Toowoomba and Jondaryan

24 June 2018 - Toowoomba and Jondaryan

Toowoomba was this morning’s destination.  I bought a second-hand Ecopot Thermal Cooker.  The Queensland Museum’s Cobb & Co Museum was an interesting insight into life and transport in all its forms prior to motors. I had not realised how many different “trucks” there were – drays, carts, table top lorries, German carts, etcetera.  We also saw people working in the blacksmith shop, learning how to make metal chairs.  

www.cobbandco.qm.qld.gov.au/

Lunch was a picnic in Queen’s Park, then off to the Japanese Gardens.  The Japanese Gardens are at the University of Southern Queensland – they are beautiful and well maintained.  
https://www.usq.edu.au/about-usq/locations/toowoomba/japanese-garden

When we got back to Jondaryan I took Hayden to the animal nursery.  I then spent a pleasant time on my own looking through the woolshed and other old buildings and taking photos.  Tonight, we were joined in the paddock by three Clydesdales.

https://www.jondaryanwoolshed.com.au/

Not really noticing the school holiday crowds!

Oakey Army Flying Museum and Jondaryan Woolshed

23 June 2018 - Oakey Army Flying Museum and Jondaryan Woolshed

This morning we were up early to go to Oakey Parkrun – a lovely chilly 3 degrees, but a very friendly run.  Back to the van for a shower and breakfast.  

www.parkrun.com.au/oakey/

Off to Oakey again for the Army Flying Museum – they had an impressive number of planes and helicopters in a small space.  My favourite plane was the “Boomerang”.  This was Australian designed and produced in sixteen and a half weeks from design to first test flight during the second world war using parts that were available in Australia. 
www.armyflyingmuseum.com.au/

After lunch we cut and fitted carpets under the bed mattresses and over the vent in the door – hopefully this will keep it warmer overnight. This afternoon we explored parts of the Jondaryan Woolshed Museum – quite a large collection of old buildings and machinery with an explanation of the history of each building provided on an audio app.
https://www.jondaryanwoolshed.com.au/

Setting Off

22 June 2018 - Setting Off

We collected Hayden from school at the beginning of lunch and were on the road by 1:15pm.  We arrived at Jondaryan just prior to 4:30pm.  We are camped in a very large paddock that is the unpowered section.
https://www.jondaryanwoolshed.com.au/

Bunya Mountains Long Weekend

5-7 May 2018 - Bunya Mountains

We camped at Dandabah in the National Park Campground.  This is a lovely spot.  There are plenty of small macropods coming into the campground to watch, and even on a long weekend it was not excessively crowded.  As keen hikers we did the shorter trails on Saturday afternoon after setting up camp.  On Sunday we drove to Cherry Plain and parked the car at the day use area.  From here we hiked up the road ti Burton's Well and then used the trail to Mt Kiangarow.  On returning to Burton's Well we took the trail along the cliff line, stopping at all the lookouts before coming back out to the road at Westcott and walking back to Cherry Plain.  We were lucky enough to be able to stop and watch an echidna just off the track busily nosing around.  Monday saw a little more exploring before heading home.  This is a truly beautiful pocket of the world.

https://www.npsr.qld.gov.au/parks/bunya-mountains/

Relaxing in Hervey Bay

20 September 2017 - Relaxing in Hervey Bay

For our last morning we walked to the end of Hervey Bay's very long Old Jetty. We watched a young man wrestle with a fish that literally had his rod bent in half.  It eventually got away while he was attempting to gaff it.  Hayden enjoyed trying to fish with another boy he met, but had no luck today.
Time to go home.