This weekend we squeezed in one final camping trip, one last test run before we head off on our 7 or 8 month adventure exploring Oz!
We are home now and all enjoying an afternoon of resting and quiet time that always comes after a weekend away camping. The kids are playing lego in the lounge room with a movie on, Matt is crashed out asleep and I am wasting time on the internet, downloading the photos off the camera from the weekend, and writing this blog post. There is a massive pile of wet togs and towels, and dirty washing in the laundry which really should be taken care of and the bags unpacked, but we all love retreating for some quiet time in our own corners when we get home – the washing will wait, it will be scrambled eggs on toast for dinner and early to bed for us all – this is our normal 'post camping' routine.
We had originally organised to camp at 'Camp Lakefire' at Lake Maroon outside Boonah, but after finding out on Friday that the 4wd track we had planned to tackle (The Condamine Gorge Track) was now permanently closed due to flooding earlier in the year, and then arriving at 'Camp Lakefire' and being told we could no longer camp on the lakefront due to new SEQ Water regulations (and the fact that camping at 'Lakefire' was very expensive!) we decided, thanks to some quick thinking from Jai, to head to Lake Moogerah about 20 minutes away, instead. So – after a bit of a bumpy/grumpy, disappointing start – we managed to keep our 'Happy Faces' on and have a great weekend camping at Lake Moogerah Caravan Park.
Lake Moogerah – was busy but great camping right on the lake's edge!
The kids wasted no time getting into the water – it was cool but not freezing yet!
Jack's mate Connor joined us this weekend!
And my mate Shell and her family joined us too!
And Ben & Aimes and the kids were brave enough to give one more Fealy Camping weekend a shot!
Lake Moogerah is located about 90 minutes away from Brisbane in the very beautiful Scenic Rim area. The campground was fantastic with lovely shady, grassy sites and direct access to the lake (although it is quite muddy/weedy on the water's edge). The amenities were great and there was even a playground where Shell and I took the kids early this morning to have a play in order to let the rest of the campground wake up without the alarm clock noise of our gaggle of rowdy kids at 6am in the morning! The campground was very busy and obviously a popular spot for water skiers and jet skiers, which was only a problem when they went past us while we were trying to master the Johnson family's stand up paddle board. Ben and I both ended up having a refreshing dunk on two occasions!
My first go on the Stand Up Paddle Board – Jacko coming along for a paddle too.
It was so lovely and peaceful! Thanks for letting us all have a turn Shell & Jai!
It did get quite chilly at night and first thing in the morning so we were grateful for the camp fire and the extra liners in the kids sleeping bags! We need to give a special mention to our dog Jerry who we brought with us on this trip as dogs were allowed at Camp Lakefire. They were not however, allowed at Lake Moogerah, so poor Jerry spent the whole weekend in the camper, only being snuck out every now and then for toilet breaks!! He didn't seem to mind though – we would look back at the camper from the lake and see him sitting up at the window watching us all – just grateful to have come along!
Home made pizza for tea this time (not quite in the wood-fired oven like it was supposed to be at Camp Lakefire!) but our little oven in the camper managed just fine!
Never too cold to toast marshmallows!
Bit chilly the next morning! The Boys – I hope I see this picture again in about 10 years time!!!
The 'Scenic Rim' side of the dam on our early morning walk.
No luck with the fishing this time.
An absolutely beautiful spot to camp and the campground was really quite reasonably priced for all of the amenities. We have really fallen in love with the Scenic Rim area – wished we had have found it earlier – just another of the many great spots to camp around South East QLD!!!
We can't wait to get on the road – 4 weeks to go!!!
Tasmania – A Post from 9 years Ago!
Thank you to everybody for some great recommendations of places to visit after our 'Vision Board' post, we really appreciate people taking the time to help us out and comment to let us know someone is following along on our little journey! One of our commenters (thanks Sonia!) pointed out that we had missed Tasmania off our 'Must Visit' list. Unfortunately we think that we will have to leave Tasmania out of our trip due to the cost involved with getting us all and the car and camper over there, and the fact that Matt and I have already had a short visit to Tasmania before.
Our first 'camper van' experience was driving this around Tasmania!
A little hard to believe it has been that long, but 9 years ago now, Matt and I spent ten days travelling around Tassie to celebrate our first wedding anniversary! We had forgotten that this was actually our first ever camper van experience! We went in April and actually received a shock at how cold it was – I think we shivered the whole time we were there! Anyway – a little trip down memory lane tonight to share some photos from our time in Tasmania. It really is a beautiful place and perfect for campervaning as it is only a small island and there is heaps, and heaps to see!!
We flew into Launceston and then flew home out of Hobart so we got to see quite a bit in 10 days. This will be a test for the memory to see if I can remember where all of our photos were taken – we really should have been more diligent in labelling them properly!! So here we go, a photo tour of Tasmania from nine years ago! I bet Matt and I have changed far more than the countryside probably has!!!!
It was a really, really beautiful spot!
Oh to be 23 again!
Interesting 'Indian' Rock Matt spotted.
Next stop was the Tamar Valley for lots of wine tasting! The best thing about travelling in the camper van was that we could pullover for a snooze to sleep off all the wine!
We made it over to Strahan where we free camped behind the dunes on the beach. It was very windy but a lovely quiet spot.
Lake St Clair – we did a cruise on the Lake – cold and wet but still beautiful and nice spots to hop off and have a walk. We camped somewhere near here on the side of the road and were given the scare of our lives when we were woken at 1am by someone doing circle work in their ute around us in the camper!! We thought it was going to be the end, but they drove off after a few minutes! It was scary!!!
I can't remember where this was – but we arrived here in the dark and camped behind the pub and then went for a walk in the morning and found this!
First glimpse of Cradle Mountain!
We did a 3 hr return 'Marion's Lookout' walk – loved it but had a bit of a stumble and broke our camera here!
Definitely a 'must see' spot!
We camped in a National Park campground at Cradle Mountain but had a look around the lodge and surrounds which were very scenic!
A stop in Sheffield to see all the murals is a must!
We stopped here on our way back over to the East Coast.
Overnight free camp beside the beach at St Helens.
Beautiful crystal clear water at Wineglass Bay – freezing though – we weren't brave enough to get in!
Not far outside Hobart – I can't remember the name of this bridge or where it was!
Port Arthur – very interesting but a little eerie!
And that was our trip! We didn't get to see anything of the Derwent and Huon Valleys which was a bit disappointing but we have to have a reason to visit again don't we!!! It would be remiss of me while talking about Tasmania not to do a big shout out for Mole Creek Caravan Park which is now owned by the family of friends of ours – make sure you stay there if you ever visit Tassie!
Aaargh – looking at all these photos makes me think maybe we better make room in our 'Around Oz' trip to go back and have a better look!!! So many places in this beautiful land to see!!