Michael please note Tim took this photo!

Monday, September 19, 2011 5.40am (yes AM)

Yesterday we drove from Biloela (it means Cockatoo in the local native dialect) to Bunya Mountain National Park via Gayndah, Murgon and Kingaroy. (I may have the order wrong.) The roads of rural Queensland are 'interesting'. Picture if you like driving towards Northam - pleasantly rural, rather scenic. However the road, whilst wide enough, is full of humps, lumps and bumps. Trying to maintain 90 to 100kph means we belt along like a mob of demented kangaroos stuck in the ute! It's the closest I've been to feeling carsick as the driver. (Yes I know drivers aren't meant to get carsick.)

Queensland raises preventative burning off to a whole new level. Perth's attempts at a decent smoke haze pale in comparison! We drove the whole day through areas that looked as though there was a bushfire in the vicinity.

On the plus side though, there is a great 'Driver Reviver' program, staffed by volunteers raising funds by donation for local Lion clubs or other community clubs. The Qld government supplies free tea, coffee and biscuits for driver and passengers at heaps of designated towns. Very popular with the Grey Nomads.

This morning's wake-up call began with kookaburras at first light - maybe an hour ago. Then we had currawongs, whipbirds, wrens, scrub robins, magpies and many more unidentified calls. Before the kookaburras started there were frogs calling but they are now totally inaudible.

I've just been visited by either a catbird or a female satin bowerbird - suspect the first and will check the birdbook later. Oops - no need - she just came right up to me and she has purple eyes so she's a bowerbird!

This is a spot for dedicated birdwatchers (though unfortunately school holidays have just started and we had a noisy inconsiderate mob with no sense of respect for personal space here last night). Signs abound warning of the very active local scrub tick population mainly from October to March, and of the risk associated with standing under the Bunya pines - their cones are the size of soccer balls and weigh 10kg! As with Noah Beach, one is supposed to pre-book a campsite here by phone or internet and yes you guessed it - there is lousy reception here!

I feel sorry for Tim - kids everywhere but no 'nice' ones. These are rough, rude and loud! Maybe today will bring more suitable ones …

No -typical resourceful Montessori kid - Tim played with the rough kids and changed the game away from soccer.

Tuesday and we've survived driving through Toowoomba and Ipswich though tempers flared somewhat! On our way to Lamington National Park ...

Love to all - J