WEEK 4 - TOWNSVILLE, MISSION BEACH

Well from dry heat and flies to humid sweaty heat and mozzies.  We've hit the tropics!

Townsville the heart of the military was so hot and humid it was unbearable, you would be sweating in places where you don't normally sweat.  I have to mention The Frosty Mango before I go on which is on the way, everything mango, the best mango ice cream ever.  Also took a quick trip to Murray Falls for some bottom surfing under the waterfalls.  The look on Spencer's face of shear terror going down the rapids was something I'll never forget, but he got up again down he went.

Townsville is not a place we wanted to stay long at. The Strand is very pretty though with beautiful views to Magnetic Island and the Pandanus trees and the big black cockatoos.  We ventured to Reef HQ Aquarium where they have a turtle hospital on the premises.  After the reef trip the kids could really identify  a lot of the fish and coral they saw.  This place was  so interesting we loved it, I could have sat there all day just watching the fish.  They talk to the divers  and have an interactive part where you can ask the diver questions about the sharks and other fish which was pretty cool.  And I think the kids got a lot out of seeing those poor turtles being rescued.

The boys were going to go to the Cowboys game but it was going to cost an arm and a leg and half the night just to get there, they decided to give it a miss.  We all got up super early for the dawn service on the Strand and as the sun was rising over looking Magnetic Island as they played the The Last Post it was a special moment.  We were happy to leave Townsville and hit paradise at Mission Beach, cassowarie country, even though we haven't seen any.

And those beautiful Ulysses butterflies they are everywhere.  It's like all the bugs and insects have been on steroids they are huge up here.  We could actually live up here, even though the locals say the wet season is really hard to get through, which I can understand.  The kids went for a swim in the netted area because the box jelly fish and irukandji are everywhere up here, the beach is filled with vinegar canisters just in case.  It is a pretty idyllic place with the palm and coconut trees swaying in the breeze all I needed was a g&t and some nibbles!!!  Now I know I was only joking to everyone about me turning into an alcoholic but with 3 kids 24/7 there's nothing better than that g&t at the end of the day!  Got some shopping in as well here, after 3 weeks of nothing a girl needs some retail therapy so I got my fix for the next month.

If you are around this way it is worth having a drive to Bingal Bay it's so pretty, peaceful and untouched, no photos sorry was too much in awe.  We hit the waterfalls today and went to Millaa Millaa, Zillie and Ellingaa.  Even though it was raining and low cloud cover it was pretty spectacular and it's only going to get better more north we go.  We also visited the Malanda Dairy farm where they make cheese, yogurt and milk and got to see the way they make it.  The countryside is breathtaking here.

We've been aching for some adult conversation and met some lovely people from Victoria with beautiful kids which we met briefly at Airlie and stayed across from us at Townsville so we are looking forward to catching up with them in Cairns tomorrow.  So will keep you posted with some more tropical fun!!!

TAM'S SURVIVAL TIPS #4
Go off the beaten track, you'll never know what you might find.

Get those kids working, this is not a holiday

TAM'S ON THE ROAD PLAYLIST
More John Butler Trio - Spence has finally come around to love the John
Angus & Julia Stone - Perfect for rainy days

Until next week, keep on truckin!

WEEK 3 - AIRLIE BEACH, BOWEN, TOWNSVILLE

After a very long tedious 8hr drive we finally got to Airlie Beach. You do not want to see this sign!!!!!  I think the GPS chick had gone out for a drink or went on a smoko break because she took us out to a 53km dirt track, we thought we would cut an hour off the trip but actually had turn back so we were an hour behind.  I'm so glad that chick can't talk back, there was some major name calling going on (very quietly of course there are kids in the back!).

Our beautiful Phoebe turned 7 this week and we told each of the kids we weren't doing presents this year, just an amazing adventure.  So with pink balloons everywhere and birthday cake for breakfast we headed off to the reef.  Mantaray Adventures has a great day trip, they pick you up at the caravan park and you travel to Whitehaven Beach, it's an all day experience. 

The trip out was incredibly rough so let me tell you, you need those motion sickness tablets or you will have a bit of vomit action going on.  Let me just say what happens on the boat stays on the boat!!!!

Whitehaven has the most pure sand on the earth, it is beautiful.  The American government used it for the lenses of the Hubble telescope it's so pure.

We all looked pretty special in our stinger suits!  Mmmmm!!  As you could imagine the reef was amazing, the species of fish, coral, clams, stingrays it was just an amazing experience.  Our gorgeous little Scarlett was incredible.  We were so proud of her she just picked snorkeling up like she had been doing it her whole life.
Each person was given a swimming noodle and it gave Spencer & Phoebe a chance to explore on their own if they wanted.  With massive smiles on everyone's faces and Phoebe beaming "that was the best birthday ever" it was one of  those special moments.

I have to say the Big 4 here is fantastic.  Great stuff for the kids, the pool is the biggest in Airlie, has slides, a huge playground and we love the big jumping pillow.  We even had our own ensuite, and after 2 weeks in the country with the dust it was heaven.  I recommend signing up for the Big 4 discount!

This was our view from the Bowen Big 4 site.  There are about 7 caravan parks in this little town.  Bowen itself is quite spread out but cute, this is where the movie "Australia" was made.  There are grey nomads everywhere here.  They are very friendly but we are looking forward to meeting other families like us travelling around as we are craving a bit of adult conversation.

If you are thinking of doing a similar trip and looking at home schooling, don't underestimate how much school work takes up your day.  I'm spending about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2hrs a day doing school work which takes a huge chunk of the day.  The kids have been fantastic and I'm actually enjoying seeing the progress.  The proximity of living so close is slowly appearing.  Had to send the kids out this morning for a while, while I got my sanity back.

We've hit Townsville today the Strand looks like kiddie haven so will be checking that out.  We are also excited about having Anzac Day here with the army being based here.  Keep you posted.

BOOKS OF THE WEEK
The Aussie Outback Party - Megan Bartlett - Horne
The Aussie Outback School - Megan Bartlett
(Winners of the Australian Bush Literary Award, great illustrations, comes with a cd, kids love them)
Caravanastan - Greg Bearup
(Hitting the outback and travelling around Australia with a Jayco, a Volvo and an 18mth old child. Inspiring! True story!)

TAM'S SURVIVAL TIPS #3
Always look at the map as the GPS chick could of had a few the night before and give you a bum steer.
With small kids always ask how long the excursions take - be prepared for anything, vomit bags a must during boat trips.

TAM'S ON THE ROAD PLAYLIST
Jack Johnson - Some beachy in the mood vibes
Missy Higgins - Calm those kiddies in the back
Vampire Weekend - Bit of adult sanity

PHOEBE'S BIG BIRTHDAY TREAT - by Phoebe Wood

It is my Birthday today and Mum & Dad put balloons in my bed while I was asleep.  I got new earrings and a movie!  Mum & Dad had organised a big birthday surprise - SNORKELLING.  We went on a big boat to Whitehaven beach, we had lunch on the boat & went out to the reef.  I saw lots and lots of coral and fish.  I actually touched some fish.  I saw a stingray eating too.  The fish were really fast & colorful and I was waving to them.  It was sooo exciting!  It was the best birthday ever.

I'm really liking my trip but missing everyone.  I like the countryside because it's pretty and I've seen kangaroos, cows, kookaburras, emus, camels and a snake that nearly bit mum at Carnarvon.

And Mrs Igo, I am doing lots of great school work!

Thank you everyone for all of your birthday wishes.

Phoebe

WEEK 2 - Winton ,Richmond, Charters Towers

Well over pancakes we decided we wouldn't tackle the dinosaurs at Winton and Richmond today.  After handing out medicine over the breaky table I thought we all needed some r & r.  The kids have been pretty sick so Longreach you're going to have to put up with us for 2 more days.  The van got a good clean and the washing machine got a workout.  Michael says cleaning the van is like getting a haircut you feel so much better!  The Discovery Caravan Park at $30 a night a pool and spas and the country music down at the Woolshed Bar you can really get into the country atmosphere here.  A little bit of ho down.  I have to give a special mention to BF Savage &Co the butchers here, I'm not a sausage lover but these are the best sausages I have ever tasted.  They sold 14 tonne last financial year!!

Thought we better get inspired for some school action, so off to The School of the Air - the largest distance education school in Australia.  With a 45 min lesson once a day by phone and servicing 193 families it's a pretty major task.  Then it's up to the mum's to each them for the rest of the day.  I think some of these mum's might be sneaking in a bit of whiskey in that afternoon cuppa.  They're pretty flexible here, they do get time off for mustering and get lesson packs every 2 weeks.  They are a very dedicated team here.

I think I was a bit harsh on Longreach, you just have to scratch the surface of this place and it's a really nice place.  With the sand-fly epidemic, stink bug and locust plague, they breed em tough out here.  Amongst the Akubras and the RM Williams boots we don't stick out much!!!!

So off to Winton to see the Australia Age of Dinosaurs and it looks like something out of Jurassic Park or the Lion King.  Waiting for a herd of Zebras to run through the savannah.  You can't take the caravan up the Jump Up so you have to unhitch and leave it.  This is where they found the long necks Matilda and Banjo about 5 yrs ago.  The paleontologists found these amazing fossils which you can touch and bring them here in plaster casts for protection.  There is an amazing group of people here that slowly, painstakingly chip away to the bone and put these amazing dinosaurs together!  What an experience!

The car didn't stay clean for long for we decided to push onto Richmond.  What a massive day of driving.  4 1/2 hrs of unsealed red dirt, mud track.  It was a bit hairy at times and at one stage I thought we were going to lose the van.  There was red dust all through the cupboards just a taste to come when we get to NT.  This is a drive I would not recommend with a caravan!!  We did get treated to seeing emus, hundreds of camels, echidnas, kangaroos and lots of cattle crossing the unfenced road, which the kids loved.

Kronosaurus Korner was very interesting.  Richmond itself is not worth a mention but the museum was worth it, if you're interested in dinosaurs.  This part of Australia had a massive inland sea and when the water subsided all the sea dinosaurs became extinct.  A lot of the farmers out here have found fossils over the past few years on their farms.  And at $25 and audio to listen to this place was great value.

The country is so beautiful and green at the moment there is so much wildlife.  The landscape does change as well , it's a huge country though.  The long drives can get pretty boring, so with the kids taken care of with dvd's, dsi's, mp3's we've been tuning into the colourful language of the truckies through the cb.  VERY ENTERTAINING STUFF!  Also tuned in to some farmers mustering.

Life is settling into some sort of routine.  We've been doing school work after breaky, when Phoebe has been calling me Mrs.Wood, and then off travelling or exploring.  Night time comes and we're doing journals, reading books and telling stories under the stars.  So week 2 has been pretty good.

A BIG MENTION to the BIG 4 at Charters Towers, a little bit of paradise for the adults.  Jumping pillow, pool, playground we didn't see the kids for hours.  This place is the cleanest, prettiest camp site - HEAVEN!

TAM'S SURVIVAL TIPS #2
Do not wear country road shoes in the outback - it's hard to get the gooey bits off
It's amazing how a little bit of perfume makes you feel in the outback

TAM'S ON THE ROAD PLAYLIST
Lisa Mitchell - thanks Katrina
Nirvana - our therapy after visiting Richmond
Spiderbait - to keep the driver awake

WEEK 1 - THE BIG FAREWELL, ROMA, LONGREACH

The big farewell was mixed emotions - full of excitement and sadness.  We had a pom pom good-bye thanks to mum which we will all remember.  The 1st week has been wonderful, we are loving the freedom and the peacefulness of the country.  Roma was a great start, everyone says Roma is a gateway to somewhere else but we loved it.  All you could hear is the breeze in the trees and the birds to wake up to.  Spencer got out of the car and asked what the smell was, FRESH AIR Michael replied!

We stayed at the Big 4 and headed off to the Tuesday cattle sales which were very interesting, they are the biggest in Australia.  Then off to the Big Rig where oil and gas were discovered. I found Memorial Drive moving where all the bottle trees are planted and a commemorative plaque set up to honour all the diggers lost in the great war.  The boys thought the farmers looked so good in their Akubras that they had to go and get one that day - Spence said all he needs now is some RM's.

Next stop Carnarvon Gorge what a pretty place.  This was a last minute stop and what a peaceful retreat.  We stayed at Tarakka camp site and drove to the info centre that arvo to see what walk we would tackle with the kids.  Met a lovely aboriginal guide called Fred and he told us the history and the best walk for us would be the 11k round trip to the Art Gallery where the aboriginal art work is stencilled onto the sandstone.  Well Fred I just don't know with 3 sick kids!!!!  But so proud of the kids they made it without any tears.  Our beautiful Scarlett fell asleep on my back 1k to go, but her little legs just kept going.  Phoebe had a cracking pace and Spencer was giving us positive pep talks the whole way.  Just after a week the kids have become closer and grown up already, it has been a wonderful experience.  The Gorge itself is a magnificent bit of scenery lots of freshwater creeks  to cross and the rainforest and butterflies breathtaking.  The kids are getting a kick out of seeing so many kangaroos and having an open fire and eating lots of melted marshmallows.

After a very long drive we decided to go through Emerald and stay at a free campsite on the way to Longreach at Jericho. MAGIC! Camped on a river with the amazing pink sunset.....But then.....the BUGS!

Yes Scarlett's fear of bugs hits a high but we all survived it.  After a whole can of spray in the van we gave up and went to bed.  And went to sleep under the beautiful sparkles in the sky.

Did someone say LOCUST PLAGUE!  Go through Barcaldine and noticed these massive grasshoppers coming from nowhere.  By the time we got to Longreach they were everywhere.  The locals say it is the worst in 60yrs, they just eat everything in site.  The kids had fun just chasing them the whole time but thank goodness they are only temporary residents!

So Longreach - well it was a bit of a disappointment I think we had built it up.  The Stockman's Hall of Fame is amazing and every Australian should get here for it's full of history and the charm of the Aussie spirit and outback.  For us it was hard with the kids there is a lot of reading involved and their attention span could take just so much at the end of the day.  The Qantas museum was interesting and with Spencer sick I had to cut the tour short but Phoebe found it exciting.

Trying to get over the sickness we have decided to stay another night in the Discovery Holiday Park in Longreach with it's relaxing spas, Hopefully we are off to take a trek to the dinosaur areas of Winton and Hughendon tomorrow.

TAM'S SURVIVAL TIP # 1
Food, food and more food.... If kids mouths are full there is less talking, whinging and fighting.

TAM'S ON THE ROAD PLAYLIST
John Butler Trio, April Uprising... Can't get enough of this album but Spence has!
Kasey Chambers, Carnival... A bit of country magic after Roma.