Canungra
15th Feb - 2nd March
Days 59 - 74

Continuing up the coast from Bangalow, we wanted to be near the Gold Coast but not in the thick of it, so we ended up at a riverside camp at Canungra. The campground was so lush and green and we had a fantastic time swimming in the river.

The highlights were spotting platypus in their natural environment and watching a hatchling turtle make its way into the big wide world.

We had lots of laughs catching up with good friends, The Browns and they spoilt us with their hospitality and hot showers.

We visited Surfers, Gold Coast and a few National Parks in the area, including Mt Tamborine. It was really beautiful and reminded us alot of Glenbrook, but without the glow worm caves and wineries.

The kids had a great, but very hot day at Dreamworld, everyone getting braver as the day went on.

Then the rains came !!!!!!! We always said that unless we really had to, we wouldn't pack up in the rain. So after staying a week longer than we wanted to because we didn't want to pack up in the rain, we bit the bullet and packed up. Guess what, it didn't rain while we packed up! But then rained for the next 2 weeks!

Oh, we didn't wake to the sounds of anything too different there, but we fell asleep to the sounds of gunfire - Canungra Army Training Camp was really close to where we were - a bit freaky!

Maleny and Caloundra
2nd - 11th March, 2010

Days 74 - 85

Woke to the sounds of rain hammering on our tent and water dripping inside it. (Livin' the dream lol!)

Ok, so moving to the Sunshine Coast hinterland was not the smartest thing to do in retrospect. After surviving 4 days of solid rain, we had localised flooding where we were and had to get out.

We think Maleny is a really pretty place, but couldn't make it out through the raindrops, we renamed it Marainy. Timing couldn't be better though, as Pete and Bez (Manda's parents) we coming up to the Sunshine Coast to see us all, so they very generously put us up for 4 nights in a 3 bedroom apartment in Caloundra.

We spent those days drying out, washing everything, swimming, having hot showers, watching some TV, sitting on a lounge, opening and closing doors (cause we could), not checking our solar and getting our electric brakes and back up generator fixed. We had a great time catching up and spending time with Bez and Pete, we even dragged them along to Australia Zoo for the day.

Time to move on from this luxury before we get used to it. We decided to keep heading up the Bruce Highway, aiming for the top.

Agnes Water/ 1770
11th - 19th March
Days 85 - 93

Woke to the sounds of brush turkeys scavenging around, macaws screeching in the trees and the sway of palm trees.

We found a camp at Workmans Beach at Agnes Water. We soon set up and it poured and it continued on and off for a couple of days.

Wayne was happy to get some fishing in, eventhough it wasn't putting dinner on the table.

We discovered the history of the area, particularly of Seventeen Seventy and visited a couple of the nearby National Parks, with gorgeous unspolit and empty beaches.

We met 2 other families that are doing a similar trip to us, its nice to know we're not the only crazy ones out there. The kids had a great time playing and socialising with other kids their own age. We just need to find some more girls for Amber.

Just when we were convinced we were heading in the right direction, we get news of Cyclone Ului heading for the area we were in. What to do, what to???? North, South or West ???