More magnificent scenery for another 300km to Mackay. The road is pretty empty apart from the odd truck. The trees around here looked knarled and twisted and as though someone has scratched all their bark off. Think it was '80s Monday on the radio station we had on so did some sing-a-dance-a-longs to pass the time. As we got closer to Mackay, the huge fields of sugar cane we've seen intermittently since Grafton appeared again. Mackay has a main town and a m...

Drove about 350km today to Rockhampton. The scenery is different again up here, you can see for miles, the horizon is huge. Mountain ranges in the distance on the left and the road in front seems endless. Rockhampton is known for its cattle and its beef. As you enter the town you are greeted by a huge model cow over a roundabout, and they are everywhere else too! We wanted to have a steak in this beef town. But we'd arrived at the wrong time, Sunday af...

We drove about 300km today; we've only got just over a week left to get to Cairns and about 1600kms to travel. We've hung around in places we liked so now we're going to have to make flying visits! Got to Bundaberg early afternoon. Its a typical Australian town and famous for its "Bundy" rum, made from the sugar grown locally. The streets are palm tree lined and wide with low buildings. There's something quite appelaing about it. It was very quiet, even thou...

Woken up by the entire population of Noosa walking or jogging past the van into the National Park. Australians are OBSESSED with exercise. We've been getting up no later than 8am every day in the van and its nice to be out in the sun at that time - but they add jogging or power walking to that; it makes you feel sick or guilty, depending on your mood. Had the best breakfast coffe ever today, i.e. best location. Sat on the rocks at the beach in a little cove...

Drove to Noosa, which is on the coast. Its a lovely little place which goes inland following the river from the sea so some of it feels like a beach town and some feels like countryside. Its very leafy too, the main shopping/bar/restaurant street which runs parallel to the beach is lined with bushy low trees, so it doesn't feel like you're near the sea at all. It has quite an expensive feel to it, looking at estate agents there are some gorgeous houses in t...