Last day

Kingaroy

A dynamic centre in a fertile area.  Peanuts are what it is most noted for but the area supplies a large percentage of the nation's beans also.  The soil is rich red and rainfall is reliable and sufficient; it is green and the pastures well kept. 

The local museum is interesting, with emphasis on peanut farming but also other interesting items & historical information on the development of the area.  Peanuts, of course, are amazing and something dear to my heart with memories going back to the tin 5lb pails of peanut butter that were the mainstay of my youth.  Many times - to Mum's dismay - I'd come racing in from some "very important boy business", ask when lunch/dinner was going to be ready, and any period longer than four minutes resulted in quickly making a peanut butter and jam sandwich before racing out the door to get back to 'business'. 

Free Camping

From here, the plan is to free camp for one or two nights at various spots, working my way to Little Yabba Creek, where I'll camp for 4-5 days.  This is to test suitability for free camping in various circumstances and periods (I.e., how long can I stay on the road away from 240V).   "Free Camps" are generally clear relatively flat areas where you can camp at no cost.  Amenities are basic but most have a toilet.  They may also have water, showers (pay or donation), picnic tables, BBQ's and rarely power,  but not necessarily so you have to be reasonably self contained.  Most are pleasant natural settings and well maintained.  Some also have time limits, from 20 - 48 hours, as they are maintained "for the convenience of the traveling public":  This insures better turnover prospects for local business as well as avoiding  permanent camps.  It is a great system as most people I have talked to state they could not afford to travel if they had to pay for a caravan park every night. 

On leaving Kingaroy I camped at Wooroolin Rest Area, which is next to a disused rail and wheat shed, with a large dam just beyond.  Very peaceful, but again, a town much reduced from what it was.  The thought occurred regarding rail - when the trains no longer run, there would be an affect on goods brought in, perhaps increasing isolation by removing a means of transport for locals and other implications suddenly absent and thus decreasing quality of life. 

From there I spent two nights at Kinbombi Falls, a popular spot near a rugged gorge and waterfall.  There are good tracks down into the gorge at a couple of spots and on one trip a wild dog/dingo was seen running off through the scrub.

The next stop, First Settlers Park at Benarkin, again a much reduced town by an abandoned rail line.  Large trucks kept a busy stream into a nearby area and initially I thought it must have been a mine but found out on traveling on the next day that a large undertaking to widen a steep and bendy portion of the highway resulted in the removal of a huge amount of earth.  

My next planned stop was closed so I continued on to Little Yabba Creek, near Kenilworth, arriving Wed 12th October:  My planned stay of 4 nights will actually be 6 nights.  This is my final stop before going to Mooloolaba and thence to Brisbane.  Bevin and Kath were parked nearby, friendly, interesting and a good sense of humour.  Bevin also showed me how to fold the shower tent, a frustrating task if you don't know the 'secret twist of the wrist'.  They had a gas bottle stove, not nearly as complex as the Boulder Creek chap but serves their purposes well:  Another nearby camper had his version, which he used mainly as a firepot and we sat around it one evening discussing this life on the road. 

My stay here is planned to test the sufficiency or otherwise of the electricity storage & replenishment to determine how long I can free camp away from 240V.  In short, it appears to do well, depending on sunlight of course.  We've had overcast times as well as a few thundershowers but the sun was out enough to keep things up:  The weather forecasting has been unreliable, as today is a prime example where a fine day was forecast and it is raining.  A pleasing result, as a lot of thought went into two 105AH batteries, a 100W solar panel, a few bits of wire & a few Anderson plugs, but as I stated earlier, the learning curve is high and the critical factors need to be known (I have a great fear of what I do not know, especially when about to shell out a few hundred for a single battery/solar panel/regulator) as mistakes can be very expensive.

I needed to run into Kenilworth for supplies, a hassle as things need securing for the run and then set up for camping on return:  A hassle I knew I'd face at some stage but 'traded off' when deciding to purchase this type of camping unit.  The main worry is security of things left, as well as having the campsite taken over, rather slim odds, but one is known to be a bit paranoid.

While here I also tested the shower tent and solar water heater and am reassured with the result.  A recently purchased small kettle BBQ was also tested.  The first lot of charcoal proved a disaster (I think it had sand mixed with it to 'bulk' it up and wouldn't burn well), another lot has proven successful.  Like anything new it needs a bit of trial and error to get decent results.

Today is Monday and I will catch up on my notes etc. so I can head to an area where there is phone coverage and manage my email, blog and whatever else turns up.  Hopefully it will be dry, as I will pack up my awning & toilet tent in preparation for an early getaway tomorrow morn, 18th Oct.

Thus draws a close to my introduction to Grey Nomadism, as I will stay in Brisbane until the dash back to Tasmania.  It has been a good project, challenge and experience.  This is a large and diverse country with so much to see and learn.  A lucky market 'find' was the book "Heroes of the Outback", a compilation of three books - biographies I believe -  by Ion Idriess.  After reading it, I am more determined to continue my plans to travel around and through Australia.