Magic places ! there are so many that one could not possibly single out one, although some 6 years ago we stayed in a little caravan park about 17 km east of Ingham in north queensland named Forrest Beach. The area was mainly seaside holiday homes with this small but great caravan park, the park consisted of small hotel about 6 motel rooms and amenities block and perhaps 25 seafront powered sites and looking out to sea were small islands dotted of the coast.
Extremely friendly folks great happy hour at the hotel if you wanted to attend, large swimming pool if you did not like the sea, and that much sandy beach you could walk for hours.
I would not be suprised if the developers have taken it over and changed it to some sort of resort, I really hope not as it's basic undeveloped area is what made it Magic. (has anyone else been there ? and is it still there ?)
Magic places ! ~~~~~ we stayed in a little caravan park about 17 km east of Ingham in north queensland named Forrest Beach. The area was mainly seaside holiday homes with this small but great caravan park, the park consisted of small hotel about 6 motel rooms and amenities block and perhaps 25 seafront powered sites and looking out to sea were small islands dotted of the coast.
Extremely friendly folks great happy hour at the hotel if you wanted to attend, large swimming pool if you did not like the sea, and that much sandy beach you could walk for hours.
I would not be suprised if the developers have taken it over and changed it to some sort of resort, I really hope not as it's basic undeveloped area is what made it Magic. (has anyone else been there ? and is it still there ?)
Gday...
I haven't stayed there ... but was in the area late last year .... It appears to be a scenic place.
Dave, we spent a month at the Forrest beach CP in 2009. Agree with you - lovely spot, and good value at $150 for a powered site, a week. It is surprisingly hard to find places that front on to great beaches in Qld, but this one did - wonderful for long walks. Dog friendly too. Not for those who want really flash amenities though, swimming pools, playgrounds and the like.
A web site link was attached to an earlier reply, Forest Beach Hotel it appears the Hotel has taken on a hugh redevelopement since we stayed in 2004, the caravan park looked similar and by your description the amenity block is still the same.
Current park fees for a powered sited being $30 a day or $175 a week, that works out to around $25 a day which is still reasonable for that part of the world, hope they don't spoil it and start charging the $40 + like a lot of the east coast.
Back in 2004 the hotel was weather board with a veranda all round covered in Bougainvillea, the owner or manager Ken insisted on providing a beer while the paper work was being completed.
Very fond memories, we will drop in again this year (hope the changes) have not changed the ambiance of the place.
I imagine there would have been some cyclone damage at Forrest Beach, a couple of years ago, so changes to hotel may have resulted from that. In 2009 we heard that there had been a swimming pool, on the seaward side of the hotel, but was no trace when we were there. Don't know why the change. Was some talk that they were considering re-installing one, but from web site, that hasn't happened. Yep, prices still seem reasonable. Apparently, pre 2009, there had been a number of permanents there, but they had all been moved out by then. Rumours of redevelopment of caravan park area into a resort. Hope it doesn't happen - we'd like to go back too.
Has anyone been to the Blackdown Tablelands inland from Rocky? It's not too far from home and I was thinking to take my 80yo mum there in April. The photos on Google Earth are sure interesting, just wondered if the falls are all year round, or if it's more likely to be dry and dusty most of the time.
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Cheers, Marianna.
The more I learn about people, the more I like my dogs (Mark Twain)
Has anyone been to the Blackdown Tablelands inland from Rocky? It's not too far from home and I was thinking to take my 80yo mum there in April. The photos on Google Earth are sure interesting, just wondered if the falls are all year round, or if it's more likely to be dry and dusty most of the time.
Gday...
I visited Blackdown Tableland Nat Pk back in 2011 - I really loved the place. I doubt if it would be dry and dusty, but given there seems to have been limited rainful this 'wet season' so far, there may not be lots of water around.
Has anyone been to the Blackdown Tablelands inland from Rocky? It's not too far from home and I was thinking to take my 80yo mum there in April. The photos on Google Earth are sure interesting, just wondered if the falls are all year round, or if it's more likely to be dry and dusty most of the time.
Gday...
I visited Blackdown Tableland Nat Pk back in 2011 - I really loved the place. I doubt if it would be dry and dusty, but given there seems to have been limited rainful this 'wet season' so far, there may not be lots of water around.
Here are some photos from when I was there -
Cheers - John
Thanks John, it will definitely be on the itinerary for April, in fact I think I'll go before that to check it out before taking mum. Think I can get away with camping in the surrounding state forest and keeping my little dogs in the car for day trips into the park, or will I have to leave them at home with their separation anxiety?
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Cheers, Marianna.
The more I learn about people, the more I like my dogs (Mark Twain)
Some great photos on this page that give a whole new meaning to the term wide open spaces! I especially like the ones of the night sky and the meteor. How amazing! And Guru your description of the Cawnpore Range makes me wanna see it for myself.
So many magic places, but two that will always stay close to our hearts are Francois Peron (Dirk Hartog Island ) off the coast in WA .The other is the Abrolhos islands off the coast from Geraldton WA .Fishing is unbievable can catch fish with a page out of the bible.When i work out how to attatch photoes on here i will upload some.
-- Edited by herbie on Monday 11th of February 2013 01:11:09 AM
Sorry no pictures, but have just spent 4 glorious days on a houseboat on the Murray from Blanchetown to Morgan and back again. Fantastic scenery, birdlife unreal, fishing so so but I did catch my first eel-tailed catfish which I let go straight away after bragging about catching an endangered spieces.
I have seen the same sized fish in aquarium shops for around $900!
Fantastic trip to do with a group, you can even leave vans there, secure and safe. No boating licence required. River charts supplied. So relaxing.
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Never growing old, just getting dusty around the edges.
Arakoon Nat Park (NSW) great camping and sunsets Brooms Head (NSW) camp right on the beach front Great Ocean Road (VIC) i live there so i'm biased Freycinet National Park (TAS) Kangaroo Island (SA)
Murray River (Vic Side) anywhere along this peaceful stretch of water is nice
Nelson (VIC/SA boarder) The glenalg river is nice so is the pond diving
Boggy Creek Pub (VIC) quite old world pub up against the river and surrounding farm land.
Too many to mention
I'm pretty jealous of some of the destinations mentioned in this thread!!! Dirk Hartog Island and Abrolhos islands are sure on my wish list!
-- Edited by SaltyDog on Saturday 23rd of February 2013 08:07:45 AM
-- Edited by SaltyDog on Saturday 23rd of February 2013 08:18:31 AM
I guess we all have magic spots to visit and I agree with you all about your spots .
Spent a few weeks touring Tasmania and have vowed to go back and have a look again.
One of the most recent places we stayed at was a little place called Sandy Cape approx 2 1/2 hours north of Perth and 12 klms past Jurien Bay.
This is a shire run camp ground and pretty basic , it has long drop toilets cared for by the caretaker but has no power and you must be self sufficient, but the peace and ambience make up for it all.
The swimming and fishing is good and the long walks on the beach is great all that for $15 per night
On our trip so far would be the Barkly Homestead...fantastic place for a one night stop...the worst place would be the Big4 in Atherton.more rules and regulations than the Australian Constitution
My magic place would have to be anywhere we have been apart from Wyndum although the stay at Parries farm was great and Port Headland won't be a place we will ever go back to. Pleased we went though as would never have known. We both love WA top to bottom every inch and the Tablelands in Qld. Favourite park would have to be in Kunnanarra under the mini bungles and Innisfail Big4. No problems ever with parks wherever we have been apart from one very bad encounter with one in Darwin that should be closed down. Hoping with all the bad publicity it is by now with any luck.
I find no matter where there is always a positive that comes out of each place you visit even if you don't think you would ever go back there. (barring Pt Headland for us) Each to their own