Rockhampton to Proserpine

June 18 to June 25

Another week of ambling along. We left Rocky on Monday, and there isn’t too much to see between Rockhampton and Mackay (about 300km of nothing). We camped halfway at Waverley Creek before spending a few days around Sarina and Mackay, staying at Melody and Ralph’s in Campwin Beach near Sarina. Leah and Mel went to school together. There was plenty of time to explore the coastal areas including Hay Point and Dalrymple Bay, the largest coal handling facilities in the world.

Dalrymple Bay and Hay Point Coal Loading Facilities

Unfortunately Ralph and I didn’t get to go fishing due to the wind, but we appreciated their “hosting” us and catching up.

We then spent a few days in the Pioneer Valley just west of Mackay. 

Spectacular cloud formation over Eungella National Park

Although not well known, the Eungella (pronounced Young-g’lah) National Park is well worth the effort. The drive into the mountains at the end of the valley to reach Eungella was crazy! 

Looking back down the Pioneer Valley from near the top of the Range

There are warning signs that it is steep, but 4.5km of second and third gear climbing, continuous switchbacks, far steeper than any of the snowy mountain roads over that distance.

One of the Range Road sections and switchbacks.

The Broken River is renowned for platypus, although we didn’t see any on our river walk.

We also hiked the Finch Hatton Gorge to Araluen Cascades in another section of the National Park, which included another adventurous drive including numerous creek crossings and narrow dirt tracks.

Picturesque drive into Finch Hatton Gorge

Not a grand waterfall, but Araluen Cascades was a worthy destination

We stayed at Gargett, a small town in the Pioneer Valley. The local Rodeo Club allows free camping on their grounds, with the sugar cane and mountains as a great backdrop.

Gargett Rodeo Grounds, home for a couple of nights

Sunday we continued north to Proserpine.