Wednesday started very hot and humid, sweating as we loaded the car to leave the Sanctuary at 9am. Lovely scenery driving north west, particularly as we got onto the Palmerston Highway heading for the Atherton Tablelands. Stopped at the Millaa Millaa falls and then lunch at the Malanda Hotel, the largest wooden building in the southern hemisphere and in the same family since it was built in 1911. Still hot but much fresher in the mountains. Stopped at the famou...

Left Airlie Beach about 10am after e-mailing and stocking up with coffee and cake! Driving through sugar cane country and stopped to pick up locally grown pineapple, grapes, bananas and pears for picnic lunch on route. The temperature hit 31C around Townsville as we really got up to the tropics, but still in sugar cane country. Clouded up over the Cardwell mountain range but we turned towards the coast again at Tully and clearer skies over Mission Beach. The rain...

Early 7.30am starton the 18th as a long trip up to Airlie Beach. Stopped briefly at roadside stations at Bororen and Marlborough but a long 10+ hour slog before arriving just before dark at Coral Point Lodge overlooking Shute Harbour.Claims for the best views in the Whitsundays from all rooms in the lodgeare not exaggerated. This morning was fine but still windy so the only option really was to take the 2 island discovery cruise with FantaSea. The sea was quite c...

Heavy rain as we set offfrom Noosa toHervey Bay on the 16th but soon cleared as we made our way through Gympie,and Maryborough.Arrived at Hervey Bay Green on the Esplanade overlooking the bay about 1pm. Our cheapest accommodation so far, so no pictures,but nevertheless comfortableand a Spanish restaurant down below. Heavy downpour soon after arrival so found the NAB bank for John and Jane's card sent from Perth. Early supper at the Black Dog Cafe (very good) as t...

Arrived here at Noosa on the14th, staying at the Noosa Tropicana, serviced apartment. Hot and sunny as described on the can for the Sunshine Coast, so had a quick bite at Take Five and explored the river and estuary beaches.BBQ back at the Tropicana in the evening. Yesterday started hot and sunny again so hired a boat for a trip round Noosa Sound and up the river. Saw a White-bellied Sea Eagle and Sacred Kingfisher as well as pelicans and terns. The forecast trop...