2025 - NSW and QLD

Mon 30 June 25 - Howard  Weather: 14 to 17 Deg and rain all day (27mm)  It rained all night, we woke to rain and it continued raining all day until about 4:00pm. Apart from a short outing this morning for coffee with Bill and Sharon, local friends of Kev and Jo, we spent most of the day sheltered indoors. I managed to get out for a short walk at 4:00pm, before the end of another day came too soon, and two more episodes of Clarkson's Farm provided our evening entertainment.

Sun 29 June 25 - Howard Weather: 13 to 19 Deg, Cloudy and fresh SE wind, and rain from mid afternoon.  With rain forecast for the next few days, Kev and Jo have convinced us to extend our stay, and for as long as we like. This morning, with Kev as chauffeur, we drove into the  Nikenbah  markets  in Hervey Bay  (trash and treasure, fresh produce, baked goods etc) . It was suggested, albeit too late,  that we should be charging $10 for everyone who wanted to say hello and pat Olli - we would have made a small fortune. From here we continued to Hervey Bay for an enjoyable breakfast on the Esplanade, then continued to Maryborough for a walk through the craft markets at the Brolga Theatre. When we returned home, I went for a 24 km ride in light drizzle around the surrounding area, then returned home to cook dinner using fresh produce purchased from the  Nikenbah  markets . A bit of TV after a hearty meal, brought to end another pleasant day. Unfortunat...

Sat 28 June 25 - Howard Weather: 11 to 22 Deg with rain and fresh moderate SE winds in the morning, clearing mid afternoon. For anyone following this trip, it  may seem a bit boring compared to previous trips where we've moved to different destinations  every few days. This trip is focused on longer stopovers, and time with family and friends, and a few new destinations thrown in the mix. For us, it has been very enjoyable and a pleasant change in pace. We didn't plan on staying at Howard for as long as we have, but Kev and Jo say they are happy to have us, and we are enjoying their company and hospitality. W e're also not in a hurry to leave the warmer weather and return to cold Canberra, but w e will start the slow trip home in the next few days.  Light rain fell overnight, and I had planned to join a group of friends for a social Saturday morning bike ride, but I decided to pull the pin as the rain got heavier when I was about to leave to join them in town. Later in th...

Fri 27 June 25 - Howard Weather: 7 to 22 Deg, mostly cloudy with a light SE wind and light showers in the afternoon. Another morning walk with Kev and Jo to start the day, then after breakfast and some washing, Noel and I headed into Hervey Bay to Bunnings to buy some material for a small handy man job in the van, then on to Petland to exchange the harness that we purchased for Olli in Rockhampton. We then met up with Kev and Jo for coffee, and we had intended to stay in the Bay for a look around, but it wasn't nice weather to be out exploring, so we returned to the van for lunch and a quiet afternoon. Kev and I went out in between showers for a late leisurely ride around Burrum Town and returned to a batch of Noel's fresh baked scones for afternoon tea, followed by a delicious Massaman Chicken Curry that Noel also cooked for dinner. It was a relatively quiet day, but we're glad to be having an early night.  It was such a quiet day, the only photos taken were of reflections...

Thu 26 June 25 - Howard (A day in Maryborough) Weather: 6 to 20 Deg, Clear with light winds and sunny An hour long walk at 06:30am with Kev and Jo on a very fresh morning, a great way to start another beautiful day. Back at the van Noel and I had breakfast then I did a bit more admin before we drove into Maryborough for a look around. First stop was a take away coffee and walk through the City Markets coincidentally held every Thursday morning  in Adelaide Street . Not much of interest for us to spend on, but we enjoyed checking out the local handmade crafts, food, spices, and some people dressed in historical period dress. The wonderful old buildings also make a great backdrop. We then continued our walk through the Gallipoli to Armistice Memorial in Queens Park - an excellent interactive trail telling the story of the Anzacs. We stopped to let Olli have a run around in the sun on the lawn then continued through Queens Park overlooking the Mary River, and on to the old Bond Store....