Road Trip : Landsborough to Brisbane

Last nite I was lucky with my timing, about 5mins after I had parked the sky opened.. This wasn't quite as cold night as in Kybong but wasn't far off it. I had decided that today I go by my feelings, first stop was Big Kart Track, hadn't been drivin go-karts in past few years so I had to try that. I went there fairly early so I could avoid any rush but in a way that was a wee mistake since most of the time I was racing just against myself. About 10mins after I finished, track got a bit busier, dammit.. Oh well, since they have night racing as well, I would come here later on some Fri to have fun under the floodlights. Since it was gettin a bit 'late' I decided to leave 2nd day in Australia Zoo till later time but I drove there anyway, just to take a peek at the Wildlife Hospital. After that I sat awhile on net and booked my hostel for the first week in Brisbane. After that I drove to Glass House Mountains township, I had thought of camping close-by and have look at the Glass House Mountains National Park and maybe took a few walks as well in the area.

Later that day, after I had settled down at my camping ground and eaten my lunch I took a wee drive to Glass House Mountains Lookout and to the base of Mt Tibrogargan to take some photos, after that back to camping via township. I had ran out of beers so had to get few for this nite..

Mt Tibrogargan

Mt Beerwah & Mt Coonowrin

I was tryin to stay awake as long as I could so wouldn't wake up too soon, but.. I was up again by 7ish.. I was tryin to spend my mornin just playin music from my netbook and doin brekkie slowly.. ..and tryin to decide what to do next.. In the end, I decided to do that 2nd day in Australia Zoo a bit later since I wanted to do go-karts under floodlights at the same time. First I took a drive to the base of Mt Beerwah to take some close-ups but it was a bit too thick forest in front of me. On the previous day I had thought of tryin to climb to the summit of Mt Tibrogargan but I decided to tackle Mt Ngungun first, since it was easier, after that I'd decide whether or not try another climb. Bloody hell, climbing up to Mt Ngungun was at times pretty darn tough, althou it was only a small bit that was extremely steep.. But the views from up there.. ..somethin spectacular, again.. By the time I was back at the car park I felt a bit too tired to try to tackle
Mt Tibrogargan so I decided to head down south towards Brisbane. I took a break at BP on the motorway to get a connection to internet and to try to find a caravan park where to stay. Eventually, I found this place close to city and drove there for overnight.

Mt Ngungun

The next mornin it was time to start packing.. I had planned to book into my hostel on Fri and depending on the surroundings, I'd either park my camper there or just return it a day earlier. I almost missed my check-out time since was so concentrated on my packing but made it out just in time. Then I drove to see the area where my hostel was. Straight away I noticed that there wasn't gonna be any way to park my for overnight so I checked in, carried my stuff to my room and drove to return my camper. The address that I had in my papers wasn't valid anymore so I had to call to Cairns head office for new address but luckily it was close-by. Managed to drop my camper and took a taxi back to my hostel. Now it was time for a another

adventure, gettin to know Brisbane and finding a job somewhere here. This time I wanted it to be a 'proper' driving job. Well, I've got the whole weekend ahead of me to relax and enjoy and then it's back to reality and for job hunting.. And, unlikely you might thought, I wasn't on the road alone, I had my mascot with me.. Finally I've managed to him a name, Elmo.

Elmo

Road Trip : 1770 to Landsborough

I took my time on the next mornin, no rush, I kept repeating to myself. I kinda had my mind set on the idea that I'll stay overnight in Bundaberg but first I decided to go to information center to see if it would be worth it stayin there. Nah, didn't sound like worth it but like I planned, I did a visit to rum distillery and took a few photos. I wasn't fussed takin a tour inside so I just took a look at the shop. I drove thru town centre and took a wee break at bakery and then I was on the road again.

After that long day spent in 1770 I felt really good again, maybe I'll drive a bit more today.. I stopped in Maryborough at Queensland Transport office to enquire about my license. After that I had to decide how far would I drive today. I planned three different camping spot, depending how far I'd like to drive. In the end I drove to the furthest one, camping ground just behind a big truck stop in Kybong. I have to say that this was pretty nice place, wee lakes surrunding camp ground and heaps of birds around. The noises of truck stop didn't bother me at all. Next mornin I'll drive to Australia Zoo in Beerwah, just about an hours drive.

First time I woke up it was about 5ish in the mornin and I was freezin my arse of.. ..this was clearly the coldest night so far on my road trip, I even had kept all the windows closed from the beginning. Bloody hell, how could it be this cold, it's already spring.. ..maybe I should have stayed in FNQ a bit longer.. I fell asleep again and woke up past 8am, dammit, I was supposed to be in zoo by the time gates open at 9am. Quick brekkie and on the road again. I arrived to Australia Zoo about 10ish and decided to buy 2-day pass since that way I'd get 2nd day for half the price. I had 14days to use it so I'd decide after today would I come tmw again or some time later on. Since I had those 2days to sepnd here I decided not to pursue for the live shows and instead I just took my time and tried to find areas where there was least amunt of people around. I did like the way zoo was set-up, althou gotta say that Africa exhibit was a bit disappointment but it's still on it's 1st phase. For overnight I drove back towards Bruce Hwy, to small camp ground in Landsborough.

Road Trip : Credition Hall to 1770

I woke up fairly early in the mornin and decided to go and get a last look at platypuses. I managed to spot one but couldn't get any photos.. I said goodbyes to danes and off I went again. I stopped briefly at both lookout points and only Sky Window was worth of takin photos but that view.. If I enjoyed drivin up to the range, comin down was even a bigger thrill. I kept about 1,5hr break while I was re-fuellin and had a wee lunch. Initially I was supposed to park at Marlborough but I just didn't like the place so I drove a bit further, to Yaamba. This was my longest distance in a day so far, drove just past 400km, realized that I had been advancing a bit too fast and from now on I should slow down my progressing. Reckon I was just feelin so good after those days at Eungella NP that even the most monotonous part of Bruce Hwy didn't bother me.

On the next morning my first stop was Rockhampton. According to my travel guide there wasn't supposed to be much of anything but by accident I found out in the morning that there's a wee zoo and as I am a big, big fan of them.. I saw typical roos, koalas, dingoes, crocs, wombats & cassowaries, and even a peacock outside since this was a part of Botanical Gardens. Gotta be honest, it wasn't much of anything but guess that's what you gotta expect from free admission zoo but yet again, it was nice to kill some time there. I drove thru Gladstone and did a brief stop to Woolies, for overnight I parked in rest area at Benaraby, about 20km south of Gladstone, back at Bruce Hwy.

Next mornin I was headin towards Agnes Water & Town of 1770, I had planned of drivin to Bundaberg for camping. I took a half an hour break in Miriam Vale since I wasn't in any rush and was just tryin to make my days go a bit faster and not drivin that much per day. I had to re-fuel at Agnes Water and then I headed for 1770. I drove straight to the spot where Captain Cook first set foot in Queensland on May 24th, 1770. After that I drove at the end of cape to take some nice photos. Few more photos from town and then headin back south again. I stopped on the other side of town to take a photo of sign and since there was a caravan park right next to it I started to think - 'where's my rush' - and decided to stay there for overnight. Once I had settled down at my bay I took a brief drive to Agnes for grocery store and decided to give myself a permission to spend a bit more money today so I drove back to 1770 for lunch on a restaurant next to shore. Maybe tomorrow I'll camp somewhere close to Bundaberg.