22/10/2014 - 23/10/2014
(View from Tinnanbar, Wide Bay Great Sandy Straits)
We have come to Tinnanbar for the sole purpose of dropping
some gear off at a friend's place who are away sailing at this present time.
They have a holiday house on the waterfront and a caretaker looks after it for
them. They own a double block so we are camped on the vacant block next to
their house.
(Beach at Tinnanbar)
Tinnanbar is a very pretty place overlooking Wide Bay
between the mainland and Fraser Island on a sunny day the water is so blue, the
unfortunate part is that you have to use the Bushman's spray as the sandflies
are rife.
We are staying for a couple of days then we will continue
slowly making our way back to Brisbane via The
Matilda Rest Area.
Matilda's Rest Area - 23/10/2014
We left Tinnanbar and
headed to Tin Can Bay via Maryborough as we had to go to the shops before
heading out on the highway to the Matilda Rest Area. Maryborough is a place of
history it has some wonderful old buildings after shopping we went for coffee
at the Muddy Waters Cafe, it used to be located on the docks by the marina but
since the 2013 floods they moved, after their fifth flood the owner had enough
and also driven by higher insurance premiums. After coffee we walked around
looking at some of the great buildings. The only thing that is left down at the
marina is a public laundry, the marina office and the marina berths. The marina
is up for sale. There is also powered sites for RV's down alongside the marina.
After our look around we headed for Tin Can Bay then onward to Matilda's.
(Marina)
(Flood height, 2013 is just under the top fence rail, this level we stand on is where the Muddy Waters Cafe is located)
(Some of the historic buildings)
(Maryborough Birth place of Mary Poppins)
Matilda's is a large complex that consists of a Puma Fuel
station which used to be Matilda Fuels, hence the large kangaroo with the
Matilda Fuels sign, it also has a large food hall, coffee shop, general/newsagents
7 Shop, information centre, showers and toilets, to use the showers you pay the
person in the general and newsagents 7 Shop. It is a truck stop and tourist bus
stop. Going passed the fuel station on the highway side is a dirt track that goes
into the rest area where we can stay overnight free of any charges. I noticed
as we entered there was a sign stating a limit of 48 hours stay, this sign was
put up by management the day before we arrived due to a person that has over
stayed his welcome. There is a man in his 30's/40's that has a caravan on the
water's edge, set up with generator, satellite dish and his motorbike, no
towing vehicle for the caravan. He has been there for a month obviously living
there rent free. The management has had to put an official sign up stating
period of stay as they cannot ask him to move without some sort of official
warning. Most people stay a few days at the most but this person is stuffing it
up for everyone else.
(Our campsite at Matilda's)
(Some of the camp area)
(The permanent camper)
(The bird island)
(Tree full of birds)
(Sunset at the lake at Matilda's)
The rest area is beautiful with the lake waterways around
the park area and many types of bird life around. There is a small amount of
highway noise but not bad.
We decided to have dinner at the food hall we was told that
the mixed grill is good at a cost of $19. Well I can say it is very good but
you really need to be hungry or a big eater the meal was huge.
We had a good night sleep before moving on the next day.
Cooroy - Lake Macdonald via Tewantin and Tinbeerwah Lookout 24/10/2014
We did not rush to get away as we are not going far. As we
headed towards Lake Macdonald we decided to go passed the turn off and go into
Tewantin for a look around and morning coffee which also ended up being a bit
of retail therapy for Nancy. We walked around the waterfront, yes it is hard to
leave the water, we have always loved the water.
(Tewantin Marina)
(Tried a dozen only eight worked)
(Parkyn's Hut, miners hut transported from the Gympie Goldmines in 1922, now the information centre)
The marina area looks a lot flasher than I remember, it
appears to have more restaurants and new deck areas. We have never sailed into
the Noosa area the bar crossing is a little delicate and needs good local
knowledge many have been caught out trying to cross this bar.
We found a quiet coffee shop and had morning tea, coffee and
muffin.
After leaving we headed towards Lake Macdonald but first we
headed up to Tinbeerwah Lookout. Getting there is via a narrow climbing road
with some unsealed surface but in good condition, there is a small car park
near the top and then there is a paved walkway to the top of the hill. The
lookout gives great 360⁰ views of the Noosa areas.
(Lookout platform)
(This place is used for abseiling)
(Long way down)
(Noosa from lookout)
(Lake Macdonald from the lookout)
(Views from the lookout)
After the lookout we headed for Lake Macdonald and Camp
Cooroora, this is a scout camp and has six powered sites that are located on a
centre pole and there is lots of space for many unpowered sites. Showers and
toilets are old but clean, there is a camp kitchen and a few fire places for
camp fires.
The caretakers a husband and wife team are very helpful. It
always amazes me that when one reads the comments on Wikicamps about places
there is often some negative complaint. There was one about this place that
said the management were unfriendly etc. Well they were wrong, they are a very
nice couple and very friendly. I think in most cases people reap what they sew,
if you approach people with an arrogant or demanding attitude you are going to
find that the people are not friendly. If you are polite and friendly you
usually get the same back, I know that there can be exceptions.
This camp has a few walks around it some of the Noosa tracks
are nearby. There is a short walk to the dam and around the lake. There are
many kayak fisherman around the lake each day and there are a lot of people
that train in rowing.
(Good Aussie gate)
(Cooroora Scout Camp and camping ground at Lake Macdonald)
(Lake Macdonald from one of the walks)
(Sunset)
(This kookuburra tries to steal meet off the BBQ or your plate and is very good at it, he sat here whist I cooked outside and gave up when I put a lid on the meat but stole a sausage off a plate next door)
(Forest walks)
(Lake Macdold's Dam)
(Fishing platform just near the Dam wall)
(Noticed this on the walk, yep he fixed it)
We met a few people at this camp site and actually met one
of our good sailing friends brother and sister-in-law, it is a small world.
We had a three night stop-over here and it was very
pleasant, having sundowners or as they call it happy hour at camp sites, with
our neighbours and sat around chatting at the campfire with a large bunch that
were there to celebrate a mates 70th. We had an enjoyable time.
Cheers
