Selling the Avan Cruiseliner

The little caravan that has served us so well for the past two (plus) years is now up for sale. The Cruiseliner can be viewed online at Caravan and Camping Sales http://www.caravancampingsales.com.au search the site using reference code 428634.

 This advertisement has now been removed from the web. We have placed the van "For Sale On Consignment" with Hervey Bay Caravans, Main Street, Pialba. You can view all their caravan stock at http://www.herveybaycaravans.com.au

Judy and I have enjoyed all our travels over the eastern states of Australia but now we have the desire to travel further afield. There is still half of this vast continent that we have not set foot on and because we will be away from home for far longer periods we have come to the conclusion that we will need a larger mobile home. Therefore we are looking to buy an 18'6" full caravan that contains a little more comfort and 50% more space.

It will be sad saying goodbye to our little friend but when we get on the road again in another caravan we will be happy once more.

This is the final posting to this blog, as we are selling the Avan Cruiseliner, we will not need the blog title "Avan Touring in Australia". Of course when we begin travelling, around March 2012 we will begin blogging again. I have a new blog title and that is "Can Go Around Australia". So, look out for us then. It has been great having you on board, we have had something like 14000 page views over the past couple of years and that number will only grow. So cheers for now, see you next year.

Kingaroy - 25th November

Nearly home now, well into Queensland and we can feel it in our bones. Set up camp in the Kingaroy Showgrounds, $20 pn with power, great amenities and there is going to be a Speedway Meeting tomorrow night to which we have a special visitors pass. It is an easy walk into town from the Showgrounds, we strolled in and did a circuit around town and we met some of the drivers who will be competing at the Speedway Meet.

One of the main crops of the area is Peanuts, these are growing on the Booie Range.

The Carrolee Hotel, grand old building from the towns early days.

The old Council Chambers on the left is now the Library while the building on the right is The Tourist Information Centre.

This building that once housed the Kingaroy Electric Company is now a Museum.

These silos in the centre of town are used to store the peanuts harvested from around the town.

Picnic Shelter and BBQ facilities at the Mount Wooroolin Lookout.

The view looking over Kingaroy from Mount Wooroolin.

Gulargambone - 24th November

Since leaving Wagga Wagga we have been gradually driving into heavier rain the further north we travel. We stopped in a Caravan Park on the north end of Peak Hill because the weather was too inclement to stop on the side of the road. We would recommend this CP to travellers and we will stop there again. The weather was too bad to take photographs as well. (Call me soft, if you like.) As the rain was prevailing, we decided that we may as well keep driving. It is no fun sitting in a caravan on the side of a highway. Next stop was at a large Rest Area near Walgett. The rain had temporarily eased off and we had a comfortable night here with several other over-nighters, including two trucks. We made a small detour off the highway to go into Lightning Ridge, stopped for a tea break then continued on our way. We approached Gulargambone and our stomachs were telling us that it was lunch time. We found a great little park with toilets and made our lunch stop there. We continued driving until we reached Moonie. Here we booked into "The Crossroads" Roadhouse/Pub/Motel/Caravan Park. It rained all night here too. Exciting time to travel, I must say!

A feature of Gulargambone is the galvanised, corrugated steel galahs, like the one erected in this park. There are many of these 'galahs' erected throughout the town and surrounding area.

A bridge over the Castlereagh River at Gulargambone. We have been driving through rain for days on end but this river is bone dry!

Wagga Wagga - 20th November

After a month in Geelong visiting family and introducing ourselves to our new grand daughter, we are now travelling northwards and homeward bound. Wagga Wagga is one of our regular stopping places on our many treks to and from Victoria. This is the first time we have stopped over for more than an overnight stay.

Wilks Park, a free camp area alongside the Murrumbidgee River and adjacent to the central city area. As this is a flood plain one must be prepared for q quick evacuation if the river rises rapidly.

The Murrumbidgee River in the Wagga Wagga CBD, with a sandy beach. The river flows strong and fast past this point so it is not a place for weak swimmers.

The Wagga Wagga Railway Station is still in use with rail connections to Melbourne and Sydney

The station platform is beautiful old style architecture and very clean and well maintained. A train is due in very few minutes.

Wellington - 17th October

There were no free rest areas with toilets in this locality, we were forced into a caravan park at Wellington. Wellington was a neat town with numerous well kept gardens and parks.

On the way to Wellington we stopped at this place for morning tea. I can't remember the name of the town but I took this photo because they have installed these 'mile posts' as a reminder of times past long ago.

Part of central Wellington with large silos in the background.

One of the large and well maintained parks in the town.

Barraba - 16th October

We have just left the farm at Texas behind us and this is our first rest area stopover on the way to Geelong. We are only a couple of kilometres out of Barraba, a small town on the Bingara - Tamworth Road otherwise known as The Fossikers' Way. This is a neat and tidy rest area and we parked our van alongside an earlier arrival. After setting up camp we began chatting to our new neighbours and discovered that they were from the same city that we live in, when we are home of course.

This is a well tended Rest Area.

Two vans nestled in a quiet, cosy rest area for the night.

Checking the map books for tomorrows route.

Texas - 29th September

Since the time we left home on this tour we have had Texas as one of our prime destinations. We are 'farm sitting' for Sue and Frank while they visit family in Victoria.

Our van parked in the house block on the farm.

Grand view across the valley from the front verandah of the farm house.

Section of the main street in Texas.

More of the main street in Texas.

Yet another view of the main street in Texas.

Texas has a very large free camping area alongside the Dumaresq River. However, be warned, this is a flood plain and the river can rise quite quickly. Top quality toilets and hot showers are available just off the main street in the centre of town.

Feeding time for two orphaned damara lambs. They really love their formula, twice a day at this stage, they will be weaned fairly soon. The black one is 'Desi' and the white one is 'Lucy'.

Inverell and Copeton Dam - 27th September

We needed to call into Inverell and purchase a few supplies for our stay at Copeton Dam. The dam is only a short distance from the Inverell  City Centre.

This area of the Copeton camp ground was unavailable to us as the area was reserved for a large group competing in a rally. We did have a great site though, perched on the top of a rise over looking the lake.

Notice the the 'tea' colour of the tannin in the water.

Walking along one of the access roads towards another group of campers.

This family group couldn't get any closer to the waters' edge. If the dam was at full capacity this spit of land would be submerged.

There is a vague white speck up in the trees towards the top-right of the picture, this is our car and van.

Sunset over the lake from our camp site.

Park land along the MacIntyre River in Inverell. This park area is adjacent to the central shopping area of the city.

From the park looking across the round-a-bout towards the main street of Inverell.

Guyra, Mother Duck Lagoon - 26th September

We made a one night stop at the small town of Guyra. Here travellers are provided with a large free rest area one block from the centre of town. The Rest Area is known as "Mother Duck Lagoon".  If you are into the game of golf at all there is a golf course adjacent to the lagoons, as well as terrific picnic facilities.

View from the camp area overlooking the golf course.

Looking over the lagoon with the golf course to the left of picture.

Our camp site with the picnic area behind us.

Part of the Guyra Main Street.

Aspley Gorge, Oxley Wild Rivers NP - 25th September

We had left Goolawah behind us and was enroute to Bonshaw, but we were never going to bridge the gap in one day. We had stopped for lunch at Stockyard Creek, a very picturesque picnic area in the middle of 90 km of very winding road. We struck up a conversation with another caravanning couple who were heading home to Port Macquarie, they had been travelling since Easter. As fellow travellers do, they passed on information of places of interest. Their advice was to visit Aspley Gorge in the Oxley Wild Rivers NP and Copeton Dam. We called into Aspley Gorge, did the gorge rim walk, found the camp area and decided to stay the night. It was very dark in the bush camp and with nothing else to do, we went to bed at 7 PM. We were woken at 6 AM by flashes of lightning and crashes of thunder and an extremely heavy downpour of rain that soon deteriorated into heavy hail. All this was very noisy in the Cruiseliner. The storm was all over by 7 AM and the sun came into view.

Stockyard Creek Rest Area on the Oxley Highway

Aspley Gorge

Waterfall at Aspley Gorge

Aspley Gorge rim walk, looking towards the camp area.

Our camp site at Aspley Gorge.

Goolawah Community - 18th September

On the journey from Tin Can Bay to Goolawah, we stopped over at Lismore for two nights. We stayed at the Lismore Tourist Park, the rates there are very reasonable and the park is only a short walk from The Rous Hotel. We had to visit the hotel on Friday and Saturday nights to watch the Rugby League Finals. While in town we also looked at Nova Caravans.

We arrived at Goolawah Community Sunday afternoon. We were immediately impressed with all the improvements that Roger, Belinda and Glen have made to their block. Jude and I managed to be of some help with the landscaping, pulling of weeds, mowing and mulching. We did have time for plenty of talks about their plans for the future of the block. We all went to the Crescent Heads Golf Club on Friday night for a great meal and to watch the Rugby League Grand Final. Unfortunately Judy and I were in hostile territory (NSW) and we had to watch The Broncos go down to Manly.

Jude and I left Goolawah on the Saturday in drizzly rain, we were heading for Bonshaw to do a term of farm sitting for Sue and Frank.

It is before the tourist season at Crescent Head, notice the sparsely populated beach.

A rocky outcrop on the beach at Crescent Head.

Tin Can Bay - 14th September

As we were ready to travel a day early, we decided to leave Hervey Bay and travel the short distance to Bauple. The local council has provided a new free camp there and thought we should check it out. It is well worth stopping for a look.

The following morning we also had a morning tea stop at another free camp at Gunalda. This also is a very good stop-over site if you are looking for a spell from driving, there is not much to do there though.

We arrived at Tin Can Bay about 1 PM and set up camp at the Caravan Park alongside Jim & Ann and Brian & Trish. We had arranged to meet there and stay for two nights. Jude and I also ran into some friends from Geelong in Victoria that were staying in the park, we didn't know that they would be there. We all had a great meal at the Bowling Club on Thursday night and packed up camp on Friday morning.

Tide is out at Tin Can Bay, it is a long walk to the water.

Waiting for coffee to be served at Tin Can Bay.