Back to Reality

After leaving Cairns we were able to catch up with some family and friends as we took a 12 day drive down the Queensland coast.  

We have made a huge decision which will change our 5 year nomadic travelling style for good. We have decided to set up a home base at Golden Beach Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, in our home which we bought 7 years ago.  It needs a big make-over, we have no furniture, still not sure where the caravan will fit, and in this day of trying to get tradies and materials it could take a long time to fix up.  It is a little overwhelming, so much easier to remain nomadic and carefree.

Nevertheless, we’ll do our best to make it a home, and promised ourselves it won’t stop us hitching the van and travelling in between projects.  But, our tenants haven’t found anything to move into yet, so fingers crossed it will all work out for them very soon, as we are running out of time to get sorted before Christmas.  I’m picturing Christmas in the van in the front garden at this stage!

This brings us to our current 2 week house sit for a very good friend at Glass House Mountains between Brisbane and Sunshine Coast, in a beautiful natural setting.  It hasn’t been without it’s dramas, a 2m python (carpet snake) coiled up in the chooks hutch ready for bed just 1 metre from poor chook who was also hoping to go to bed. We had to prompt said snake to find somewhere else for the night.  Almost every day has rained, which is tough on the 2 dogs, we walk them when we can, but meanwhile try to keep them dry and happy although I could see they too had lost their spark.  Number 2 chook was broody, and wouldn’t budge for days and looked like she may die, only to get a new lease on life and is now running around fine, she doesn’t know how close she came to the lights dimming.  All manner of stuff have tried to infiltrate the home to get out of the rain,  joys of having beautiful semi tropical forests all around you.

Our camp ground at Mackay (Rowallen Park Scout Camp)

A friends place at Agnes Waters/1770






Nearby coastal walk




Sunset on the Mary River at Tiaro

Glasshouse Mountains, stayed in the town of Glasshouse, beautiful rural area, just near centre of photo

Snake in hutch

Said snake after chased from chook hutch

Walking puppy dogs

Small nearby bush walk,  beautiful markings on Australian Goanna

Meanwhile we will continue to catch up with family and friends as we wait it out, maybe even go and explore the Sunshine Coast Hinterland for a week here or there, and see what other adventures we can get up to.

A Sad Goodbye to Cairns

After exactly 4 months in Cairns, we are very sad to be leaving. It is not ideal to have our 2 children and their families living so far apart, we always seem to be saying goodbye to one family, only to then enjoy spending time with the other.

So we got to do some final things before leaving Cairns

A fun day out on the Tablelands picking strawberries

Oh boy we are going to miss these two

Picnic lunch at a Playground in Atherton

Granite Gorge near Mareeba, great time feeding Rock Wallabies and bush walking some of the gorge

Ayla climbed a really big Rock on her own, so pleased with herself….my little Bushwalking Protege


We managed to get in a 6km hike around Lake Barrine before we met up with Craig and family

3/4 of the way around the path was blocked by tree that had fallen overnight…so up the side of the hill we scrambled to get around, we were not turning back

Our last Friday play date with Ayla … at the Pirate Ship on the Esplanade

Some final touches to our gardening project ended in water play

We had a final couple of nice dinners ranging from a Pork Roast to a KFC feast, and a final play afternoon……inc Thomas the Tank Engine

and Pip Petal My Little Pony

We had our final hike through the lower hills behind Bayview Heights..we lived there for 8 years and never did the Ivan Evans Walk Trail

One of my favourite sayings still is “Todays Lunch Room”, great view




Our final Cairns Cane Train

A trip to the other side of Cairns, sparsely populated, no bridge across, Yarrabah is the Aboriginal settlement

We followed a 4WD track as far as we could to the end of the peninsula …. Derek had to saw a huge fallen tree up to clear the road

Beautiful views back to Cairns in the distance, and unspoilt beaches

Interesting what you find

My last Tuesday birding in the Cairns Botanical Gardens, and a reminder of the beautiful Ulysees Butterfly that never fails to delight us on our many walks (also found in Craig’s garden from time to time). Bird Club motto is Latin for “Where’s the bird, There it goes”, by the time we get the binoculars focussed….. There it Goes (Double Eyed Fig Parrot and the Sunbird, both sighted almost weekly).

We spied the Ulysees on our last outing this time to Behana Creek near Gordonvale

Our 2 week house sit at my cousins even came to an end, and as nice as it was being in a home, and exploring a new part of Cairns suburbia in daily walks, we still love our van and the waking up to new scenery that comes with it.  

Moving day, all packed up at my cousins property at Gordonvale and ready for new adventures as we head back to the Sunshine Coast

First stop is a catch up with some extended family we met for the first time and by accident over in WA recently, who are currently travelling in the Cairns region, so it was a big 35km drive to Babinda for a fun day of swimming at the Boulders and a huge chit chat

Good bye Cairns for now ……… Next stop Mackay