Sydney Trip 2014, on the road to Mapelton, Qld.

And so finally after much prep work we are on the road on a 4000 klm family road trip. Leaving our home base in Rockhampton, Qld, the first stop was Mapelton up in the mountains behind the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Maleny and Montville are also up in this area. It's a beautiful part of the world.
 

 

On the Road

We chose to stay at a caravan park called Lillyponds. We've stayed there before and so we knew what to expect. The grounds are full of mature Avocado trees which always seem to be fully laden with fruit. If you like avocados then you will love this place. I will suggest though beware the red dirt on which the park is built on. With the ultra heavy dew every morning, the red dirt turns to red mud which the kids thoroughly enjoyed playing in. 

Staying at caravan parks was going to be our strategy as this was the 1st trip with kids. A proper bush camping holiday would be too stressful. We had to learn for ourselves what our limits were with the kids. This, I thought would be our practice run before we did some real camping.

Camp Lillyponds

I've always wanted to do the drive from Rainbow Beach down through Cooloola and out at Noosa and this was my chance to do it.  We turned off at Maryborough, drove down past Poona NP and through the Tuan State Forest.
The state forest seems to be mostly pine plantation and actually makes for a nice drive.

The Route

What took me by surprise was the township of Rainbow Beach. Holey Smokes, I didn't expect there to be a town here. At least not a town so developed. I half expected to see a Woolies.

Rainbow Beach

No go zone on Rainbow Beach.

We were under the pump time wise to get down and off Rainbow Beach as the tide was on its way back in and this beach is definitely not place to be cutoff on. There's simply no retreat if you are midway on the beach. On the incoming tide the southern end of the beach is blocked by fallen trees, so the nightmare situation is to be attempting to beat the tide only to be blocked at the very end, forcing you to turn around but by that stage, you have no beach to drive on. Game over.
Anyway we returned the next day we had plenty of time to explorer and spent a leisurely day on the beaches.

Lunch at Lawrie Hansen Park.

The Prop from the Cherry Venture

Wiki on the Cherry Venture

Cooloola Beach

Cooloola Beach

Cooloola Beach

Fishing on Cooloola Beach

Fishing on Cooloola Beach

 Convoy on Cooloola Beach. Quite common to end up in one of these

The Pajero, Cooloola Beach.

This place does have a name but I'm a bad tourist and ignored the sign. These things were huge. 

I think I'm being followed.

At Double Island Point. The kids about to plunge into the beautiful blue water.

 The Rainbow Beach Cliffs. Don't get stuck on this beach. This is dead low tide. 

 Looking back to the sand cliffs, still on Rainbow at Double Island Point.

My boy Jack on his 1st real 4wd Adventure Holiday. Loving it.

It's impossible to see just how steep the sand walls are. Maggie gave up.

Rainbow Beach

There's always one. Bogged down to the axles, why? Because no one airs down their tyres here. No idea why.

 Waiting on the ferry to cross the Noosa River and continue on to our camp for the next few nights.

She's been in the car most of the day and still has a big smile for Dad.

Travel Day 1
Rockhampton to Mapleton

The path as recorded by GPS
download The Google Earth KML file

Travel Day 2
Hanging around Mapleton and Sunny Coast

The path as recorded by GPS
download The Google Earth KML file

Travel Day 3

Day at Rainbow Beach and Cooloola Coast

The path as recorded by GPS

download The Google Earth KML file