Well, here we are again, another month done and dusted, that means we are now in July and the second half of 2019.

Welcome, to my June update, first we must turn around and go back to the start of said month, hang on tight!

I see you made it back OK. The month of June actually started where May left off, me leaving Young NSW and heading north to Townsville. A quick trip was the plan. After saying my goodbyes to Garry, Roxanne, Ruby and Annie it was time to hit the road.

Saturday, the 1^st and first night was spent not that far away really, at the Gunning Show Ground, why? Just for something different really and see how it was. I have stayed at the small freedom camp beside the creek in town before so a change is as good as a holiday they say, whoever they are? I arrived around 11.30am, made sure the aluminium tent was level but stayed hooked up to the Collie and connected the jockey wheel to take the weight off the Collie overnight and for and early start the next day. I then did a leisurely stroll into town and had lunch at a lovely café then walked back to van to settle in until departure time.

Sunday, the 2^nd arrived and I left bright and early after scraping off ice from the Collie, -5c was a tad cold. I headed up the Hume Highway through occasional fog then through Sydney via Pennant Hills and continuing along the Pacific Motorway until my next port of call for the night. I was going to stay at the Show Ground in Bulahdelah, north of Newcastle but came in the wrong gate and decided to stay out the back of the Bowling club for a small fee. I went over to the club and checked in and after paying a large amount of $5.00 for unpowered for the night I had dinner there as well. Dinner was great and very well priced. A good menu and very friendly staff. You can actually get a powered spot for three nights for $20.00 and well worth it. There is a spacious shower/toilet combined at the end of the club building and a fresh water tap nearby that you can use but not stay connected too. A great spot for a night or three. OH! I found out while talking to some people in the club that it costs $18.00 (Donation) per night unpowered and no water at the Showground. Still cheapish but the Bowls Club was better.

Monday, the 3^rd arrived and I was up early with clear skies and a tad warmer, 2c but no ice, then on the road again to get a head start with Byron Bay in my sights. I arrived there around 1.00pm and paid for an unpowered spot for one night. I had a walk around and noticed people still there in tents that were there two years ago, so much for a maximum 28 day stay. Not a great place really but cheap for a solo traveller like me, $20 the night. Gets expensive the more people in your group though as the charge is per head. I wont say any more about the place as I don't want to promote them at all. I dont need much so works fine for me though.

Tuesday, the 4^th arrived and I was up and gone at 4.00am and 11c, to get through Brisbane, two hours away, before the major rush of traffic. That worked too. Another clear sky but some wind around. As I left Byron Bay area, I got a severe weather warning on my phone so decided to make a run for it and not stop at my planned one night in GinGin QLD, slightly north east of Hervey Bay. I had arranged to meet friends there but they like me had changed plans too, Instead, I did a 10-hour drive and got to my planned stop after GinGin, Waverly Creek rest area, about 160km north of Rockhampton QLD. Due to the lateness of my arrival there I was expecting to find the place full and if so had decided to head to St Lawrence rec reserve instead for the night. However, on my arrival at Waverley Creek there was one spot left and strangely enough the spot I have stayed in a few times now, it was like it was reserved for me but I know better. One-night stay at this great freedom spot and buggered from a very long days drive. MY CHOICE. Oh! I didn't get any severe weather so changing my plan must have worked.

Wednesday, the 4^th arrived with a nice 13c and I was up at my usual time and gone at 6.00am for another early start. I arrived at my last minute planned, final night stay alongside the railway line and behind the shops at Home Hill. I say a last-minute planned stay as it was not in my original plan but due to the weather warning and being ahead of schedule I made a slight change. This is a donation stopover with a maximum 48 hour stay but I was only there for the one night. After my donation was put in the big metal box behind the Ladies toilet/shower block I had a shower in the men's, well I couldn't have it in the ladies could I, then settled in for the night. I have also stayed at the Showground in town as well on a previous visit and that is a nice place to stay as well but actually prefer alongside the railway line. The few trains don't bother me at all. Its strange really because trucks and cars zooming past and trains etc don't bother me at all but people playing loud music until early hours of the morning and people sitting around outside all night yelling at each other all night really gets under my skin. 

Thursday, the 5^th arrived with a nice 15c and final day of travel, I left a little later, 7.30am, as I was only one and a half hours from Townsville. Due to cars everywhere in my daughters street early and late in the day I need to arrive around mid-morning, there are still two cars that arrangements have to made to get them moved to allow me to reverse the aluminium tent. Reason for the Home Hill stay.  After stopping at a servo in Alligator Creek for a light breaky, I headed to Townsville and arrived mid-morning as planned. After reversing the aluminium tent into the driveway and unhooking I was ready to set up for my stay in the Tropics.

I had arrived at my destinations north bound section of my 2019 northern migration.

For those that might be travelling the way I did, Hume Hwy, Pacific Hwy and Bruce Hwy there are heaps of road works just after Sydney for many KMs and from Gin Gin to Rockhampton but no dramas as traffic still gets through with a couple of short hold ups only. I follow my theory that if big trucks can get through somewhere, so can I. The roadworks I have put up with over the last few years and not heading north last year finds great roads now and I'm sure when all the current roadworks are finished those roads will be great too. I'm also sure more roadworks will be under way though so a continuing thing, are roadworks. One lot in progress as we speak and will be very welcome from me is there is a bypass of Mackay happening and appears well on the way, from what I saw anyway. I usually go around a back way anyway to avoid the main CBD area but the bypass will be even better.

The rest of the month was spent doing nothing exciting really but for a good friend arriving in Townsville for a one-night stopover so we caught up for a few hours the next morning before it was time for them to get a wriggle on to get further north to visit family. Thanks Rocky and Mrs Rocky. Another visit also took place and it was good to see Bob and Jenny again, so a couple of catch ups took place during the month which is always good. I also caught up with two movies and enjoyed both of those. A hearing test and eye test was also carried out with good results.

Something did take place during the month though that I hadn't done since I was a young fella back in a previous life and a good night was had with my daughter, granddaughter, grandson, friends of theirs and many excited spectators at, wait for it, ya wont believe this, at the Wrestling. Yep, I was a big fan in the days of World Championship Wrestling. Who can remember Skull Murphy, Brute Bernard, Mario Milano and the big boy, Haystacks Calhoun? Yep they were the days. Now here in QLD all run by the Queensland Wrestling Alliance (QWA). Many a night with my dad was spent ringside at Festival Hall in Melbourne and in front of the black and white TV on a Sunday morning that mum and dad just recently purchased. Jack Little would be the commentator. WOW. So, there I was down memory lane watching Wrestling ringside once again. The names of the wrestlers were different but the rest was similar, just many moons later. Names like, Australian Wolf, Seth Taylor and Stitches. Stitches got banned the month prior but in good old wrestling style he was ringside proudly displaying an entrance ticket he reckons he paid for. About 5 minutes into the first match Stitches appeared in the ring and started beating up another wrestler. Strange thing was, he had his wrestling gear on. Ahhh! Good stuff hey? That got the crowd going! A good night had by all and a slightly different experience in my GN travels.  

That's my month and I hope you all had a good month as well so until next we chat, Keep Safe on the roads and out there.   

Before I forget, I have been asked by a few people to add a picture of the aluminium tent and Collie so I have indulged and due to mainly travel during the month, (well, that's my excuse anyway) done so below this update.

DOUG