ,Sweet FM, I could just

camp here forever so as to listen

to the U-Beaut  radio program.

John. Is giving it his all,   to drain

the juice out of a few co co nuts. I think the

nuts will get the better of this project.

But then again , he is a trier.

Our third camping mate wishes to remain unanounced .

We are all getting itchy feet , looking forward

to a new camp  and a challenging  enviroment 

i must note here .The laundry mat and ameties block is first  class.

A welcome  to the new GN member , her first post  Silver Streaks,

we can expect many more post from her in future.

cheers from Paul and crew

It is very challenging to get at the coconut milk from coconuts that have been on the ground for some time and are brown. I have been using chisels and a hacksaw to get at the internal surface of the nut. The first one got cut and the milk dribbled out but after that I got smart and hacked off enough of the husk to get at the nut surface.

So why go to that trouble, one of our camping neighbours had told us that if we did that and inserted raisins or sultanas into the hole then sealed it up we would be in for a treat in about 3 weeks when we come to open and drink the milk. We now have 3 coconuts sealed and ready.

I used glad wrap screwed and inserted into the hole then over that I smeared silicone sealant. As Paul has said it is very relaxing here especially for him sitting there watching me struggle with the coconuts. He is another Billeee who when the urge comes over him to do some work he lays down until it passes.

Welcome silver streaks to our forum.

John

Another cane fire adjacent to the camp:-                                        John

Re. Coconuts, don't one of you have a Machete ?  If you get to Cairns, you can buy Coconut Splitters at the Markets.   Maybe Townsville will have them too.

Cheers,

Sheba. 

Thanks for all the advice I will remember next time if the first one is a success but splitting is not required and to access the small circle thingies one first has to remove the husk and that is the problem. It would be easier to access through the small holes but they are hard to uncover. Anyway I have added a photo of my last and easiest access by now I am almost an expert having previously measured  the previous shells.

John

Just be careful with the end product John.  The last person I knew who made that stuff, drowned in Trinity Inlet.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Best way to husk a coconut is drive a pick into the ground and then using the exposed spike, drive it through the side of the nut
Then lever up
Keep doing this around the outside and i a couple of minutes you have the nut
Carefully remove the larger eye with a screwdriver or Knife and then one of the others to allow air flow
Then it pours into your glass.
A sharpened timber stake or even a star picket will work as well for the husking

Husked dozens as a kid at school for a school fete coconut shy

Hi Sheba ,   great to see your post 

hope all is well DOWN there in Rocky area 

The trip is going well,

Shopping day in Townsville tomorrow 

No crocks at Blue Water river.  Just hundreds of Nomads.

Hi Paul.  New Fridge is in OK.  Expecting an overnight visitor tomorrow, on her way back North.  Another Nomad. 

Good to see you guys enjoying yourselves.  Marj. and that lot haven't posted for a little while.  I guess they're having reception problems.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Shopping at Townsville Bunnings is a blast 

so much to see  and good tucker at the cafeteria 

there is two Bunnings in town

Cheers from Paulp