Where am I………………..Mission Beach

Kilometers traveled………………………………..3553

Top Speed……………wait for it…..69 kms/hr

After leaving Agnes Water I followed the Bruce Highway heading towards Yeppoon.  A quick glance at Gladstone…….

Gladstone, another mining town!

Then onto Yeppoon, a beautiful little spot with some stunning beaches.

 I only stayed one night at Yeppoon, but well worth a visit.

Its a long straight stretch of road from Yeppoon to Mackay,  inland through sugar cane fields and lots and lots of scrub. The road was a tad repetitive but the Rocket just loved it!  She was purring along at 69 kms/hr not missing a beat.  I passed a big sign that read fatigue zone for the next 160kms, great!

Fortunately, as I din’t have anyone to play ” I spy” with, there was a bit of roadworks going on and every so often a lolipop lady (sometimes a lolipop  bloke) would stop the Rocket and lean in for a chat.  The second time I had to stop there was a tap on the window and a couple of people from cars queued up behind came over for a chat. All wanting to know who I was and where I was heading.

I dropped into Clairview, about the only piece of coast I could find, to have a look.

Clairview, another challenge for the Rocket and I

I reached Mackay, fatigued as the sign said and stayed a night to rest up and have a look around.

Massive tides at Mackay

Onto Airlie Beach to stay with Dave and Ali some old friends from the bay.  We used to muck around together as kids, not much has changed, we had lots of fun.  They took me land sailing which I had never done before, it was a blast.

You are sitting on a three wheel frame with a windsurfing rig and you “sail” on a massive sand flat at low tide, we had about 20 knots of breeze and were honking along.

Dave and Ali now operate ProSail Whitsundays with a couple of maxi yachts Condor, Hammer and Broomstick in their fleet – the ultimate Whitsundays sailing adventure!  For Mother’s Day I joined Dave and Ali and their kids Max and Tamsin, plus a big group of their friends for a cruise on Condor out to one of the islands.  We swam with the turtles and snorkeled on the reef; what a great part of the world.

Mother’s Day on Condor

 Captain Miller skippering Condor with Ali and her mum

Feeling at home behind the wheel of Condor

Storming home in 20 knots

 It was a beautiful day

I left Airlie  to visit a good friend from Sydney,  James Walsh who is living with his sister in Proserpine.  It was so good to catch up.

On towards Townsville, another really straight, straight stretch of road.

I glanced out the rear window and I noticed the Nightrider rumble and nudge his way up my backside I knew the Rocket and I may have a bit on!

I was glad to reach Townsville in one piece where I stayed at the Hotel Allen.

I found out that you can put your car on the FantaSea Ferry over to Magnetic Island, plus I’d heard that there was a Full Moon Party on, so no guessing where I was heading.

Lots of 4 WD’s not many Rockets!

On the ferry the Garmin kept telling me to make a u turn!

Magnetic Island has everything: schools, pubs, police stations, shops, hotels, accommodation, sealed roads, unsealed roads, residents, backpackers and lots of other wildlife!

Yeah I’m talking about cheeky rock wallabies and birds of the feathered kind.

The weather was a bit “how ya going” but I managed to have a good look around and explore the island from one side to the other.  Magnetic Island boasts beautiful beaches, sand spits and huge outcrops of boulders.

Some roads are sealed

And some aren’t

West Point: The Rocket and I made it to the most western point of the island

Radical Bay

I stayed the night on a yacht with Russ and Clare, friends of Dave and Ali’s.  We didn’t  get to the Full Moon Party as it was a wash out, the only full moon I got to see was my backside in the shower!  Had an awesome breakfast the next morning at Nourish Heart and Soul, Horseshoe Bay.

From Magnetic Island I drove up to Cardwell.  You can still see lots of evidence of the cyclone that nearly wiped the whole town out a few years ago, I stayed at the Cardwell Beachcomber Motel and Tourist Park.

I am currently having an intermission at Mission Beach.  I stayed the first couple of nights at the Dunk Island View Caravan Park, a pity I couldn’t see the view of Dunk Island through the pouring rain, but I’m assured its a great view.  I’m just waiting for the sun to come out.  I found the local produce market: foot long bananas 20 cents each, bags of ripe avocados and mountains of paw paw.  Smoothie Heaven!

Rain rolling in at Mission Beach

I’m sure Dunk Island is getting closer and closer each day in this wind!

It’s windy!  Even too windy to fly my kite.

I’m now staying at Robbie’s friend Ween’s gorgeous cottage right on Wongaling Beach here at Mission.  It’s a beautiful place to be based for a few days, time to regroup, wait for the sun to come out and plan the next leg of the journey.

Now we’re talking, the sun’s come out….walking along Mission Beach

My trip is going really well, I’m having heaps of fun and I’m incredibly grateful.

Find joy in your journey.

Mick