Janet and Peter On Tour: November 2014

Hilarious chooks fossicking around us, long rows of beautifully landscaped macadamia trees, historic walks, moving memorials, stunning scenery, pristine beaches and magnificent birdlife have been our experience since I last wrote but an absolute highlight was seeing the ancient Loggerhead Turtles make their way up the beach, dig an egg chamber with their back flippers and lay 100-130 eggs, then fill in the hole and pat it down before returning to the ocean. That was a very long sentence but it's hard to put it into words! The evening started at 7pm when we gathered at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre where we browsed all the displays, watched video presentations and a slide show narrated by one of the Rangers and waited to be called onto the beach once a turtle was sighted. The call came just after 8pm and we walked down to the beach in complete darkness. The first turtle had started to dig her nest but after a while she gave up, turned around and headed to the water. So we all followed, being careful to keep behind her so she wouldn't see us. Apparently she had stopped digging because she had come across some tree roots and knew it wouldn't be suitable for her eggs. This happens a fair bit and they call it "a turnback" If the turtle is not happy with anything she will go back to the sea and wait a few more hours or days before trying again. We were following her to the sea when we got the call that another turtle was making her way up the beach so the ranger and volunteer took us to her. We saw her dig, lay her eggs and secure the nest before following her back to the sea. While the Turtle is filling in the nest, the Rangers tag her or record the tag if she already has one, measure her and plot where the nest is. They have been tagging and recording the turtles since 1976. It started to rain during our time on the beach but we didn't take much notice because we were so enthralled with our encounters. We were two of the last visitors to leave the beach at about 11.30pm and it was then that we realised how drenched we were! The Rangers and volunteers are on the beach until 6am to do all the tagging etc and they are so dedicated to the preservation of these fascinating creatures. Turtles wont come onto the beach if they see lights or any sign of danger so this area put aside for them is very precious to their existence. We were very lucky to see so many in one night, sometimes people can wait for hours and not see one!
After our trip up to Burnett Heads we called back to Skye and Ash's for another two nights on the farm. Tonight we are near Brisbane at Pine Rivers Showgrounds and tomorrow we are off to see Jean on the Gold Coast.

Chooks can be so funny, especially when you make up stories

about what they are saying to each other

Our first night after leaving Skye and Ash's place

A walking tour of Maryborough

Sausage tree

The different flood levels in Maryborough

Me and my mate, Mary Poppins

We really loved Maryborough

Our camp at the Maryborough Showgrounds

Loggerhead Turtle on the Beach at Mon Repos

Ranger measuring this 50 year old mumma

100-130 eggs laid, now to pack them down

Another Mumma laying her eggs.

I wonder if she knows that only 1 in 1000 will survive?

Hard to see but we are absolutely drenched from the rain

On Bargara Beach the day after our Turtle Encounters

About to do the Bundaberg Rum Tour

Peter and his mate

There is a moving memorial to the 15 victims of the ChildersBackpacker Hostel Fire. The Palace was rebuilt to how it looked before the fire.

We went back through Maryborough to visit this old store

The store ran from 1871 to 1972

The original owners son ran the store until he was in his eighties

He never married so had no children to carry on the shop and when he retired he just shut the door and left everything as it was.

This was a single lane bridge we had to cross in Tiaro

It didn't help when a truck was coming the other way!!

We let the truck go first before we took a deep breath!

Our beautiful free camp at Kybong

lots of birdlife

wonderful scenery

Also, the home of Matilda from the 1982 Commonwealth Games

I'm sure she didn't have "Matilda Fuel" on her medal at the Games

Luscious eyelashes

Matilda overlooks the water

Back to Skye and Ash's and it's much greener than it was a week ago thanks to the rain but they suffered a few tree falls and the roof on the feed shed came off during the storms

Hastings Street, Noosa

Palmer Coolum Golf Resort

I had to have another ride on the tractor

Beautiful house

Beautiful property

Beautiful people

At Morven we spent four relaxing days with lots of bike rides, socialising with fellow travelers and locals. We were there for Halloween and the locals said we would probably be door knocked for "trick or treat" so we stocked up on lots of treats - and they didn't come so we had to eat all the goodies ourselves!!
Continuing along the Warrego Highway we experienced ever-changing landscapes, stopping in delightful outback towns. The weather has been amazing. We've stayed in some beautiful spots including Neil Turner Weir on the river, Wallumbilla, Chinchilla, Benarkin and Kilcoy. While in Kilcoy we were surrounded by Bats which was fine during the day because we were off sightseeing but during the night the little darlings (not) fed on the trees above us and graffitied the car and van which was not pleasant! After two nights of this we moved on to the Kilcoy Showgrounds where we could wash the van before the paint peeled off! We spent a wonderful day getting cleaned up and were sparkling clean when we arrived at my sisters property near Kenilworth the next day.
My sister Skye and her husband Ash have a beautiful property with an abundance of bird life - and no bats! We staked out a nice flat piece of ground near the house and our "neighbours" have been wonderful. Peter has loved playing with Ash and all the farm equipment.
Friday, we had a very posh morning tea before visiting the Australia Zoo and Animal Hospital and on Sunday, we did the Eumundi Markets. It's been a fabulous stay with Skye and Ash.