1770 - GLADSTONE - CALLIOPE - BOYNE VALLEY - CANIA GORGE NP

After we left the 'not to be mentioned as a great place to visit' camp ground we headed northward to check out Dr. Dwayne's new abode and for a much needed adjustment. The kids were pretty stoked to have someone camping in their backyard and were equally rapt to have an extra few to play Tag!! (Sorry Nathan, we never did get around to that promise).
From Gladstone we needed to start making our way back to VIC in order to be home around Christmas. We headed across to Calliope, which was similar to the Bermuda Triangle (accept that we eventually did escape) as it seemed to take us nearly all day to leave, it was so weird. Five times we tried to go this way or that, and ended up back at the same point. So we figured, let's go have a swim and do a few laps (secretly, I wanted to test out my new snorkel and mask which I'd bought after the inspiring Barrier Reef paddle. We also passed the Calliope pool on those 5 attempts, so maybe it was a snorkel ruse!!)
We camped the night on one side of a huge lake which I can't remember the name of, then meandered our way through the picturesque Boyne Valley to Monto, a town 20 odd km's from Cania Gorge NP where we had planned to stay 3 or 4 days hiking.