Coffs to 'The Goldie'

From Coffs we went inland again and took a 4wd track through the beautiful Richmond Range National Park....Staghorns grow in huge numbers here...on one tree we counted 11!

This took us through to Kyogle for the night.

Next day we took the tourist drive through the Border Ranges National Park...and then a 4wd track through to Queen Mary Falls just east of Warwick.This route crosses the border twice! Strange... one minute we were in NSW and crossing into Qld,then an hour or so later we were back in NSW and again later crossed back into QLD!

Queen Mary Falls.

It was amazingly apparent that there was almost an 'instant' change in the scenery, just over the border...going from lush green pastures, to farms and surrounding countryside looking decidedly drier and almost parched! Female Satin BowerBird
After boiling the billy and having a bit of lunch at Queen Mary Falls we took yet another 4wd track as we wove our way north...This track zig zagged across the Condamine River, so I had great fun 4wdriving through 14 river crossings en route!

A bit of 'red' in the green surroundings!

QUEENSLAND...

A bearded lizard sunning himself on the road!

Coming into Boonah...Jacaranda's are in flower...

And back to the Gold Coast "my old home town"...

Here Hans and I separated...I went and stayed a few days with my parents and he caught up with his mate affectionately named 'John the Baptist'

My Mum and Dad trying out the exercise machines on our walk at Paradise Point!!

Hans's bed and Suzy's park for that time was in a huge new shed!!!

'John the Baptist' and his twin brother Lindsay Donnai are motorbike enthusiasts...in fact they are both motorcycle mechanics and earn their livelihood through servicing and fixing motorbikes...

Hans went with them to a motorbike 'meet' in Warwick...Did you know, they have electric blankets for their tyres with thermometers that warm the tyres before they race!!!!..Check the picture below!

Then it was on to stay at my son Ben and his fiance Toni's house in Helensvale....Date of wedding 21st March 2009!..

Ben is currently employed working on the construction of the Brisbane tunnel and Toni is a assistant accounts manager.

The happy couple!

So Ben has had a few days off during our stay...Great opportunity to take the boat out!

Had a fantastic day 'cruising'...out to the jumping pins,South Strabroke Island...popped into Paradise Point and picked up a bit of sustenance,did a bit of long line trawling from the back of the boat...we caught something Big alright...a bloody speedboat!...He crossed one of the lines and took off with it!....the fishing line was spinning flat out...would've lost the rod if we had'nt quickly cut the line...so that was a bit of excitment!

Went out to the Southport seaway and cruised around the Broadwater...

Fishing was a bit of a lost cause out there...

Even tried a bit of reverse psycology...Thought if we bought the chips then we'd have to catch a fish to go with it!...but alas the only fish we saw that day was the bait...

Then Fishing Fatigue set in.....

Caught up with my dear friend Chris and a had alot of laughs!!!

And so the fun continues.... :) :) :)