Katherine NT

After foillowing the coast all the way I had to turn left somewhere.
I went further north in Quennsland than I had intended but Airlie Beach was the first blue ocean I had seen for a while.
With all the rain the rivers were flooding and the water beind spewed in to the ocean was brown. The rivers down the east coast are plentiful and enormous.
Everything is so green too and with those hills everywhere it is just all so spectacular.
I managed a ferry trip out to see Hamilton and Daydream Islands. They are really just big hills in the ocean. And of course Hamilton where they previously worked so hard to hide or camouflage any buildings, now has a giant cream coloured multi storey phallus plonked right where it can be seen to anyone arriving or leaving the island.
That was my one dry day in Airlie so a bit of sun was so lovely, even though it was pretty warm. The ground was waterlogged from all the rain. Fog down over the hills the next morning, saw me leaving for Townsville.
Passing more sugar cane and big black clouds everywhere, I decided to turn left before Townsville because I could see the rain that was there.
Heading west I passed through Charters Towers, which was full of historical buildings and then on to some rather forgetable towns through some very flat but green land.
Every grasshhopper splattered itself to the car through here.

rain and sand flies

I ought to have stayed with a good thing and stuck with my little bit of luxury in Noosa.
But it was raining so much I thought that going north would be different. But its not.
I went through Gosford where they were giving flood warnings and I could see why.
There were big brown lakes where the football oval used to be, wherever creeks had flowed and roads were cut throughout the area.
I made it to Bundaberg after stopping at Eumundi markets not far from Noosa. It was really big and I notices a lot of the businesses from Noosa were set up there. It was wet and so not at its best I'm sure.
I left Bundaberg and found the road badly pot holed after the rain and even water over the road at one floodway.
An hour and a half later of rain and dodging holes in the road I drove into Agnes Water and made my way the 5 or so k's to 1770.
Opptimistically I put up the tent, mainly because I had wanted to come here and I had looked forward to camping right next to the beach.
It rained all night, so I had to have the tent shut up and then it was hot. High tide had brought the sand flies out too and a good many had made their way into the tent.
So an uncomfortable night later I am wondering whether to stay, but in a motel this time.
I may not be able to get out though anyway because of the floods.
Hmm interesting.

Byron and beyond

After Ballina showed itself at its best with beautiful surf and dolphins sharing the waves with surfers it sent me off with not only rain but thunder and lightning as well.
It was time to head for Byron Bay.
In the rain with all views of the coast obscured on the way there, I drove into a frantically busy town with my windows fogged up and not knnowing the lay of the town, drove around in circles trying to find somewhere to park.
Byron is quite big and sooo busy. Forget Broome or Margaret River in the busy seasons, this was mayhem.
The place is full of backpackers and most of them seemed to be on the street. waiting for the bus or pulling out in front of you on the road.
I was so glad to finally find Astra and to find that she lived 10 minutes out of Byron in Tygarah. We turned up a pot holed dirt road off the highway and made our way up the hill to a pretty tree lined lane and into the property she lives on. It is about 100acres that is shared by a dozen or so houses and cottages. A few people rent rooms in the main house.
Astra has a little timber cottage surrounded by green. Most of it has been planted so it feels like it is in the middle of beautiful gardens in a park. It has all been designed so that you cant see the other houses.
It was such a haven that I stayed for 5 days.
It rained on every day bar one. We got ourselves going then to the lighthouse and then up into the hills to the Crystal Castle. That is a place where enormous crystals are all over the garden and of course there is a crystal shop. It is on quite a few acres and over 20 years they have planted and developed the property as a place to go for peace and quiet.
We were ther for about 2 hours it was so lovely.
I deaded north finally in more rain thinking I would spend some time at Coolum Beach. It rained the whole way.
So I kept going pat Brisbane over the Gateway Bridge and past Coolum to Noosa.
After my lovely rest I felt like people so I found an apartment in a resort. They said at the visitors centre that the resort was old and tired so it was a bit cheaper. I thought they were going to tell me they had put me in the wrong room! It looked more than ok to me.
So with granite and stainless steel in the kitchen and marble tiles on the floor I am happily insconced there for a couple of days.
Not to break the pattern - its raining again. It hasnt stopped actually. In fact they are expecting floods and gails. But at least I am dry warm and comfortable.