9th to 18th Baffle Ck to Lake Elphinstone

             Saturday 9th


Bustard bay from round hill headland at 1770

     Mid morning saw us arrive at Agnes Waters where we stopped briefly to restock the larder and fill Dilligaf. On to the Town of 1770 where I walked the track of Round Hill headland, the view across Bustard Bay was magnificent, there is an old light house on Bustard Head in the distance of this photo, but couldn't make it out very well.


Miriam Vale Hotel

     Had a bite to eat and decided it is a bit too hectic in 1770 and travelled on to Miriam Vale, getting there about 1pm, time for a nanny nap.
     Jim was hoping to watch a game of rugby on the T.V at the Miriam Vale Hotel, so we parked in the car park opposite, where we stayed for the night. Unfortunately the game was not televised so listened to it on the radio. The hotel cooked dinner for us, It was a great end to a enjoyable day.

             Sunday 10th

Calliope river free camp on the old Bruce highway

     Travelling on this morning we ended up at Calliope.  Driving through the town we rested at a small park to find out where the free camp is on the Calliope river. About 4 km north of town is the old Bruce Highway which traverses the Calliope river with camping area on either side of the river. We elected the southern side and had breakfast before deciding on the park-up area beside the old bridge(which is now closed) Might have a go at fishing later, saw a nice one caught off the beach below the bridge.
    
           Monday 11th


foggy morning on the
Calliope river

    
     Awoke to a foggy morning, very spooky while walking the dogs. This picture of the Calliope river looks like a thermal spring, it's not though, only fog.
      Went fishing today but nothing to be had.

Calliope river below the old
Bruce highway bridge

great day relaxing. Also took a self guided tour of the Calliope Heritage village on the other side of the river, quite interesting.


          Tuesday 12th
     The weather is just great!! 29 degree during the day, the evenings and nights are a bit cool though with 7 to 10 in early am.



Calliope River road bridge
down stream of the camp site

         Wednesday 13th
     Apparently 13 is an unlucky number. Well, we were going to make tracks this morning but couldn't start the bus!! the batteries are over 2 years old and had it. They have been a bit quirky in the cold weather over the last couple of weeks but thought they would last a bit longer, not to be.
 Any way, we called a mobile battery bloke who arrived about 2 hours later and installed 2 new batteries. Too late to go any where now so will stay another day. 
     Met up with a couple yesterday afternoon that we previously met at Julia Creek in 2013, Deb and Greg and  their  little cocker spaniel, Crystal. They asked me to look after the dog while they went out for the day, no problem, she is a cute pup and Dot and Yip got on with her O.K.

          Thursday 14th


big bull in the round-a-bout
coming in  to Rockhampton

     Taking off from Calliope river this morning we back tracked the few kilometres to Calliope township to restock the larder at the local IGA. All done by 9.30 and made Rockhampton late morning,where we stopped off to shop in Bunnings for a couple of new chairs and a door mat.


Yip is very comfy in the bus on the
way to Marlborough

Chrysoprase in a huge rock
on display in a park in
Marlborough

The rock and Dot at Marlborough

     Mid day saw a us arrive at Marlborough. We are in the middle of no where!! a pub, post office-general store and private residences. Cute little town, another of the many that has passed the "use by date" and slowing dying. We camped behind the hotel charging $5.00 per person.
     Taking the dogs for a walk later in the day I came across a park with this huge rock in it. all fence off, so I thought it must be something special. It was donated by the local mining company for display by the community with a nice sample of the gem which is embedded in it. It is called Chrysoprase, looks a little like Opal. Another piece of Australia we have had the privilege to see. Informative day and fun too!

Memorial at Croydon 12/11/1956
commemorating the Olympic torch
relay Sarina to Marlborough highway

         Friday 15th
    To Lotus Creek (Where??)
A road house in the middle of nothing!! and a camping area where we are headed today. On the way we came across this memorial of the 1956 Olympic  games and the torch relay on the Sarina to Marlborough highway. Yonks ago but a pleasant reminder of the things mankind does for sport.


100km north of Maryborough
Yip looks at Lotus Creek roadhouse

     We reached Lotus Creek to find nothing!! well, almost! only the roadhouse and camping area. We rested here for the night with a powered site at $20.00.
     Since heading out this way we have noticed how much drier the land is, the stock we pass seem to look good, but the grasses are all brown and dry and none of the creeks or water courses have any water in them. A vast difference to the eastern coast area we have been through.

                             Saturday 16th


Lake Elphinstone with a knarly
old tree at the edge

Our rig at Lake Elphinstone

     Away from Lotus Creek early, we stopped in Nebo for a short time on our way to Lake Elphinstone, about a 100km west of Mackay. Nebo is a mining town and we didn't stay for too long. Lake Elphinstone looks like a lovely spot, trouble is it's raining!!, making it a bit uncomfortable. Not to complain, we will put the yabbie pots in tomorrow and see what happens. The afternoon fined up a bit, much nicer.


Lake Elphinstone

           Monday 18th
     We have had 3 days at the lake and never caught anything in the pots. Moving on tomorrow, the cool misty rainy days have chased away. We will make for Collinsville in the morning.