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
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