Cardwell Qld August 4th 2023

Cardwell Qld August 4th 2023

As is often the case, at 7am it wasn’t actually raining. A bit windy but warm enough and dry. I took myself off down to the start of the Kennedy Walking Track and proceeded to make the 2.5km trek across the headland and along the beach to Mije Creek. First though, I was really surprised at the debris thrown up and right across the road from the high tides and howling wind last night. The track itself was its normal slightly damp self, being in a rainforest and all, and the beach was pristine. Not one footprint upon it and the tide right out.

I had a lovely walk right down to the end marked by Mije Creek. As I turned around and started back, it started raining lightly, which was okay, not afraid of a little damp. But then it started really raining, forcing me to take cover under the forrest canopy. It only lasted a few minutes and then I was on my way again. Lovely!

Luggers Bay, Kennedy Walking Track, South Mission Beach Qld

Mije creek, Luggers Bay, Kennedy Walking Track, South Mission Beach Qld

Mije Creek, Luggers Bay, Kennedy Walking Track, South Mission Beach Qld

Luggers Bay, Kennedy Walking Track, South Mission Beach Qld

On the way back over the headland, I noticed for the first time ever that you could see straight up into what looked like the remains of derelict buildings. Up until today it had been totally overgrown but obviously something was going on. 

A little private history. Back in 2004, Judy and I stayed in a resort at about this spot. I had to do some sleuthing and discovered that this was the very resort, which may have been called The Point at the time. It seems to have been called the Elantra from 2007 to 2018, but was wiped out twice by cyclones. Seems to have been left to the jungle ever since, but is now for sale. But for $6 million, I think Id want something better than a property that is “a bit run down” according to the Real Estate blurb.

Elandra Resort, South Mission Beach

Back at the van park we had breakfast and packed up our proverbial tent.

We had had change of plan. Normally we would have driven the 65km down and back to Cardwell from South Mission Beach so I could participate in Cardwell’s Parkrun. But given that it’s still raining most of the time and who wants to get up at 530am and drive all that way in the rain to do a run? Not for us anymore, so we found a van park down at Cardwell and wandered off down there today instead.

As it turns out the van park is all of 200 metres from the parkrun start, so its worked out pretty well.

We took stroll around town, found coffee and took a few snaps of some Cardwell Quirkiness.

Apparently they sometimes fancy themselves as a UFO or alien centre or something, so there is at least one place with a flying saucer and some little green men.

Aliens! Cardwell Qld

Then there is this definitely quirky garden in the main street. It looks like its just come into being over a length of time as various randoms have added bits and pieces to the colourful garden. What a great bit of fun!

but no, the Narks are shutting it down. The sign says that due to breaches of insurance policy or some such, the local council is installing a fence and closing it off from public access. They are giving 21 days notice to any concerned parties to remove any property that they might claim, and then the rest is going to the dump. Boo Hiss.

Quirky community garden. Cardwell Qld

 

Cardwell Qld August 5th 2023

Up early to great the sun.....

Sunrise. Over Hinchinbrook Island. Cardwell Qld

Ok, time to stop admiring nature at its best and get down to the business at hand. I'm here to do my volunteer tail walking bit for the love people that run Parkrun in Cardwell. 7am start. Love it.

All decked out in my best parkrun Volunteer outfit. Cardwell Qld

This is one of the smallest (15 including me) and fastest runs for a tail-walker. I was finished in forty-four minutes. Thanks Cardwell Parkrunners!

Echuca Vic, Moama NSW, PS Emmylou, PS Pevensey

 Echuca Vic. May 18, 2015

May 18? Heck, that means our new Ford is 1 year old and maybe not so new any more. In fact it has 49132 km on the clock and could do with some new tyres on the front and a bath!

Car by Ford. Parking by Judith.

The drive across from Swan Hill is not the most pleasant in the world, it’s not far but the road is quite bumpy and wanders in and out of towns and around old rivers and creeks and dead dogs and anything else that could be used to preclude a straight line been A and B.

We actually stopped in Kerang for a cuppa, which at least let the big truck that was menacing me go by.

We have been to Echuca a few times now, this time we are staying right out along the river in Moama, which is in NSW on the river opposite Echuca.

We had some lunch in Moama before venturing into Echuca proper. There’s only one place it go really and that is the wharf precinct. There is a street open to the public, with old shops fronts and carts and drays and things, and there is the wharf proper, which costs to go onto, and frankly, we weren't fussed to visit it again.  

Wharf precinct. Echuca Vic

Wharf precinct. Echuca Vic

Bones of a barge. Wharf precinct. Echuca Vic

Instead we elected to take a ride on the paddle steamer Emmylou which has a proper steam engine chuffing it along. We sat and ordered coffee and scones but they were gone before we left as something was going on though causing us to leave 10 minutes late. We had just gone up-stream past the bridge when we turned around and headed back. The people we had apparently been waiting for had turned up and the owner had requested that we come back for them. They didn't want a ride, they wanted to film part of an advertisement for Echuca to be shown on Melbourne TV. The talent turned out to be John Waters, who some can dimly remember being in the show, All the Rivers Run about a 100 years ago. They fiddled about and did heaps of takes and yelled at people for getting in the shot (me mostly) and were very grateful and thanked us profusely for the delay to our trip. Finally we were away again and we tootled off down-stream for about 15 minutes and then came back. If it hadn't had an actual steam engine and the scones hadn't been just right then I would have whinged!

PS Emmylou. Echuca Vic

Steam engine, PS Emmylou. Echuca Vic

TV crew and talent.  Echuca Vic

John Waters, aka Brenton Edwards. Echuca Vic

Still my favourite. PS Pevensey, aka PS Philadelphia PS Philadelphia. Echuca Vic

Wycliffe Well NT UFO Spaceships aliens outerspace Devils Marbles Karlu Karlu WWII

Straight run down the Stuart Highway again this morning, first to Tennant Creek where we fuelled up and bought a few groceries, then a stop at The Devils Marbles (now Karlu Karlu) before pulling up at the roadhouse / Big4 caravan park that is Wycliffe Well. Well, indeed. First the story about Wycliffe Well/s, there used to be four of them and the place came into prominence during WWII when someone noticed the few hardy should who lived there could actually grow vegetables in this otherwise lifeless red soil, if you had enough water and figured that the Army could use some food for the 1000's of servicemen being sent north, so they took over the place for the duration of the war. Some time later, some enterprising soul decided a van park would be the go and created what is, even today, a little oasis, billed as Australia's UFO Capital, on the edge of the Tanami Dessert. But, the park is well past its prime. All around you can see the remnants of what could only be described as an unfulfilled great vision.

First there are the UFO themed murals, and figures and signs and ‘stuff’ all around the place. Then, as you walk around the park, you come across a small gauge railway track, which you follow back to the engine shed where a decent looking sort of engine and train sit, obviously neglected and idle for a long time.

Then out the back is a 300 seat convention centre and restaurant, called the Galaxy Restaurant. Closed, but i wandered in through an unlocked door and had a poke around. I found a paper dated June 2010, so it may have been some time ago since the last guest drank the health of the entertaining star or the guest speaker.

The railway line also goes back out of the park proper toward where a sign declares Lake Wycliffe to be. A lake? If there was a lake here, the place would be populated. We investigate what turns out to be a man-made lake of 60 million litres. The lake is in two halves, one half is dry, leaving the miles of black plastic sheeting high and dry. The other half has some water in it but is blue-green algae heaven. There is a rotting rowboat, artificial reef made from car tyres, two bridges and a monument. On top of the monument there is a large sculpture of a barramundi, which gives some hint that maybe they were trying aquaculture for harvesting or fishing. Who knows. There is a hundred miles of black plastic irrigation pipe to support the zillion trees they claim to have planted, but everything except the hardiest are dead. Such a shame. One can only imagine that they were trying to create a resort in the dessert where people would come to see the Devils Marbles (10 km up the road) and stay a week relaxing and enjoying themselves. I just wish they’d also spend few dollars on solar heating for the pool, that would have been out of sight.

We dined in the 'restaurant' behind the shop/reception on quite a decent meal of bangers and mash for I, chicken schnitzel for Judy and a bottle of 5 Seeds Apple Cider each. We only did it because they and a special for tonight and one night only, a 2 for 1 deal on, so it was quite affordable. And pretty delish as well. 

Speaking of special deals, when we booked in Judy flashes her Big4 card and claims the member discount. The man behind the bar waved it away and, pointing at the faded-to-nothing sign declaring a special this-week-only of $25 per night. Sounds a bit of con to us, it's only a $25 park, even with aliens for company, so it's just a way out of giving anyone a discount. I have to point out that they are competing head-on with the $3 per person a night so-called free camp just up the road at the Devils Marbles.

And, no UFOS. What a rip-off!

And as for the well? Well, it was buried under the current version of the Stuart Highway many years ago... it's that sort of place.

My favourite rock in Australia. Its at least 3m across and just looks like a big salami has been cut right in half.
Devils Marbles, er Karlu Karlu, NT

Yar, green men, they went that-a-way. Wycliffe Well NT

Always knew they were from another planet....  Wycliffe Well NT

Uh, yair, i like the ones in the soft khaki packages, not this big crunchy ones.  Wycliffe Well NT

Ooooooohhhhhhhhh.  Wycliffe Well NT

Is that ET? Or Leeloo?  Wycliffe Well NT

Mooohooo. Beam me up!  Wycliffe Well NT

No, you can't come to the bar with me...  Wycliffe Well NT