Leaving Chandler

Trip Start Mar 06, 2009

Trip End Ongoing

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Flag of Australia Brisbane, Australia
Friday, March 6, 2009

Friday, 6 March at 2 pm I finished my last working hour and joined Jo who had temporarily retired one week earlier.

Leaving Chandler

We have been preparing the motorhome for our trip for the last seven months, so all I had to do was jump in the driver's seat and take off.

We have been staying at Bushy's place at Chandler for the last three weeks, an ideal setting for our motorhome with all conveniences except toilets. So with black tank half full, we headed to our first destination, Toogoolawah. Toogoolawah was the venue for the Brisbane Sunshine Wanderers CMCA Chapter - our destination which we had pencilled in months ago.

We were welcomed by the members of the chapter and entertained by the Skydivers at Toogoolawah airstrip. A relaxing weekend with Steve and Carol in their mini fifth- wheeler. A perfect start to our journey.

On the Monday, we parted ways with Steve and Carol and ventured to my sister's place, only a few miles down the road at Lowood. We were running away from the eye of the cyclone travelling down the Queensland Coast. Which by media reports, was going to dump hundreds of mls of rain on top of us. But it didn't eventuate.

Back to Brisbane to finish up some business and to see The Strangler's live at the Tivoli Theatre on Wednesday, 11 March, a concert that we just couldn't miss.

Final preparations Thursday and another departure on Friday, 13 March from Chandler. Our destination this time was Gatton showgrounds to rendezvous with a dump point as our black water tank only lasts two weeks, then on to Heiffer Creek, a quiet overnighter on the Ma Ma Creek Road on the way to Clifton. Up early to do a few chores which we should have done before we left, i.e. checking tyre pressures, oil and water. All were absolutely okay.

Heiffer Creek, Ma Ma Creek Road

We spent the weekend, Saturday and Sunday at Bange's airstrip, Clifton. A normal run of the mill fly in, but with an added bonus, a flight in Peter Pretorius' Whitman Tailwind. A performance aircraft. I was delighted to do a down wind fly past at 135 knots, climbing to 2200ft and in fact pulling some G. Every weight watchers nightmare doubling your weight in seconds. (By the way, in comparison, my trike flew at 45-50 knots, so those of you who had the pleasure of flying in the trike will know how fast the fly past was.)

From Clifton we headed to Tooloom Falls via a mountain goat track over the hills through Tooloom National Park. The road was barely wide enough for the motorhome as we winded and climbed through the mountain range at 40 km/hour. Our reward for this arduous journey was a pleasant stay at a mini Niagara Falls.

Tooloom Falls

As we arrived, a testosterone bunch of trail bikers were leaving and we just moved into their camp spot. Eventually having the place to ourselves. We should have stayed longer but headed off at midday towards Casino RV Village. A place where we intend to stay for a couple of weeks to chill out and reorganise our motorhome. Casino RV Village is a fabulous place with all facilities, heated swimming pool, library, cinema and all the facilities you can think of.