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
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
Thanks for the photos! They are very colourful and large snakes! Are there a lot of snakes in the area? If so, I'll give it a miss. I had forgotten just how fast the sea comes in up in that area!
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.
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.
-- Edited by Sheba on Monday 7th of July 2014 06:05:00 PM
I may be wrong but I thought if you wanted to get the milk out you used a screwdriver to make two holes in the little circle thingies at the top of the coconut. I think they are scars where the coconut attached to the tree. They are easier to get through than the rest of the shell. One hole lets the milk run out and the other lets air in to replace the liquid.
SnowT is right about the pointy sticks. Do the same job.
Fermented raisin coconut milk sounds interesting.
Cheers
Margaret
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.
Should of asked me to show you how to do coconuts John as I would of glady shown you .Di is always collecting them along the way and uses them for an afternoon treat ,they are also good to cook with.
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
-- Edited by wauri on Monday 7th of July 2014 06:38:30 PM
and hacked off enough of the husk to get at the nut surface.
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