Mareeba Rodeo Showground Thursday 10th July - Wednesday 16th July

Ute and Van, no power here!

As promised all the photographs from our time at Mareeba Rodeo!!

We arrived on Thursday afternoon and were directed to a large field/paddock with many other Grey Nomads who were already set up. The way we were placed meant that we had 4 immediate neighbours and whilst setting up we all got to know each others names... Robin and Sue (Tassie) Ian and Maureen (Melbourne), Angus and Heather (Melbourne), Keith and Anne (Gosford NSW). 
Richard organised the free coach for the Friday evening to take us all to the local Leagues club for our evening meal. Meals in these establishments are so good and great value for money. We were then transported to the Parade which was the opening of the Rodeo weekend then the coach would transport all of us back to the Rodeo ground. 
The parade was quite something for a small inland town everyone had pulled the boat out and decorated their floats to a very high standard (a little like the Santa Parade in Howick except it was at night time) the streets were lined with hundreds of children trying the catch the free lollies that the participants on the floats were throwing out. Helen caught quite a lot and handed her goodies to a set of twins who were stood next to us! Once back on the coach we had lots of laughs, Richard was on good form!!
We were woken up at 7a.m. on Saturday morning by some unknown person (but we believe it was Ian) we were high up on the stands in the beautiful sunshine at 7:45 a.m.. Bulls were being ridden, Steers were being roped all before 9 a.m. We eventually had our breakfast at 11:10 a.m. and as the day wore on we became more exhausted at walking from the van to the stands. We didn't see our neighbours until we had a little drink for Happy Hour around 5p.m.
Sunday we did virtually the same up and down to watch the finalists of the Bull riding and Steer roping, Wood chopping, Children riding and roping small steers.... We were all Rodeod out by the time the Rodeo finished at 5p.m. Such and amazing experience and recommend you go and see a Rodeo.

Photographs below!!

Maureen waiting for the Parade



Pipers begin the parade















Early Saturday morning all the stalls ready for the crowds



















View from the top of the stands

 

Wood Chopping ready to go

This cowboy couldn't slow his horse down!

Quick thinking, and the gate opened for him

Cowboys!!

Saturday night show

Our little crowd at happy hour

 

 

Bull riding

A naughty bull

Same naughty bull

On Monday morning the Rodeo and fairground people had left an we were transferred to a powered spot. Ian and Maureen wanted us to be next to them but, we were not up early enough to get ourselves hitched up....so we were put on a different row to them. Another few evening together was just lovely until we all parted and went our separate ways.
 

Our powered spot

Whitsundays, Airlie Beach to Mission Beach 26 June - 9 July

Airlie Beach to Mission Beach 26 June - 9 July


Hi everyone, I really have to get on with this and do the write up of the next part, well here goes!

We were actually staying at Sea Breeze Campsite at Cannonvale. Our neighbours were a lovely couple Germaine and Graham from Cowra, NSW but quite near Canberra. We had a few little drinking sessions with them. Graham didn't drink much of the commercial beer as didn't like the taste because he brewed his own! Germaine on the other hand did like a glass of red.
Our spot was quite near the camp kitchen and the camping field. We had a young couple near us who were travelling around busking and doing some "Fire acrobatics and he actually did the fire eating bit" nice kids but needed their hair washing! They gave two performances for a free nights camping.



Belle doing her thing!



Some of the audience

 

Richard and I took the bikes off the back of the caravan and we rode along the beautiful boardwalk to the Market at Airlie Beach. As usual these markets are really good especially for vegetable buying. We found a very nice cafe too. Once back at the campsite we decided to book ourselves onto a trip out to Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays.. probably not everyone's cup of tea booking the fast boat “Big Fury” for early Monday morning.

 

Sunday 29 another beautiful morning and Helen thought we should take a tiki tour to Dingo Beach and Hideaway Bay we didn't realise how far it was quite a distance 54km.

Hideaway Bay



Dingo Beach

 

 

The beach was deserted with the local pub close by where a country and western singer entertained us whilst relaxing and reading.


Hideaway Bay was very up market, no shops etc just the most lovely houses.

 

Again back at the campsite we were asked by Germaine and Graham if we would like to go to the local esplanade (over the road from the site) to partake of cheese and wine and watch the sunset... a very pleasant evening.

 



An area of the esplanade Airlie Beach

Shutehaven, other side of Airlie Beach

Monday morning and our trip: The information brochure said we should take something warm and waterproof. We both had rucksacs with fleece and a small waterproof jacket.
We were immediately offered wetsuits for the snorkelling part of the trip! Helen not too keen on wearing a wetsuit but Richard said “best to get one” Our tour guide “Brayden” informed us of all the safety aspects of the boat and said we would be going to the beach first and then snorkelling. The trip to Whitehaven was very fast with the boat travelling at a speed 31 knots and obviously bounces about on the sea which coincided with both of us getting wet!! but all OK as we had our waterproofs.



Look no rain jackets

 


 



Whitehaven Beach

 

Back on the beach and Helen an I donned our wetsuits ready for our next activity. Chris the captain moored the boat for all the passengers (38 people) to climb on board. We headed out to Border Island where we anchored up and Brayden gave us all a safety lecture on our equipment and what we should do if in trouble. He was excellent, he even took the non-swimmers around in the tender dinghy. Richard jumped in first and I followed it was chilly even with the wetsuits on!!


Wet suit ON

 



On the way to Border Island for the activity

Hope you all like our pictures especially the ones donning the wetsuits!!





 

Helen snorkelling













The next few days were spent riding our bicycles and generally looking at the scenery and chilling out. We did manage to get our hair cut and sort out a new pair of prescription sunglasses for Helen, they will be waiting for us at Specsavers in Smithfield which is a northern superb of Cairns.

We left Airlie Beach at 9:10 and arrived at our overnight stop at Home Hill showground at 11:15 for $10 a night it was very good.

Holme Hill $10 night

Our next Caravan Park could be anywhere, we tried a number of free camps but no room at the Inn. All the free camps were full of what looked like permanents!! We managed to find a overnight stop at lovely caravan park outside the town of Ingham. It was a superb drive through site. The next morning we decided to book a 4 night stay and chose Mission Beach. Upon arrival we were spoken to quite abruptly by the owner but, was put on a great spot by the father of the owner who literally made up for his sons ignorance, a lovely man of 82 years.  He guided Richard on to our large spot with fantastic accuracy!



Our spot! Hideaway Resort, Mission Beach
 It was like the Ford Ranger club all around us
Fords, Fords, Fords ha ha

The beach was nice and the local pub had great food and drinks at $5 for a beer and wine, so we decided to spend the evening there to watch the final State of Origin game. We had a great night and met some amazing people again. A woman called Tricia owned a Banana farm about 5km away, she told us about the 2 cyclones that the area has had within 5 years of each other. It was a very quiet place with nothing happening, our son Jonathan texted and told us it was the most boring place he had been to whilst on his travels!

That told us!! Next installment will be the RODEO photos yippeee!!!