Helen and I headed out to a lookout to view the Glasshouse Mountains which are fairly close. We got within sight of the lookout and discovered that there was a very large mulching machine taking over the carpark (we didn’t actually get close enough to view it!) The park ranger advised us to visit the Tibrogargan lookout as that would be a much better view.

In the meantime it had started raining! Just a light drizzle, but enough to make distance viewing a little difficult.

We turned left off the highway, only to find ourselves confronted by big trucks and discover the road was being worked on. The lass there said it was a steep walk to get to the lookout and we should try the lookout at Maleny. So we kept driving and climbing up and down steep gradients in the road. When we got through Maleny we were in quite thick fog, very low cloud probably! We finally found a cafe in the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve which has walks through the rainforest! As it was really rain forest we resisted the opportunity! Had a very nice smoked salmon turkish roll for lunch.

Stopped to take a photo of this Purple glory tree! Made our way home in the rain.

A not do anything day! LOL

We did finish off the dragon jigsaw!

Helen and I did go out to see the Caboulture Arboretum, but as the pathway was really steep, Helen did a walking tour by herself. However, there seemed to be a lack of trees, so not sure where the Arboretum was!

Ron and Helen did wash & clean the car though, it was very dusty after our unsealed road travels.

So there is something to look at, here are some more of teh John Murray art from Lightning Ridge.

We were up at 5 am, packed up the car and left at 5.32 am. It was very dark, so the stars and Milky Way looked great. Helen took it very easy and we all had eyes wide open for the kangaroos and other night time critters. Saw lots of roos and as the sun came up, emus, foxes and a feral cat. Lots of birds as well.

We went a slightly different route home so we could see the painted silos at Thallon. There were a couple of unsealed roads to tackle on this route. Once at Thallon, we also had a quick bite as Maria had made sandwiches for us.

From there we stopped at Moonie as the girls needed their morning coffee. They came out of the roadhouse with a box of free chips. The cook had exceeded an order and passed them on to us!

A flock of galahs eating sorghum seed. The accompanying weiros took off!

Next stop was Dalby where we fuelled up again. There was more traffic today, and we got stuck behind a cattle truck + trailer going over the D’Aguilar Range. Very windy road with steep grades!

Then home! Unpacked the car, had dinner and now just relaxing. Helen did a fantastic job driving us over to NSW and back to Qld.

Had a lazy, late start to the day as the Cactus Garden didn’t open until 9 am.
What an amazing place. It was started in the 60s and is now run by the two sons of the original gardeners. It shows lots of love and dedication. 100s of different species including a few succulents. Had a chat and a laugh with the brothers after walking through the garden.

Then a visit to the Walk in mine shop for Maria, called into the Visitor Centre once again, a stop to top up with fuel and then back to the cottage for lunch. Saw a few locals on the roadside!

Helen and Maria then went for a walk down into the town to have a look at the murals painted on the walls around the place. The local artist, John Murray, painted them. Helen picked me up and we went to see his Art Gallery just down the road. Fascinating paintings.

Back to the cottage to do a bit more jigsaw and then we went down to a local cafe/restaurant for a hamburger dinner. The eaves of the building next door had been a nesting site for fairy martins.

We are going to try and leave about 5 tomorrow morning.

Had a fairly late morning, none of us are sleeping very well!

We had decided to do the Orange Car Door trail today. It headed out to the Seam Opal fields as opposed to the Nobby Opal fields around here. It was about 100 km round trip on mainly unsealed roads.

The countryside was quite varied, some of it very flat which had been cropped and then into hilly, tree covered terrain. Saw lots of goats and even an emu crossed over in front of us.

We first stopped at the Grawin Club in the Scrub (it’s a golf course, well supposedly). The girls spent some time fossicking and found some small pieces of opal potch.

From there we carried on to the Sheepyard Inn and had fish, chips and salad for lunch. The girls then spent some time fossicking!

The Glengarry Hilton was out third stop. The girls then spent some time fossicking!

We had to return to the Sheepyard Inn as both Helen & Maria had discovered that they were a tool short and as things are very quiet around here, found them both still on the tailings pile!

On the way back stopped for a photo of the enormous Stanley the Emu.

Started a new jigsaw once back at the cottage and waited until the sunset was 30 minutes away and redid the Green Car Door trail.

No dust (it had rained overnight) and so we watched the sunset. Back to the cottage for a quick bite and getting ready for bed!

First thing we headed off to grab petrol, but the tanker hadn’t arrived yet. Had a look at the Artesian Basin mineral springs that are ‘public baths’. They had been cleaned out yesterday, so they were nice and clear with several occupants in the larger one. The water can reach temperatures over 40º.

We then went to the end of the entrance road to Lightning Ridge and photographed the sign. Helen and Maria found a geocache!

On the way back stopped at the Tourist Info Centre. The lass there was very good and gave us all the ‘Car Door’ trail information sheets. There are different colour car doors along roadsides pointing out something of interest.

As the fuel tanker had arrived but the servo was still closed, we headed to the other end of the road to the ‘Walk in opal mine’. Helen and Maria climbed down the steps and followed the self-guide tour. I stayed on top, sitting and watching the birds and butterflies, which was great fun. When the girls came back they scrabbled around in the public fossicking area looking for a ‘bit of colour’. Helen liked the river stones on the roadway too.

Apostlebirds

The opal layer sandwiched between limestone.

As it was getting rather hot we returned home for lunch and a cool down. Maria and I started another jigsaw, whilst Helen played games on the phone, lol.

After a quick dinner we headed out for the Green Door trail as it led to a lookout touted for its great view especially at sunset. However, there was a very strong wind coming up from Dubbo (350 km south) and it stirred up so much dust that the view didn’t really exist. We may try again tomorrow!

In a house made from beer cans!

Maria finished the jigsaw!

P.S. we did eventually get fuel!!!

Had a lovely night yesterday. Went to Bribie Island Hotel about 40 minutes from Maria for a lovely dinner. Anna and Keegan, plus Archer & Charlotte, Tasha and John (& Harrison, who’s due in 4 weeks). Tasha’s Mum and stepfather, Tanya and Les; Anna’s friend’s Molly & Reece plus Oliver & Angus. Not forgetting Maria & Ron, Helen & myself.

Helen and I had seared barramundi and it so melted in the mouth, it was lovely.

Had a reasonably early night and finished packing our small travel bags and packing the car. We left at 6.21 am and basically headed northwest, west and then south. First stop, in Blackbutt, was for a coffee/wee stop,

then a bit later in Dalby for a quarter of a tank of fuel. We pulled into a roadside rest stop area for a quick muesli bar and some grapes

and then stopped in St George for a late lunch and a look at River Balonne, big and muddy looking!

Then the last bit of the trip to Lightning Ridge. There was a Caution sign near Heble for water over the road, which we found several times!

We had to put our clocks forward an hour, so the Visitor Centre was closed. Found the IGA, grabbed essentials to eat and then on to Lavender Cottage which Helen found for us for 4 nights.

We did see some interesting sights along the way. A feral red deer, a very dead great black pig, and a kangaroo. A few emu and of course lots of cattle, horses, sheep & goats. Lots of different field crops, some we had no idea what they were, but we managed sorghum and cotton!

and giant cotton wool rolls!

Helen did a great job, with the 10 hour trip. It was noticeable that apart from quite a few large road trains there was very little traffic on the roads. Well done & thanks, Helen! Going to fill up with fuel tomorrow (the BP hasn’t any at the moment) and visit some opal sites!

Happy Birthday Maria xoxo

Had another quiet day, though I am writing this a little early as we are going out for dinner at Bribie Island.

Maria was busy this morning sorting out lots of kg of dog meat, so Helen and I went down to the local birdwatching site. Very pretty, surrounded by tall paperbarks. Birds and fish and bugs abounding lol. Helen went off for a walk, but it was quite short as no path around the lake. We sat and watched the birds and insects and large jumping fish!

Then a quick visit to Bunnings for some phone/car essentials.

Home again for a relax and a jigsaw to tackle.

Dinner report tomorrow, but we leaving early heading down to Ligntning Ridge, so the blog may be a bit late!

We had a quiet day today, still feeling a little weary!

Helen and Maria had a walk around Centenary Lakes whilst I sat and watched the geese, ducks, coots, plovers, corellas, etc. all having fun in the park!

After something to eat and a relax we went for a drive. Collected a few munzees along the way and ended up at a lookout. We could just see the Glasshouse Mountains, but it was a little misty. We did find a longan farm, but they were closed, no fruit!

After a bit more relaxing I went out with Maria for a few more munzees and to collect 3 huge boxes of dog food. Helen visited Ron in his shed and found out about the cars he is taking care of.

Maria has an amazing garden, all this moisture seems to mean everything grows. There are lots of interesting garden ornaments to view as well. Here’s a bromeliad and a black bat flower (Tacca chantrieri)

Planning on an early night tonight!

Well, I left home at 8, with help from Helen & Gary. Arrived at the airport at Terminal 4 and then walked up to Terminal 3 as the Qantas site had said it was 3. Found that bag check in was at 4 and the Gate was at 3. So we walked Perth Airport several times lol. The plane was quite small seat & aisle wise, but we did get to Brisbane without too many bumps!
The hire car place was over the road in the carpark, so we had to travel up the travelator and then down the lift, through an alley to get there. They were experiencing computer issues, so everything had to be done by hand. There was a long queue behind us by the time we’d finished. Luckily the car was just outside.
Helen did very well getting out onto the highway and getting us up to Maria’s.

Not many photos taken, but here’s a sunset one!

We had something to eat and lots of talk before heading for shower & bed. I then discovered I couldn’t find my mouthguard even though I had unpacked it. So my delightful sisters helped search and yet we still didn’t find it. Had a restless nights sleep even though it was a really comfy bed!

(Helen found it this morning, in the bag we had preveiously searched a couple of times, Ron said we had a boy look, LOL)