Blackwater to Wonga

During our stay in Blackwater Jeremy was able to arrange and we were privileged to have a guided tour by Jeremy through the Yarrabee open cast mine site where he works...

This is but one mine of the six or so that surround Blackwater.

The scale of the operation is huge!...

This is the digger Jeremy currently operates...

The mines operate 24/7

A Coal Seam

Another digger....That's Rachel standing next to the tracks of the wheel! (sorry don't know the technical lingo!)

We had to wear safety glasses and a helmet together with the safety vests at all times when out of the vehicle that we toured the mine site in...

Thank You Jeremy for another amazing experience to enrich the magic of this journey :)

Left Blackwater with the intention of taking our time and slowly make our way north.

Inland was very uncomfortable due to temperatures in the late thirties..even with the air conditioning going through the day....the tar on some of the roads was melting!!!

So we changed our plans and headed toward the coast.

At one stage we got 'stuck' behind a very wide load...it took up the whole two lanes so there was no opportunity to pass.This is the load just clearing a bridge as it travelled...

Mind you it was a road sign-posted as a wide load route...so I guess we should've expected it!

Picked beautiful fresh Frangipanis for the dash...the fragrance in the car heavenly!

Coming over the Cardwell ranges we already had the feeling of being 'home'..The humidity increases and the vegetation changes subtly from sub tropical to tropical rainforest..

Cardwell Range Lookout.

Arrived in Wonga from whence the journey on this blog began...Our dear friend Robyn kindly invited us to camp on her property, which we accepted gratefully...

Camp at Robyn's Roost!

Less than a week after we left Blackwater, the town was hit by a major storm.

News reports stated hailstones the size of cricket balls!

The room where we stayed in the house where Rachel and Jeremy live, flooded, windows were broken through horizontal hailstones, the huge Poinseana tree in the front yard split, their flourishing vegetable garden flattened and they lost power for a couple of days...Rachel said they had only minor damage compared to others in the town...

Then a few days later...the Weir collapsed and six people who were below it were missing for awhile...some were found but tragically, several died.We stood on that Weir wall when we stopped for a break after leaving Blackwater a week previous!

The time spent camping at Robyn's gave us the opportunity to consider our options...

We had extricated ourselves from society...we roamed...now it's time to integrate again...

But it is by no means the end of the journey...it's just another chapter in the book of the journey...

Almost as a sort of compromise we have bought a caravan...So basically we are still 'camping'!

We are now residing in a lovely Van Park at Wonga Beach....We have an 'Ocean Views'..the beach being just 10 metres away from our site...

Our caravan as seen from the water!

The people who share this camp are beautiful ...they love life and laugh lots...

Hans has already been taken fishing by the boys in one of their boats...

They have Happy hour each night in the Happy Shack!

We've started a garden in containers...we have seedlings planted which are already sprouting...tomatoes, capsicums, petunia's, marigolds...

Once properly settled we will have time to process the 5000+ photos we've taken along the way..

This is a beautiful and richly diverse land...and we have had a wonderful time photographing it.

Hans intends, when he has more than a moment to spare, to revamp our website http://www.c3d.net.au/ and you will be able to view some of our 'best of photos' there.

Meanwhile you may to check it out anyway and add it to your favourites!

Suzy our Suzuki has done us proud...Over 30,000kms we have done together on this trip and through some very rugged terrain at times!..She is sporting a few 'battle scars' but that just adds to her character..

Newsflash!...Joanne and Brian Bell, whom we stayed with in Geraldton, yesterday became 1st time grandparents!...Their son Chris and partner Jess had a baby boy Harley James...

Congratulations to all!

At this stage I would like to take the opportunity to again thank all those who opened their hearts and homes to us as we journeyed...Your love and generosity enriched our lives.

Kathy and children Mikka and Lee...Marshmellows on the Marsh..Yum!

Joanne and Brian, Rhiannon and Dayna..Frosty evenings on the patio to 'enjoy' that quick smoke, then racing inside to sit by the roaring fire!! Taking us to our 1st rugby league game!

Tanya and Vaughnan.... Cheers guys! Still reckon you brew the best beer!

Claire, Elle, Hannah and Jack...Reminiscing over a wine or 4 (ssssh) and solving the worlds 'problems'...

Hans's parents Bert and Bertha...Dancing round the kitchen table and gezellige coffee in the dutch shop!

Martin and Sandy,Joel and Kady...Dodging Hailstones and sparking guitars!

Ben, Toni and Ron...Wedding Bell plans, Love and laughter!

John the Baptist...Motor bikes and camping in the big shed!

My parents...nightly walks with my mum and untold games of scrabble!

Jodi and Noel...Disgusting oysters! (my opinion still) and many laughs!

Rachel and Jeremy...Welcome to my family Jeremy...the scrabble game competition aint over yet!

Robyn...fish and chips at Newell Beach the day before we left and the day after we returned. Thank you for collecting and forwarding our mail :) x

These are but a few treasured moments I connect with you all...THANK YOU ALL

We went out in search of the Spirit of the Place...We found it everywhere...The people, the land, the forests, the sea, the animals... Its alive and kicking...Look around You

:) :) :)