After making it to Cairns there was nowhere to go but down. We tried to stop in different places on the way back, with a few exceptions.
Our first stop was Mission Beach. Super pretty little beach with not much to do except to take photos of palm trees and stop off at the pub.
She still seems bored by all the palm trees…
…and the beautiful views of Hinchenbrook Island.
Then it was back to Townsville, but this time it was much more of a social stop. We were staying with friends and visiting others. And in between we did some sightseeing.
We visited Magnetic Island, just off the coast of Townsville. I had been 20+ years ago, but couldn’t remember much, so it was just like seeing it for the first time!
After all our social engagements in Townsville, we headed south again to Airlie Beach. We were up early enough (thanks Isabella) to enjoy time at the lagoon without all the (hungover) backpackers.
It was after Airlie that we hit a snag. We arrived in Mackay, unhooked the caravan and headed into town. Elmar was driving and noticed the brakes weren’t working well. In town we stopped and parked. It was then that all the brake fluid leaked out in front of us. Shit.
Looking like homeless people we watched our trusty steed be towed away…on a long weekend. We spent a long 2 days waiting for it to be fixed so we could be on the road again. Once it was fixed, we finally go to see a little of Mackay.
The final days were spent in Rockhampton and Gladstone. It had been ages since I was in the Beef Capital of Australia, and I was shocked at how much had changed. There has been massive redevelopment along the river, including playgrounds and communal areas.
After Rockhampton Isabella insisted we check out the new water park at East Shores in Gladstone. This seemed to be one of her favourite so far.
And then it was over. We had a final night with our friends in Gladstone before we headed back to Hervey Bay, where the Great Caravan Adventures concluded.
The minute we had unpacked and cleaned the van, we pulled out the maps to plan our next trip. Yes, we had enjoyed it THAT much.
