A DAM NICE HOLIDAY.
Camping at Glen Lyon Dam.
Another short holiday for me, this time my journey takes me South West of Mooloolaba to within a kilometre of the N.S.W. border.
I left home on a brilliant sunny morning , motoring south to Landsborough which is just passed the Ettamogah pub, then travelled west through some very lovely native forests , cattle ranches and surprisingly … horse studs set among lush pastures. Passed through towns with strange names like Black Butt and More, a sign approaching More read … “ Eat More pies and crab sandwiches”
It took just over two hours travel to Yarraman where I met up with my sister Nancy and brother-in-law John who had came south from Bundaberg, we timed it to about five minutes which was a good guess. After a stop for refreshments we were on the road again , John towing the boat with his four wheel drive and me with my Magna V6, we took the New England highway south through more cattle country, the first small town was called Crows Nest, obviously a cattle town, then on to Toowoomba, the third largest city in Queensland which seems to survive the hinterland area on cattle, crops of wheat and sorgham ( which is the base for cooking oils) grow in abundance. Still heading south we followed market gardening and fruit orchards to Warwick, quite lush where irrigation can be used. Stanthorpe was the next town where we turned further west into the Sundown National Park and finally Glen Lyon Dam where we planed to camp there and catch the big fish. The Mole river is just a kilometre south and is the border to N. S.W..
The park is situated for views of the dam and there were quite a number of fishermen there with an assortment of caravans, campers and trailer tents along with tents. The Dam’s water level was very low but still able to send out some water for irrigation, it is fed by many catchments and mountain streams. The weather was very hot and dry, no humidity, just as well we had a large flowering gum tree to gather some shade for our tents.. The bird and animal life was plentiful, Kangaroos at dusk looking out for morsels to eat, Apostle birds did their rounds in groups keeping an eye out for food, they were very tame and would eat out of your hand, even the crested pigeons which are usually timid would come right close.The pale gold blossom of the gum trees attracted rainbow Lorikeets and other honey eating birds. Crows were very bossy and noisy in the mornings. Kookaburras were the first noise one heard at daybreak which was about 4.15 am.
The next three days the weather was hot with little breeze, John’s outboard motor on his boat refused to start so fishing was out till friends from Yamba arrived , our friend Alan Adams has a marine business and soon found the problem. The water was warm and ideal for swimming. The Dam is stocked with Golden Perch and Murray Cod, lots of tortoise’s and Goanna which grow quite large.
We took a 60 klm. drive to Tenterfield for fresh stores, it is in N.S.W. so that means there it has daylight saving which Queensland doesn’t, we could have had two lots of five o’clock refreshments…. The town has very attractive tree lined streets and most of the usual shops that make up a town, I had visited friends from New Zealand here about ten years ago, then it was winter and very cold. That night back at the camping ground brewed up to a violent electrical storm which brought very strong winds but little rain, this carried on for most of the night , time to batten down the tents . the locals said this was common in late spring. The next three days the nightly storms continued and winds, not a good time for the rest of the group from Yamba to arrive, this proved almost immediate as the big top of their mess tent collapsed scattering all their camping gear including a bread maker . The mornings were quite warm and calm , Nancy and John tried fishing again but I think all John caught was a tortoise. Another storm brought heavy rain and my little tent took in some water, next day was a big dry out time.
Again we were getting short of stores so we took a trip to a little town called Texas, about 60 klms. from the dam, one of my first things to ask a local was how the town got it’s name, here is the answer…. The McDougall Bros originally settled on the land where Texas Station is now situated about 1840. the property was abandoned in the 1850’s while the brothers tried their luck on the gold fields. When they returned they found their land had been taken by another settler and it was some time before they were able to establish their prior claim. About this time the republic of Texas was at war with Mexico, fighting for their land, so the McDougalls called their property Texas Station as they had a similar dispute… Good story !!!
The stormy weather seem to keep the fish in hiding as a catch was very rare, next was a predicted hailstorm so everyone was rushing around trying to find shelter under trees for their vehicles as some of the hail can do lots of damage to paintwork, even dents them, somehow it passed us by. My sore hip has stopped me from going fishing, just couldn’t get in the boat, hopefully I won’t have much longer to wait for a hip replacement operation. The rain stopped but there was a continuous wind , this is frustrating in tents and fishing is out.
John was having problems with his hip so we decided to break camp a day early, the last night we all celebrated John and Nancy’s birthdays , a team effort dished up a perfectly cooked roast dinner, lamb, beef and pork with all the vegetables all cooked in Webber barby’s, Green peas and gravy, and of course a few bottles of nice wines.
Packing up went along smoothly and we were soon on our way, John heading back north to Bundaberg, not without hassles, two new tyres were required , Nancy and I turned east at Warwick and headed for Surfers Paradise where we were to do some family visiting for Christmas.We stayed at Nancy’s daughter Carol’s place in Southport, Carol’s daughter Lisa was dancing in their “ end of year” show at the Town hall, it was a great show with dancers aged from 5 years to teens, plus a group of seniors putting all their energy into a tap and dance routine that got lots of applaus. Another surprise was Nancy’s other daughter was there, Linda and her friend have bought a house near Coolam, about half an hour north of my place, a big change from Melbourne, we visited more cousins and friends around the Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast was alive with university and high school students celebrating the end of year and I was pleased when it was time to head back to Mooloolaba where there is a much slower pace.
Nancy stayed with me for the night , we had a lovely seafood meal at the local Surf Club and had time to visit Linda’s home and see some real estate agents.Nancy and John are thinking about moving further south to be closer to family. Next morning I drove Nancy halfway home and John drove south to collect her.
It was a nice break but a bit unfortunate with the weather and the frustration of waiting for hours for the elusive fish to bite.
Till my next venture.
Cheers.
JIMBO
I have quite a busy time ahead, maybe a trip to Longridge in the hinterland in December, to use up my free rail passes us seniors get, they run out on your birthday and we are issued with new ones. Then it is Bundaberg for Christmas with John and Nancy, then Rosenne , my foster daughter will be here in the new year, next my friend Keith from England will be here for a visit, hopefully Nancy and I will return to New Zealand near the end of March for the 100th year school reunion in Te Aroha plus a little time to visit the few rellies that are left there and most of my many friends in Hamilton. I would like to take another trip to Europe in July to visit my friends in Germany and do a bus tour of France but I am waiting for a hip replacement operation and it could be about this time I will be called in to have it, after the op there will be no holding me back….
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