BOULDER CREEK at CALEN QLD (Part2)

Here are some more pictures taken at Boulder Creek for you to hopefully enjoy.
Oh and I must tell you what happened just after we left the Camp to continue on to Townsville. Well, I was following the Motorhome of Billy and Jules along the now very wet track back to the Hwy. Maybe I looked away for a second or so, Billy had stopped the Motorhome in front of me unexpectedly. I was too close and swerved so as not to hit it. Two wheels in a ditch and sliding under brakes I just managed to prevent the Hiace from smashing into the back of Billy's rig stopping alongside with only a broken door mirror. Very close to a major problem for both of us and being way out here in the Cane fields...not good. needless to say I shakily continued at a safer distance from there on.
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Continuing our walk along the Creek this time upstream

Fun around the Campfire on "State of Origin" Footy night

            In the Background                                       Billy in blue Jules (Julie), right and John left

In memory of the Farmer's son our died at 22 yrs

The infamous road back to the Hwy

BOULDER CREEK at CALEN QLD (Part 1)

  Turning west off the Bruce Hwy at the "blink and miss" township of Calen we travelled on a wet dirt road through cane fields to a little free camp at Boulder Creek. A grassy area beside the most beautiful and wild creek complete with rapids and crystal clear water that suggested this would be a pleasant stay indeed.
  Populated with about 8 groups, our entry meant the site was now at capacity. Our fellow "Grey Nomad" member John was easy to find as he excitedly greeted us on arrival. John is well known to Billy and Jules and although I had conversed with him online, we had not previously met. It didn't take longer to discover that this was a very friendly place, all the current residents had been here at least for a few days and an obviously healthy camaraderie had developed. I knew that we would fit in just fine. Apart from John there were two young families with children up to early teen, four female and one male, French backpackers, a similar young German couple, and an old bloke and his wife in a Bus. A large log smoldered in the centre of the camp suggested that nightly get together were the norm. True to form we joined in that night and by bedtime we had melted seamlessly into the group as if we too had been there for ages. Every individual had something different to contribute to this temporary friendship making this arguably the best Free Camp that I had stayed at to date as far as compatibility of residents is concerned. We stayed here for four nights and had great fun especially on the night of the Rugby League "State of Origin" match which we all watched together outside on TV. Since half the Aussies were from Qld and the other from NSW you can imagine the rivalry. Oh and the backpackers, who had never seen a game, sat on the fence and supported both teams, to be diplomatic.
  I discovered from the others that the site was private property and part of the nearby Sugar Cane farm. The Camp originated during the 1930's depression when itinerant workers and their families settled here in tents to help build the local Bridges and undoubtedly to work in the Cane Fields. For the whole time I was here I imagined what it like to be here then. Interestingly, the narrow road that you see in some of the pictures was at that time the Bruce Hwy and the main route from Brisbane to Northern Qld, amazing. The farm has been under the ownership same family for generations and fortunately the current Farmer has decided to continue the tradition and allow free Camping on his land. A nice old bloke he called in on most days to make sure that we were all OK and to maintain the flushing Toilet, a rare luxury out here.
 A walk along the Creek alone, through the bush and Sugar Cane was a wonderful experience. Just me and the crystal clear water playing an almost symphonic tune as it cascaded over the boulders that give the creek it's name. I took many photos in fact too many for one post hence there are more to view in Part 2, the next post.
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Join me for a look around the Camp and a walk along the Creek

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IT'S CROWDED UP HERE!

  Internet connection has been horrible since my last post so I will try and catch up.
We have travelled far in the last couple of weeks staying exclusively at Free Camps and so has everyone other northern traveller it seems. The Free Camps are almost always filled to near capacity with mainly Caravaners but also Motorhomes, Buses, Tents, you name it. The Camps start to fill in the early afternoon and by around 4pm if one hasn't found a spot then its bad luck for you.
 I am still travelling with Billy and Jules and so far it is working out OK. I just tag along behind them as we travel and follow their plan as we go. They are much more experienced than I, after being full time on the road for almost 3 years and so have been to most of these places before.
 After a quick look at Isla Gorge on the way, the first stop after Glebe Weir was at the Town of Theodore Qld, a small place with not much to photograph besides an interesting Church and Pub. The Town is ideally situated for the use travellers as a site to stop overnight A narrow strip of land sandwiched between a Town Park and a creek , it offered clean facilities and free hot showers which I really needed and enjoyed. Did I say that it was popular, I counted 30 Caravans and Motorhomes and we scored the last 2 spots that were available.
  An early start next day and on to the next overnight Free Camp at Calliope Qld (pronounced Cal-I-o-pee).. A much bigger area beside the Calliope River, the first that I have come across that had a Crocodile warning. An amazing coincidence here that I must relate. First on arrival I noticed a Bus named "Bed & Breakfast" well I had camped beside that rig about 3 months ago at Lake Cargelligo in NSW thousands of kms away. Then, whilst taking snaps down at the river I spied an old Caravan and Car that I thought I had seen before that belonged to a young single Dad and his 2 little girls. Not thinking much more of that I strolled further down the river bank and there they were. I had stayed beside Chris the Dad at Gumma Reserve way back at Macksville NSW at the end of May, again a couple of thousand kms away and had chatted with him at length. Fortunately when approach he remembered Me, even my name and he was just as amazed as I that we had met again. He said that they are about to travel west towards Mt Isa and eventually to NT so its not out of the question that we may meet again.
  Moving further up the coast along the path to Townsville the next stop was St Lawrence Qld.a well known major stop over. We arrived on the weekend of the local Camp draught competition and the Recreational Reserve and surrounds was either full of Horse Floats or with Caravans. The 40 or so additional Caravans and Motorhomes , including ours, had taken position on a grassy strip beside the road outside of the main camping area. No problem with that and it was free with an $8 charge for those inside the Campground. That night we ate Spaghetti Bolognese for $6 a plate at the Camp Draught Kitchen that was open to all comers. A welcome decent meal at last!   Our next stop will be at Boulder Greek near the hamlet of Calen Qld where we will meet up with another "Grey Nomad" forum member John (Yeoeleven) and stay for a few days, then Home Hill Comfort Stop and finally on to Townsville from where we will turn west towards Mt Isa.
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 Isla Gorge and Theodore Qld

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Calliope River Reserve

St Lawrence Recreation reserve