DAY 2
After a good night's sleep and a satisfying breakfast, I was on the road again for the trip north between 8 and 8.30 am. Turning onto the Pacific Highway from Park Road, where the motel is, I passed the Big Banana on my left and the Opal Centre next to it (which I am planning to visit on the way home) and headed off towards the next town, Woolgoolga, which has a very large Indian population living there and a large Hindu Temple visible from quite a distance away. From here, the road wends its way through many plantations of bananas with the fruit covered in bags to protect it from the flying foxes which abound wherever there is a good feed to be had.
The next major centre on the map is the City of Grafton which is famous as the City of the Jacarandas, a beautiful tree which in Spring is covered with lovely blue/purple flowers - and I do mean covered ! When the blooms begin to drop their petals on the ground it is a sight that could never be forgotten.
Around Grafton, travellers catch their first glimpse of field after field of sugar canes which grow not just in fields but along the sides of the road, too. Some all straggly and looking as though a good puff of wind would blow them over and some standing straight and tall and obviously well looked after by the sugar cane farmers. This has been a major crop in Australia for many years but these days, the sugar refineries are closing down and the land the cane was grown on is being sold for other purposes. The sugar cane industry used to stretch from Grafton in the south right up to Cairns in the far north of Queensland but now it is being reduced to just patches here and there. Not only does sugar come from the cane but also the fibre from the plant has been used as fuel to provide steam and electricity at the refineries and is now being sold as mulch for the gardens.
The Highway along the next stretch of land is being upgraded to a dual carriageway so instead of going through towns with delightful names such as Mullumbimby and Kyogle, these have been reduced to names on the signposts which is a pity in spite of the fact that it is quicker to drive along these new roads. I remember the first time I drove up here, one overhead sign read "Your speed is about to be checked" while the next one a few kilometres further on said "Your speed has been checked". Fortunately my speed complied with the rules.
The next city is Ballina and here another stop is made for a little rest and recuperation at a place called The Big Prawn ! ....and it is a big one, too.
Once again there are the usual tourist shops, takeaways and restaurants but after a short break I am on my way again and heading towards the Queensland border when another crop is making its appearance with Macadamia Nut Trees bordering the Highway and suddenly the unexpected sight of a knight in shining armour outside a mediaeval castle which makes you wonder whether you are seeing things ! Unfortunately, it is yet another tourist trap with lots of souvenirs and restaurants.
North of Ballina the Highway climbs the side of a hill and at the top as it curves around to head downwards again, there is the most wonderful view of the mountains sloping down to a wide basin of land with a view of the Tasman Sea and the islands just off the coast. I took a series of photos the last time I was up there and tried to join them together to form a panorama but I should have used my tripod to steady the camera and to keep the photos in line. Next time !
After a long, wide stretch of highway, a sign appears informing you that you have now entered the State of Queensland and the towering buildings of Coolangatta and the Gold Coast can be seen away to your right. The traffic is now a lot thicker and unless you pay close attention, the turn off for the major highway to Brisbane is upon you before you realise it. This next section would be one of the widest and fastest parts of the long journey north with sections of it anything from 6 to 12 lanes wide. This leads from the Gold Coast to Brisbane and crosses over the Brisbane River on the Gateway Bridge which can be seen soaring over the river but because of the traffic and the need to stay alert I haven't yet been able to photograph it - one of these days........
By now, I am on the home straight to Yandina, where my friend lives, travelling along the Bruce Highway and gradually the traffic thins out as the turnoffs appear for such places as Redcliffe, Caboolture, Bribie Island and a magnificent sight appears in the distance, the Glasshouse Mountains.
These mountains are actually the cores of old volcanoes millions of years old with the majority of the vegetation eroded from them. The aborigines have many delightful legends about them which can be read at - http://www.users.on.net/~matt.davey/mattdavey/
?gclid=CP-s49ntw4kCFRNlYQod-guiNw
There are fields of pineapples along the roads now and just before reaching the turnoff for Yandina a strange building can be seen to the left of the Highway. It is called the Ettamogah Pub after the name of a pub in a cartoon in the Australasian Post magazine. It has to be seen to be believed so I'll let the photos do the talking.......the crooked walls are a feature of the building and I believe they caused all sorts of problems for the builders who were just not used to building at these angles.
At long last I turn off the Highway, drive through a couple of roundabouts and over a bridge spanning the Maroochy River and 5 minutes later turn into the driveway of Sugar Cane Farm. No longer a farm but the home of my friend Anne and her husband Jack. I have arrived.....and, yes, the kettle is on.
After a good night's sleep and a satisfying breakfast, I was on the road again for the trip north between 8 and 8.30 am. Turning onto the Pacific Highway from Park Road, where the motel is, I passed the Big Banana on my left and the Opal Centre next to it (which I am planning to visit on the way home) and headed off towards the next town, Woolgoolga, which has a very large Indian population living there and a large Hindu Temple visible from quite a distance away. From here, the road wends its way through many plantations of bananas with the fruit covered in bags to protect it from the flying foxes which abound wherever there is a good feed to be had.
The next major centre on the map is the City of Grafton which is famous as the City of the Jacarandas, a beautiful tree which in Spring is covered with lovely blue/purple flowers - and I do mean covered ! When the blooms begin to drop their petals on the ground it is a sight that could never be forgotten.
Around Grafton, travellers catch their first glimpse of field after field of sugar canes which grow not just in fields but along the sides of the road, too. Some all straggly and looking as though a good puff of wind would blow them over and some standing straight and tall and obviously well looked after by the sugar cane farmers. This has been a major crop in Australia for many years but these days, the sugar refineries are closing down and the land the cane was grown on is being sold for other purposes. The sugar cane industry used to stretch from Grafton in the south right up to Cairns in the far north of Queensland but now it is being reduced to just patches here and there. Not only does sugar come from the cane but also the fibre from the plant has been used as fuel to provide steam and electricity at the refineries and is now being sold as mulch for the gardens.
The Highway along the next stretch of land is being upgraded to a dual carriageway so instead of going through towns with delightful names such as Mullumbimby and Kyogle, these have been reduced to names on the signposts which is a pity in spite of the fact that it is quicker to drive along these new roads. I remember the first time I drove up here, one overhead sign read "Your speed is about to be checked" while the next one a few kilometres further on said "Your speed has been checked". Fortunately my speed complied with the rules.
The next city is Ballina and here another stop is made for a little rest and recuperation at a place called The Big Prawn ! ....and it is a big one, too.
Once again there are the usual tourist shops, takeaways and restaurants but after a short break I am on my way again and heading towards the Queensland border when another crop is making its appearance with Macadamia Nut Trees bordering the Highway and suddenly the unexpected sight of a knight in shining armour outside a mediaeval castle which makes you wonder whether you are seeing things ! Unfortunately, it is yet another tourist trap with lots of souvenirs and restaurants.
North of Ballina the Highway climbs the side of a hill and at the top as it curves around to head downwards again, there is the most wonderful view of the mountains sloping down to a wide basin of land with a view of the Tasman Sea and the islands just off the coast. I took a series of photos the last time I was up there and tried to join them together to form a panorama but I should have used my tripod to steady the camera and to keep the photos in line. Next time !
After a long, wide stretch of highway, a sign appears informing you that you have now entered the State of Queensland and the towering buildings of Coolangatta and the Gold Coast can be seen away to your right. The traffic is now a lot thicker and unless you pay close attention, the turn off for the major highway to Brisbane is upon you before you realise it. This next section would be one of the widest and fastest parts of the long journey north with sections of it anything from 6 to 12 lanes wide. This leads from the Gold Coast to Brisbane and crosses over the Brisbane River on the Gateway Bridge which can be seen soaring over the river but because of the traffic and the need to stay alert I haven't yet been able to photograph it - one of these days........
By now, I am on the home straight to Yandina, where my friend lives, travelling along the Bruce Highway and gradually the traffic thins out as the turnoffs appear for such places as Redcliffe, Caboolture, Bribie Island and a magnificent sight appears in the distance, the Glasshouse Mountains.
These mountains are actually the cores of old volcanoes millions of years old with the majority of the vegetation eroded from them. The aborigines have many delightful legends about them which can be read at - http://www.users.on.net/~matt.davey/mattdavey/
?gclid=CP-s49ntw4kCFRNlYQod-guiNw
There are fields of pineapples along the roads now and just before reaching the turnoff for Yandina a strange building can be seen to the left of the Highway. It is called the Ettamogah Pub after the name of a pub in a cartoon in the Australasian Post magazine. It has to be seen to be believed so I'll let the photos do the talking.......the crooked walls are a feature of the building and I believe they caused all sorts of problems for the builders who were just not used to building at these angles.
At long last I turn off the Highway, drive through a couple of roundabouts and over a bridge spanning the Maroochy River and 5 minutes later turn into the driveway of Sugar Cane Farm. No longer a farm but the home of my friend Anne and her husband Jack. I have arrived.....and, yes, the kettle is on.
posted by Needlelacer | 5:24 AM
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