We are back on the road!

We have left Airlie and completed our three month work stint and are back on the road for just over two weeks now and it still hasn't quite sunk in that we are now jobless gypsies. Every morning when I wake up and peep outside Nelly's window before rolling out to start the new day and new place it is still a pinch me moment like the day we left home back in Jan and it is honestly the most free I have ever felt and can already feel my outlooks on life twisting and turning the more places and things we explore gypsy life is feeling like it could quite easily become the norm lifestyle for us.

Soo back to Airlie departure which feels like a lifetime ago already we had the best send off imaginable I finished work up on the Friday and had my Mum and her partner Box come up and stay at our park for the weekend. We drank too much , ate too much, laughed too much it was the best way to spend the last weekend in Airlie after working 6 to 7 day weeks and catch up with mum and box.

We left on Monday and it was a bittersweet feeling after making it our home for the last three months packing up camp and heading off to Elliot river just north of Bowen at a camping ground with no facilities in the middle of a hut like community I have never seen before a bit like being a part of one of those swamp monster US shows with residents riding past on their forbys as the sun went down. We were up early the next morning to have a fish the wind gods did not look down on us and we called it a day after an hour or so with no fish.

We then headed to Charters Towers on the way passing through Ravenswood a step back in time an untouched once thriving gold rush town at its peak housing 4500 people with about 20 pubs with two still standing and mine ruins throughout. We got to Charters Towers and come across a free camp 15 km south with flushing toilets and a cold shower by the Burdekin river. We learnt that night to shower before dark as there was no lights in the toilet/shower block making for a very vulernable quick shower.

(History @ our free camp Macrossan by the Burdekin River)

( On our way to Ravenswood up the top of the range)

( Ravenswood gold mine still operating today)

(Ravenswood main street heritage buildings)

( Ravenswood old mine ruins)

(Gold battery ruins Ravenswood)

The next day we ventured through out town and the history I loved. Towers Hill has WW2 bunkers still scattered around the hills with two interactive telling the stories of the war and the gold rush. We then went to youngs fossicking area where I was keen to get my pan out only to be met with dry creek beds and snakey snakey grass then heading north to camp at another free camp on Fletchers creek which was also the enrtry into Dalrymple National Park. Got up early the next morning and ended up on the Burdekin River all to ourselves. Lyam fished with some luck a few Sootys were caught while I fossicked in the river bed finding a spec or two of gold along with some amazing rocks to add to my collection. headed back across to Macrossan the free camp on the south side of town so we were closer for our trip to Magnetic Island the next day.

( On the river bed of the Burdekin River)

( WW2 bunker still standing @ Towers Hill )

( Another bunker we could walk into )

Next morning we headed back to Townsville to catch the ferry over to Magnetic Island where Lyams's Dad's cousin lives and instantly fell in love with the place. It was picturesque and island life I could definitely get used to with my favourite saying for the weekend being I could live here Lyam you know!

We met Vicki and Brendan and their daughter Savannah and were treated and looked after so well. Thankyou again for your hospitality and it was such a pleasure meeting you and cannot wait to catch up again. We pretty much drank for two days straight which is so easy when your on island time with Lyam's cousin Hayleigh arriving with her friends to join in on the party heading out to the backpackers nightclub and all on the Friday.

We then continued on Saturday heading into town at Horseshoe bay reminding me of Koh Samui in Thailand but on steroids! Having lunch at Vicki and Brendans old restuarant Noodies a mexican themed resturant where many margheritas were drunk and sombero hats were worn finishing it off at Marlin bar to watch the almost unbelievable sunset a memory i will never forget as long as I live. the next day we headed off around the island fishing nearly every bay to no avail but it didnt matter with the views and surroundings getting snap happy while they werent biting.

( Leaving Townsville on the Magnetic Island Barge)

( Bar on the barge was a plus )

(Frozen concoction that helps me hang on :)

( Lyam's god like lit up Margherita )

(Yes and Yes , Sign @ Marlin Bar Horseshoe Bay)

( The beautiful Horseshoe Bay my fav place on the island )

(Fishing @ Picnic Bay Jetty)

( View @ Picnic bay from jetty)

( End of Jetty looking back to Townsville )

( Cockle Bay )

( Geoffery Bay )

We rose early Monday and did the Forts walk which is an absolute must if you visit the island , The most informative well set out walk I have ever been on criss crossed through beautiful rainforest with so many WW2 relics and sites along the way from the old kitchen to the ladies and male quarters before ascending up to the forts set up incase the japenese were to try and hit Townsville. The condition of these buildings and engineering for so long ago is gobsmacking with all the hard work and labor to set up camp in the end being for really nothing as they were never in the end needed as the Japenese never hit. Although if they did we think the Aussies would have been all over them like a rash with the views they had from their forts and gun set ups.

We left mid morning when really I could have pulled up stumps and decided I wasn't leaving but we had the dream lap to continue and got back to Townsville to do a big shop as we had ensured to eat all the cold food before heading to magnetic island. And lucky us didn't realise it was a public holiday so we were to be living off sardines , tuna and two minute noodles for the night.