ROCKHAMPTON, Queensland

Michael, Jesse and Gemma arrived in Rockhampton (‘Rocky’ to the locals) a day before Tashi and I flew back to Queensland. When we finally stepped off the plane, it felt good to be back in the warmth of the northern Winter and to be able to continue the last part of the trip together. We all felt saddened by the absence of Hailey and Bodhi but they were in good hands (and enjoying some home comforts) with the grandparents back in Melbourne.

We stayed at another farm stay, Fardooley's Camp, just out of town and were hosted by a lovely retired couple, Robyn & Peter, who brought daily treats for our kids! They had raised nine of their own children and enjoyed seeing their 26 grandkids whenever they could. They assured us they could remember all their names but sheepishly admitted to getting a few mixed up from time to time. Their ‘baby’ these days was ‘Kevin’ the Blue Heeler cross. He was a gentle soul and well spoilt by both the travelling nomads and ‘mum & dad’! The sweeping views from their elevated paddock showcased the tranquil landscape that lay below. Towering gums silhouetted against the setting sun to the west made a beautiful backdrop in the evenings. To the south, the timeless, unhurried images of regional farm life filled the valley. It felt so far from the rush and noise and stench of the Melbourne madness we’d just left. It was a perfect ‘welcome back’ to the country and characters we’d grown so fond of over the past year.

We have been so thankful for the generosity of farm folk like Robyn and Peter who open their gates and hearts, and welcome strangers to their homes to share their patch of paradise and a few old fashioned yarns. The farm stays have proven to be some of the most entertaining and relaxing places we’ve camped. We’ve met some amazing people and gained plenty of valuable knowledge from fellow friendly campers. You just don’t tend to get the same atmosphere or kind-spirited travellers in caravan parks despite being forced together in rather claustrophobic arrangements of sites. I’m sure we’ve equally etched a few memories in the minds of those we’ve shared a paddock with. In ‘Rocky’, for instance, Jesse had the attention of all and sundry at happy hour with games of Family Feud. He enjoys holding court and has honed his skills this year, perfecting the special Australian talent of ‘talking shit’ with strangers to ‘break the ice’, get a laugh and, in Jesse’s case, get a few treats!

Rockhampton is situated just north of the Tropic of Capricorn – the southern most latitude where the sun can be seen directly overhead. It markets itself as the Beef Capital of Australia, highlighting its past and present economic stronghold. Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries today, however for almost 100 years until the 1980’s, gold provided significant wealth to the town. Gold mining helped Rockhampton weather the depression of the 1890s and provided the means to build many of the impressive civic buildings that stand proudly across the city today. It’s survived a couple of major cyclones and regular flooding but the tropical weather patterns provide critical inputs to the stunning ecology of the region. The wetlands and national parks surrounding Rockhampton draw many to delight in their abundant bird, fish and animal life.

We spent a day exploring the Capricorn coast area to the east of Rockhampton. Yeppoon’s local market was a little disappointing so we swapped the kitsch craft stalls for the picturesque beaches that hugged the coastline. It was too cold to swim but it was easy to imagine spending days lazing around on the white sands and plunging into the cool, clear ocean that beckoned us to its turquoise waters. Great Keppel Island could be seen in the distance, perched at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. All the tourist brochures tempt you to its shores with promises of secluded beaches, magnificent snorkeling and challenging bushwalks but that will need to wait for another time!

We would have explored a little more of the region but, in another twist of medical mayhem, Gemma was taken by ambulance to the Rockhampton hospital after suffering a blackout and hitting her head when she fell. Despite seven hours in the emergency department and a thorough assessment, she was discharged with no conclusive cause of the episode but equally no evidence of “anything we should worry about”. Given her recent round of tests for persistent headaches, we wanted to ensure there was nothing putting her at further risk. Let’s hope we don’t get to test any more of our regional health services on this trip!

Once Gemma had recovered and Tasha and I settled back into the nomadic mindset, it was time to hit the ‘frog and toad’ again. We pointed the Prado south and headed for Bundaberg. Ironically, on the drive down, a truck heading in the opposite direction caught a stone in its tyre and spat it out – at us! After 32,000km of driving around the country, tackling inhospitable outback roads, sharing the tarmac with 53m long road trains, surviving river crossings and gravelly goat tracks without incident, our windscreen copped a major crack on a well maintained national highway! Bloody Hell!!