Kingaroy, Wondai and Murgon.

Below is Kingaroy, the peanut capital of Australia and where Nelson’s Pic Picot gets his raw material.

The weather during the day is in the low 20deg, but now we also start getting frosts overnight! 

 The information center in Kingaroy had a lovely little museum mostly dedicated to the Peanut growing history of the area.

Christine’s nephew Nick who lives in Brisbane very kindly lent me a bike and a unicycle.

We stored the bike in the luton area above the cab. Now its time to do some riding.

They have a rail trail from Kingaroy in the south to Gomeri in the North, a total of 88klms completed last year, totally sealed and nearly flat all the way.

Very easy cycling, I did about 35klms while Christine drove the Mercedes to meet me further North.

In 3 hours of cycling I met only 4 fellow cyclists.

 What a brilliant idea (below) safety wise...shame about the non existent cell phone signal!

This is Wondai, another one of these sweet little country towns. A nice Art Gallery, three pubs and a few cafes.

In most small towns, the go to supermarket is IGA, fresh corn on the cob is still available at this time in Oz (late May)

 Wondai had a great little timber museum,  and a Woodworkers Club. The local council has provide free of charge and very near town a great little park up complete with clean toilets and hot showers.  Well done Wondai!
 So the next morning I paid the Woodworkers club a visit. Three women and one bloke were in attendance that day.

They are doing poker work and scroll saw work while the bloke was woodturning. I got home to take a photo of me and the girls, this was quite a challenge for him, possibly his first smart phone photo (I reckon). 

Quite a few tourists do call in and they sell quite a few pieces.

 I had a nice chat with Gwen, she loved her poker work, drawing in pencil on Jackaranda wood then burning into the wood.

Her hands severely effected by Arthritis didn’t stop her one bit!

This is her work (the poker work) ... the little wooden scroll sawed Saxophone was a gift from Maureen when she saw my Sax badge/Pin on my jacket.




We camped in Murgon down by the river (when its flowing, drought conditions at the moment)
Christine will have quite a hats and beanies collection all knitted to take home to NZ for the hospice (add what you want here Darl)

 It’s simple great joy of mine to wander in the sun taking photos of the natural beauty that surrounds me.

 These seeds are beauty personified, style shape and functionality all rolled into one...marvellous!

I believe this is a Blue Wren, somewhat similar in size and character to our Piwkawaka.

The bird life in Australia is very inquisitive and comes very close, 

especially if your having breakfast outside in the sun...

they just hop in and keep hopping in until you start to fear for your breakie being knabbed!






Murgon Men’s Shed, a new building but we arrived Saterday afternoon and would have needed to stay till Wednesday.

I spoke to one of the guys who told me they are repairing an old Cobb and Co stagecoach, so another time another day!





Sunset at Gayndah.

Wow those Pelicans are large...can they fly?

You bet they can!

What’s magestic bird in flight!


The Magpies are very cheeky and come incredibly close!
\

 So we are still heading north the weather is frosty here and  heading up towards some warmer nights!

Till the next Blog

No  Worries Mate!

Jimu & Christine.

Darling Downs Zoo, Toowoomba & Nanago.

We met a couple of sisters who had a caravan and car each, practicing for starting their “the Big Lap”, the colloquial term for a circumnavigation around Australia! Neither of them could back a caravan, so they had to find places where they could drive in and out of. We met them in Allora, and it was they who told us about Darling Downs Zoo.

After seeing Australia Zoo near Beerwah, this was down a peg or two, nevertheless it was still worth going to see. 

I had not seen a Zebra before...but have seen many Zebra Crossings.

Very inquisitive animals are these Emus and quite a peck on them too!

Feathered beautifully....





How could nature be this wild with pattern? 

Love the socks too!





Lurking in the sticks and rocks......

First time seeing Giraffes too!


Being caged for life ain’t much fun.

Christine was right at home with these friendly Equines.

These are White Lions....each we were told have a different personality.

Butter wouldn’t melt in this one’s mouth!

Whereas...This old boy had a grumpy personality, especially when the keeper put her face to the bars.

All the way from Brazil called (I believe) a Tapir.

His crew cut was certainly tapiring off!

Next stop was the Japanese Gardens in Toowoomba.

Much nicer to photograph birds without cages...

only thing is they don’t tell you what they are!


Now we have motored North to Nanago parked in behind the RSL in Pioneer Park

I spot two Pelicans on my morning walk...and are these fellas large..or what!



This is quite a famous bakery...however we had only just finished breakkie, 

So will have to catch them next time round!


Cheers from the “Australia’s Country Way” highway.

No Worries Mate.

Jimu & Christine.

Return to Brisbane and onto Byron Bay, Lismore and Casino

Yes we had to return to Brisbane because my credit card got eaten by an ATM machine in Caboolture.

Here is the incident!

We did return to the same area in 6 days time to pick it up from a local Post office.

We headed up the Ngungun Mountain summit track inland from Bribie Island.

The rows of trees in the foreground are either Macadamia or Avocado trees.

These are the Glass House Mountains.



Now back in Brisbane we park up at Beenleigh south towards Gold Coast. 

The train ride into Central station with 23 stations and stops took 45minutes.

Wi-fi on the trains...nice!

 I returned to the Mac store in Brisbane and happened to see the same Japanese juggler flashing 7 balls like it was easy, 

and it was (for him)

The famed Byron Bay, the start of winter a grey old day and not a wave in sight.

Not allot happening ...parking is an issue for us tourists and motor-homers, so it was a quick tour up to the the lighthouse, drive around the car park and back out and onto somewhere else more friendly.


This at Lismore where we went to the local farmers Market, which just happened to have a State horse dressage event going right next door

I loved the patterns that they brush into the horses’ coats!

Beautiful presentations and a lot of grooming both for horse and rider!

Onward to Casino where we managed to get the last day, and the grand parade of Beef Week.

Where the ranchers and cowboys come to town. The cattle breeds are displayed in Main Street Casino. 

A cattle auction being held in the roundabout ring in the shopping centre.

Love the hats badges and characterful faces of real Aussie cattlemen.



Yup this bull is adorabull.......!

Foot note: I am now completing this blog from Rockhampton where the internet coverage is good.

For the last two weeks travelling inland up the A3 called the “Australia’s Country Way” phone coverage is poor, therefore there was no way to post a Blog!

Hopefully its all go now!

So I can catch up on our travels and post frequently.

Cheers & Caio

Jimu & Christine.