Having a nice time at Rollingstone, near Townsville

Cane toad

They call it cane toad melon coz the skin looks like a toad... Beautiful ans sweeter than a rockmelon. Haven't seen any cane toads. I believe they are all in Kunnunurra til the wet.

Cane toad melon

Neighbours

Our neighbours are from Melbourne. They are in their eighties and have been coming here to Mission Beach for thirty years in their caravan. They stay for 14 weeks....
He has just been playing some lovely music on his piano/ organ.
Dockers winning!!,!

Sardines at Coles car park, Mission Beach

Mobile data

Hi all, it seems while I have been trying to download my photos etc to my laptop I have used all my data for the month. Still can't get the photos sorted. I need a person to sit with me and help???? ... So I have blocked my phone for data and am not sure if this means no SMS...
Such a pain.otherwise I will be charged hugely....
We are at Mission Beach right over the road from the beach, which is really lovely. It is a nice park with pretty gardens but we are packed in like Coles car park.....!!!!! Everyone very friendly . We were even given fish yesterday and I went and joined the gang for five o'clock drinks and bocce. Reece not so social!!! Some of these people are here for months to escape the cold winter down south. So they all know each other very well. We have just returned from a long walk along the beach..... In the rain!!!!some very nice houses here and heaps for sale and seem very reasonable priced. Cyclone Yasi has caused so much damage along this coastline in 2011. Cardwell was devastated, but the esplanade there has been completely rebuilt and great now. Bruce highway goes right through the edge of the beach and was completely washed away.
We went from Cardwell to Paronella Park. This beautiful park was built by a Spanish pastry cook Jose Paronella. He started in 1929 to create a house 13 hectares of garden, tennis courts, hydro electric power from Mena Falls. In the 30's and 40's people would come to play tennis , swim, wedding, movies , ballroom. The hub of all fun. It has had a traumatic time with fires, and cyclones . Now owned privately and they are doing a fantastic job at recreating Jose dream. It is truly amazing and worth checking it out on the Internet. We stayed there in the small rainforest caravan park and did the night tour where the lights on the buildings and falls are lit. Gorgeous.
This is now the weather that I remember of Queensland. My hair now curly from the rain. I am damp. But not too hot...overcast. We did get some pool time yesterday tho!
Happy Birthday dearest Jo for yesterday. Hope that cold disappears very quickly.

Love to all Penelope

Nth Queensland prawns

A few days in Cardwell. Caravan park is right on the water. The town is bigger than I remember.

Sent from my HTC

Townsville

Sent from my HTC

Denmark carpet

Can't remember if I mentioned .... In the middle of nowhere outback Queensland we met Tim.... Lives in Albany and he laid the new carpet at Denmark!!!!!!!!

Station life.

Sent from my HTC

Cute kids

Redcliffe Station.

Having a beaut time here with Frank and Tenille and Gus.... Reece and Gus have been having a lovely catch up, and doing some jobs around the place for Tenille. We had a big afternoon yesterday in the cattle yards. All hands on deck to sort cattle, bring them up the race, tag ears, plenty of dust, in fact mobs of dust, plenty of poo but a great experience. I really enjoyed it but very nice to get in the shower later... Lots of laughs over dinner and a quieter day today ... No cattle work! Warm days about 28 and lovely cool nights. When we got here on Sunday they killed four sheep and skinned them, a new experience for Tenille! They are hanging in the cool room for a couple of weeks then the cutting up and packing will be done. Friends from Prairie helped them.
Tricky with Internet here.
Will be off to Townsville tomorrow which will be a long drive. Expect to have at least three days there. Tenille still has her neck brace on after coming off the quad bike in may. Appointment in Townsville tomorrow so hopefully she will be able to get it off if the ct scan is OK.
Must go now and see if Gus needs a hand with the blinds he is installing.

Gus Jolly at Redcliffe Station

Redcliffe Station

Gregory River, nr Lawn Hill Nat Park

Tuna patties fir dinner.

Sent from my HTC

Camooweal, Queensland

Quick note. Just arrived here after four hour dusty rough drive from beautiful Gregory river. This place is west of Mt Isa near the Northern Territory Qld border. We are heading to see Frank and Tenille at the station at Hughenden.

Lawn Hill gorge

Boat ride up the gorge. Out of range agin for a few days.

Sent from my HTC

Leichhardt River. Queensland

Yummy chops cooked on the Italian bbq

Sent from my HTC

Leichhardt River

Just stopped in Burketown to get reception after two nights at the Leichhardt River. Beautiful. Yesterday Kay and Paul were going to stay but unfortunately dear Kay missed her footing from the caravan and tumbled. She broke her wrist. So Nurse Penny bandaged etc and sent them on their way to Burketown. Se was flown to Mt Isa as there are no medical facilities here and her wrist was re aligned with the aid of wonderful pain and dreamland drugs. They will stay in Mt Isa for three days and Kay will have another plaster applied after the swelling has subsided. They will then continue on to Darwin and have a holiday in Bali. Such a shame but she sounds in good spirits. Paul had a very long drive to Cloncurry last night then on to Mt Isa this morning.
We are going south now to Gregory Downs and will be off air again. Then to Lawn Hill Nat Par then Cloncurry and Mt Isa.
Reece caught two red claw in his net this morning. Big dry flat country here. That's probably why it is called the Savannah Way. The Savannah hwy goes from Cairns to Broome.

Love Pen

Normanton

Just had lunch with Kay and Paul in Normanton. I paid $6 for an iceberg lettuce!! Makes life pretty tough out here on a regular wage. On our way to Burketown but will overnight free camp by the river tonight.

Karumba fishing

There was no way I was going to get sunburn so covered head to toe. 29 degrees. Blue salmon and Skippy. Just had some fir lunch and now exhausted after being out from 0700 till 1200. A good day... And the Dockers won last night by the skin of their teeth. 

Sent from my HTC