DAY 131
28th June, 2021
Visited Rocky Hole near our campsite in the morning, still in the D’Aguilar NP. Would be a lovely place to go swimming when warm!
Visited the Glasshouse mountains on the way north. They weren’t as impressive as I thought they would be but we did a little 4km walk around Mt Tibrogargan. The walk up the mountain was closed but after looking at it, I wouldn’t have done it anyway. It looked pretty crazy!
We drove through Maleny, a lovely town with a knit-fest happening this month. Stopped at Woolies to get food then continued along towards Corondale NP. Camped at a free site called Little Yabba Creek. It was nice but busy and lots of noisy kids. A ranger came by as well checking on people because you’re only supposed to stay there a short period of time. We had a bit of a walk around to explore too.
DAY 132
29th June, 2021
We had a drive through the Corondale NP. I wanted to get a good look at Booloomba Creek but it started pouring down. Josh worked on the wheel bearing again in the parking lot.
There was news that a lockdown was happening in Brisbane and anyone who had been there needed to stay put, so we decided to find a nice camp to hunker down in for a few nights. I was feeling a bit sick as well so not really ideal to be wandering around (wasn't covid, as it turned out I was allergic to something). We went through Kenilworth first though, to sample their famous doughnuts – I bought a unicorn one and Josh bought a Caramilk one.
We drove through Gympie, Josh wanted to see the polygonal wall at a church there. Apparently this rock wall contained stones removed from the top of the so-called “Gympie pyramid”, exactly as it sounds, a stone pyramid built outside of Gympie. The stones in the wall weren’t stuck together with mortar, but polygonal blocks had been jigsawed together, resulting in a wall that resembled those found in Machu Picchu, apparently. I wasn’t convinced.
The campsite we finally stopped at was west of Gympie and called Kinbombi Falls. We picked a spot to set up at and then went to go get a huge pile of firewood to see us through the next few days. As the name suggests, there was a waterfall there, as well as lots of walking paths.
The campsite we finally stopped at was west of Gympie and called Kinbombi Falls. We picked a spot to set up at and then went to go get a huge pile of firewood to see us through the next few days. As the name suggests, there was a waterfall there, as well as lots of walking paths.
The toilets were good and there was slight reception. However the best thing was the lights by the toilets which made it so much easier to go in the night time! I'm easily impressed.
DAY 133
30th June 2021
Kinbombi Falls lockdown.
DAY 134
1st July, 2021
Kinbombi Falls but it started raining. It was pretty heavy and was coming under the car and washing around our chairs and table. We dug trenches around the awning to guide the water away from us but it was all still very wet.
DAY 135
2nd July, 2021
Lockdown over, we left Kinbombi Falls and drove through Goomeri, where we stopped at the cafe to get some cake and tea. We had packed up in the rain and mud and were both feeling a little miserable so it was time for a pick-me-up. The campsite had turned into mud soup overnight.
We tried to work out what to do next. Heavy rain was predicted for the next few days and we were already soaking. The mattress was damp, the tent was wet, the bedding tends to get wet as well. We decided the best course of action was to go west, where it wasn’t raining nor predicted to.
We went through Murgon, then stopped at the Wondai rest area which was a free camping area with hot showers. We set up then went to have showers, but it was still raining so we both decided to pack up and keep going west so that maybe we could escape the relentless rain. Now at least we were clean.
We ended up just outside of Roma at Judd’s Lagoon after dark. We set up camp and lit a fire and had dinner then noticed ALL THE MICE. We watched several people in caravans pack up and leave, but there was nowhere really to go and it was about 8pm. It was a very restless night – the mice were running all along the awning which we’d set up to dry, and all around our campsite. It was gross.
DAY 136
3rd July, 2021
We left very early in the morning, after shooing away some of the mice that had made their beds in the wheels . So gross. We drove to Roma then through to Taroom. That road was insane – it was a forest road past all these coal seam gas plants, then a very muddy and slippery road to Taroom; we ended up in a drain at one point. I thought we’d have to give the winch its first go but Josh managed to drive us out.
We had lunch on the road, then got to Taroom. We were going to camp at the Lion’s camp there but it was so muddy so we head up the road to what was called the Chain of Lagoons camp. It had loads of firewood and birds around. It wasn’t muddy either and no rain on the radar so YAY. But I stupidly gashed my face being too enthusiastic with the firewood collection.
