Dalby November 2013

 November 19^th, We finished packing up and drove down to Dalby. We called into the Information Centre to check on the Caravan Parks in this Town and to pick up some brochures on the sights. There was only one Caravan Park listed in our NRMA Book but the Information Centre put us onto another, just on the edge of Town, called “Pioneer Village Caravan Park”. We drove out to the Park and went in to check on their price for a week’s stay and it was $55 cheaper, so we booked in. They only had a drive through site available, which isn’t a problem, so we got ourselves set up. What we soon discovered is that this park has Workers Accommodation out the back for 150 people, with their own facilities including a Restaurant and a Gym. Most of those workers would be in the Gas Mining Industry. The Caravan Park side is full of permanent/semi permanent people who are also working in this area. After Dinner I went onto the Centrelink Site to put in my change of address, because my Pension Number has a few 8’s in it, I wasn’t able to log on no matter what I tried ( No. 8 is one of the keys not working on my keypad). In frustration I gave up!

November 20^th, It was very hot today and we were happy to go to the Shopping Centre to escape the heat and restock our larder. I had noticed yesterday, that there was a Computer Shop in the main street, so I went in to see if they could repair my Laptop keypad problem. They didn’t think they could get it done in my timeframe but suggested that the cheapest way to overcome my problem was to use a “plug-in” keypad. This had also been suggested at the last 2 places, where I had asked about repairs, but I was now at the stage where I couldn’t take it anymore, so I bought a $30 keypad, Yippee!

November 21^st, I walked over the road, from our Caravan Park, to the Pioneer Park Museum and filled in 3 hours wandering around. It is a collection of 22 buildings, relocated to that site and manned by the local Historical Society and they have an amazing collection of local items. A lot of the buildings house collections, donated or on loan from local people. This is the sort of thing I like to browse through, when we stop at country Towns, while Val is happy to browse the Shops. We drove into Town for a look around; it was 37deg. so we needed to escape the heat. I parked in the Coles carpark and sat in the car with the motor off but with the air conditioner still running. When Val came back to the car, it wouldn’t start. There was a loud clicking noise coming from the starter motor and the fan belt was barley moving on each clicking sound!  There was nothing I could do, other than look at the engine compartment like I had some idea that I might be able to find the problem and tell all the passing shoppers what my problem was. I rang the NRMA Roadside Service number and was surprised to be answered by the RACQ Operator. I asked her “how come” and she informed me that if you called from Queensland it automatically switched the call to the RACQ, that’s progress for you! After getting my details she said we will have a service van there within the hour. I sent Val off to the Woolworths Centre, in the main street, to do her thing while I waited for the RACQ. About 50 minutes later the RACQ Service Guy came and checked the battery and said it was down slightly, the alternator was putting charge into the battery and asked had I been using the auxiliary power, which I had in running the air con. He hooked up his booster cables to the battery and “lo and Behold, a Miracle” the car started up. What I hadn’t realized was that as well as running the air con. I had the headlights “ON” as well, as I have them set on “Auto” and I was in the shade! So my options were to put in a new battery at $175 or run the engine for ½ hour and see how the battery goes. You can guess which option I went with! I picked up Val and we went to the RSL for a needed Chardy and a flutter, in the cool.

November 22^nd, I drove into Town to get Val some ingredients for her lemon butter, so I took the opportunity to get a few photos and check out the Creek that runs through Town. It had plenty of water in it and some nice parkland areas along its banks, so I was thinking it would probably have fish in it. No fishing rod with me so I went home for lunch and to help Val with the Lemon Butter production.

November 25^th, We went into Town to do a bit of shopping and had a very nice lunch at one of the Pubs in Town. I had the $9 steak special, which was a typical country pub sized meal, so I didn’t need much for tea tonight. We started packing up to leave, in the morning, for Goondiwindi.

Kingaroy November 2013

November 12^th, Finished packing up at Poona and headed off to Kingaroy, with a stop at Kilkivan for lunch at “the Left Bank” Café. We both had the Ploughmans Lunch which was excellent. We booked into the Big4 Kingaroy Holiday Park and got set up in time to experience our first big electrical storm, in a long time, which then settled down to steady rain for most of the night.

November 13^th, We went into Town and I put my paperwork in at Centrelink while Val got started on the Shopping at the Supa IGA. We drove around the CBD just to familiarize ourselves with the place and went to the RSL Club for lunch and a Chardy. The storm paid us a visit again tonight but it split in two and went around us so we only had a nice shower of rain.

November 14^th, We had another storm this morning that didn’t last too long and then it was hot. We went to the Information Centre after lunch, to pick up some brochures, and found it housed an Art Gallery and Museum, as well. The Art Gallery was the old Council Chambers and we were very impressed with the quality of the local Art. The Museum I will have to go through on another day but we did go in to watch a very interesting video of the Peanut Industry in its early years and it was very back breaking work then.

November 16^th, I went back to the Museum this morning to look at all the displays that Val isn’t interested in and had an enjoyable couple of hours, just browsing.

 ^th, We called in to the Museum again, this morning, and watched the 2^nd, latest version of the Peanut story. This video showed the latest equipment, now in use on the Farms, and included a tour through the Processing Factory, which is just across the road from the Information Centre. It was very informative and educational. We then drove out to a Peanut Farm, only 7 Klms north of Town, where we were told that we could buy peanut products much cheaper than in Town, at the Peanut Van. When we got there and Val had selected what she wanted to buy, we were informed that they don’t do EFPOS and we had no cash, bugger! We drove back home and I started packing up to leave in the morning for Dalby.

November 18

Poona October 2013

October 24^th, We finished packing up and headed south, on the Bruce Highway. We didn’t have a stopover booked and when we arrived at Miriam Vale, I told Val this was half way to Poona (our destination). It was only 12.30pm so we decided to keep going to the next Town. We pulled over at a Roadhouse about 10Klms on from Miriam Vale and had lunch. At Gin Gin we stopped at the first Service Station/ Caravan Park and filled up with petrol but were told the Caravan Park was closed down. They gave Val directions to the local Showground, which was taking in overnight Campers/Vans, so we drove around and parked next to the Caretakers Van. No one around to take our money but the sign said $18 a night for a Caravan, so we said that will do us. We waited about 10 minutes and then decided to ring the phone number on the sign and bugger me if the phone in the Caretakers Van rings and I’m answered with a recorded message! That was the last straw, so we got back in the car and drove out of the Showground and out of Gin Gin. The next Town was Childers where we pulled in to the Sugar Bowl Tourist Park and Backpackers, where we were welcomed by a friendly face and a drive through site for the night.

October 25^th, Apart for a couple of roadwork’s stoppages, we had a good trip down to Poona. It’s 30Klms out of Maryborough, among the Pine Forests and is on the beach opposite Fraser Island. It’s an FPA dog friendly Park and the only shop in this Town is at the Caravan Park. We found out that the Managers put on a “sausage sizzle” every Saturday night, which made Val very happy as this is her best way of selling her Jams and Pickles. We got ourselves set up on a waterfront site and I even managed to put up the annexe walls, even though there was a stiff breeze coming off the water.

October 26^th, We had a few “weekend” people come into the Park, which meant more people at the Sausage sizzle. We put Val’s signs up around the Park and got organised for the big event at 6pm tonight. The Sausage Sizzle was good, the Owner/Managers were very supportive of Val’s products and she did well.

October 28^th, All our surrounding neighbours but one left the Park today and tomorrow the last one will be off as well. It will feel a bit lonely but there are a few permanents and some other Caravaners up the top end of the Park. It was high tide around 4pm so I got out a couple of fishing rods and some bait and had a fish off the beach. I gave it a try until 6pm and that was enough for me. I had 3 actual bites and lost all the gear (hook, line and sinker) off both rods but sadly no fish. Val is having withdrawal symptoms from lack of fresh caught fish!

October 29^th, We went into Maryborough today, to do some Shopping and check the place out. On the corner, down from Centrelink, was a Computer Repair Shop and for a few weeks now I have had a few keys not working on my laptop keyboard. I was given an estimate of $60 to $90, as my problem sounded like a track on the circuit board had gone. That’s a lot cheaper than buying a new laptop so I will put it in for repair next time we go to Town. We were on the edge of an electrical storm tonight but we only had very strong winds and 4mm of rain. The dead fronds from the Palm Trees blew down and frightened the daylights out of us and the TV aerial now has a one slightly bent arm, but still works.

November 1^st, The wind coming off the water has been very strong and continuous over the last 3 days, so I haven’t been able to do any more fishing.

November 2^nd, We had the Saturday night “Sausage Sizzle” at 6pm and Val put out her wares and sold some products, while we enjoyed delicious sausages and a few wines.

November 3^rd, We went to Maryborough to buy supplies, as Val had to make more Lemon Butter and Pickles, to replenish her stock.

November 4^th, I drove into Maryborough this morning specifically to put in my laptop for a service at a Repair Shop, who gave me an estimate last week. Unfortunately the shop was closed due to illness! Damn annoying but couldn’t be helped. I had to drop a form into Centrelink, so did that while I was in Town. On the way back home I passed another Repair Shop, so called in but they couldn’t do the job before Friday, that’s when we leave here.

November 5^th, Melbourne Cup Day and we were booked in for lunch at the local Community Hall. Val had talked to a couple that arrived yesterday (Cheryl and Ian) and they came with us, so we had a foursome from the Caravan Park. We had the best day out for $15 ea. and the Locals made us very welcome. We went in all the Sweeps and sat at a table closest to the Big Screen, as Val didn’t bring her glasses. They had a licenced Bar and drinks were on special at $2 a glass or $5 a bottle and we had chips and nuts on the table. The starters were sausage rolls with sauce, served at the Table. Lunch was cold meats with a variety of homemade salads and dessert was pavlova with fruit and cream. They also ran a Calcutta, games, lucky chair and lucky door. Our Table did very well, Val won a bottle of wine for “Lucky Chair” and Ian got the winner in the Calcutta and Cheryl got 2^nd place. We walked home very happy after our great MC day outing. We finished off our day with dinner together, Cheryl and Ian cooked a lamb roast and potatoes, while Val did peas, carrots and gravy, all delicious.

November 7^th,   thn  have told you that my laptop eyboard s not typng 4 letters and t’s drvng me crazy and tang me 3 tmes as long to type out my story so just fll n the mssng letters cause ‘m over t! (missing keys are: k i 8 , )

We drove nto Maryborough ths morning for ther Street Marets whch were very good. Val pced up a couple pars of Herem Pants and some cheap frut and veg. We were gong to move on tomorrow but have decded to stay tll next Tuesday.

November th t was a great morning no wnd so  went down to the beach front for a fsh. T was an ncomng tde and  was fshng wth cooed prawns for bat.  Wasn’t getting too many btes untl  was wndng n my lne to chec my bat when a 40cm Flathead grabbed my lne and made Val a very happy grl. She cooed t up n pano crumbs for her dnner and enjoyed  t  mmencely.

November 9^th No fsh ths morning. Val’s dsapponted as she has been starved of fresh fsh. We were relaxing around the Van ths afternoon when the sy turned a strange colour and we thought t was a storm comng. Wrong! When we checed  t was a bushfire or forrest fre not far away very scary looking. We ept an eye on t all afternoon but  t ddn’t come near us, than goodness. Free sausage szzle agan tonght, Val too up her products and sold a few. Not as many people here ths weeend.

November 10^th, There wasn’t any smoke in the sky, this morning, so we assumed that the fire was under control. After lunch we decided to take a drive to Maaroom, the next little town on the way to Maryborough. There is a Caravan Park down there and they sell petrol. We drove the 7 Klms out to the main road and came across 5 fire trucks and a lot of volunteer firemen in their orange overalls. We weren’t stopped by anyone, so turned onto the main road, saw the “smoke across the road” sign and when we went over the 2^nd rise in the road, we saw the thick black smoke across the road ahead and did a quick U-Turn and drove right back home. The tide was just starting to run out, so I gathered up my gear and bait and went down to the boat ramp for a fish. I caught 2 flathead, one was 41cm and the other was a throwback. Val was still happy as she can only eat them one at a time. Hah! I’ll bet you think that I’ve had my laptop fixed, but NO!  just took pity on you and patiently filled in the mssng letters for you, oops! Missed one. I will have to wait until we are in a Town more than a week, to have enough time to get a new keyboard PCB fitted.

November 11^th, Went down for a fish at high tide and only caught a big “Puffer” fish. We started packing up to leave Poona in the morning, for kingaroy. We have booked into the Big4 Kingaroy Holiday Park for one week.