Twogreenfrogs

 These two green frogs decided it was time to find another adventure and to move to another place.  So they packed up their life and found another job.  It was a big adventure and they took their trusty caravan "Nugget" with them. The drive began with their first stop in Monto, Queensland.  The area around here was dry, at the time of writing this and made you wonder how the cattle and other animals lived and what they actually ate.  The grass was brown   like hay so maybe that was enough for them.  From here the first stop was Dauringa, where we stopped for morning tea, green tea and a muffin.  It was nice here just a small town and mining was one of the main jobs here.  There was even a conveyor belt that ran over the road from one side to the other where it would fill the train carriages.  These coal trains are very long, way longer than normal trains.  Suppose they need to be to get coal from one place to another in one go....

 The Captain is calling, " All on board, Stop smiling prisoner 321, this is not a fun ride, get to work." The captain is assisting the passengers on board the Cat "O" nine tails, this is the boat that takes you out to the Island of Saint Helena.  Originally a Leper colony and used for Quarantine, then changed to a prison for men only when Boggo Road Prison became over crowded.  Peel Island became the place for Lepers.  The last leper left Peel Island in 1982 and was transferred to Princess Alexandra Hospital.  Prisoner 78 and 321 in front  Jetty and Guards swimming enclosure   Prisoners were only allowed 1 visitor every 8 weeks for a time period of 20 minutes.  Back in those days there was no motors on the boats to get out to the Island fast, so it was a long trip for a visit.  A guard was present at all times.  The visiting room, if you could call it that, had the visitors on one side and the prisoners on the other so that they could no...

 A nice Sunday afternoon drive or stay in the local area, starting from Clontarf there is a lovely park along the beach front.  There you will also find an inflatable fun park with water slides and other fun for the children.  If the weather becomes too rough they will not allow usage of this, for safety reasons.  Not far from here is a fun play area for children should they not wish to get wet.  Along the other side of the road is a variety of eateries if you don't want to take a picnic. Towards Houghton Bridge The wreck of the Gayundah Further on at Woody Point  there is a jetty which you can walk out and look at the bay and back towards the shoreline.  Here there is another park where you can enjoy the scenery and maybe a café, fish and chips or the local restaurants.  Around the corner is the wreck of the HMQS Gayundah.  This vessel was once a flat iron gunboat operated  by the Queensland Maritime Defence Force and later the Royal Au...

The best time to visit the Kondalilla falls is after rain, though I can recommend visiting anytime.  The walk is fairly easy and the views amazing.  These two green frogs went a week after there was plenty of rain and walked to the lookout opposite the falls.  It was lovely to see the water flowing over the rocks. What it is like at the bottom is your choice, we have left some of the walk to you to experience.   There are three circuits to choose from: The Picnic Creek Circuit - 2.4 klm return or 45 minutes.  (this goes to the base of the falls)     Kondalilla falls  Kondalilla falls circuit complete - 4.6 klm or 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Rockpools circuit - 3.2 klm or 1 hour. ✋The tracks at Kondalilla falls are not wheelchair friendly.  Kondalilla means rushing water in Aboriginal Language.  The water in this area supplies the Mary River catchment. The falls are approximately 80 meters high. Yes the pathway down can be steep in many p...

 Looking for that somewhere different to share with the kids that will keep them occupied.  On the Sunshine Coast is a place built like a castle.  Actually it is built to a Norman style castle on the outside, without the moat.  The rack.  The children will find many items here to keep their interest for a while, they can even go on a treasure hunt around the building. When we arrived there was a volunteer in the courtyard and he was talking about the history of the castle. He provided a talking tour of the castle for group bookings, and in each area he would regale a tale or two of the times. Knights Armour From the courtyard you then proceed into the castle where you see the throne room.  To the left you can enter the main banquet hall and down the stairs to a dungeon.  Here there were the racks and knights armour from the day.  We even had the opportunity to try on a helmet and gloves just to see how heavy it was and the feeling while wearing it...

 While in Bundaberg you should make the time to visit the Barrel, or Bundaberg's Ginger Beer factory and see what it takes to make this Aussie icon so yummy and delicious.  It is great for the kids to visit too as they can get to see, touch and taste the flavours that make the drink fun.  Bundaberg brewed drinks are a family owned business, started by the Fleming family who still run it today.  The factory was established in Bundaberg in 1960 and now export their product around the Globe.  In 2004, securing the best crop of ginger Bundaberg ginger beer factory instigated the planting of their first ginger crop in Bundaberg.  Then in 2005 The Barrel was built next to the factory as a tourist attraction The Barrel When you arrive and pay for your tour, you are given a cardboard crate that you can place 6 flavours in of your own particular taste.  Although this tour is not long it is however very interesting and informative and well worth the visit. ...

An Australian icon some would say, another zoo others say, maybe they are but this place is a good zoo for families and adults alike.  There are plaques with each animal that contains information on each one that in some cases can be very interesting and makes each animal unique in their own way.  Chameleon This is our second visit here and I for one really enjoy seeing the variety of animals that are on display to see.  I especially love walking through the koala habitat where the koalas can go between trees and you can stand there and see them up close, as the trees are not overly tall.  There also for the younger generation would be a sign at the bottom of the tree telling you that there was a koala in that tree.  This also makes photo opportunities easier. Giraffe's eating  Visiting the Giraffes and Rhino enclosures was fun.  These are both animals that are unique to the world in many ways.  Giraffes because they are taller with their graceful...