Lunch in Emu Park

July 23 – Dululu to Byfield

Up at 7am – usual saga with dew sodden tents. Still the sun is shining coffee is brewed and the road beckons.

Today up over Mount Morgan and down to the coast via Rockhampton. Destination – Byfield.

Good riding up to Mount Morgan – stop for terrible coffee but good pasties. Mount Morgan is another Gold Town that has seen its glory days. Lots of impressive old building, looking sad and empty.

Next a quick descent down to the plains and Rockhampton. An interesting few kilometers of twists and turns – over all to soon and then a quick blast into Rocky. Interrupted by the usual road works and diversions.

Stop at a shopping centre to visit the supermarket, plus a camping supplies shop for gas cylinder for Marco's stove and the motorcycle shop next door for oil filters for the VStrom and the Ninja. Both of which will need an oil change/ service by the time we get to Airlie Beach.

A sweet ride to Emu Park on the coast east of Rockhampton and a very pleasant late lunch in a park overlooking Great Kepple Island.

We thought about pulling up at a Caravan Park for the night but they were all chock full. Damed Grey Nomads are everywhere.

So we push on to Byfield on a good quite road that rises and winds through state forests and ends up at the general Store in Byfield. The area is clearly an 'alternative' area. Lots of 'retreats' and 'galleries' and 'potteries'.

The general store is great and we ask the operators/owners where we can camp? The national park is a few km up the road, but you can camp out the front if you want? No shower, but a toilet and $12 for a load of firewood and a steel drum to burn it in. That will do us for the night. Much more our scene. With the promise of a hot cooked breakfast tomorrow! Yum!

If we can find somewhere to have a shower, we may hang about for another day. Otherwise – who knows?