Back into Queensland

22/08/2012
 Every so often when things are going along nicely, something comes along and bites you in the bum! Our all-singing all dancing wi-fi gizmo has died. Without it we have hardly any communications as the internet signal on van sites is no better than it was 3 years ago, useless. The upshot is we have to go back to the nearest big town where there is a Telstra shop, that being Ballina. The tech guy in the shop said he would have to send it away and we could call back in two weeks to pick it up. In two weeks we will be over 1000K’s away. “Would it be possible to send it on to a PO  Box somewhere?” we asked.  “No, you have to pick it up here” “Bollocks” said I!  So, we now have a new one at a cost of $100 and a broken one which is still under guarantee. Buying a new one was our only option really.
  That behind us we have travelled inland and over the Great Dividing Range once more. We wanted to have a look at the unusually named town of Casino, thinking, with a name like that it must have some interesting history behind it, but it hasn’t. There is some connection to the Italian town of Monte Cassino but the link is so tenuous we couldn’t find out what it was.
  So through Casino and over the range into cattle country and more fabulous countryside. We have parked up in a tiny village called Bonaldo, where we collected the key to the amenities from the Old Bakery and have the place to ourselves. There is only room for about 6 vans anyway so we are in for a quiet night.

 23/08/2012
 That was a first, even when we are free camping by the side of the road, someone else usually turns up. Last night at Bonalbo there was just us and the birds.
 Travelling on we have come through the most spectacular scenery, diverting first off road for a short way to look at Bean Creek Falls. We reckon not many people visit here judging by the overgrown state of the track. We surprised a half dog half fox like dingo here, obviously not used to visitors.
  On up into the dividing range through tiny townships with strange names. We passed through Knockembandy (pop 2), Old Bonalbo where you are invited to bend your elbow at the pub and Woodenbong.
  The forestry in the hills is very different as it is mainly gum trees that are extremely tall and as straight as telegraph poles. By this time the battery in our camera had given up so we were looking at all this unable to take any snaps. We got it charged up enough to take a couple of photos of the monumental Mt Lindsay, a huge slab of rock on the border of N S W and Queensland.
  So, here we are just an hours drive south of Brisbane, still out in the sticks, on the showground at Boonah.  And  do you know?    we think the temperature is much higher now we are back in The sunshine state of Queensland!.

 24/08/2012
  After yesterdays drive through the magnificent scenery of the dividing range, we are now in a caravan park just a few K’s from the centre of Brisbane city. We are here to meet up with Marion Grover, an old friend who we have visited before and who has stayed with us at Newbold. We are having lunch with her tomorrow at her house not far from here.
  Driving here was a bit of a novelty to say the least as we generally steer clear of big towns and cities, but today we were on 3 different motorways heading towards the city centre. I Think I managed to negotiate the journey without upsetting too many locals. They will have to get used to me as we may be here for some time.

 25/08/2012
  We have had a lovely day with Marion on the deck of her house. We BBQ ed, dealt with a few schooners and made a cunning plan!
 We are going away from Brisbane for a week then returning here next Sunday to take Marion to the airport. She is jetting off to the UK for a month and we are going to housesit for her for some of the time.
 It will be good for us as we have not really seen much of Brizzy before. Now we will have a base and be able to use public transport into the city, not having to worry about driving and the high cost of parking.  Also this caravan park is ridiculously expensive because of it’s situation, and, it feels like a transit camp.
 Not sure where we will go for this coming week, probably back over the border into the north of NSW.