Proserpine to Tully

June 25 to July 1 

Sunday we drove into Proserpine and then Cannonvale and Airlie Beach. The area is still recovering from Cyclone Debbie a few months ago, and still showing evidence of flora and structural damage.

Still getting around to repairs after Cyclone Debbie, Airlie Beach

Airlie Beach has certainly boomed since we were last here around 32 years ago, with an incredible number of apartments built into the mountains.

Airlie Beach

We spent a day beach walking and mountain biking at Dingo Beach and Hydeaway Bay, a very picturesque and quiet corner north of Airlie Beach.

Dingo Beach from Hydeaway Bay ridge

Dingo Beach

We also spent a day in Bowen, or Bowenwood as the water tank sign proclaims after the movie Australia was filmed here (or “Blowin’ Bowen” as the kite-boarders call it). Bowen is also the self-proclaimed Mural Capital of Australia! A surprisingly pretty and inviting town.

Leah playing "Where's Wally" in one of the many murals in Bowen

It was a Show Day public holiday, we also happened on mid-week show days in Rockhampton, Mackay and later in the week Ayr. Not always handy as the whole town tends to close, including shopping centres, Woolies and Bunnings (if they have one).

There is the usual "BIG" something's in a lot of towns, Home Hill has the Big Cane Cutters.

Not the worst "Big" tourist attraction, Home Hill's Big Cane Cutters

A free camp in Home Hill gave us a fire show when they lit a cane fire just out of town.

Home Hill sugarcane fire

We had a day in Townsville, visited our friend Roger at the Pack and Send, and checked out Castle Hill and The Strand beachfront.

There was a lot of motorhomes and caravans (to be expected) on the road, and many like to free camp these days. Most of the known free camps are full by mid-afternoon, and not too inviting when you are shoulder to shoulder. We found a couple of secret spots all to ourselves this week, including on the river at Bluewater just north of Townsville.

Bluewater River Boat Ramp

Next up the highway is Ingham, and east of town to the coast is Lucinda. I thought the coal loading jetty at Dalrymple Bay was long at 3.8km, try Lucinda’s sugar loading jetty at 5.8km!! Officially (according to them) the longest jetty in the Southern Hemisphere.

Lucinda Sugar Loading Jetty, this was badly damaged in 2011 Yazi Cyclone and was shut for repairs for 18 months

For those who have envied our great weather, we arrived in Tully (still claims to be the wettest town in Australia) and the rain started. We still made the most of it and visited Mission Beach, where you can still catch a ferry to Dunk Island (where Leah and I honeymooned). Unfortunately the wind was blowing so they weren’t running. A free 48 hour RV Park at the showgrounds in the middle of Tully made it worthwhile.

Tully RV Park, with the Cassowary Statue on guard

Sunday we headed a little further north to visit Paronella Park, more on that next week.