So this is winter!! 

Why would you call 28-30c with little wind and even less rain Winter? Beats me! Yep, very warm giving hot a good nudge during the days and 16-23c nights. The humidity has improved slightly to 50-80% during the days and 80-95% nights. Actually, I am now enjoying this tropical Townsville weather but it does get mighty hot in the sun.  Yep, this is winter alright. 

June started with excitement plus around Townsville as the NRL State if Origin took place. If you don't follow NRL it is very hard to escape it here as everywhere you go and I mean everywhere, there are signs, shirts, hats etc etc in every shop. Cars driving around with little flags, kids and adults walking around with their supporters colours on. Clubs and pubs putting on special's with the game on the big screens. Yep, very hard not to get caught up in the excitement and I tell you that for free. QLD won game one then a couple of weeks later took out game two after a good game really. As the State or Origin is a three game comp it meant that QLD yet again won the series. Game three will get played on the 13/7 and will still be an interesting game as QLD could make it a white wash or let NSW have a little win :))  All that doesnt even include the daily goings on about the local team, Cowboys.

GO QLD (when in Rome do as the Romans do)

Mid month I decided to head down to Airlie Beach QLD, not all that far north of Mackay. I checked out Bowen on the way as it doesn't get a very good report from Grey Nomads at all, some refuse outright to go anywhere near there let alone spend money there. Because everyone is different I had to decide for myself so check it out I did. A reasonable lookout to oversee things and I found some lovely beaches on the north side of town with a couple of nice looking CVP's if that is your thing. For free campers, nothing nearby and a fellow GN had reported just prior to my visit that some mongrel woke her at 2.00am with bright headlights and left a not too nice note on her windscreen saying to bugger off, well sort of those words anyway. Would I actually stay at Bowen, no I don't think so. I didn't spend any money either. 

Continuing on my way I arrived at Airlie Beach and chose a lovely CVP and stayed for 3 nights. This area is set up for the tourist in a big way, including Back Packers who get discounts in many places. Mmmmm, why can't we older people get discounts as much as they do? Accommodation from little tents in CVP's right up to expensive rooms in flashy resorts over looking Airlie Beach Township. The main street is full of booking offices for cruises etc as you see this place is one of the main starting points to go out to the Islands around the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef. The main shopping district is actually out of town itself just down the road in a place called Cannonvale, like a suburb of Airlie Beach. Plenty of great eateries if you want and varied in flavours and prices. 

I was going to go on a cruise out to the iconic Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island but due to being on the ocean side (east) of the Island, heavy rain and extremely strong winds all the time I was there I decided to give it a miss and just drive around sightseeing. I had no regrets as enjoyed that equally I reckon and cheaper too. I checked out places like most of Airlie Beach itself, Shute Harbour, Dingo Point, Hideaway Bay, Cape Gloucester slightly to the north then Conway Beach, Wilsons beach and Cedar Creek Falls slightly to the south. All these places are only within a one hour drive so easy to fill in the day.

A highlight and one that was on my agenda was Cedar Creek Falls. I thought I would miss out as I found out on my arrival at the park that there was no water there so really not worth a visit this time. However, with the heavy rain for the first 24 hours of my arrival and continued rain I decided water would have to be there now so on the final day I paid a visit. 

Shut the front gate!  Water water everywhere. Even the dirt road going in was muddy as, so slipped the Collie into 4x4 as looked very slippery. These falls are well worth the visit on the right day as very nice indeed. I only wish I took a spare pair of shorts or swimmers as there is a lovely water hole at the bottom of the falls and looked and felt very inviting indeed. A few back packers in their early 20's were enjoying a dip and after checking with them, didn't mind me taking pics of the beautiful area. They even invited me to join them but what they didn't realise was my body was nothing like theirs and I tell you that for free. NEXT TIME!  

If you ever get the chance make sure you put this place on your 'to do list'. Well sign posted so easy to find and within 30 minutes sort of south west of Airlie Beach township. I just put it in my GPS and it took me there without any problems. The road in even though at the time was muddy, is ok if you don't have a 4x4 most of the time. 

After a four day visit to Airlie Beach it was time to leave so headed back to Townsville. Ahhh! No rain. After a few days of rain it was nice to get back to the dry. I know the locals would like rain though and heaps of it as their dam is very low indeed and only a couple of weeks away from going onto level 3 water restrictions. 

On my return the Hornet Jets that I turn into a big kid over were flying around above Townsville all week and due to being alongside a landing path they were nice and low but still too fast for me to get a good pic as you hear them as they are going not coming and can't get out with the camera fast enough. I finally got a couple of pics but it was a very dull day and they were still a little far away to get a close shot. Fantastic machine those Hornets. If you don't know, the Army and Air force have bases here in Townsville and like to play. 

A week after returning to Townsville I decided to head north a little to Ingham and visit the Wallarana Falls and the local area. You got the Claytons update about my "big day out" so no need to go any further here about that, only to say again, if you ever get up that way and have never seen the falls, do it, spectacular. 

Well, there it is, my June. Quite a busy June it was too and July has started with school holidays here in the tropics with the V8 supercars just around the corner. 

See you all next month.

Keep Safe

DOUG

Tent accomodation in the CVP

Nice CVP a little tight in some places though

Airlie Beach just after sunset

Airlie Beach swimming lagoon (in the middle of town)

Cedar Creek Falls (The twins are infront of the rock centre right, 'Kiwijim' )